Information about Skiing and Snowboarding in Les Arcs
Les Arcs is made up of several purpose built villages called Arc 2000, Arc
1950, Arc 1600, Arc 1800, three old farming hamlets called Villaroger,
Vallandry and Peisey, and the town of Bourg Saint Maurice in the valley
which is where one of our chalets is. Each area has its own feel and ambience
and all provide something different depending on the conditions. We chose
to be based in Bourg because it has it is a functioning town throughout
the year and doesn't rely solely on the mountain for it's
business, so it has a lovely atmosphere and is fun to explore. A few minutes
walk from the chalet is a funicular train which runs to Arc 1600 from
where you can take lifts to all the other areas.
Beginners will find Les Arcs a great place to learn, because there are purpose built nursery slopes in each village and a free shuttle bus between them to help you get around. There is a great nursery slope a short walk from the top of the funicular which has a nice quiet slope spectacular views of Mont Blanc! There is another really nice area of just above Peisey with wide open, gentle pistes which are
Information about Les Arc for novice skiers and snowboarders
Beginners will find Les Arcs a great place to learn, because there are purpose built nursery slopes in each village and a free shuttle bus between them to help you get around. There is a great nursery slope a short walk from the top of the funicular which has a nice quiet slope spectacular views of Mont Blanc! There is another really nice area of just above Peisey with wide open, gentle pistes which are
usually empty and are a perfect
place to build confidence. A bonus is that they all end at the village
for a well earned drink, which you will need, because learning to ski
or snowboard is seriously hard work! 1800 has a big nursery area with
speed restrictions, so that you don't need to feel intimidated by people
whizzing by.
You will be in heaven here, it's very easy to get around and you can really travel some distance in a day. There are wide open pistes above chair 69 in Peisey, perfect for some high speed carving, Over in Arc 2000 you will get the opportunity to practice making powder turns, because it is wide open and above the tree line, so everything off-piste is very accessible. There are also plenty of little hits and bumps to jump off, moving up to some small rock drops and lengthier off-piste lines. Towering over the 2000 valley is the Aguille Rouge, which at 3225m is one of the highest peaks in the French Alps and it is here you will find awesome views and a run down to Villaroger that is over 11km long. Above Arc 1600 you will find great lines through the forest which provide hours of fun on a powder day.
Experienced people should head up the Aguille Rouge and check out some of the awesome off-piste routes back down to Villaroger. Be warned though, some of the off-piste in Les Arcs is very exposed and should not be entered into lightly, so it is always best to hire a guide. Another fun route is to the village of Nancroix from the top of the Trans Arc Cable car. You can walk past the restaurant at the top and just head down the back towards the big face at the end of the valley. It is mostly quite mellow and gives you a real sense of getting away from it. There are also lots of routes through the Malgovert trees and over above Vallandry. Keep your eyes out for kicker spots too, there are loads. One of the most famous is above Chair 69 in Vallandry. If you look to your right at the top you'll see lots of rollers underneath a big face, this is where lots of kicker pictures taken in Les Arcs were done. The beauty of it is that you can build a jump any size you want, from small, for learning stuff, to absolutely massive for taking great pictures!
The Apocalypse Park in 1800 has plenty of lines for all to enjoy. There are three lines of kickers ranging from small to large, and also a couple of pro kickers situated just outside the main park area. In between the main kicker lines there are lots of rails and boxes and a fun water slide at the bottom. The park is serviced by the Clare Blanc chairlift, which, although a little slow, does travel right over the park so you can watch what other people are up to on your way back up.
Information about Les Arc for intermediate skiers and snowboarders
You will be in heaven here, it's very easy to get around and you can really travel some distance in a day. There are wide open pistes above chair 69 in Peisey, perfect for some high speed carving, Over in Arc 2000 you will get the opportunity to practice making powder turns, because it is wide open and above the tree line, so everything off-piste is very accessible. There are also plenty of little hits and bumps to jump off, moving up to some small rock drops and lengthier off-piste lines. Towering over the 2000 valley is the Aguille Rouge, which at 3225m is one of the highest peaks in the French Alps and it is here you will find awesome views and a run down to Villaroger that is over 11km long. Above Arc 1600 you will find great lines through the forest which provide hours of fun on a powder day.
Information about Les Arc for advanced skiers and snowboarders
Experienced people should head up the Aguille Rouge and check out some of the awesome off-piste routes back down to Villaroger. Be warned though, some of the off-piste in Les Arcs is very exposed and should not be entered into lightly, so it is always best to hire a guide. Another fun route is to the village of Nancroix from the top of the Trans Arc Cable car. You can walk past the restaurant at the top and just head down the back towards the big face at the end of the valley. It is mostly quite mellow and gives you a real sense of getting away from it. There are also lots of routes through the Malgovert trees and over above Vallandry. Keep your eyes out for kicker spots too, there are loads. One of the most famous is above Chair 69 in Vallandry. If you look to your right at the top you'll see lots of rollers underneath a big face, this is where lots of kicker pictures taken in Les Arcs were done. The beauty of it is that you can build a jump any size you want, from small, for learning stuff, to absolutely massive for taking great pictures!
The Les Arcs snow park
The Apocalypse Park in 1800 has plenty of lines for all to enjoy. There are three lines of kickers ranging from small to large, and also a couple of pro kickers situated just outside the main park area. In between the main kicker lines there are lots of rails and boxes and a fun water slide at the bottom. The park is serviced by the Clare Blanc chairlift, which, although a little slow, does travel right over the park so you can watch what other people are up to on your way back up.
"Your info was really handy, I felt like I already knew the area before I arrived" - Rob
