Les Arcs Reviews

64 reviews of Les Arcs in France.

Voted 16th out of 29 reviewed ski resorts in France

  • Superb(24)
  • Good(35)
  • O.K.(5)
  • Poor(0)
  • Awful(0)

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2016 Visitor has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 4 times

Nice resort with good intermediate ski slopes

Reviewed 10 Jun 2016

I had skied through Les Arcs before but not stayed there. I liked it, especially the little village down at the bottom. It’s quite well set out in the resort part and is a nice place to stay. There is a beginner area but I didn’t think it felt open enough for beginners, so I would recommend the resort for intermediates. We had good weather and I couldn’t find much wrong with the resort really!

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Rakhi has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 5 times

Eurostar trip to Les Arcs

Reviewed 10 Jun 2016

We really liked the big ski area and went over to La Plagne which was good. One of the best things is how close Les Arcs is to Bourg St Maurice station, we got the Eurostar and it made everything so much easier.

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J. Clay has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 3 times

Sun & Snow in Les Arcs

Reviewed 8 Jun 2016

Brilliant weather in Les Arcs! The sun was shining and the snow was good. I liked 1950 which has very nice skiing. It’s picturesque and you can ski to the door which is great. The whole ski area is varied for intermediates and all other levels.

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The Campbell Family has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 5 times

Family skiing in Les Arcs

Reviewed 7 Jun 2016

We really enjoyed our holiday in Les Arcs and would definitely go late in the season again. The resort itself is lovely, it’s not an object of beauty but it does what it says on the tin. The slopes are great, and the fact that the black runs were closed wasn’t a disaster as the reds were challenging enough.

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Lorraine has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 6 times

2000 review

Reviewed 7 Jun 2016

Les Arcs 2000 is a funny resort – it’s fairly grim looking compared with others, and you wouldn’t want to be stuck there with a bad snow week. The best we could find was a swimming pool (a typical French one with nothing interesting) and even that was miles away. It’s quite a soulless place, but as we were staying with Club Med we didn’t really need other things to do anyway.

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Mike Bolsover has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 6 times

Great time in Paradiski

Reviewed 6 Jun 2016

Our holiday was great, there had just been a big dump and we had sunny weather all week. We stayed in Peisey Vallandry, so we were able to split our time between La Plagne and Les Arcs and even change our minds at lunch time and go the other way. Les Arcs was often busy up at 2000 and 1950 and got a bit like the M25 at peak times. Plagne felt more relaxed. There are all kinds of pistes here, it was certainly good for beginners at Plan Peisey and the area was good for intermediates right up to advanced. My advice would be to just get out there and explore, there’s so much to explore that you probably won’t do it all in a week unless you really plan it.

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Hannah from South Wales has written 4 reviews and been voted helpful 9 times

Les Arcs Feb 2016

Reviewed 3 Jun 2016

Really liked Les Arcs. Conditions weren’t great as it snowed really heavily on 3 days nonstop, so the slopes were getting really turned up and choppy. In terms of the variety of pistes and everything it was really good. We were staying in Vallandry which is separate from Les Arcs, it wouldn’t have been the best place for you if you wanted loads of apres but it was fine for us.

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Vickery Family has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 3 times

Les Arcs Dec/Jan 16

Reviewed 2 Jun 2016

We had a lovely new year in Les Arcs. There wasn’t too much snow but we managed to ski the whole week, we just couldn’t ski in and out. We like Les Arcs, it’s not a pretty resort but then we were there to ski and the access was easy. The ski area is varied, though we were disappointed that the black runs on the left hand side weren’t open because there wasn’t enough snow.

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Alex Dewey has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 5 times

Great

Reviewed 27 May 2016

We had a great week. It had snowed the week before and then we had sunshine. We went over to La Plagne three times and did a lot of skiing. This is a great resort for people who’ve done a lot of skiing and who want an extensive area to explore. There’s so much skiing that it could be wasted on beginners. I wouldn’t have thought it would be a great resort for non-skiers unless they really wanted to do walking.

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Alan from Ashford has written 4 reviews and been voted helpful 10 times

Les Arcs end of Feb 2016

Reviewed 27 May 2016

We had a good week, the only thing was that there was too much snow so a few of the areas were closed down due to the weather. In Europe, quite a few places had avalanche risks and we suffered the same on the week we were here. People were saying there was 2 metres of fresh snow, which you can’t really argue with! It’s better that than the other way (i.e. no snow), but just meant visibility was low etc.
I’d been to Les Arcs several times so knew what was going on, though I hadn’t been to 2000 before. It’s good and I’d recommend it. There’s a good mix of slopes for different levels, though due to the weather we couldn’t ski all the reds and blacks we otherwise would have. The resort is well sign posted and links up quite well to the other villages, La Plagne and the wider Paradiski.

