Les Arcs Ski Resort

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Les Arcs ski resort, Aiguille Grive.
Les Arcs ski resort, Aiguille Grive.
Ski Les Arcs.
Ski Les Arcs.
Les Arcs ski resort.
Les Arcs ski resort.
Les Arcs ski terrain toward the 3226m Aiguille Rouge.
Les Arcs ski terrain toward the 3226m Aiguille Rouge.
Les Arcs villages are purpose built for views & ski in ski out convenience.
Les Arcs villages are purpose built for views & ski in ski out convenience.
Les Arcs is lift linked to vast La Plagne ski resort to form
Les Arcs is lift linked to vast La Plagne ski resort to form 'Paradiski'.
Funicular access to Les Arcs is directly from Bourg St Maurice train station.
Funicular access to Les Arcs is directly from Bourg St Maurice train station.
Serious Les Arcs freeride terrain on the western flanks the Aiguille Rouge.
Serious Les Arcs freeride terrain on the western flanks the Aiguille Rouge.
A sense of the number of Les Arcs villages is gleaned from resort signage!
A sense of the number of Les Arcs villages is gleaned from resort signage!
Les Arcs mountain restaurant L
Les Arcs mountain restaurant L'Altiport is glorious once the sun is on it!
A few Les arcs piste trails are busy all day, like this into Arc1800 village.
A few Les arcs piste trails are busy all day, like this into Arc1800 village.
The Les Arcs snow park is fun, even for old Powderhounds.
The Les Arcs snow park is fun, even for old Powderhounds.
The trees of Peisey Vallandry provide diversity & shelter at Les Arcs.
The trees of Peisey Vallandry provide diversity & shelter at Les Arcs.
Contemplating fresh lines at Les Arcs ski resort.
Contemplating fresh lines at Les Arcs ski resort.
Arc 2000 is one of the most recognisable resort villages in the world.
Arc 2000 is one of the most recognisable resort villages in the world.
Arc 1800 village has a large number of bars, restaurants & services.
Arc 1800 village has a large number of bars, restaurants & services.
Arc 1950 is the prettiest of Les Arcs villages.
Arc 1950 is the prettiest of Les Arcs villages.
Arc 1600 is the best value of Les Arcs ski resort villages.
Arc 1600 is the best value of Les Arcs ski resort villages.
Villaroger is the most traditional & quiet Les Arcs village.
Villaroger is the most traditional & quiet Les Arcs village.
Ski Les Arcs.
Ski Les Arcs.

Les Arcs Ski Resort

Readers Ratings

Les Arcs

Les Arcs4/51
Les Arcs4 out of 5 based on 1 reviews
  • Recommend
    100%
  • Would Revisit
    100%
Up Guides Maurienne Tours

Interlinked Ski Resort

La Plagne

Les Arcs Maps & Stats

     Les Arcs Ski Trail Map
  • Les Arcs Ski Trail Map
  • Vertical (m)
    1,200m - 3,250m (2,050m)
  • Average Snow Fall
    8 - 10m
  • Lifts (52)
    8 Gondolas / cable cars
    27 Chairs

    Paradiski - 121 lifts
  • Opening Dates & Times
    Mid December to late April
    8:30am to 4:30pm
  • Terrain Summary
    Runs - 200km
    Longest run - 8km+
    Advanced - 14%
    Intermediate - 35%
    Beginner - 51%

    Paradiski - 425km
  • Lift Pass Price
    Day Ticket 23/24
    Les Arcs (incl. Peisey Vallandry)
    Adult - €65
    Adult 65-74yr - €52
    Child 5-12yr- €52
    Adult 75yr & over - €10
    Child u/5yr - Free

    Paradiski (incl. La Plagne)
    Adult - €70
    Adult 65-74yr - €56
    Child 5-12yr- €56
    Adult 75yr & over - €10
    Child u/5yr - Free
     Paradiski Ski Trail Map
  • Paradiski Ski Trail Map
    La Plagne Ski Trail Map
  • La Plagne Ski Trail Map

Les Arcs Ski Resort France

Les Arcs ski resort in the Tarentaise valley is a sensational French mega ski area. Les Arcs provides a total ski holiday destination with huge & diverse terrain, quirky accommodations, superb snow & wonderful ease of access from the transport hub of Bourg St Maurice.

