Spring has sprung in Les Arcs

Sunshine & milder temperatures make for very good conditions

featured in Snow report Author Sam Birch, Les Arcs Reporter Updated 7 November 2018

Apparently there are two official start dates for Spring in 2017. The 1st March signals the start of “meteorological spring” with “astrological spring” beginning on 20th March.

Here in Les Arcs, Friday 10th March felt a lot like spring, with clear blue skies and ample opportunity to develop an epic face-tan (or get a bit burned, depending upon your complexion/sunscreen SPF). Since then, temperatures across the mountain have felt very mild, resulting in layers being shed and sunglasses being donned.

Fortunately, this warm spell was preceded by epic snowfall, so the pistes are an absolute joy. Every day the sun has been softening up the top layer, making for very a nice ride regardless of altitude.

Where the off-piste is un-tracked, and thus a little deeper, it can be a bit “sticky,” but on-piste the conditions are almost universally very pleasant. I have struggled to find any icy patches and the majority of runs are now running pretty quickly. There is still a little bit of “chop” in some areas, where chunky snow makes small moguls, but these are mostly avoidable or useful for scrubbing off excess speed.

Black Runs

Today every lift was open across all of the resorts, providing unparalleled access to the vast number of runs, regardless of classification. The majority of the black runs in the Les Arcs ski area are now open for business, with only Cretes and Droset (which crosses the main road to Arc 1950/2000) being closed to the public. Muguet and Comborcière are their usual mogulled selves, with extremely technical bumps almost their full length. For a more balanced ride, try Écureuils from the top of the Grizzly lift; there’s a nice mix with a lumpy start, a rolling tree-lined section, a serious mogul field and intermittent steepness. Just be aware the snow can get a bit “catchy” towards the bottom, especially in the afternoon.

The stand-out black run, typically, is the Aiguille Rouge from the gondola of the same name. From the very top, through the glacier section down to the Droset lift (where it is reclassified as a red run), it is in really good shape. Overall, it is running pretty quickly with no particularly hard patches and plenty of excess snow to help regulate speed. A few small stones have begun to appear on the “windy” mountain-hugging sector after the piste splits with Arandelières (red), but this is fairly normal due to the terrain. For those with the necessary skills, the Aiguille Rouge currently is a must-hit run.

Red Runs

There are some lovely red runs out there at the moment. In fact, most of them are lovely. The recent sun and a bit of traffic following a shed-load of snow, have made most of the reds quick but not too hard. Arandelières is a treat, with small drifts of snow for slowing down but enough space to avoid them entirely if that is your preferred route. All of the reds running from the Col des Frettes towards Arc 1800 (Golf, Vagere, Carreley, etc) have excellent snow coverage, are consistent and quite reliable. Only the very last section of Vagere (near Belvedere) can be a bit sketchy.

Above Arc 1600 Cachette is quick, slightly choppy (in a fun way) and a good work out from top to bottom. Clocheret is also running like a dream, so worth looping around at least once. Unfortunately, below the resort Granges and Violettes are now closed, as the snow has not quite persevered all the way down to Les Granges funicular station.

In Peisey-Vallandry, the primary reds (Ours, Aigle, Morey and Myrtilles) are great at the top but can be a bit soft towards the bottom and any small collections of snow can cause sudden deceleration; exercise caution if you decide to hit them at “full whack.”

Blue Runs

All the blues I rode today were very nice, consistent and, despite the increase in temperature, running at a decent speed. The lower you ski, the more likely you are to find slower conditions, but generally the pistes are in good order. In the Arc 2000 bowl there doesn’t seem to be a bad blue run, with Edelweiss and Plan des Eaux being of particular note. On the other side of the ridge, Clapet is quick and consistent, like Arpette. Even the “crossing point” on Belvedere near the Arpette bar is running smooth and has not become icy, which normally indicates good conditions elsewhere.

Two very low pistes, Bois de Saule below Arc 1600 and Pre in Villaroger are closed, but practically every other blue is likely to be open in the next few days.