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Mr Dowding has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 8 times

Ski train holiday to Les Arcs

Reviewed 26 May 2016

Les Arcs has everything on offer and everything you could want.
We had good snow and planned our visit at the right time of year, after the school holidays so we didn’t get trampled by kids! The Les Arcs/La Plagne ski area has something for everyone, there’s no one who wouldn’t enjoy it.
I would definitely recommend getting the train. We stayed in a chalet with 12 other people and were the only ones with a decent journey. You just climb on with your luggage and there’s plenty of space to shove your suitcase in the rack, as well as space for hand luggage above your head. The seats are upright so not ideal for sleeping but not too bad. Despite a delay at St Pancras on the way out, we literally got on the train, read, slept and arrived in Bourg – it couldn’t have been easier.
It meant we got to have 7 days of skiing which was great as we didn’t feel obliged to ski all day long over 6 days. If we fancied finishing early or taking a long lunch we didn’t have to feel like we were missing out on skiing time. The train back was very early in the morning and because we didn’t book soon enough we had 3 changes, one an hour and a half out of Bourg when we got on the PGV to Paris, then the Eurostar from Paris to St Pancras.

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Kate Burrows from Newport has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 5 times

Christmas in Les Arcs

Reviewed 23 May 2016

The resort did fireworks and a torchlight decent on Christmas eve.
The ski area is great and diverse enough, with all the different resorts you can ski to.
There’s definitely enough to keep you busy for a week, and even though we didn’t have good snow we still managed to ski every day.
I don’t think it’s much of a place for non-skiers, but if you are skiing it’s great.
2000 was disappointing though, it’s really not pretty and there isn’t a lot there apart from some decent restaurants on the slope side. 1850 is far better and we would definitely rather stay there for the shops and restaurants.

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Clive from Jersey has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 9 times

Excellent conditions in Les Arcs

Reviewed 20 May 2016

A brilliant week in Les Arcs, probably the best conditions ever - that combination you get with ski holidays when the snow is about as good and perfect as it can be, and the weather was 10 degrees +. It probably wasn’t so good for the people skiing the week after us, but for us it stayed perfectly ribboned right until the end of the day.

I’m quite an experienced long term skier and there was more than enough to keep me entertained. The area also has lots of off-piste if you have good snow. We had quite a nervous skier with us and I would recommend going over to Plan Peisey as there’s an easy path you can take to get over there, and the area has lots of lovely, open, what I’d call proper green runs.

The transfer from Chambery was ok, taking one and a half / two hours.

Overall I liked the resort, you might go to Klosters and Whistler and think they’re much better but I thought it was great.

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Father & daughters from Lyme Regis has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 3 times

April in Les Arcs

Reviewed 19 May 2016

I’d stayed in Les Arcs before 18 years ago and it’s been a bit built up since then! The weather was great and we had just enough snow – I was impressed how well they kept the pistes. My youngest daughter hadn’t skied before but she picked it up quite quickly and we had a great time.

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Anon from Cambridgeshire has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 5 times

Great, would go back!

Reviewed 18 May 2016

I know loads of people who’ve been returning to Les Arcs for 4 or 5 years, and I’d definitely go back. Though it’s really popular in that way, it’s not popular in the way that the slopes were rammed – some days we had the slopes to ourselves. Everyone is so friendly and lovely in the shops, cafes etc.

My husband stayed in Les Arcs 2000 last year and preferred 1950 this year. Being able to ski out from our apartment was so convenient. There are loads of nice restaurants for pizzas or whatever you want, as well as bars, cafes etc.

There were only 2 weeks left of the season, so the lower runs got slushy and were quite hard on your legs but as long as you stayed high conditions were good. We skied all day long through the week, going all the way over to the other side of the piste map once. We mainly ski blues and reds and there were plenty, definitely loads of blues if people were slightly more nervous. The runs were lovely. For people who like shopping there are shops, and there’s also a spa and swimming pool, but we mainly skied all day and collapsed in the evening.

We got the Eurostar which was great, it’s more money than flying but very relaxing. I wouldn’t necessarily do it again, but only because the journey took 8 hours.

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Ian from London has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 3 times

Amazing

Reviewed 13 May 2016

I loved Les Arcs, it’s an amazing ski area. I would definitely go back.

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Kevin from Gloucestershire has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 3 times

Good resort

Reviewed 13 May 2016

The resort is good. I have been to Les Arcs a few times now.

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John from Scottish Borders has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 4 times

10/10!

Reviewed 4 May 2016

For skiing… 10 out of 10! Not a beautiful resort, looks like a concrete jungle and après ski is pretty average, but the skiing is great! I would also say that it is well worth getting the full area pass too. It was the best ski holiday that I have had.

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Arlene has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 5 times

Feb 16 in Les Arcs 1950

Reviewed 4 May 2016

The resort was great and half term wasn't too busy at all. I have been to better ski resorts like Val d’Isere, but it was still good. I would say however, that if you are looking to get the full area pass to the Paradiski area, from Les Arcs 1950, you need to be a really good competent skier. I felt that the Les Arcs area was good enough and if you aren’t a fast skier, then getting to the other resorts and back can leave you very pushed for time. The après ski wasn’t fantastic but we found a great bar and lots of fun there. We also went to Bulle Café most days and would recommend it.

