| About Les Arcs |
| Q |
Eating Out: What are the local specialities to try? |
| A |
Although not as renowned as the haute cuisine of Paris or the fine bistros of Lyon the Alps do have a number of tasty treats in store for those who like to sample some regional specialities. Meat and cheese feature heavily in Alpine cooking – so it’s just as well there are plenty of mountains where you can work off the extra pounds!
To learn more about typical dishes, cheeses and what wines to try please read our article on Dining in the Alps.
You can find details of all Les Arcs eateries on our Restaurants listings page. |
| Q |
Eating Out: What type of restaurants does Les Arcs have? |
| A |
You will find all sorts of restaurants, cafés and takeaways in Les Arcs to suit all tastes and pockets. Please see our Dining & Going Out Guide for further details. |
| Q |
Emails: Where can I pickup my emails? |
| A |
Les Arcs 1600: Hôtel La Cachette, Galerie Commercial and L'Abreuvoir-Bar Concert
Les Arcs 1800: L’Equipe, Le Charvet; Le Thuria, Place Miravidi; Tourist Office, La Pagode (Le Charvet); and Photoclean, Les Tournavelles (Villards)
Les Arcs 2000: Le Red Rock, Place Basse.
In Peisey-Vallandry you can access your e-mails at either the Tourist Office or the Mont Blanc bar.
If you are prepared to travel down to Bourg St Maurice there are many more internet cafés to choose from. The Internet bus, however, beside the entrance to the funicular is a much more cost effective and unusual option! |
| Q |
Events: What are the main events throughout the year? |
| A |
Les Arcs has many events going on all year round. To get an overview of what happens when please see our Events Guide. To keep an eye on a particular date you can check out our What's On Calendar, which is regularly updated with all the latest events. |
| Q |
Money: Where can I change/draw out money? |
| A |
The 2 main banks in Arc 1800 are Crédit Agricole in Galerie Bellecôte le Charvet and Banque de Savoie in Galerie Aiguille des Glaciers. It is possible to change money in both these banks.
There are Post Offices (La Poste) in Arc 1600 (Résidence Cascade), 1800 (Résidence Pierra Menta) and 2000 (Place Haute), which can offer the same service. You may need to order your cash in advance if you need large amounts or unusual currency.
If you need a cash dispenser you will find them in each of the villages except Villaroger.
Please note that most banks in France close on Sundays, Mondays and all public holidays. They also take the traditional lunch break of 12am to 2pm, so if you need to speak to a cashier make sure you have checked their opening times first. |
| Q |
Nightlife: Are there any nightclubs or late night bars in Les Arcs? |
| A |
Don't worry if the thought of going to bed early every night in order to be first up the mountain in the morning isn't your cup of tea! There is plenty in Les Arcs to keep the night-owls happy, take a look at our Dining & Going Out guide to find out where to party in resort. |
| Q |
Nightlife: Where can I go for après-ski? |
| A |
Les Arcs wouldn't be the resort that it is without a good dose of après-ski to end the day on! There is no shortage of places to go for a few drinks and some live music after a day on the mountain, have a look at our Dining & Going Out guide for our pick of the best. |
| Q |
Parking: Where can I park in Les Arcs and how much will it cost? |
| A |
Indoor and/or outdoor parking is available at each level of the Les Arcs resorts and in certain places, i.e. Arcs 1950, it is compulsory as the resort is traffic free. Both Bourg St Maurice and Arc 1600 have free outdoor parking, but the remaining designated parking areas (covered or uncovered) are all paying.
For more details please read our Transport & Parking section. |
| Q |
Services: Are there any left luggage facilities in Les Arcs? |
| A |
As far as we know there are no public left luggage facilities in Les Arcs. However, most hotels and residences will store your bags for you (sometimes for a small fee), so enquire before arrival whether this is a possibility. |
| Q |
Services: Is there a church in Les Arcs? |
| A |
The main church in town is the Eglise St. Jean Baptiste, which dates back to 1850. Inside the church is a clockwork crèche representing the old village of Les Arcs and a 19-panel polyptyque, painted in 1501, which is attributed to Louis Brea.
|
| Q |
Services: Is there a launderette in Les Arcs? |
| A |
You can do laundry in:
- Arc 1600 - Photo 1600, Place de l'Arbre Sec
- Arc 1800 - BlueBar, Village des Villards; Lavomatic du Miravidi, Immeuble Miravidi le Charvet; Pressing le Dauphin, Galerie Pierra Menta
- Arc 2000 - Services 2000, Le Varet
NB The French word for launderette is 'lavarie'. |
| Q |
Shopping: What hours are the shops open? |
| A |
Most shops are open 7 days a week during the winter season, including Christmas day. During April, the resort begins to wind down, and opening times may vary slightly.
