Ski Les Arcs, Paradiski, France

Need a break from Val d'Isere and Les Trois Vallées? Les Arcs and the huge Paradiski area including La Plagne is a great alternative.

Getting There

Located in France's Savoie region alongside many other famous names, Les Arcs is easily accessible from nearby airports or the train station at Bourg St Maurice. The TGV comes into Bourg directly and it's possible to take the Eurostar from London with a change to the TGV - usually in Paris. The transfer from Bourg to Les Arcs is around 35 minutes +/- depending which village you are staying in (more below).

The closest airport is Chambery (~1hr 50mins transfer) but there are plentiful flights into Geneva and Lyon as well with transfer times around 2hrs 45mins. (Grenoble is an option too but with less frequent flights).

For more transfer information see the recent post on Val d'Isere where the same information applies.

The Resort

Les Arcs is part of the huge Paradiski area - the second largest in the world - which includes La Plagne and Peisey-Vallandry, linked by the world's largest cable car - the Vanoise Express. Les Arcs/​Peisey-Vallandry has around 200km of runs and a network of 53 lifts which is more than enough to keep you happy for at least a week even without the area lift pass.

In terms of aesthetics, it's a mixed bag ranging from large hotel and apartment complexes to the purpose-built pedestrianised ARC 1950. For us, ARC 1950 is the clear winner but everyone shares the same mountain so there are options to suit all tastes and budgets.

Areas

Les Arcs is separated into four resorts: 1600, 1800, 1950 and 2000, each with its own character. In addition Villaroger and the connected villages of Peisey-Vallandry round out the places to stay in the Paradiski area.

• ARC 1950 was purpose built around 20 years ago in a traditional Savoyarde style. It's based around a snow-covered central pedestrian area with everything accessible on foot with ski-in / ski-access from almost all the accommodation. It's by far the most charming part of Les Arcs in our view which is why we've returned there multiple times. Many of the apartments in the different 1950 buildings are very similar in terms of design and style and if you are booking a package holiday it can be a bit of a lottery in terms of which building, aspect, layout etc. For the most part they are comfortable rather than luxurious however if you want something a little more special, there are several hotels and private apartments available for rent through different sites including Les Arcs official website. Having stayed in three different buildings, our favourite was the Residence Jardins de la Cascade looking over the Place de l'horloge. Because it is fully pedestrianised, you arrive on the road behind the village and depending on where you are staying it can be a bit of a trek through the snow with your gear. However, coming down from your accommodation into the snow covered village and walking a few minutes to a restaurant more than makes up for it.

Late afternoon in Arc 1950

• ARC 2000 is located just above ARC 1950 and accessible from the village via a small gondola lift. It consists mainly of large apartment blocks and hotels (including the Club Med if that's your thing) arranged over a fairly compact area with lifts and restaurants all within a few minutes walk. Unfortunately, it is not particularly attractive and despite being pedestrianised and ski-in/ski-out, it lacks the charm of its next door neighbour. It always seems to be the windiest part of the mountain with the least sun - at least when we've visited - but it does have the easiest access to lifts of all the resorts and a good learner area which serves both 1950 and 2000 so may be easier if you have very small people in tow. You can of course also take advantage of its proximity to 1950 and enjoy the village even if staying in 2000.

Arc 2000 - Photo: seelesarcs.com

• ARC 1800 is the largest and most developed of the resorts spread out over four different villages - Charmettoger (probably the most attractive part courtesy of the wood clad buildings), Les Villards (where the main lifts are), Le Charvet, and Le Chantal. Being the main part of Les Arcs there are plenty of shops, restaurants, non-ski entertainment and different types of accommodation on offer. If you want a bigger selection of shops, dining, entertainment and apres ski then 1800 might be for you. It also boasts some of the best views of all the resorts and this part of the mountain is well-suited to intermediate skiers with lots of long tree-lined blue runs.

Arc 1800 - Photo: seelesarcs.com

• ARC 1600 is the original resort area and remains the smallest and most dated looking part of Les Arcs. Being at lower altitude, the snow is patchier in early and late season or in lower snow years. That said, it is a much quieter experience and easier on the budget than the other resorts. You can catch the funicular railway from Bourg St Maurice directly to 1600 which makes it an easy transfer versus snaking up with winding roads. The Apocalypse terrain park just above 1600 is one of the best in the Alpes so even if you are not staying here, a visit to check it out is worthwhile.

Arc 1600 - Photo: seelesarcs.com

Getting Around

One of the best things about Les Arcs is once you are in your resort getting around is mostly on foot. There are local buses that run between the resorts should you need them however all the resorts can be reached via ski runs and lifts. You'll spend a fair bit of time walking through the snow so suitable apres-ski footwear is a good idea.

The Mountain

Aside from the obvious scale, one of the best things about Les Arcs is the variety of terrain on offer which provides something for everyone from blue cruisers to some challenging off-piste terrain. Rising to 3226m at the top of the Auguille Rouge, the views from the viewing area at the top of the cable car are stunning. A recently installed zip line adds some additional adrenaline options or rip the 7km run down to Villaroger from the top.