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Anonymous from Bristol has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 2 times

Keep returning to Les Arcs

Reviewed 3 May 2016

LES ARC 1950
This visit wasn’t the best we’d had as there was a blizzard and most of the runs were closed. I did a bit of skiing but we mostly ended up staying in and playing cards. We’d been to Les Arcs before and have booked it again for next year – it’s such a perfect resort for families, everything’s self-explanatory and it’s easy to get around. We like the mix out there.

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Bart has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 3 times

Prefer 1800 to Peisey

Reviewed 28 Apr 2016

Les Arcs was brilliant for skiing and it had loads of bars near the piste. We stayed in Peisey, and the reason I'd marked the holiday down to 3* is that 1800 seemed better for nightlife. Peisey could’ve been a bit better for bars and nightlife. Otherwise the weather was great, there was loads of snow and we had a brilliant time.

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Adrian has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 3 times

Good snowboarding resort

Reviewed 22 Apr 2016

We quite liked Les Arcs, we went over to La Plagne one day and have booked next year’s ski holiday there. The ski area is quite mixed, there aren’t any green ones which is something I haven’t seen before, but a lot of the blues were similar to greens. I’m a snowboarder and I’d definitely say it suits boarders. The weather was amazing for January, we were skiing and snowboarding in T-shirts! I would recommend the Whistler bar which we enjoyed.

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Andrew has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 4 times

Great!

Reviewed 20 Apr 2016

Been skiing in Les Arcs three times, it’s great. Only thing is the fairly long transfer. There’s lots of skiing and its very snow sure. You can ski below the tree line if you want to and if you want lots and lots of skiing, you can get the pass for the whole Paradiski. I class myself intermediate and we ski here as a mixed group, doing loads of easy blues and reds.

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Charlie from London has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 3 times

Pretty good resort

Reviewed 20 Apr 2016

I thought Les Arcs was pretty good, very reasonable and good for groups. We lucked out with conditions as the season was a bit touch and go, but on our week the weather was fine. I think it leans more to the intermediate skier on the whole.

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ANON has written 1 review and been voted helpful 1 time

Great for families

Reviewed 14 Apr 2016

We thought Les Arcs and the whole set up of 1950 was brilliant, a lovely place to bring the children and we’d recommend it to other families.

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Nick's Birthday Party! has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 3 times

Lots of snow in Les Arcs

Reviewed 13 Apr 2016

We’d definitely go back to Les Arcs, but might not stay in 2000 next time. We had so much snow all at once, that a lot of the slopes we closed until later on due to avalanche risk. We’d probably stay a bit lower down where more slopes would be open first thing.

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Rory has written 4 reviews and been voted helpful 4 times

Loads of skiing, excellent nightlife

Reviewed 28 Aug 2015

Loads of great skiing. the most challenging is up at the Aiguille rouge, but the majority of the resort is cruisy reds and blues. Especially on the Vallandry side where most of it's tree lined, great fun going through all the trees after a snowfall. the park between 1950 and 1800 is huge, and sometimes worth stopping to watch at the bottom for a bit as some of the locals throw down hard. Just underneath it theres a mountain restaurant called the Arpette, the food is decent but it also has some awesome apres. There's 2 bars and a dj booth in an old gondola,if it gets busy then it rivals a folie douce atmosphere, minus the ridiculous prices and pretencious clientele. In 1800 town, get some food from Bar King Mad (they might still be doing an incredible deal of a pizza and four beers for 20 euros between 4 and 5pm) or Red Hot Saloon where the burgers and outstanding. While you're in Red Hot ask the bar staff for a Glass Case of Emotion, it's like a jagerbomb but with gin and red wine. This place gets very lively later on and is hands down the best place to start a night out, although the live music at Ambient is worth a look to. The place for late night is Apokalypse club. If you're here in spring time and there's good weather, definitely spend an afternoon posted up by the water slide which you can get to from the Vageres chair. Loads of people try to skim across a pond on their skis, everyone else sits around in the sun drinking and laughing as they (usually) fall in.

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Richard from Perth has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 5 times

Big & varied ski area

Reviewed 24 Jun 2015

None of us had been to Les Arcs before but we liked it. The snow wasn’t so good (until we left!) but it was nice having the whole pass so we could ski over to La Plagne which was sunnier – the bigger pass is certainly worth having. We are all pretty experienced skiers and the area was good for our level as well as having something for all other levels. We only went to one restaurant – Hemingway’s, which is a good American steak house.

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Nikki Sharpe in Isle of Man has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 4 times

First time in Les Arcs, will go again!

