Les Arcs France, Not Just Ski Resort But Also Towns At Different Heights

By Author: Boštjan Hozjan
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There are plenty of lifts to get you to each and every one of these heights to boot. At Les Arcs, you can even take to the wilderness and disappear alone for a whole day if that fits your fancy. Les Arcs French ski resort has something for every level of skier, from family of five to a group of two. Here is what skiing is like for all levels at Les Arcs.

The slopes for beginner skiers in Les Arcs are well groomed. In fact, beginners may be the luckiest as they'll have groomed slopes awaiting them at any time of the day. The nursery slopes are proudly given priority in Les Arcs. Because of the direction of the beginner slopes, moreover, you'll have plenty of sunshine to warm you up all day long. Mont Blanc at 1600 and Col de la Chal at 2000 is said to have not only easier beginner runs but also fewer lines so you can get on the slopes faster.

Intermediate skiers to Les Arcs in France will have plenty of groomed runs to keep them excited. The Peisey Valladry even gives intermediate skiers the chance to go into the backcountry on some nicely groomed trails. Though the hotels are nice and cozy, the temptation of the ...
... trails is too much to ignore. It is possible to combine some of the intermediate runs into longer pistes if you get a map before you arrive. If you do plan on going to the backcountry, be sure that you have the piste and a topographical map with you at all times—folks have been lost out here for days.

If you're an expert skier who likes to get out into the tree coverage, then Villaroger and Peisey Vallandry are two of the better-forested runs. The expert runs that you'll have access to right from your doorstep will drop your jaw. The trails are both plentiful and always have just that right amount of powder to keep you going on long exploratory journeys. The Aiguilles Rouge area probably has the most black runs, but make sure you are indeed an expert before venturing to this area, right above Arc 2000.

If you've ever wondered how Les Arcs became so great so long ago, then you'll be interested to learn how Robert Blanc (at that time, a guide and ski enthusiast) came up with the idea to build not only a ski resort here but also the towns at different heights. Well, an encounter with Roger Godino in the 1960s pretty much sparked the creation of Les Arcs. With a central motif of conservation and using local materials for construction, Blanc and Godino envisioned the Les Arcs ski resort together back then. With nature as the centerpiece and backdrop for the ski area, everything fell into place, naturally. Godino and Blanc are together credited with the design and superb forethought of using local—thus environmentally friendly—methods of building well before such a style became vogue. Les Arcs French ski resort was born.

Today, visitors will find a Les Arcs that still adheres to these natural design guidelines. Though you'll find a couple of enormous resorts and hotels here today, they all pay attention to the use of natural lights, natural materials and the idea that nature is important. Most feel that such accommodation is necessary, especially given the popularity of the resort. The resorts, built up rather than out, gives everyone a place to stay to enjoy their visit.

Les Arcs, with La Plagne, formed the Paradiski resort. This combination was the right move, especially if the area expected to challenge the runs and venues of the Trois Vallees ski resort. With this banding together of sorts, the resorts now offer some incredible numbers in the way of runs, lifts and descents. Today, there are nearly 200 kilometers of descents for beginners, intermediates and experts. This is spread out over 100 runs and over 50 lifts (cable cars, gondolas and drag lifts) taking skiers to their respective slopes. Though these numbers are incredible, there are over 420 km of trails in all, which really tells you how big Les Arcs really is.