The Ultimate Guide to Les Arcs Après-Ski Bars & Nightlife

After too many winters skiing and partying in Les Arcs, I’ve discovered this sprawling resort hides over 60 bars across five villages, from €5 vin chauds in Peisey to 6am carnage in Arc 1800. My son even popped is Follie Douce cherry here (pics below). We love it.

The trick (apart from a mate on the Apokalypse door) is knowing where to go when the lifts stop spinning, so here’s my ultimate guide to Les Arcs apres ski bars and nightlife:

You Need To Know Les Arcs Villages To Know The Nightlife

The genius of the Les Arcs social scene is its variety. While Arc 1800’s Apokalypse pumps out bangers until sunrise, your nan can be sipping champagne in Arc 1950’s O’Chaud. In Arc 2000 powder hounds can party hard, and trad Savoyard villages like Peisey have local French bars where pints are cheap.

Each village has evolved its own personality so it’s useful to pick your Les Arcs ski holiday according to what type of off-slope vibe you prefer. Arc 1800 is party central, whereas Arc 1950 is purpose-built pedestrianised and slightly posher. Arc 2000 is up in ski-in ski-out territory, if you value ski over après.

My Village-by-Village Les Arcs Breakdown

Arc 1800 (30+ venues)

La Folie Douce is just above the village so take the Villards gondola or Dahu cable car up (the Dahu is usually less rammed). We love being among the 2,000 punters, watching cabaret performers while DJs get our tired ski legs going again. It’s de rigueur to dance on the tables (see pic of my boy Jimmy below). Folie is open 9am-7pm (8:30pm Wednesday to Friday) and about €28 for burger and beer or €15 for a mojito. But what price watching someone in sequins do the splits on the bar?

Back in Villards, the square gets busy by 3pm. I like Red Hot Saloon but the SNO team say Jungle Café is where it’s at. The décor might be from the 80’s but €6 cocktails (genuinely the best value in resort) until 1am is unbeatable.

Bar King Mad (BKM) owns the massive terrace where pizzas (€12-15) are tasty. We last visited 9pm on a Thursday and the DJ was so good we stayed until closing.

For proper debauchery, Apokalypse opens at 11pm to three floors where you can literally find your level. The ground floor is cheese-fest and chart hits. The first floor is more like RnB and the top floor is techno. There’s free entry before midnight, but you need to queue by 11:45, then it’s €15 after 12.

Charvet offers a bit of refuge, where Chez Boubou has a proper fireplace, live bands, and tartiflette (€18). The Scandinavians come here a lot and downstairs Club 73 stays open until 4am.

SNO Pro Tip: Staying in Charvet avoids the Villards scrum, so start at L’Ambiente during happy hour (4-6pm, half-price pints), grab dinner at Chez Boubou, before picking one of the late bars above.

Arc 1950 (Sophistication Meets Shots)

I think Arc 1950 was built to be Courchevel’s younger sister. Pedestrianised, pretty, but still busy after dark.

Les Belles Pintes Irish pub dominates the village centre with live music every night, pool table upstairs, and sports screens. Happy hour (4-5pm) halves the price of everything, but we try to arrive early because it’s rammed by 5pm.

Chalet de Luigi is a restaurant upstairs but we go for Club 1950 in the basement. The terrace is good for judging comedy skiing, while nursing an Aperol Spritz (€12).

O’Chaud Lounge is where Les Arcs does cocktails and the place transforms into a proper club after midnight until 3am. €15-18 cocktails for people who iron their salopettes.

I really recommend George Brown’s Wine Bar – it’s a five minute walk to hear George strumming guitar and to sample his 80+ wine selection.

Arc 2000 (High Altitude Heightens The Alcohol)

El Latino Loco occupies the entire fifth floor of Residence Aiguille Rouge. A lot of SNO clients book into the Aiguille Rouge for their ski holiday accommodation, so it can be a really convenient place to go out too.

Whistler’s Dream has €4 pints during happy hour (4-7pm) but I haven’t been there in years. Let me know what it’s like now, if you go here.

The Igloo Village is something really different – a hand-carved ice bar serving drinks in ice glasses. Entry is €5 (€4 kids, free under-6s) and drinks are around €8-10 but it closes at 5pm. Greg from the SNO team loved the fondue experience (€45pp) but said “remember you’re eating in a fridge”.

The Taj-I-Mah Hotel Lounge is in Les Arcs’ five-star hotel and is maybe the poshest bar in resort. The cocktails are €15-20 and the head barman creates his own special concoctions.

Arc 1600 (Surprisingly Civilised)

Some say the original Arc village is a bit quiet, but actually it’s just French. That means authentic locals’ bars, without the wild holiday atmosphere.

Bar L’Abreuvoir is in the heart of Place du Soleil with Live bands. With karaoke on Thursdays, happy hour (5:30-7:30pm) and a pool table, it’s the only bar open past midnight (1:30am).

Bulles by Champagne is really good value for phizz in a ski resort at €12 per glass and the people-watching is free.

Peisey-Vallandry (Real Alps, Real Prices)

British tour operators have colonised these villages, creating a weird Anglo-French hybrid that somehow works.

We Ski Bar in Peisey-Nancroix stays open until 2am serving cocktails (€8-12) that would cost double up the mountain. They’ve got an attached deli and live bands on Thursdays.

Mojo Bar in Vallandry’s Centre Commercial has DJs most nights.

