There are multiple levels of gorgeousness to skiing Areches Beaufort. An idyllic off the beaten track ‘Swiss-like’ valley, views out to Mont Blanc, authentic villages, glorious cheese, wonderfully affordable, loads of snow, an energetic ski touring & backcountry freeride fraternity, and what appeared to be no sign, sight or sound of wankers present. Wow. What a place.
About as far removed from the ‘industrial’ ski resorts and crowds of the Haute Tarentaise as one can get, Arêches Beaufort is utopia for Powderhounds seeking a true French Alps ski holiday experience without all the cost, fake luxury & bullshit of other places.
The lift pass price is amongst the best value in the entire Alps. Sure the mountain still has few surface tows in parts and a couple of older chairs, but all in all, the other lifts (including the new Le Bois gondola), ski terrain, grooming quality, snowmaking down low, and ski bus more than make up for any perceived deficiencies.
Arriving on a sunny March weekend at the last minute is not the best way to ski the area (mid-week is super quiet) but time was limited for us. We stayed at the well-priced Hôtel Viallet in the heart of the village, just next to the church. The hotel is slowly being refurbished and will be amazing when complete. Commercial accommodation in the region is relatively limited (a good thing!), with only a handful of hotels between Areches & Beaufort villages, plus a load of private apartments & chalets for holiday rent.
Near the main town square and next to the church is Bar Chez Dédé, the best après ski beer bar in the region. Relaxed, attentive staff, amazing beer list, and the perfect interior decorating (you’ll understand when you go, suffice to say it has a ski theme!). However, after dark the village is wonderfully quiet, so if seeking a more vibrant nightlife experience, do not come here.
Skiing here on a sunny weekend not long after the last major snowfall (above 1,500m that is!) was always going to be an interesting exercise in the ‘busy measure’. Despite a full(ish) car park at Le Planay, a long line at the cash desk and a lot of skiers milling around the base area at Le Planay, the lifts & piste trails were utterly devoid of humans. And I only saw one snowboarder. Just one. (What is it with the lack of snowboarders in the Alps?) It seems that many weekend visitors to the mountain are here for ski touring & backcountry skiing on the Grand Mont and Légette du Grand Mont. We can see why. The terrain is easy to get to, has massive, interesting descents of over 1,400m vert, plus fresh, untracked snow (up high anyway). Exits are a little more intriguing, particularly with some late season thermal slides in play. But all in all, Areches Beaufort is a backcountry freeride nirvana.
The on-piste terrain here is best for progressing beginners & intermediates. Long rolling runs are great fun at speed. Novice learn to ski areas are at the Le Planay base, then further up via the gondola at the amin mid-mountain base of Le Cuvy. A few well-situated restaurants are dotted across the mountain. We can recommend the Refuge de l’Alpage. A glorious alpine setting and delicious, ell-priced plat du jour. In true Powderhounds style, lunch was eaten early, which was a good thing as the entire sun deck was booked out for later arrivals. Sunny weekend and all …….
Despite the low base elevation of 1,080m to 1,200m (very low for France these days) and the surrounding hills looking decidedly green, almost everything was skiable, including two fantastic valley trails. Perches was a huge surprise as it is hidden from most views so it hard to know what to expect. Three lower altitude pistes were closed including the advanced Grand Mont run due to a lack of snow on its lower half. A shame because it looks like fun. The valley linking trail from Le Planay to Areches was closed too, but the free ski bus covered-off on the route. However the run itself (Boulevard de Liaison), appearing to roll past country homes & through farmyards, does look a lovely way to end a day. We will just have to come back and try it all out. And we will, because Arêches Beaufort ticks all of the best Powderhounds’ boxes..
