Reason #1 & 2
There’s a world-famous ski area on your doorstep
Not only can you ski 200km of local slopes, Les Arcs also joins up with neighbouring resort La Plagne to form the enormous Paradiski ski area. The third largest linked ski area in the world, it totals a whopping 425km of varied pistes with something for all abilities and ages.
While many French resorts base their pistes above the tree line, Les Arcs boasts a lovely mix of tranquil forest runs and wide, open snowbowl cruising. That means you can choose your runs to suit the weather conditions, taking to the shelter of the trees on snowy, low-visibility days.
Try the infamous 7km descent down from the summit of the Aiguille Rouge at 3,226m right down to the village of Villaroger at 1,200m – it’s one of the longest in Europe.
You get seven villages in one
Les Arcs as a whole is made up of four linked, purpose-built resorts – all designed by famous French modernist architects. Arc 1600 is the lowest and original resort, a real pioneer of its time, with Arc 1800, Arc 1950 and Arc 2000 dotted up the mountain at increasing altitudes.
Arc 1600 has a lovely peaceful feel, situated amongst the trees, while Arc 1800 is the largest and most bustling of the four, with lots of shops, bars and restaurants to keep you entertained. Traffic-free Arc 1950 is the newest resort and home to the most luxurious accommodation, while Arc 2000 is quiet with easy access to the best snowbowl skiing in the area.
As well as the four modern Arcs, the picturesque traditional villages of Plan Peisey, Vallandry and Peisey Nancroix complete the Les Arcs line-up.
