St Martin de Belleville

A charming Alpine village lower down the valley, with direct access to the vast Three Valleys ski area

Located in: Saint-Martin-de-Belleville
Featured in: Towns & Villages
Updated: 12 August 2025

St Martin de Belleville combines traditional French village charm with the convenience of modern skiing. You can wander cobbled streets, sample local cheese and pastries, then hop on the lift to explore the largest ski area in the world. With small welcoming hotels, luxury catered chalets and peaceful evenings, it’s perfect if you want world-class skiing without the bustle of a big resort.

St Martin de Belleville (1,450m) is often called the hidden gem of the Three Valleys, offering all the charm of a traditional French village with the bonus of direct access to the largest ski area in the world. Once a farming community, it still has a wonderfully authentic feel, from authentic restaurants serving local produce to scenic snowshoe walks leading to working dairies. The St Martin 1 and 2 lifts at the top of the village link you straight into the vast Three Valleys network, so you can enjoy world-class skiing while staying somewhere steeped in Alpine character.

Accommodation here is mostly small-scale and high quality, with a handful of charming hotels, catered chalets and self-catered apartments, many right by the slopes. Catered chalets are especially popular, often offering a luxurious stay with fine dining and excellent wine after a day on the mountain. Life in St Martin is relaxed, with just a few bars, a small selection of shops, tempting patisseries and a local supermarket for essentials. It’s a place for those who want to enjoy exceptional skiing by day and peaceful village life by night.

Location	Km from Val Thorens	Best for
Val Thorens	0	Being in the heart of the largest ski area
St. Martin de Belleville	12	Charming alpine village with quaint hotels and luxury chalets
Les Menuires	5	affordable ski-in, ski-out accommodation

Villages of Val Thorens

History & Culture in Saint-Martin-de-Belleville

St Martin was the last resort to join the Belleville ski area, being developed in the 1980s. Greater care was taken with regards to the architecture and layout thus preserving the French village feel. The local style was respected and the size of the development restricted, which is definitely evident now when comparing St Martin to other resorts. The village implements limited height restrictions for building projects, and traditional architecture has to be adopted with visible stonework and slate roofs to keep the style. Development continues today in the same vein with few large hotels and the concentration largely on renovating existing buildings into chalets.

See our History Guide

Sights & Attractions in Saint-Martin-de-Belleville

St Martin is often described as a French village with a ski lift, being a really picturesque destination rather than a purpose built ski resort. Being in a central location you have fantastic views towards Meribel/Courchevel to the left and Les Menuires/Val Thorens to the right, perfect on bad weather days to assess the best place to ski. In the summer areas that are out of bounds during the winter such as Vallée des Encombres open up for great walks with cascades and refuges.

Dining in Saint-Martin-de-Belleville

St Martin has some fantastic restaurants including the Michelin-starred La Bouitte who have recently received their third star, and the well-known Montagnard restaurant. Taking it down a notch you have La Voute with a varied and good quality menu and in a central location opposite the church. For a good value 'menu du jour' and a terrace at the bottom of the slope there is the L'Eterlou. If you are just looking for takeaway you can visit O P'tit Snack or check the dates for Pizza del Capo who visit a different hamlet of St Martin each evening.

La Bouitte Restaurant

Located in
Saint-Martin-de-Belleville

Working hand in hand with their loyal staff, day after day, the duo René, Marie-Louise, Maxime and Sophie Meilleur compose subtle gastronomic scores in the idyllic setting of their Savoyard chalet.
La Loy Restaurant

Located in
Saint-Martin-de-Belleville

This restaurant is located on the Biolley piste on the way back to Saint Martin de Belleville. La Loy serves classic French food and snacks, and boast a large sunny terrace.
La Voute Restaurant

Located in
Saint-Martin-de-Belleville

Along the valley from Val Thorens, you will find this pizzeria in Saint Martin de Belleville. The warm and friendly atmosphere along with the delicious pizzas and reasonable prices makes this restaurant a popular choice amongst locals and tourists.

