Skiing in Les Arcs
Guaranteed snow at Les Arcs, Paradiski in the French Alps
| "Part of the giant Paradiski area providing snowsure, high-altitude skiing. Good terrain for all standards and abundant off-piste opportunities." -- Ski Club of Great Britain |
The resorts of Les Arcs are located on the edge of the Vanoise National Park in the Savoie region of France. As one half of the Paradiski area, it boasts having 200km of pistes, 20 hectares of snow making, 30km of cross-country skiing, 16 mountain restaurants and 60 lifts (1 cable car, 30 chairlifts (6 high speed), 24 draglifts, 1 funicular and, 4 gondolas). There is also guaranteed snow back to resort all season long, though some of that may be artificial, plus is home to Aiguille Rouge, Europe's longest piste which is 7km in length and a 2100m vertical descent!
The Les Arcs area is not just one resort and is actually made up of four modern, purpose built resorts; Arc 1600, Arc 1800, Arc 1950 and Arc 2000, as well as a number of smaller, more traditional villages, namely; Villaroger, Peisey, Plan Peisey, Vallandry, Nancroix and Landry (which combined make up the area known as Peisey Vallandry), making it one of the most extensive and varied ski areas in the world.
Click here to see our remaining Les Arcs Chalet Prices for this season
Arc 1600 was the first built as an actual resort and today is the quieter of the split-level resorts, situated as it is amongst the trees, enjoying stunning views along the valley and over towards Mont Blanc. It is however, easiest to reach as it is directly linked from Bourg St Maurice by the funiculare railway, only 7 minutes away.
Arc 1800 is still the largest and liveliest of all the different levels. Itself is made up of four areas, namely; Le Charvet, Le Chantel and Les Villages Charmettoger. Here you'll find a vibrant centre with bars, restaurants and clubs as well as a variety of different apartment blocks of varying sizes and builds.
Arc 1950 is the newest of all the split-level resorts and has brought back traditional charm within its' buildings which some of the other '60's and '70's built resorts may have lacked. The village consists of a number of luxury apartments, the last one of which was completed in 2008.
Arc 2000, as its' name suggests, is the highest of all the resorts. Located on the other side of the mountain to 1600 and 1800 in a secluded bowl at the base of the Aiguille Rouge (3226m). What it may lack in charm and nightlife, it makes up for in its easy access to the highest parts of the ski area.
Villaroger (Le Pré) is a charming, traditional village that lies quite low at 1200m and is joined to Arc 2000 by a series of 3 chairlifts.
Peisey-Vallandry is an Alpine resort divided into 5 smaller traditional Savoyard villages situated on the sunny side of the valley; Peisey, Plan Peisey, Vallandry, Nancroix and Landry, all linked directly to the 200kms of skiing in Les Arcs. All of these village resorts are fairly small and quiet with traditional atmosphere and charm. To see our selection of Peisey-Vallandry ski chalets go to; Chalet Les Arcs (sleeps up to 9 guests), Chalet Peisey (sleeps up to 14 guests), Chalet La Laiterie (sleeps up to 16 guests), Chalet Paradiski (sleeps up to 25 guests).
Peisey is the original village that dates back 1000 years and has been an official holiday destination since the 1930’s. It has a beautiful baroque church and generally oozes charm with it's sister village, Villaret. The more modern Plan Peisey has a few shops, bars and restaurants and is the departure point for the Vanoise Express cable car connection to the remainder of the Paradiski area of La Plagne. Finished in 2003, its' double-decker design holds up 200 people and is the biggest, longest and fastest cable car in the World! To see our selection of Peisey ski chalets go to; Chalet Les Arcs (sleeps up to 9 guests), Chalet Peisey (sleeps up to 14 guests), Chalet La Laiterie (sleeps up to 16 guests), Chalet Paradiski (sleeps up to 25 guests).
Peisey Nancroix and Vallandry offer fantastic tree-lined descents through the imposing Nancroix forest, interlinked by a multitude of blue and red runs.
| "What Peisey-Vallandry offers that larger resorts cannot is a true village ambiance. The delightful village, with its wide and well-groomed pistes, is situated just below the cable-car station. Your biggest decision each day is whether to ski the slopes of Les Arcs or to take the link and explore La Plagne." -- Ski Club of Great Britain |
"Stayed in Peisey, Les Arcs. Great location! If weather sunny, hop over to La Plagne or go to the top of all Les Arcs, if poor, stay around Peisey/Vallandry and lower Les Arc for tree line skiing. Peisey gives you the best of all worlds!"
-- Alastair Brown (Ski Club of GB member forum user) |
"Amazing amount of skiing - fantastic wide slopes for nervous intermediates, and lovely tree lined runs down to 1800. Didn't make it across to La Plagne - there was too much in Les Arcs!"
-- Sarah (Ski Club of GB member forum user) |
"As an experienced skier, I liked the variety of runs for speedy skiing, open areas and tree lined runs, some challenging long moguled black runs and off-piste options, often near to the piste (offering an easier alternative for a mixed abilty group). Used the link to La Plagne (because it's there) but not sure if its worth it, as enough Skiing in Les Arcs for 1 week"
-- Richard Gardiner (Ski Club of GB member forum user) |
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What else is there
- The speed descent slope where the World Speed Record was set, a staggering 251.4km/h by the Italian Simone Origone in 2006.
- Main Events are the Les Arcs Freeride and the Speed Skiing events, but every weekend seems to have seen some competition or another. As one of the most prestigious resorts in France, Les Arcs also gets regular demo teams with displays, competitions and free trials from the leading ski and snowboard manufacturers. For a list of forthcoming events, try here.
- The resorts go to great lengths to provide 'animations' for all types of visitors, particularly the young. Firework displays, Easter egg hunts, 'Milka cows' handing out chocolates, ice-skating, film shows, talks, markets and tours of the ski runs are just a few of the activities.
- SnowPark - Whether you're a total beginner, an experienced skier or boarder, a pro-rider or simply a spectator, head to the Apocalypse Parc in the middle of the ski area between Arc 1600 and Arc 1800.
- Rodéo Park (high-altitude toboggan run) - New this Winter, at the top of the Col de la Chal (arrival point of the Transarc gondola lift or Arcabulle chair lift) is 3,000 metres of pure fun and exhilaration – you have to give it a go! It’s more than a toboggan run … it’s mind blowing!
- Speed Riding - Les Arcs is a dream place to learn speed riding. There’s a special area set aside for it and perfect runs for learners and experts alike. With a mini paragliding sail, skis and a feeling of total freedom, after just a few sessions you’ll experience a shot of pure adrenalin! The biggest speed riding training school in France is based in Arc 2000, offering courses ranging from taster sessions to going totally solo. You don’t need to know how to steer a sail to learn speed riding – you just need to be confident on skis! To find out more info, try here.
- Boardercross - a series of jumps and banked turns on a totally dedicated route; 2 courses at different levels of difficulty for you to experience at your own pace! Piste du Plan Vert – Vallée d’Arc 2000.
Click here for a lot more Les Acrs Winter Actvity Holidays including, back country heli-skiing, snow-shoeing and ice go-karting