Les Arcs Local Area

The village has a number of restaurants and bars as well as a night club so for those keen to enjoy the après ski, you should find something to entertain you. Various activities are organised during the week, both on and off piste and details are published in the lifts and at reception.

Ski and board hire is easily obtainable from Ogiers or Concept Board Shop in the main street and ski passes can be purchased for the kiosk next door to Le Hameau du Glacier. These can also be purchased on line from http://www.skilesarcs.com/

Next door to the Intrawest office in the main street is the local ski school Spirit 1950 which we have found to be very good. They generally have smaller classes than ESF and the instructors are very friendly and most speak fluent English. They also specialise in guiding and will do this either individually or in groups. For details of their prices, classes and availability please access their website http://www.spirit1950.com/ You can also make reservations on line here too.

There is a Spa supermarket opposite the entrance to Le Prince des Cimes and there is a very good bakery on the corner which sells delicious baguettes, croissants and pain au chocolat as well as a selection of pastries.

The Cabriolet lift is just beyond Le Prince des Cimes and runs very frequently all day and into the evening taking skiers and pedestrians up to 2000 where there is a larger range of shops and bars. Check at reception on the closing time as it varies during the season.

There is a free bus service - The Navette - which is available to everyone in the resort and runs approximately every 20 minutes between all the resorts. The stop in 1950 is outside the main entrance by the underground car park. Check on the times at the bus stop. From 1600 the Funicular Railway runs down to Bourg St Maurice. It takes about 10 minutes, arriving at the railway station and is covered by the ski pass. If you decide to travel to the resort by rail, it is an efficient and cost effective way of arriving in the village.

In December of 2003, Les Arcs and La Plagne were joined by the opening of the high speed cable car, The Vanoise Express. If you wish to ski in both resorts which we highly recommend, you will need to buy the Paradski pass. If you just want to visit la Plagne for one day during your stay, an extension to the Les Arcs pass can be purchased form any ski pass office and from the kiosk at the Vanoise before you go over. It is a very impressive and fast service and gives access to the ski-ing in La Plagne where you will also find many attractive villages and mountain restaurants. One of our favourites is Le Ferme de Caesar in Montchavin, just the other side of the cable car. The village itself is beautiful and the restaurant is informal and very friendly. Over the other side of the resort is the village of Montalbert and it is possible to ski there for lunch and back again in the day. Just be careful of the timing on your return journey as you need to make sure you catch the Vanoise Express to get you back to Les Arcs to avoid a very expensive taxi ride!!

The glacier in La Plagne, Bellecote, is an impressive ski-ing area and well worth a visit. The rather old-fashioned gondolas which take you over there and slightly unnerving, as is the drop when you go over the top of the mountain, but it is worth the trip especially if there has been an overnight snowfall as the powder is awesome. Likewise the Aiguille Rouge Glacier.

in Les Arcs offers impressive ski-ing and the run form there to Villaroger (10 km) is a fantastic ski on a sunny morning. As it is the longest descent in Europe, a stop at Le Soliet on the way down for a hot chocolate or Vin Chaud is always welcome. That particular restaurant is also a very nice venue for a more traditional Savoyarde lunch.

The valley of Champagny is situated on the far side of the La Plagne ski area and is a very picturesque valley. The run down to the village is only open at certain times when the snow is good enough, but you can go down in the cable car and it is a very worthwhile trip. On the descent, you can see Courcheval quite clearly on the next mountain range and as you sit down in the village enjoying a traditional Savoyade lunch, you are surrounded by the most beautiful scenery.

Just below the village is Le Beliou la Fumee restaurant, probably the best restaurant in the resort. It is a traditional stone building run by a very successful husband and wife team, offering very high standards of cuisine and service. You may find you need to book if the resort is busy as it is very popular. Next door the Pre St Esprit is also good and less expensive. Above 2000 is the Chalet de L'arc, a very popular but extremely busy restaurant. It is a good meeting place as it is very central but quite expensive. On the other side of the mountain range is a charming restaurant called Chez Merie in the delightful village of Le Miroir. This is only reachable by car and is rather remote but if you have the time and the opportunity to visit, you will not be disappointed. Don't be surprised to find your dinner slowly roasting on the open fire as you enter!

In the small village of Nancroix, in the Vanoise Valley, there is another charming restaurant called L'ancolie - named after the mountain flowers that always come to life in the garden in the spring. If you are doing any off-piste ski-ing from the back of the Bellecote Glacier, you may well find you end up in that vicinity and it is well worth a visit. The food is delicious and very traditional and the hosts make you feel very welcome.