Bar Mont Blanc is opposite the Grizzly lift with a big deck that fills by 3pm on bluebird days. Pool tables, comedy nights and Premier League matches.

Down in Peisey village, The Flying Squirrel does Sunday roasts (€18) and I think it’s the best place to watch Six Nations rugby. The Plan Peisey shuttle stops right outside.

Bourg Saint Maurice (Local Gems)

Twenty minutes down the mountain (€2 bus), the valley town rewards the adventurous. I know you can’t be bothered, but here’s where to go if you change your mind:

BC7 Restaurant & Bar at Base Camp Lodge combines Savoyard grub with regular gigs.

La Ruelle – only the French would think mixing Savoyard and Senegalese cuisine made sense. Fondue meets African spices might sound weird but I love it and their rum collection is worth the schlep.

The Legendary Pit Stops

L’Arpette on-piste between Arc 1600 and 1800 has Wednesday soirées combining raclette (€35) with DJs and dancing on tables. The 9pm torch-lit descent back is spectacular but a bit tricky in the dark, if you’re a beginner or had a few too many.

My TL;DR Les Arcs Venue Guide

Proper Party Venues

La Folie Douce (cabaret meets clubbing at altitude), Apokalypse, Arc 1800 (3 floors, 6am finish) El Latino Loco, Arc 2000 (salsa at 2,100m), L’Arpette soirées (dinner, drinks, dodgy descent).

Traditional Après Spots

Chez Boubou, Arc 1800 (fireplace, Scandi atmosphere), Jungle Café, Arc 1800 (cheap and cheerful), Bar King Mad, Arc 1800 (sun trap), We Ski Bar, Vallandry (good cocktails and prices), George Brown’s, Arc 1950 (owner plays guitar), O’Chaud Lounge, Arc 1950 (best cocktails), Taj-I-Mah Lounge, Arc 2000 (poshest), Bulles, Arc 1600 (cheap champagne)

Family-Friendly (But Still Fun)

Bar Casual, Arc 1800 (games for kids), Igloo Village, Arc 2000 (drink from ice glasses), Bar Mont Blanc, Vallandry (sun deck, games room), Bar L’Abreuvoir, Arc 1600 (family evenings), Les Belles Pintes, Arc 1950 (Irish bar, live music), Chez Boubou, Arc 1800 (proper bands), BC7, Bourg Saint Maurice (valley prices)

Bar Prices In Les Arcs

I won’t pretend Les Arcs is cheap, but going out here costs less than bars Val d’Isere. Beer from €6-12, wine is €8-15 glass, and cocktails from €12-18. And you can do a lot to make it affordable, so here are my wallet-saving tactics:

• Jungle Café and BKM are the cheapest in Arc 1800.
• Valley venues have local prices, and are worth the trek.
• Happy hours are usually 4-6pm or 5-7pm and save a lot.
• Hotel du Golf’s Bar Casual is good value and less busy.
• Apartment pre-drinks are still the champion money-saver.

Seasonal Intel’ And When To Visit

December: It’s relatively empty, so early-season in Les Arcs is perfect for getting served.

Christmas/New Year: For this really busy time, book everything before you go, especially for NYE. Apokalypse NYE party (€30 inc. champagne) is really great but you need to book it weeks in advance.

January: The bargain hunters (like me) arrive, and the bars need customers so happy hours can be longer.

February Half-Term: British school-holidays invasion is so busy, as Arc 1800 is the top family ski resort.

March: Sweet spot with good snow, terrace weather, and sunny afternoons that lend themselves to après.

April: Spring skiing mayhem. La Folie Douce extends hours, everywhere is mental until the last lift stops.

Les Arcs Tips For Getting Home Safely

The Cabriolet between Arc 1950 and 2000 supposedly runs until 11:30pm but don’t bank on it. Walking takes 15-30 mins, so beware of the cold if you’re wandering home wet and sweaty after the club.

Arc 1800 stretches 2km between Villards and Charvet. Free bus stops at 8pm, then it’s shanks’ pony or €20-30 taxis.

Want to visit other villages? Generally I would say you’re sleeping where you’re drinking, unless you arrange transport beforehand.

Where to Base Yourself In Les Arcs For Great Nightlife

Party animals like Arc 1800 Villards because everything you could want late at night is there.

Sophisticated sorts pick Arc 1950 for its style and we love the late lifts to Arc 2000.

Families use Arc 1600 or Vallandry as a calm base, with entertainment options.

Mixed groups often stay in Arc 1800 Charvet because it offers the best of both worlds.

Tight budgets could stay in Bourg Saint Maurice, to save a fortune, but miss most fun.

Snoman’s Insider Intel’ For Supping In Les Arcs

French instructors congregate at George Brown’s and L’Ambiente so I recommend following them if you want a local vibe. Seasonaires love the Jungle Café and Whistler’s Dream because drinks are cheaper and the atmos is lively. The Scandis own Chez Boubou now and Greg from the SNO office says it’s great.

Le J.O. Bar shuts just as bands get good. Apokalypse top floor plays better tunes than the main room. O’Chaud makes proper cocktails but charges accordingly.

Wednesday = Les Arcs’ biggest night. L’Arpette soirées, extended Folie Douce madness, everywhere busier. Sunday nights? Dead as disco everywhere except Arc 2000.

The Bottom Line

Les Arcs isn’t one ski resort, it’s five different worlds, connected by lifts and pistes. Master the geography, set your phone alarm for the happy hours, and you’ll uncover one of France’s most diverse après scenes.