Les Arcs Ski Area

For advanced skiing in Les Arcs, head to the Aiguille Rouge cable car and the genuinely challenging skiing to be found on the Varet glacier, high above Arcs 2000.

It is up here that you'll find the longest run in resort, the breathtaking black run that goes all the way down to Villaroger - 7km long and over 2000m of vertical drop. The black and red runs and the bounteous off-piste possibilities in this area will keep even the most energetic skier or snowboarder entertained for days. However, to make the most of the terrain up here a mountain guide is recommended as the area is glaciated and there are also some expansive cliff faces to be avoided.

If speed is your thing then the Aiguille Rouge/Varet area is also home to Les Arcs "Kilometre Lancé" or "Flying Kilometre" piste. Whilst you can't do this piste on your own unsupervised, it is possible to put yourself against the clock through the Les Arcs Club des Sports who can also provide you with all the necessary safety equipment. You will often see the pro speed skiers in their futuristic space suits training on this piste, attaining speeds of over 200km/h!

Take a look at speed riding and other flying activity companies if you want to have a go at something a little bit different yourself.

Those of you with springs in your legs will no doubt love pounding the bumps of the Dou de l'Homme piste or perhaps explore the fabulous off-piste through the Nancroix forest.

In Les Arcs head to the lower resorts of 1800, 1600, Plan Peisey and Vallandry as the trees line the slopes here and you can enjoy the definition that they give to the pistes. Take some of the long rolling blues through the trees from Les Arcs 1800 to 1600 which you can get to from the top of the Chantel or Les Villards chairlifts.

Or if you prefer to be off-piste in the trees, try either side of the Vanoise Express and stay between 1950m and 1300m where the tree-line is.

If you are high on the glacier and the weather closes in then stop and pitch up at a restaurant to see if the clouds will pass, but just make sure you have a route back down as sometimes the weather gets worse and not better.

Each village of Les Arcs ski area has a number of gentle blue runs and nursery areas, designed specifically for beginners, so you will be able to learn pretty much anywhere in Les Arcs.

Arc 1600
No green pistes, 15 blue pistes. With lots of nice rolling blue pistes in the trees, Arc 1600 is a good place to learn to ski or snowboard and also to progress from skiing blues to reds. There are a couple of short ski lifts here you can lap - Cachettes and Vezaille. Build up your confidence on these before heading further up the mountain onto some of the longer runs.

Arc 1800
2 green pistes, 11 blue pistes. In Arc 1800, the two green pistes can be found at the Mille 8 complex. You'll find wide tree-lined runs here, that lead back to resort and which are a great learning environment for beginner skiers, with plenty room to practice those turns and a gentle gradient to build confidence.

Arc 2000
No green pistes, 20 blue pistes. Whilst Arc 2000 is generally considered more suitable for intermediate to expert skiers there are some fantastic rolling blues which are shallow enough for beginners to learn on. For some nice quiet rolling blue runs which will ease you into your holiday, try either the Plan Vert piste, which starts just down from the top of the Transarc gondola, follow onto the Edelweiss run until you reach the Marmottes chairlift or try the Cascades run from the Bois de Lours chairlift to the Pre de St Esprit chairlift.

Peisey-Vallandry
1 green piste, 14 blue pistes. Peisey-Vallandry also has a range of gentle, cruisy blue runs that are perfect for beginners and in tree-lined serenity for that perfect first ski holiday experience. In Peisey use the Peisey chairlift and the Cabri J bar lift, or in Vallandry use the Vallandry chairlift and the Flocon J bar lift.

Villaroger
No green pistes, 4 blue pistes. The lowest village in Les Arcs ski area, Villaroger, offers a small selection of 4 blue pistes which are all relatively short and can be lapped easily via the Replat chairlift. When you're ready to move onto longer, more challenging runs, the Plan des Violettes lift gives you access to two more runs through the trees.

Espace Ludique
You'll also find some fun zones "Espace Ludiques" in the Mille 8 complex, and at the Rodeo Park where you can try out baby snowpark features, a boardercross course and even have a go at sledging once your ski lessons have finished.

Whether you're into mogul fields, steep descents, quiet tree-lined pistes with great snow or just somewhere to rediscover your ski-legs, there is a piste in Les Arcs just for you.

If you want to try the longest run, then get to the top of the Aiguille Rouge cable car at Arc 2000. From here you can travel 7km non-stop (whilst descending over 2km) into Villaroger, on the Aiguille Rouge black run. At about a third of the way down it changes into a red, but it can still be demanding. Have this on your list for one of the first runs of the day, as you may avoid the crowds and should still have plenty of energy in your legs. If you love moguls, then head to the top of the Comborciere or the Muguet black runs. Both of these runs are very demanding, steep and, as the sign states at the bottom of the Comborciere lift, “for expert skiers only.” Even with a dump of fresh snow you’ll need your legs to be full of “bounce” and ready for the challenge.

From the top of the Comborciere chair lift take you can also take Malgovert “natur” run into Arc 1600. It is unpisted, meaning it’s never flattened out by the piste-bashers, and has a good number of rocks, trees and other natural obstacles to navigate.

If you’re looking for a long, blue cruise through the trees, then consider the aptly named Forêt run which starts atop the Grizzly lift above Peisey-Vallandry. It winds a serious distance all the way down to Vallandry, although some of the sections through the woods can be quite tight and, beginner snowboarders beware, a little flat.

If your group contains people of different abilities, head over to the Derby lift, where three great runs (one blue, one red and one black) all head back to the bottom of the chairlift. Renard (blue) is wide and sweeping, great for beginners looking to take the next step. Belette (red) is also wide, steep at the top but flattening out to invite real speed tests. Bosses (black) is French for “bumps” and it forms thin, heavily-moguled track between the other two pistes. Towards the bottom, it even forms a kind of natural half-pipe, if you want to throw in a bit of freestyle. All of these runs have access to some fun just-off-piste too.

The Grand Col is an off-piste playground. The lift is small and slow, which can be off-putting, but there are typically fewer people on the two (one red, one black) pistes than in the off-piste areas surrounding them. Because the whole area is above 2500 metres it receives, and keeps, more fresh snow than most other areas in the resort. Be prepared for the very flat (if not slightly-uphill section) towards the bottom of the red run, you’ll need some serious speed to traverse it without undue effort.

Similarly, but a bit lower down, there is plenty of off-piste accessible from the top of Arc 1800’s Vagere lift around the Golf and Vagere red runs. There are some hidden streams towards the end of the Golf run however so, as with all off-piste skiing, exercise caution in areas you do not know well.

For beginners who want to try some off-piste, they should try the wide-open area above Peisey-Vallandry, around the 2300 lift. Although largely groomed, there are some patches which are left unpisted, and can be great fun immediately after a snowfall. You’ve got to get up there quickly though!

If you like dodging the trees, there’s plenty of forest near the Derby lift which can be successfully negotiated by those with the requisite skills. There’s also lots of other woodland leading down to, and beyond, Arc 1600.

Please note: you ignore safety warnings and barriers/ropes and undertake off-piste skiing/boarding at your own risk. We always recommend that you take a mountain guide when heading off-piste.

The Apocalypse Parc lies between Arc 1600 and Arc 1800 next to the Snowpark ski lift, and has lots to offer, ranging from blue level jumps to black kick-rails and a quarter pipe. 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.

They also have a permanent airbag where you can try out your freestyle skills with a guaranteed soft landing, and a rails park in Peisey-Vallandry at the bottom of the Cabri chair lift. The best thing is it's all free! Check out the video on this page for a taster of what's on offer.