Reviewed 20 May 2015

We had a fantastic week, none of us had been to Les Arcs before but we will definitely go again! We liked everything about it. The lifts all worked fantastically and it was so nice being able to get far out and back in the same day. We were a group of four, all different abilities. I’ve snowboarded a couple of times, another had never snowboarded before, another was a really good boarder and then we also had a really good skier – the area had something for all of us.

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UK travellers has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 5 times

Perfect weather in Les Arcs

Reviewed 19 May 2015

We had a lovely week in Les Arcs of sun, snow and stunning views! We couldn’t ask for more. The children hadn’t skied before and one thing worth pointing out for other first time skiers is that the area doesn’t have any greens, just blues. The children managed perfectly fine and there were some very gentle bits on the blues – but you had to get used to the fact that there were often some trickier bits to get through first. Once you were accustomed to that it was fine. The children loved their lessons with ESF who were great. We didn’t do anything but ski, but we did notice lots of walking tracks and they had lots going on in resort. If we return I think we’ll go via Eurostar as the transfers were a nightmare. It didn’t help that our flight was delayed by an hour but what was meant to be a 3 hour transfer from the airport took longer than expected because we had to swap coaches. It meant we literally spent a whole day travelling which isn’t great with children!

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H.S. from London has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 4 times

Could be better

Reviewed 30 Apr 2015

I would have enjoyed Les Arcs more if there was more slackcountry and if the snow machines were working properly (considering the lack of snow, they weren’t fully utilised). The area has a fairly decent mix of pistes for different levels. If there had been more ski cover, it would have been a lot better. I stayed in Les Arcs 2000 where there isn’t much to do at all, Arc 1800 is the main area for things to do.

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Jess & Ross from Highland has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 4 times

Les Arcs Jan 15

Reviewed 30 Apr 2015

We had a great holiday and really enjoyed being able to ski over to La Plagne, I’d definitely recommend getting the double lift pass. The weather was fine – it snowed on a few days so we had some powder on the slopes and the off piste was really good. There wasn’t as much snow lower down so if we’d been beginners we probably wouldn’t have liked it as much – but with better conditions, the area would have been fine for learners. We didn’t do much but ski, they did have activities like dog sledding but they were quite expensive.

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Robert from Reading has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 5 times

A good week in Les Arcs

Reviewed 28 Apr 2015

The higher slopes had good snow in the middle of March and I thought the area was pretty well equipped with a very good ski system. We had no issues with any of the lifts or shuttle buses and found a good variety of blue runs which is what we like. They seemed to encourage walking, allowing walkers on the lifts and having separate walking tracks. The two main areas (Arc 2000 and Arc 1650/1850) are a bit split by the geography of the place, but you can still get between them. The villages are very purpose built but reasonably well done. One thing I’d recommend is the luge / sledge track which is pretty long – it’s a bit mad but good fun. Overall the holiday went well, no real issues with the area at all.

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Mrs Hancock from North Yorkshire has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 5 times

Lots of good skiing, but a bit bitty

Reviewed 21 Apr 2015

We had a great time in Les Arcs, the ski area and instructors were fantastic and we did loads of good skiing. There isn’t a lot to do with children off the slopes, but we found a nice bar with a pool table which worked well for everyone. The only thing that probably wouldn’t bring me back to Les Arcs is that it’s a little bitty as a ski resort, with all the different villages – 1600, 1800, 1950, 2000…

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A Ronald from Aberdeenshire has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 3 times

A great week with the family

Reviewed 17 Apr 2015

We had a great week away with amazing weather; I’d skied in Les Arcs previously but hadn’t taken the kids there before, it turned out to be a brilliant holiday and I’d definitely recommend Les Arcs to other families. The children are good skiers but we still put them in ski school and they also skied in the afternoons which they hadn’t done before. We got the explorer pass and had a good day over in La Plagne, and I’d recommend the jump park which the kids thoroughly enjoyed.

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ES from Bristol has written 3 reviews and been voted helpful 5 times

Snowboarding in Les Arcs

Reviewed 15 Apr 2015

Les Arcs is a large resort with a large range of slopes, the tree lined pistes near the Grizzly ski lift were really nice. We were glad to be staying in 1800 as some of 2000 was closed due to weather on the week we were here!

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Dave Guest from Devon has written 4 reviews and been voted helpful 7 times

Really good resort

Reviewed 8 Apr 2015

I tend to look for resorts with a total ski area of runs around the 250km2 bench mark and Les Arcs has loads so we had plenty of skiing! It’s a really varied area – we had beginners with us as well as really good skiers and both groups were happy. The nightlife is pretty good, there are 2 main places that turn into night clubs later on.

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G.G. from London has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 4 times

Good ski area, prefer La Plagne for off-piste

Reviewed 7 Apr 2015

I prefer La Plagne in terms of off-piste snow but we still had a good week in Les Arcs. The ski area as a whole is first rate, with broad availability for different levels and nice conditions.

