Les Arcs - village

Overview

Les Arcs has five villages. Bourg-Saint-Maurice, where the trains arrive, is a real-life year-round mountain town with a long history, including a delightful Baroque church and links to the slopes (via Arc 1600) by a seven-minute funicular ride.  But when people talk about Les Arcs ski resort, they are usually mean the villages that are on the slopes.  Arcs 1600, Arc 1800 and Arc 2000 were all built in the 1960s and 1970s following the principles of avant-garde architecture, with clear inspiration from the great architect, Le Corbusier. What they lose in traditional architecture, tehy gain in convenience.

The new kid on the block, Arc 1950, uses more traditional Savoyard building techniques but with a North American twang, thanks to Canadian developers Intrawest, the company behind Whistler. This is arguably the most ski-in-ski-out village in the Alps.

Snowcarbon Founder, Daniel has made a two-minute film about Arc 1950, interviewing skiers to ask what they think about it, which you can see here:

Accommodation types

Arc 1950
Convenience for the slopes, coupled with a very high standard of self-catered accommodation, is what makes Arc 1950 such a magnet for skiers.

Much of the accommodation in Les Arcs is in apartments in those distinctive modernist apartment blocks. At Arc 1950, there is a Radisson Blu hotel but it is more of an apartment hotel in style. In addition, much of the accommodation labelled as chalets are actually apartments run on a chalet basis.

Les Arcs 1950Photo: Andy Parant

Arc 2000
A new high-end addition to the accommodation in Arc 2000 is the 5-star, ski-in/-ski-out Taj-I Mah hotel.  The location is excellent, set in front of Arc 2000 and perched above Arc 1950. The hotel has a 400m2 spa and wellness area, plenty of childcare facilities and two restaurants, the more casual Rotisserie and Le Diamante Noir, run by Michellin-starred chef Eric Samson.

There are also some traditional chalets, particularly in hamlets including Villaroger and Peisey-Vallandry. The hotels are typically midmarket properties; the Hotel du Golf in Arc 1800 has undergone a complete refurbishment. There are Club Med hotels in the heart of Arc 2000 and an impressive landmark property in Peisey-Vallandry.

Les Arcs 2000Photo: OT Les Arcs

Ski/snowboard equipment hire

Ski Republic has branches in 1800 and 2000 while Twinner Sports is in 1600, 1800 and 2000. At Arc 1950, you can choose between Ogier (which rents through Ski Cleanic) and Concept Boardshop.

Non-ski activities

Les Arcs offers several icy adventures for non-skiers. The Grotte de Glace (ice cave) at the top of the Transarc gondola is well worth a visit. If that whets your appetite, try glacier walking on the Glacier Geay.

Jacques Fillietroz, aka “Les Arcs’ Buffalo Bill”, runs ski-joëring in the forest – that’s being pulled along on your skis by a horse (50€). Call (00 33 6 16 18 49 51). If dogs are your thing, try Arctik Aventures’ (00 33 6 16 03 24 01) sunset husky rides (45€). Finish off a day with a snowshoe walk to a Mongolian yurt on the slopes where you’ll tuck into a traditional Savoyard dinner.

Les Arcs' "Illuminated Murals"Photo: Yann Allegre

Childcare

Les Arcs is designated as a Famille Plus resort, which means it has to adhere to seven family-friendly principles. In Arc 1600, the child care centre is in the Hotel La Cachette and is suitable for children from 4 months up to 12 with three separate groups for babies and toddlers.

In Arc 1800, there is the popular Pomme de Pins centre for 1 to 6 year olds. In Arc 1950, Le Cariboo’s in Les Clarines caters for children from 6 months to 13 years old. In Arc 2000, children aged from 18 months to 6 years are looked after in the Lanchettes Residence. You should reserve before arriving and bring your child’s medical records for evidence of vaccinations.

Photo: OT Les Arcs