When the Powderhounds reviewed Les Arcs in January 2018, we were pleasantly surprised that this oft maligned ski area truly has something for everyone & provides evidence that sometimes bigger can be better. So much so that it has been rated in the Top 5 Best Overall Europe Ski Resorts by Powderhounds in 2018, 2019 & 2020.

Pros & Cons for Les Arcs Ski Resort

Pros

  • Massive interlinked ski area.
  • Diverse off-piste terrain with bowls, trees & super-long steeps.
  • Amazing variety of on-piste trails for all levels.
  • Loads of beginner ski terrain and facilities.
  • Huge range of ski-in ski-out apartment & hotel accommodation.
  • Possible to ski entire 2000m vertical.
  • Quality and consistent snow record.
  • Lift connected to La Plagne (for the sake of diversity if nothing else!).
  • Wonderful valley and mountain views.
  • Excellent après ski options.
  • Easy access via train and funicular from Bourg St Maurice.
  • Value for money lift pass (but not the Paradiski pass!).

Cons

  • Some piste trails & lifts can get overcrowded.
  • Off-piste will get busy on a powder day.
  • On-mountain accommodation can be expensive.

Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)

  • Arc 1600, 1800 & 2000 villages are visually challenging.
  • 7 different villages (2 valley, 5 alpine), so no real centre, which can be a blessing or a curse.
  • Majority of accommodation is apartments.
  • Limited nightlife due to nature of villages.
  • A French mega resort that you will either love or hate! (We loved it.)

Skiing & Snowboarding, Lifts & Terrain

Les Arcs is two resorts, but that information is in some ways purely academic. In practical terms, we consider the ski area of Peisey Vallandry, to be part of Les Arcs. Peisey Vallandry provides some beautiful, sheltered tree lined lifts & runs, but in reality, the latest lifts passes don’t discriminate between the two areas.

Skiing Les Arcs can be an on-piste lift to lift, village to village groomer fest or can be off-piste high adventure freeriding 2,000m verticals from the 3,226m high Aiguille Rouge. It rates highly in the overall statistics for that reason of diversity.

Check out the ski trail map for Les Arcs below.

Les Arcs Ski Trail Map
Les Arcs Ski Trail Map

One cannot forget though, that Les Arcs is a big ski resort with a massive number of on-mountain beds. Lift queues exist at certain locations at mid-morning & just after lunchtime. The TransArc gondola & Grand Col chair can be particularly busy, but overall, the lift capacity is good enough to not notice the volume of humanity here. Goes without saying that starting early & having an early lunch is the best policy at Les Arcs.

Les Arcs is also 'interconnected' with neighbouring La Plagne to form the mega ski resort of Paradiski, more than doubling the ski terrain & lifts available. The term 'interconnected' is a bit of an illusion though. A double-decker cable car links the two resort areas across the valley, but it is not possible to ski to the other resort. Skiing both resorts in a day is not really an option either - simply due to the areas size.

Where is Les Arcs France?

Located in the Savoie (pronounced Savwa) region of France & part of the legendary Tarentaise valley in the French Alps, Les Arcs ski resort is perched high above the town of Bourg St Maurice. Bourg St Maurice is about 190km east of Lyon & a similar distance south of Geneva. Distances to the resort are interesting. ‘As the ptarmigan flies’ the highest village of Arc 2000 is only 7km from Bourg St Maurice however by road it is 26km (35min).

The resort village of Arc 1600 is directly connected to Bourg St Maurice by a funicular which departs from the train station, a few minutes’ walk along the platforms at the opposite end to the main terminal. Other alpine villages can be accessed by bus from the top of the funicular. The other Les Arcs villages of Villaroger, Peisey & Vallandry are accessed from different points in the valley (refer Accommodation section below).

Gateway airports for Les Arcs are Lyon (LYS) & Geneva (GVA). In winter, weekend flights from the UK & within Europe arrive at Chambery (CMF), the closest airport to the Tarentaise. Paris & London are in play by virtue of their fast train connections to Bourg St Maurice.

Search & book train tickets to Bourg St Maurice.

The train is the recommended mode of travel to Les Arcs, however, once in Bourg St Maurice (unless staying at Arc 1600 near the top of the funicular) we recommend looking at a private transfer from the train station (particularly if in a group of 3 or more people). Search & book all private transfers to any of the Les Arcs villages.

As with all of the Haute Tarentaise ski areas, Les Arcs can be easily reached by rental car from any of the major airports. Having a car allows for a flexible, extended stay, travelling to a new resort every day if you wish.

