PV Holidays Blog

This week, Pierre & Vacances’ guest blogger is Liz Adams, from the smashing, influential ski blog, Ski Concierge.com.

“Les Arc is is one of most affordable ski resorts in France, making it a haven for both avid skiers and families looking for great value winter breaks. Check out Liz’s insiders’ guide to the very best runs and après-ski…

Situated high in the Upper Tarentaise Valley, Les Arcs is a gem of a resort with plenty of accommodation choices and some brilliant skiing for beginners and advanced skiers. It was linked to La Plagne in 2003 via the Vanoise Express cable car and now includes over 260 miles of pistes and 175 lifts. This new area, Paradiski, now rivals the 3 Valleys and Espace Killy for skiing and leisure facilities.

There are five main resort bases, but I’m a fan of 1800, the central hub, and 1950. This new area of Arc 1950 to be linked offers a great new option for visitors to Les Arcs, with a range of well located apartments with good access to the slopes.

In Les Arcs itself there are a good amount of varied ski runs. In fact, I think it is probably one of the best resorts for mixed ability groups with a large amount of entry -level skiing plus some excellent harder runs and off-piste action. The ski area rises to 3,226m giving it great snow sureness and making it a banker for early and late season.

Best ski routes in Les Arcs

There are two major ski areas, and the best choice is above 1800 over to Peisey-Vallandry. The central part of this bowl is great for improvers as it offers a range of blues and reds under the Plagnettes lift. The most testing pistes run down from the top of Aiguille Rouge, though watch out as the cable car can fall foul of the bad weather and be closed sometimes. The Aiguille Rouge Black run is my favourite in Les Arcs, and takes in 7km of twists, turns and fun!

As you head over towards Arc 1800 the runs seem to get harder. Take in the beautiful descents in 1600 of Cachette and Rouelles, a bumpy scenic black recently reclassified from its blatantly incorrect redness! Arc 1800 is the best area for beginners as there is a number of linked blues and plenty of beginners slopes at a high enough altitude to ensure good snow. The skiing around 1600, 1800 and Peisey-Vallandry is mainly tree-lined, offering good shelter in bad weather.

If you haven’t had enough of skiing during the day there is night skiing until 9pm in Arc 1950 and 2000 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It’s definitely worth a try at least once, especially on a clear, moonlit night!

Places to eat in Les Arcs

The best mountain restaurants to try in Les Arcs are L’Arpette near the snow park, which seems to be one of the more reasonably priced. Alternatively, give the pizza a go at Le Solan near the Vanoise Express (it also has free WIFI.)

Ski hire in Les Arcs

As I discovered on a recent trip to Les Arcs with some beginners, the ski schools here are among the first to recommend and use shorter skis for beginners. The theory is that it’s easier to ski on blade type skis, and means you can start parallel turning straight away. You will need to return to your ski hire shop several times during the week to pick up longer skis as you progress, so ensure you choose a well-located ski hire shop.

Paradiski lift passes for six days cost a whopping 243 Euros or 182.50 Euros for children. Alternatively, a Les Arcs lift pass costs 203 Euros or 152.50 Euros for children. It’s not cheap but prices here are lower than many other resorts, and the fact that it is such a good, well-linked area makes it good value for money.

Apres-ski in Les Arcs
In the evenings, there’s quite a bit of varied entertainment depending on where you are staying. 1800 is a great place to be if you want to explore the busy bars and clubs. For traditional cheesy alpine dancing try the Red Hot Saloon. For proper club action, I recommend Apocalypse or trendy Igloo. Arc 1950 is well supplied with restaurants offering a range of traditional and non-traditional options, including a Mexican restaurant, which is a rare sight in the Alps. Plus Chalet Luigi is a great bar with dancing downstairs if you’ve any energy left at the end of the day. A beer will cost you around £4, which is well under what you’d expect to pay in other more pricey resorts such as Espace Killy.

Getting to Les Arcs
Access to the resort is easy as it’s so well connected. Fly to Chambery (79miles), Geneva (97miles) or Lyon (125miles). Alternatively, the drive from Calais or Dunkerque to Les Arcs will take around 8-10 hours.

Perhaps the easiest way to get to Les Arcs is by the direct Eurostar from St Pancras to Bourg St Maurice, just beneath Les Arcs. The transfer up to Les Arcs resorts from Bourg St Maurice train station take less than 45 minutes by taxi.

All in all, it’s a truly great resort with fantastic skiing and good facilities, with the bonus of being easily accessible by all transport methods. It’s a must visit for mile eaters and beginners!”

Thanks Liz. Visit ski concierge for lots of up-to-date ski news and information.

Affordable short ski breaks in Les Arc
Pierre & Vacances has recently signed an agreement with Intrawest to acquire its lodging and commercial enterprises in Arc 1950. The Arc 1950 Village has eight luxury residences with spacious self-catering apartments in Arc 1950. These comfortable apartments can sleep up to 10 people, offering a perfect base for families or groups of friends looking for a bargain ski holiday this winter. Click here for more information and to book on www.pv-holidays.com

Onsite facilities include outdoor heated pools, fitness rooms and free Internet access. Half-board catering options are also available.

With it’s ski in- ski out access, it is no small wonder that Arc 1800 is always a big hit for ski-mad families. There is also plenty of apres-ski entertainment, with a wealth of bars, clubs and shopping just around the corner from residences. Pierre & Vacances have 7 residences in Arc 1800. The Residences MGM Les Alpages de Chantel is one of the most popular residences on the resort due to its easy access and a swimming pool- a rarity in this resort, and a great addition after a day on the slopes. The Hotel Latitudes du Golf is in the heart of Arc 1800 and was recently renovated. Providing a plush base, the hotel comes with three on-site restaurants, a spa, jacuzzi, sauna and pool.

Pierre & Vacances is also currently running an early bird special offer, where money-savvy skiers can save up to 20% if they book their winter ski break in advance.

For more information on this offer and other ski offers, please visit PV-holidays.com