Things to do in Saint-Martin-de-Belleville

St Martin is the lowest resort in the Belleville Valley at 1,450m but has a great central location to access the Three Valleys ski area. Along with skiing and snowboarding there are also great cross-country skiing tracks and walking paths from St Martin. If you want a more relaxing way to enjoy the snow you can hop on the dog sled which runs along the track towards Châtelard with outings from 30 minutes to one hour available. In the summer months St Martin has some fantastic mountain bike tracks with the lifts open two days a week to access the full Three Valleys area. There are some fantastic walking routes to explore which are easily accessible without opting for a ski lift. The detailed walking maps give a coloured grading for the level of difficulty. An area normally off-limits during the winter months opens up for a great via ferrata route up to Le Cochet just above St Martin. There is also a great forest adventure circuit for children and adults along with horse riding and archery.

Husky Sledding, St Martin de Belleville

Located in
Saint-Martin-de-Belleville

Spend an exhilarating trip being pulled in a husky sled. Excursions for 30 minutes or 1 hour are available from the tourist office in St Martin.

Nightlife in Saint-Martin-de-Belleville

There's no beating around the bush, St Martin is a quiet ski resort with just three bars open in the evening. For après you have La Loy on the bottom of the Biolley piste to enjoy the last of the sun. In the village, there is La Dahlia and Alp'Hotel at the bottom of the St Martin 1 ski lift. Into the evening there is the Pourquoi Pas Bar with live music, Le Joker Bar offering a real French bar feel and Le Billig Bar with pool table, table football and sports TV.

Chalets in Saint-Martin-de-Belleville

There are lots of self-catered and catered chalets on offer, some extending into the surrounding hamlets of Chatelard and Villarabout.

Holidays Rentals in Saint-Martin-de-Belleville

RB26 Apartment

Studio of 29m², 2nd floor, facing south with balcony. Linoleum on the floor. Kitchen with micro wave oven, electric hobs and fridge. Bathroom with bath. Separated toilet. SLEEPING : Living room with a pull out sofa bed. Entrance with bunkbeds Resort WIFI network payable on condition that apartment has sufficient coverage.
VAN273 Apartment

North facing studio of 18m² on 2nd floor with veranda Kitchenette with oven, refrigerator and electric hobs. Bathroom with shower and toilet. SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS Living room with pull out sofa bed (2x1 persons). Resort WIFI network payable on condition that apartment has sufficient coverage.
LL503 Apartment

South facing studio of 24m² on level 7 from the exterior of the residence (floor 5 from building entrance) with balcony. Kitchenette with oven, refrigerator, electric hobs and dishwasher. Dining area. Bathroom with bath. Separate toilet. SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS Hallway with 2 bunk beds. Living room with pullout sofa bed (2 x 1 person). Resort WIFI network payable on condition that apartment has sufficient coverage.
RB84 Apartment

Studio of 28m², ground floor, facing south with balcony. Kitchen with micro wave oven, elecftric hobs, dishwasher and fridge. Bathroom with bath. Separated toilet. SLEEPING : Living room with a pull out sofa bed. Entrance with bunkbeds Resort WIFI network payable on condition that apartment has sufficient coverage.
VAN377 Apartment

North-east facing studio of 25m² on 3rd floor with balcony. Kitchenette with micro wave oven, refrigerator, extractor fan, oven and electric hobs. Bathroom withshower and toilet. SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS Cabin open on the living room with 2 single beds. Cabine closed with a curtain with bunk beds. Resort WIFI network payable on condition that apartment has sufficient coverage.
VAN571 Apartment

North facing studio of 18m² at 5th floor with balcony. Kitchenette with mini oven, refrigerator and electric hobs. Bathroom with shower and toilet. SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS LIving room with pull out sofa bed (2 single beds) Resort WIFI network payable on condition that apartment has sufficient coverage.

Hotels in Saint-Martin-de-Belleville

There is only a handful of hotels in St Martin with the main accommodation tending to be away from the resort's centre.

La Bouitte Hotel, Hameau de St Marcel

The name of the hotel, "La Bouitte", means little house in the Savoyard dialect. This is a gastronomic hotel with a Michelin starred restaurant.

23 August 20257 Nights
Price: €3,398