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Anon from Scotland has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 3 times

A very good week in Les Arcs

Reviewed 2 Apr 2015

The resort was quite busy which we were surprised at considering the time of year we visited was off peak. The whole ski area is great, it snowed before we arrived and on the first day, so we had good conditions all week.
Arc 2000 has a lot of fairly tough unpisted blacks, so if you’re not into that you might be better off in a lower resort (1600 and 1800 have more tree-lined skiing).

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The Cairngorms Two has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 3 times

Les Arcs January 15

Reviewed 26 Mar 2015

Considering the conditions we had a good week, although the cover wasn’t as good this year. We’re experienced skiers though and that’s just how it goes, nobody's fault! We’ve skied Les Arcs, La Plagne, Paradiski before and it’s a good area. It’s especially good for intermediate skiing and overall best for small groups and couples rather than big groups (not a lot of pubs within easy reach). There are other activities you can get to, though we tend to stick to just skiing.

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Stacey King from Essex has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 1 time

A superb ski area

Reviewed 26 Jun 2014

The snowboarding was great. Les Arcs is a superb ski area. There were lots of parties going on as it was the end of the season. There were DJs down by the Freestyle park. Everyone was trying to water-ski over that pool – there were even young children doing it!

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Colin from London has written 4 reviews and been voted helpful 6 times

Brilliant snow in January

Reviewed 20 Jun 2014

I had been over to Les Arcs before, the last time I stayed in La Plagne. The skiing was good, there is a lot of scope. We did go back over to La Plagne for one day but the weather dropped and we had to get back quite quickly. We had brilliant snow, January is a good time of year to go. We only really skied off-piste by the side of the piste as we didn’t have a guide this time.
The ski area is well suited to intermediate to upper-intermediate levels of skier. There is a black run and a red run off the glacier, the black one if quite steep at the top but then it gets flatter and easier quite early on.
We stayed in 1600 which is quiet; it was quite nice, we prefer to just chill in the evenings. There are a few ski bars around. 1800 is busier, but there’s still some activity in 1600.

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James Collins from Stockport has written 4 reviews and been voted helpful 10 times

Everything you need from a ski resort

Reviewed 5 Jun 2014

I really like Les Arcs and I’ve skied in loads of resorts all over the world. If I was going to buy a place, I’d get one near here.

Before this holiday I’d already been to 1800 and skied across from La Plagne. Les Arcs is definitely the best for skiing compared to La Plagne - this time round we just got the local pass as we didn’t need to do La Plagne again. You don’t really need the whole pass as Les Arcs has a lot to do anyway.

We didn’t go at the best time with regards to snow and struggled to get enough, but the majority of days we managed well. It was getting very slushy in the afternoons, particularly around 1600-1800 so you just get out early in the morning and benefit from the snow in the morning (the runs down from the top are fantastic first thing) and then make do in the afternoon. On the last day it snowed a lot, we had a white out and there was about 12 inches in the afternoon, so whoever came the day we left would have had great conditions! We did have blue sky sunny days every day which was a bit bonus.

The area has everything, through the trees skiing, off piste and great long rings like the Aguille Rouge. I’d certainly recommend the views from the top of the Aguille Rouge, then skiing down that black which joins a red – it’s a long, 7.5km run. Also go over to Peisey Vallandry which has some good skiing over there.

This time we stayed in 2000 which has more going on than the other resorts, although to be fair 1800 is quite lively.

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Tony Fyfield from Telford has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 3 times

Don't miss the pond where everyone tries to water ski!

Reviewed 4 Jun 2014

I had been over to Les Arcs before from La Plagne. We had a good time here. It snowed while were there for 3 days so we had good snow, not champagne powder but enough for me to swap to powder skis for a day or two. I found some good off-piste and then the rest of the time we found (or made our own!) moguls. There’s a decent snow park as well with some kickers and one of those blow-up-castle-jobbies that you can jump onto.
Ski Republic have a good ski hire shop in the Edenarc Apartments in La Plagne 1800. There’s not much around where we were staying though (above 1800), we had to get the bus to the other village to go shopping. There’s a bar which does lovely pizza opposite the Edenarc Apartments though.
There’s a pool/pond in Les Arcs where everyone tries to water ski over it by picking up speed down the hill and then sliding over it. Me and my son had a go – I made it second time! Everyone sits around sunbathing and watching people skiing over it.

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Mr Kingdon from Honiton has written 4 reviews and been voted helpful 6 times

Perfect weather, nice slopes towards LP

Reviewed 2 Jun 2014

The snow was very good (some of the best I’ve skied in) and we had some days of sunshine too, so got the best of both worlds. You have access to La Plagne on the slopes... there are some good runs if you ski the trees towards the access to La Plagne, they’re much quieter, especially first thing in the morning. The restaurants and bars are pretty bog standard and there isn’t tonnes on at night if you want to go out lots. We went sledging on the snake run which isn’t that long but was quite fun after a day of skiing. You can do the bob sleigh here but it’s quite expensive so we didn’t bother. Only thing is that the transfer is quite long 3-3.5 hours, but it was one of the French half term weeks which wouldn’t have helped.

