AMAZING SKI CHALETSLes Arcs: 1800

Pictures Courtesy of the Les Arcs Tourist Board

Together La Plagne and Les Arcs form Paradiski, Europe’s third largest ski area.  With plenty of pistes above 2,000m, the area tops out at over 3,000m.  This altitude, assisted by 470 snow cannons, makes the resort pretty reliable for snow.  There is good terrain for all standards of skiers and every conceivable type of run.

Directly above Les Arcs 1800 a series of chairs spread across the mountainside and can attract quite a crowd.  The skiing here is largely easy and features the best nursery slopes in the area.  Just below the resort is the terrain park with boarder cross spines, rails and boxes, although in the Paradiski are there are plenty of natural hits for boarders to play on.  Les Arcs is known as the home of snowboarding and it is the perfect environment for beginners to learn in.  Main mountain access is through the 2 stage gondola up to Les Arcs 2000 and the Aiguille Grive at 2,600m.  From here there is an endless choice of tree-lined runs back down to Les Arcs 1800.  Something the more confident skier should try is the Aiguille Rouge which stretches 7km back down to the Villaroger and is Europe’s biggest drop at 2,000m!  Les Arcs is most famous for its speed-skiing track set above 2000 where many Olympic records have been broken.  For a small fee anyone can have a bash, albeit from a lower starting point.

Les Arcs is very ski focussed so for most off slope activities it’s best to head down to Bourg-St-Maurice.  Just above 1800 there is the ice grotto, plus snow shoeing and dog sledding available.  Of the villages in Les Arcs, 1800 has the liveliest nightlife but it is certainly quieter than most other big French resorts.