Guide to Les Arcs, French Alps

Les Arcs covers a vast skiing area around a number of purpose-built modern complexes, which sprawl up 4 different elevations above the Tarentaise Valley and the town of Bourg St. Maurice in the French Alps. Les Arcs suits all types of skiing abilities, with lots of gentle blues, some tricky reds and the challenging 7 km Aiguille black run. Exhilarating runs take you through lovely pine forests with breathtaking views. It is also the best place for snowboarding. A short funicular ride to Bourg St. Maurice offers the best of local shopping, museum, open air market and restaurants. The resorts of Trois Vallées, La Plagne, Val d’Isère and Tignes are only a short drive away.
The new Paradiski cable car links Les Arcs resort with La Plagne, forming one of the largest skiing and snowboarding areas in the world, with a huge 425 km (260 miles) of marked pistes.

Mountain Information Les Arcs

Resort Altitude	2000 m
Vertical Drop	2400 m
Top Lift	3225 m
Lifts	28
Total Runs	242, (425 km)
Longest Run	7 km
Advanced Runs	27
Intermediate Runs	195
Beginner	20
Cross Country	30 km

Getting to Les Arcs

The quickest and cheapest away to travel to Les Arcs ski resort is to first find one of the many cheap flights to Lyon, Geneva or Chambery. Les Arcs lies 80 miles distance from Chambery, the nearest airport, Lyon airport is about 125 miles away. By car, driving from Geneva airport (97 miles) takes about 3.5 hours, - follow the Autoroute to Albertville and the N90 dual carriageway to Moutiers and follow signs. The nearest train station is in Bourg Saint Maurice 9 miles away. A funicular and a bus run from this station up to Les Arcs, where free buses will get you around the resort. Arc 1600 and 1800 have free outdoor parking. There is pay parking at Arc 2000, (but free 5km from Arc 2000 with free shuttle bus.)

Accommodation

There are 4 main accommodation areas on different elevations in Les Arcs: Arc 1600 is the oldest and most pleasant; Arc 1800 is the largest and lively; Arc 1950 is the newest and most luxurious; bleak and isolated Arc 2000 has close access to the highest and toughest skiing. Many of the hotels and chalets are good quality and most are close to the slopes. There are also 1000's of functional self catering apartments and studios to choose from, but don't expect rustic Alpine charm here. Alternatively, Bourg St.Maurice is a nicer and quieter place to stay and is also convenient for Val d'Isere. The town has excellent hotels, with some 2 star at bargain prices. Peisey Vallandry is a smaller, recently developed ski resort with new chalets, situated near a cluster of small villages.

Bars, restaurants and apres ski

Apres-ski is not particularly chic or outstanding in Les Arcs. Arc 1800 has the liveliest après-ski, check out the J.O.Bar, Fairway Disco or Apokalypse. Arc 2000 also has some lively nightspots such as Red Rock bar. Arc 1600 is quieter but try the L’Arcelle for music after dinner, or Le J.O. Live Rock Café for dancing and live music, Sing Island Café has karaoke nights, El Latino Loco is always open. As for restaurants and food stores, the best choice is found in Arc 1800, or try the hypermarkets just outside Bourg. There are also a few adequate mountain restaurants dotted around the slopes.

Activities

Non-skiers can do hang-gliding, paragliding, snow scooters, ice skating, sleigh rides, visit the ice grotto or the 8-lane bowling alley, also look out for English films in the local cinemas. For snowboarders Les Arcs is one of the best, as this is the place where the sport first took off. There's an excellent half pipe and a very entertaing snowboard park with jumps and tabletops.
Bourg St.Maurice offers lots of shops, a market, bars and restaurants, snowshoeing, fitness centres, a museum, horse-sleigh rides, indoor swimming pool, nice local valley walks.
 
Compare other French Ski resorts or read our latest guides to Italian and Swiss ski areas.

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