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Anon from Bedfordshire has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 3 times

Lots to ski in Les Arc area alone

Reviewed 27 May 2014

I hadn’t been to Les Arcs before but had been to La Plagne which is linked to Les Arcs by a big gondola. It’s a massive ski area so you could probably spend the whole week in the Les Arc area without having to go over. I do blues and reds and there was plenty for my level of skiing.

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Margaret Ponsonby from Aberdeenshire, Scotland has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 4 times

Very good snow conditions

Reviewed 23 May 2014

Our priority for this holiday was to have snow, and as we went in March I chose Les Arcs because it’s good for that. We had very good snow conditions. I think personally though I would rather go somewhere else, it was good for my niece but I felt that there wasn’t really enough for adults. I was restricted because I came back to the chalet at lunch times so I couldn’t explore the other areas of Les Arcs. I only really got to know the area surrounding our chalet, which was up in Arcs 2000. My husband went to La Plagne but I didn’t get a chance, it was too far away for a half day trip. I think Les Arcs is a bit split up, maybe a resort which doesn’t have so many different areas would have been better for us.

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James from London has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 4 times

Good with the ski train!

Reviewed 19 May 2014

The town isn’t traditional, it’s not a proper village but for the week it’s fine. For the daytime, there’s a nice restaurant in the square that foes a set menu at lunch for 15 euros.
We had a hotel in 1600 which we liked as it was close to the slopes and there were bars etc nearby. It doesn’t have a crazy nightlife but we went to a few pubs which were fine. The area wasn’t as good for beginners as I expected – that’s why we went there as my niece was learning and I was having ski lessons for the first time (I usually snowboard). They really need a proper nursery slope with a lift to take you back up as you had to ski down and then walk up the hill which was quite tiring. If you get the first lift up, it’s worth noting that it gets steep at the bottom. I’d recommend going to the next village, 1800 which has a beginner slope (you can get the bus there from the funicular station).
The ski school offered a really good deal with ski pass and lessons. The lessons and everything were great and the ski school was easy to get to.
Getting to Les Arcs by the ski train is really good, you get off the train at Bourg St Maurice and get the funicular straight up which takes 10 minutes. I’d definitely get the ski train again and would recommend paying £30 more for the upgrade as you get a bigger seat, a table and they serve you food. With the train, you can pack whatever you want and I don’t think it takes much longer overall than flying. It took a bit longer than expected, 9 hours, but you can get up and visit the buffet.

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2
Mrs Coombs from Devon has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 5 times

Good snow @ Christmas

Reviewed 18 May 2014

It’s nice going over to La Plagne and the snow was so good we could do a lot of off piste. Everyone thinks Christmas is going to be cold and busy but I ski every Christmas and it isn’t.

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Miss Scott from Cornwall has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 2 times

Expensive but nice for intermediates

Reviewed 16 May 2014

We were in Arcs 1950 and I was surprised by how expensive it was compared to La Plagne/other French resorts/the US. We paid around £11 for a beer in one of the bars! I think it’s because there are lots of Russians. It’s a nice resort though, it has everything there you need. There are bars and shops and you can go up to Arcs 2000 in the gondola. We went up there for a meal which was easy enough as the gondola runs till about 11pm. You could also walk down from 2000 to 1950 (or slide down on your bum if you had to!). There were activities in resort like skidooing and paragliding, and I think there’s a bowling alley up in Arcs 2000.
The skiing is good. I’m an intermediate and it was perfect for me, plenty of blues and reds. I’m not sure whether or not advanced skiers would be happy with the area. We only got a ski pass for Les Arcs because we’ve been to La Plagne before. It’s more than big enough to ski just Les Arcs on its own, there are so many slopes. You also have the option of a day pass over to La Plagne but we didn’t bother with this.

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Ms Put from London has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 3 times

best week skiing we’ve had as a family

Reviewed 16 May 2014

We chose Les Arcs as we wanted something easy for the children, which was the most important thing. The accommodation in Les Arcs is close to the lifts so you don’t have to drive to get to the ski area.

It’s not a huge resort but it’s not too small either, so it suited both our children who were having lessons and us who are more experienced. The kids had ski lessons in the morning which they liked very much.

The week we were here was the first week in December that the ski resort was open and lot of the restaurants and bars hadn’t opened yet.
The snow was OK as it had snowed before we came but it didn’t snow after us so we were lucky. There was almost no one on the piste because it wasn’t a peak week so the snow stayed in good condition. If you can go this week I would definitely recommend it, there was a £3000 difference in the price we paid and what we’d have to pay the next week, which is a lot!