Les Arcs Accommodation

The ski resort of Les Arcs is an amalgam of extraordinarily designed villages spread across the ski area. The architecture appears questionable at first, seemingly at odds with the natural environment. But as one skis the resort & notes the jagged rocky outcrops under the Grand Col chair a begrudging admiration for the architects grows bit by bit. They were perhaps before their time & though much maligned, we think have stood the test of time (from the outside anyway!).

Search & book Les Arcs ski accommodation.

In the sub alpine zone there is Peisey Vallandry (1,600m) to the resort’s largest village called Arc 1800 & on to Arc1600 (which links to Bourg St Maurice by funicular). Over the ridge in an upper alpine valley the pretty Arc 1950 is below the visually confronting Arc 2000. Way below Arc 1950 lies the tiny village of Villaroger (1200m), a world away from the hustle & bustle of the ski resort. All the villages have direct lift & piste links into the resort, with the majority of accommodations, ski-in. Hotels are thin on the ground, but self-contained apartments of varying quality are everywhere. Numerous chalets are also available for rent.

All the Arc villages are road linked to Bourg St Maurice. Peisey Vallandry is accessed via the road from the valley town of Landry. Villaroger is in the opposite direction off the road to Val d’Isere.

There is plenty of accommodation choice when planning a trip to Les Arcs, but you can also choose to stay off the mountain in any one of the valley villages & towns. Use the funicular or Villaroger chairs to access the hill every day. Staying off the mountain allows for greater exploration of this sensational ski region.

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Ski Rentals, Lessons, Guiding & Clothing

Ski rentals are available in all the Les Arcs villages with our partners at Skiset. Receive a discount when you search & book via our Les Arcs Ski & Snowboard Rental page.

If looking to head into the Les Arcs off-piste but are unsure about your abilities, off-piste ski lessons & guiding can make all the difference. For more information & booking, see our Les Arcs Ski Lessons & Guiding page.

[AdListings Filter="Les Arcs Ski Rentals Clothing"]

Review

The Powderhounds last reviewed Les Arcs in 2018 & had an amazing time despite some initial misgivings. The villages are visually intriguing, access from Bourg St Maurice train station is outstanding, and it has some truly awesome of-piste terrain & freeride descents. Click on the review link in the left column (or at the top of the page if on a mobile) to read its inciteful & witty prose!

See how La Plagne compares to other French ski resorts on the France ski resort ratings page and to the rest of the European ski resorts on the Europe ski resort ratings page.

Follow Powderhounds Europe on Instagram to see where we are currently skiing. Follow our main Powderhounds page on Facebook to stay in touch with up-to-date info, tours, and discussions.

Tours in or near Les Arcs

Safari (Road Trip) Tours

Tarentaise Powder Ski Safari
GUIDED OFF-PISTE SKI ADVENTURE
8 Days | 7 Nights | 6 Days Skiing | 3+ Resorts
Ability: Strong Intermediate to Expert
Discover the best snow & off-piste terrain in the world famous ski areas of the French Alps' Haute Tarentaise. Lead by an experienced guide, ski descents of up to 2,000m vertical through untracked powder, days after a snowfall. Join a "fixed date" tour or get your own group together for your best dates & duration.
Price p/p From price based on twin/double-share room occupancy & min group of 6 people on an 8-day tour
Base/invoice currency is in EURO inc taxes.
*Displayed price may vary due to currency fluctuations.
USD 2,290
View Details
 
See all Safari (Road Trip) tours that visit Les Arcs here

Single-Base, Multi-Ski-Area Tours

Tarentaise Valley Star Ski Tour
GUIDED OFF-PISTE ADVENTURE
8 Days | 4+ Ski Resorts
Ability: Intermediate to Expert
Ski untracked powder in the most famous ski areas of the world in France with an experienced guide riding vertical descents of up to 2,000m vertical. Explore the 3 Valleys, Les Arcs, Sainte Foy, La Plagne & La Rosiere. Join a "fixed date" tour or get your own group together for a custom tour on your best dates....
Price p/p From price based on twin/double-share room occupancy & min private group of 4 people on a 8-day tour
Base/invoice currency is in EURO inc taxes.
*Displayed price may vary due to currency fluctuations.
USD 2,149
View Details
 
See all Single-Base, Multi-Ski-Area tours that visit Les Arcs here
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