Les Arcs comprises a number of small village resorts, all linked by a network of pistes and lifts allowing you to experience the area at your own pace and enjoy the varied terrain and scenery. By linking through to the rest of the Paradiski domain the Vanois Express cablecar opens up an enormous ski area just waiting to be explored!
Lift & Piste Maps for Les Arcs
These maps are useful for printing off and taking up the mountain, allowing you to see how the resort is laid out and which lifts and pistes lead where - indispensable for organising where to stop for lunch! Alternatively paper copies can be found in resort at the Tourist Office, lift pass offices, hotel receptions, etc...
With one of the most extensive and varied ski domains in the world, Les Arcs and the Paradiski area truly offers something for every level of skier or boarder. Les Arcs itself has 200km of piste, 60 lifts and excellent snow making facilities that guarantee skiing back to the resorts all season. When combining that with La Plagne (the other half of the Paradiski area which is linked by the Vanoise Express double decker cable car), you have access to 425km of piste, 171 lifts, 2 glaciers and 100km of cross country ski trails.
La Plagne forms part of the fabulous Paradiski area; combining all the resorts of La Plagne Les Arcs and Peisey Vallandry into one giant heavenly playground. La Plagne itself consists of 6 high altitude resorts (linked by a free public transport service), with terrain to suit everyone, and 4 village resorts with access to the entire ski area. Snow conditions permitting, La Plagne usually opens around mid- December until the end of April and the whole Paradiski area opens from around December 23rd until April 20th (ish).
Les Arcs has very firm roots in snowboarding history as a favourite place to ride and the season destination choice for many of the Pro’s. Back in 1981 Regis Rolland (who later began the snowboard manufacturers ‘A’) was given a snowboard to try out and soon began to break new ground in snowboarding styles and tricks.
The Regis Rolland designed Snow Park and Half Pipe are enough to satisfy most freestyle appetites as well as the natural Freeride terrain found all over the mountain which is great for getting airborne as you cruise around the pistes.
If you are taking your skiing or boarding to a different level, then try Apocalypse Parc which has lots to offer, ranging from blue level jumps to black, it also has rail slides, a spine jump and for the really adventurous - a gap jump. Or if you are into testing your speed, try the boarder cross for both skiers and boarders alike.
Les Arcs is a great place to learn to snowboard. There are good networks of beginner runs and English speaking snowboard schools in good supply.
Insider's Guide to the Paradiski
With such a big ski area to explore, it's sometimes good to have a little bit of inside information… For your pleasure we’ve compiled a list of our favourite places for challenging and steep runs, the places to go on bad weather days, and the nicest and sunniest spots for lunch. For those wanting to check out the off-piste, the Paradiski also has vast areas which are easily accessible from the lifts. ... see "Where to go in the Paradiski for..." for more