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John from Sedberg has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 6 times

Good for the ski train

Reviewed 13 May 2014

There’s a good range of skiing options with greens into blues and reds and it’s high so you get good snow. You’ve also got an indoor and outdoor swimming pool and things for children like a bowling alley up at 2000, so there really is lots available for families.
It’s also good to get to by train which is the best way to reach the resort, it’s a much more comfortable way of travelling and very hassle free. You arrive at Bourg St Maurice and there are various ways of getting up to the resort: the standard bus is the best way but you have to book in advance, you can’t just turn up and get on. The other way is to take the funicular to Arc 1600 and then get the ski bus from there, but from the train station to the funicular is at least half a mile (and bear in mind you’re dragging cases and going up steps). Your other option is to get a taxi but that’s quite expensive.

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3
Alison Ward from Stockton on Tees has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 9 times

Would definitely go back

Reviewed 8 May 2014

Les Arcs is massive and there’s loads of skiing, quite a lot of flat bits you had to push yourselves along but that might be our level of skiing. I didn’t really like the restaurants on the hill (on the first day we couldn’t even find any!) and the toilets up on the mountain weren’t very pleasant either. It’s definitely not like Italy where you have loads of places doing fresh pizza etc.
Overall this is a brilliant place to ski and we had the best snow we’ve ever had, with blue skies every day! Even though it was half term, the slopes were great and some parts were even quiet as the area is so big.

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3
Peter Radford from Ware has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 3 times

exactly what it says on the tin

Reviewed 6 May 2014

We had a really good week of skiing and had no problems with the snow. We went over to La Plagne which was nice and there are lots of good circuits to keep you busy. I prefer the intermediate stuff and don’t do a lot of off-piste but we certainly saw a lot of it, and there were a few harder runs around too.
The skiing is perfectly fine but as ski resorts go, I’m personally a bit of a sucker for old school alpine charm, which you don’t get here. The resort is purposely designed for people to go skiing and very much does what it says on the tin, which is great for hard core skiers but I would have liked a bit more to explore in town. Nightlife-wise Les Arcs is OK, we went out a few evenings and there are a couple of decent bars.
As a tip for anyone going here, they do a nice hot chocolate with Chartreuse (which is the local drink of choice over there) – they call it Green Chaud and it’s a nice way to warm up or start off the evening!

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2
Morvarid Ghaem-Mghami from Ealing has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 7 times

One of the best places we've skied

Reviewed 7 Apr 2014

Les Arcs is one of the best places we have skied, the slopes are very nice and wide and it’s a good all-rounder. Les Arcs is good for all levels and we all loved that there’s such good variety here. It’s very well equipped with plenty of lifts and chairlifts to go around and the slopes are wonderful, very enjoyable.
There was really heavy snowfall in the evenings which meant that the snow in April was really good, not icy at all.
There’s not much après ski at all so I don’t know if it would be good for youngsters who want skiing and après ski but for serious skiers it’s perfect.
There’s not much in the resort, just a Patisserie which we often used to get pastries. As for the rest, it’s just made up of a couple of concrete buildings.

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3
Steven Dickison from Isle of Coll has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 3 times

Very impressed

Reviewed 18 Mar 2014

Very impressed with Les Arcs, I like its capacity – it’s connected to La Plagne so has a massive area which means you can cover quite a lot of ground and the lifts are large capacity.
I like cruisey blues and it had plenty for that kind of skiing.

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Mr Morse from Wakefield has written 4 reviews and been voted helpful 10 times

Don't normally keep going back to the same place!

Reviewed 13 Mar 2014

I’m not one who tends to go back to the same place every time but I’ve skied here a couple of times and would go again.
This is a high resort and it almost always has snow in the ski season, it snowed quite a lot in January when we came.
The real selling point is the massive ski area, you can opt to go over to La Plagne if you get the big ski pass.
Anybody who has done basic skiing will love it, even if you’re coming to learn as a first timer. Most of the people we go with are competent skiers so the linked area is fantastic.
We did the long black run from the top first thing in the morning on the last day and because it snowed while we were here the conditions were excellent.

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Miss Hunter from Surbiton has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 2 times

Good variety

Reviewed 12 Mar 2014

Its a big ski area with a good variety of runs.

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David from Oxford has written 4 reviews and been voted helpful 7 times

Disgraceful ESF ski school, great resort

Reviewed 12 Mar 2014

This was our first holiday in Les Arcs and our overall experience was great. However ESF ski school here were disgraceful!! We put 4 children into ski school, they were in mixed language classes and the instructors only spoke to them in French. Our kids had skied a couple of times on dry slopes but the instructors didn’t even do an evaluation at the beginning of the week. They had such a bad experience in ski school that they didn’t enjoy skiing at all – in the end we took them and taught them ourselves which worked much better but if anyone wants to ski without their children in Les Arcs I would recommend not booking ESF.
I’ve skied in loads of resorts before and this is an exceptionally good resort.

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Carl from Swansea has written 2 reviews and been voted helpful 3 times

Snow in March was Awesome!

