Les Arcs

Les Arcs is a purpose-built ski resort in Savoie, in the Tarentaise Valley. The resort forms one half of the Paradiski ski area, together with La Plagne. The two domains are linked by the Vanoise Express, a double-deck cable car that connects the Peisey–Vallandry side of Les Arcs to La Plagne. Within Les Arcs itself, skiing is spread across a series of high-altitude resort bases – Arc 1600, Arc 1800, Arc 1950 and Arc 2000 – with lower access via Bourg-Saint-Maurice and villages such as Villaroger in the valley.

The ski terrain spans a large altitude range. The highest point is Aiguille Rouge (3,226m), reached by the Aiguille Rouge cable car. From the top, one of the defining runs of the area descends to Villaroger, with a long vertical drop and a sustained change of scenery from high alpine terrain into larch forest lower down. Arc 2000 and the upper slopes above it sit well above the treeline for much of the winter, with wide, open pistes and high-mountain views. On clear days, viewpoints on Aiguille Rouge are used for panoramic sightlines across the Alps, including the Mont Blanc massif. In contrast, the Peisey–Vallandry and Villaroger sectors include wooded descents that give shelter and definition in low visibility.

Paradiski offers 425km of pistes, and Les Arcs is designed around efficient lift access from each village, so it is easy to step straight onto the mountain. Arc 1600 is the original base of the resort and opened in 1968. The other bases were developed later at higher elevations and with more extensive ski-in, ski-out accommodation. Each base has its own centre with restaurants, supermarkets and rental shops, and most visitors move between bases using lifts and pistes rather than by road.

Les Arcs is known for its architecture. Several areas, especially Arc 1600 and Arc 1800, reflect the resort's modernist planning, while Arc 1950 is designed as a traditional-style pedestrian village. Arc 1950 is laid out as a compact centre with accommodation, restaurants and shops grouped around a central square, and it sits close to the lifts for direct ski access. Arc 2000 is higher and more alpine in character, with many buildings positioned close to the slopes and lift stations.

For progression and mixed-ability groups, Les Arcs has a large spread of easier pistes alongside steeper options from the Aiguille Rouge sector and other high points. Snowboarders and freestyle skiers have access to a terrain park with lines graded by level, plus additional dedicated fun zones. Les Arcs is also known for a lift network dominated by chairlifts and gondolas rather than drag lifts, and much of the lift system has been modernised over time.

Away from skiing and snowboarding, Les Arcs offers winter activities that typically include sledging, snowshoeing and paragliding depending on conditions and weekly programmes. Bourg-Saint-Maurice provides year-round services, including rail access to the valley, while the resort bases provide core winter facilities, shopping and après-ski, with Arc 1800 generally offering the widest choice of evening venues.