In the main, opening hours are between 09.00 -12.00 and then15.00 -19.00. Each resort has at least one small supermarket where you can stock up on provisions. Villaroger unfortunately, does not have a supermarket, so if you are planning on buying groceries it is best to do so in Bourg St Maurice, although it is best to remember that French shops rarely open on Sundays and if they do, it is generally only until noon.
Also, it is worth being aware that in an effort to be more eco-friendly, supermarkets in the Savoie region do not give out carrier bags for your shopping. If you need to shop for your weekly supplies, bring a few spare bags/boxes of your own. |
| Q |
Smoking: Are there any non-smoking bars and restaurants in Les Arcs? |
| A |
Since January 2008 smoking has been banned in all bars, cafés and restaurants in France. Patrons are generally free to smoke on the terrace and during the winter months smokers are often catered for with outdoor heaters. |
| Q |
The Resort: I've never been to Les Arcs before, what's it like? |
| A |
Well, we rather like it! It is a great resort all year round, the scenery is magnificent and there is plenty to see and do. If you want to get a taste of what Les Arcs has to offer please read our Resort Background section, where you will learn about the local area, the history of the resort and where to go for dining and nightlife. |
| Q |
The Resort: When is the best time of year to come to Les Arcs? |
| A |
This is very much a matter of personal preference.
Snow-wise, early December can be fantastic or a flop. If you can book last-minute then come when, and if, the snow falls (keep checking our snow forecast and last minute offers and sign up for our free Dump Alert for the latest news of snow falls). Empty pistes are guaranteed and bargains can be easily snapped up - even the lift pass is cheaper.
Christmas and New Year are very popular so the resort and pistes will be busy, and prices much higher. Christmas in the snow can be magical.
January is much underrated. The French tend not to take their holidays at this time of year, so the pistes are virtually empty with no lift queues. The weather can be very cold, but often the Alps enjoy blue skies and sunshine as well as low temperatures for much of the month. The snow can be excellent in January.
February is the month the French school holidays start, you can check the dates on our Families & Kids section. The resort is always extremely busy and children’s ski school places are often booked up months in advance. Avoid this month if you don’t like being out-skied by 7 year olds!
March is when the sun starts to shine for longer and longer each day, and temperatures are usually kinder to lunching out-of-doors. The snow quality may start to decline - hard in the morning and slushy in the afternoons. This is a popular month with the British and other nationalities, so can be quite busy.
April is often the snowiest month of the season as April showers land as fresh snow in the mountains. In fine weather it is perfect for lazy long lunches in the sun, and the pistes are once again quiet. Perhaps time for a last minute break?
To read more about Les Arcs during the ski season please go to our Winter Guide.
The resort will go quiet during May and June, but spring in the Alps is beautiful and if you don't mind not being able to take the lifts it can be the nicest time for hiking. The weather can be changeable, as it can anywhere, but it is often more comfortable for outdoor sports than the heat of summer.
July and August are the busiest summer months and there are loads of activities, particularly outdoors, to do. The climate during the daytime will be much as for the rest of France but the evenings will be cooler - so you can sleep well after the day's exploits.
From September onwards things cool down again, and life is much calmer. You can get some excellent days in around this time. The temperature is much better suited to outdoor activities, although the rain may come at this time (as elsewhere).
Summer is a great time to visit if you enjoy hiking, mountain biking, paragliding, fishing and other outdoor activities. To read more about Les Arcs in the summer please go to our Summer Guide.
October and November are the months when many places are closed to take a holiday or prepare for the following winter season. You can expect the resort to be very quiet during these months, which may suit some people but bear in mind that mountain access will only be on foot as the lifts will be closed. |
| Q |
Travel: How do I get around Les Arcs? |
| A |
With a number of free buses and a funicular train, you shouldn't have any problem getting around Les Arcs. To find out more please see our Transport & Parking section. |
| Q |
Travel: How do I get to and from Les Arcs? |
| A |
There are many options, from driving to flying to catching a train. To help you decide which is best for you please read our Getting to Resort section. |
| Q |
Travel: How do I get to other resorts from Les Arcs? |
| A |
All the Les Arcs villages can be reached by ski or board using the ski lift system.
Each of the 4 Arcs are linked by a free shuttle bus. Arc 1800 and Peisey-Vallandry are linked by La Fðret ski run which can be used to walk between the 2 places. Otherwise you would need to organise a taxi. You can reach other ski resorts and towns by bus or take the train. |
| Q |
Water: Can I drink the water? |
| A |
Yes, the water in Les Arcs is perfectly safe to drink. |
Skinets Support Tool |