Reviewed 7 Mar 2014

The snow in March was awesome! Have been to Les Arc loads – the ski area is so vast, there’s loads of skiing, such a variety of stuff it’s great – loved the Aiguille Rouge that comes down from the top.
One night we ate out at the Aiguille Rouge, had been there before so knew the food would be good!
It’s a good resort all round, I've been here with all the boys and it’s a bit of a party resort but last time I was here the stay was quite mellow, more about getting loads of skiing done.

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Alec Fowler from Manchester in UK has written 4 reviews and been voted helpful 12 times

Ex-seasonaires need only local pass - huge!

Reviewed 25 Oct 2013

1) Red Rock – this up in Arc 2000 fantastic little bar in the main centre, good rock music and good beer. Not a piste bar however you can stop during the day, it is near the Lanchettes 45 lift. Probably better in the evening without your ski boots on, but busy all day. 2) We stayed in Vallandry at 1600 where you can walk to Plan Peisey. We usually stay in catered chalets so do not experience many restaurants. However on the staff night off we ate at Restaurant La Vanoise. This is hotel with restaurant/bar attached offering fantastic traditional French mountain food. Excellent sun terrace. 3) From the top of the Aiguille Rouge lift (3226m so the views are worth the trip) there is a run that is about 7KM all the way down into Villa Roger. Best to head over in the morning if you are staying in Vallandry or Peisey, it is quite a hike back. The first half it quite a tricky black, only recommended for the more advanced skier, if you can ski a black you have to go. Aigle from the top the Vallandry 74 lift back to Vallandry is also a very good red. 4) We stayed in LaForet in Vallandry. A large catered chalet with 75 people. This has to be the best example of ski in/ski out we have experienced. You quite literally step from the boot room on to the La Foret blue run. This takes you straight down to the Vallandry 74 lift where you can access the rest of the mountain. You can ski right back to the boot room at the end of the day. La Foret is a road run therefore I have heard in the later months there may not be enough snow to get you right to the door. However Dec/Jan/Feb/early March perfect. The other highlight is that LaForet has an attached bar open to the public. After your dinner you can walk over for a coffee, night cap without having to put on all that extreme weather gear. Slippers will get you there. Our room had a mezzanine floor which was a bonus! The skiing in Les Arc is amazing. 2000 and 1800 aren’t the most picturesque, although in terms of skiing there is a vast amount. You can get a ParadiSki pass that will allow you to join up with LaPlange via the Vanoise Express from Peisey, offering a whopping 400+km of pistes to roam. To be honest we were offered this pass and decided to add a day in LaPlange if needed. We did not need this, Les Arc had so much to offer we never got to LaPlange. There is a lot to explore in Les Arc with different restaurants and bars at Vallandry, Peisey, 1600, 1850 and 2000. The top of the Aiguille Rouge is a must for amazing views for the alps.

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Tom from Sno Staff has written 8 reviews and been voted helpful 2 times

Average looks, huge ski area

Reviewed 23 Sep 2013

After heading to Les Arcs earlier this year, we found that whilst the town isn’t the prettiest of places, it is fully functional and has everything needed in order to get the maximum out of your holiday. A large, varied ski area provides numerous options for any skier; I would recommend getting the Paradiski lift pass, meaning you can get over to la Plagne, almost doubling the ski area. The night life was also fantastic, with a number of bars, namely Bar King Mad and Apokalypse, keeping our whole group entertained throughout the week. Whilst mainly recommending this resort for those who fancy partying on top of a day’s skiing, and not for families or those of a quiet disposition, it is still an exceptional and diverse resort.

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Maddie from Southampton in UK has written 10 reviews and been voted helpful 4 times

"Beginner" resort was hard for me

Reviewed 23 Sep 2013

Les Arcs has a reputation for being great for beginners wanting to learn to ski or snowboard, but my experience was one of icy thigh burning reds which were awesome for a great thrill and a huge confidence booster for intermediates wanting to really start to “push it”. Be sure to pack a bar of chocolate as these runs demand energy! Luckily, such a thing as Milka chocolate exists in France. Les Arcs 1800 for the best night life, and for beginner and intermediate skiers. Experts, glacier de Varet and Arc 2000 for black runs and off pisting.

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Andrew Fyfe from Aberdeen in UK has written 13 reviews and been voted helpful 3 times

My favourite ski holidays

Reviewed 1 Jul 2013

From memory, Les Arcs is probably my favourite resort, although I’ve been only twice, because I do like to try something new each year. I remember the speed skiing run being really fun and there’s awesome tree lined skiing back into resort. I stayed in the Club Med hotel which was awesome, free ice cream, simple! The slopes are really accessible and there is plenty to explore. I went before the Vanoise Express had been installed and now with that option there is a terrific amount of skiing to be done if you opt for the full area Paradiski ski pass, but to be honest the local area is huge so you don’t need to spend the extra money unless you want to do huge mileage. In terms of nightlife, I didn't fully experience it, however the impression I got is that for late night partying Arc 1800 is definitely the place to go (if, unlike me, your mum will let you). Arc 2000 is where to go if all you want to do is ski and sleep! (it’s up there in the best snow).

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