Les Arcs is laid out over the slopes of two ajoining valleys. Viewing the map, ARC 1950 and 2000 are on the left with 1800, 1600 and Peisey-Vallandry to the right. The Vanoise Express lift connects La Plagne to Vallandry thus completing the Paradiski area. It's worth keeping in mind that the size of the resort means some planning is required to make sure you don't get stuck somewhere at the end of the day or find yourself on the wrong side of the mountain for that lunch booking.

>> Piste Map

The Classic ski pass gives you access to Les Arcs and Peisey-Vallandry but to ski in La Plagne you will need the Premium pass. The Premium Pass also includes some extras such as the zip line and use of express lanes on some lifts. If you are a first time visitor you will probably find the Classic Pass provides more than enough terrain however opening up the La Plagne area certainly adds a new dimension if you want to go further afield for more variety.

Best Spots

Beginners, intermediates and those looking to progress will find the most variety on the 1800 side of the mountain where the trails are predominantly groomed red and blue runs. There are some fun parts off the side of the pistes too for those wanted to push themselves a bit with an easy run-out back to the piste. Depending on the snow coverage and crowds, this side can get skied out more easily than the 1950 side which also benefits from higher elevations.

To orient yourself on the 1800 side, the Transarc gondola is right in the middle of the mountain and the best way to get back to the other side. To the far left of Transarc is ARC 1600 along with another good way to return to 1950 via the Carreley chairlift. To the right-hand side is Vallandry however the piste map doesn't always give a good indication of distances so moving between areas and lifts can be time consuming.

Back over on the 1950 side, you'll fine more back runs and challenging terrain particularly on the faces of the Aguille Rouge and Grand Col. The Grand Col chair takes you up to some excellent black and red runs which are a good training ground for learning to ride powder and off-piste terrain while staying close to the main piste should you need to bail out. The popular Arcabulle lift in the centre of the mountain provides reliable on and off-piste red run laps but tends to have the biggest queues at busy times.

Ski School

Les Arcs operates the same ski schools as other French resorts including of course ESF and more English-friendly operators like Evolution2. See the Val d'Isere guide for further details which also apply to Les Arcs.

Restaurants

As you would expect, the food in Les Arcs is heavily focused on traditional Savoyarde cuisine and a fondness for cheese from Raclette to fondue definitely helps. 8 à Huit supermarkets can be found in all the resorts and if you are fully or partly self-catering then you will find everything you need here including a good selection of wine. Below are a few starter suggestions for 1950 and, as always, it's worth booking ahead in peak times like Feb half-term.

In-Resort

A helpful restaurant guide can be found here but the following are a few places we have enjoyed over the past few years. Things change all the time so some of these may not be current but a few starting ideas for family dining. For 1950 check out https://www.arc1950.com/en/bars-restaurants-in-les-arcs.html.

• Nona Lisa (04 79 07 56 48) - Our go-to for a relaxed, classic French ski meal whether lunch or dinner. Gigi the dog always entertains too!

• Le Mazot - A reliable Savoyard favourite.

• Le Chalet de Luigi - Another family friendly spot with a mix of Italian and Savoyard classics to mix things up a bit along with a ground floor bar that is a good apes spot.

• L'Arc Doré - Bakery - Drag yourself out of bed and beat the breakfast queue for fresh baguette and croissants. Open all day for post-skiing boulangerie needs as well.

• Le Gourmet Montagnard - If you fancy eating in without cooking, this is the way forward. Pre-order tartiflette and they often gave big pans of paella along with a wide array of cheeses, meats and other local specialities.

On-Mountain

As you would expect, there's a great variety of formal and informal dining on the mountain to suit all tastes. As always, it's a good idea to book ahead (yes, you usually have to call them) if you want to secure a spot at peak times.

• La Folie Douche - Good news party people, there's a Folie Douche in Les Arcs too! There are three restaurant options: Le Butcher, focused on burgers, sandwiches and snack food; La Fruitière, if you want to operate at a more civilised pace; and La Petite Cuisine with a canteen style option. Or, just grab a beer and dance the afternoon away on a table outside!

• Les Chalets de L’Arc (+33 4 79 04 15 40) - A traditional stone and wood chalet close to the Arcabulle lift on the 1950/2000 side that has a lovely sun terrace in good weather and a cosy interior when it's not.

• Bulle Cafe - Self service restaurant with a good selection of dishes. A great mid-mountain place to stop on the 1800 side especially in good weather to enjoy the large sun terrace.

These are just a few of many options across the mountain. Check out seelesarcs.com or TripAdvisor for a few more ideas.

Overall

Would I come back? Yes, absolutely and Les Arcs / Paradiski deserves its place in the top three mega resorts in France. Its high elevation is also a plus given the havoc climate change is wrecking on lower altitude resorts. There is a huge variety of terrain on offer and options to suit all tastes and budgets. Choose your accommodation and location carefully however as each Les Arcs village has its own style and personality.

All photos Road Warrior unless indicated.