Les Arcs 2018 - 2019 (Useful links are added to the first post)

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

It's been snowing lightly all day. Was this forecast? I was expecting a sunny day, although haven't been paying much attention to the weather gurus for a couple of days.

Light enough to not amount to much, just a dusting, but in the last hour it's coming down heavier so beginning to settle on the roads around Arc 1800 and perhaps add a few centimetres to the slopes. Pistes are in just about perfect condition, although visibility was a bit constrained today.

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@rob@rar, yes, some light snow was forecast but I'm quite surprised by how hard it's been snowing this afternoon. Supposed to be sunny tomorrow Smile

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Been whetting appetite reading this thread (for skiing not just black squirrels) and just plotting lift pass purchases for our 4 day trip 1-5 Feb based in Bourg. It’s a mates trip and we have a car. It’s often our only trip of the year so we tend to hammer the miles and explore a lot. Huttopia where we are staying have some Les Arcs pass discounts but I also like sound of Sat (Les Arc or La Plagne) / Sun (La Plagne) main online discounts. We will def do 1st and last days in Les Arcs but quick questions if I may-
If we get a Les Arcs discovery pass does it include the Vanoise Express ie on our La Plagne day we can ski over rather than driving to nearest lifts in LaP?
If not and we buy separate pass and need to drive over, where is best La Plagne lift base to head for to minimise driving but to access good skiing quickly?
If doing a drive anyway why not try a day in:
La Rosiere/ESB (seems to be little lift and car park half way up just 11mins away from our accommodation)? or
Tignes (if watch the weather) which may only be 5mins more drive than LaP?
Any thoughts welcome and promise to report some snow/trip details in return in 2 weeks (gets flush of excitement at prospect

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La Rosiere also do a Saturday pass for €20 if bought online the day before at latest, https://www.jeskieausoleil.com the piste skiing on the Italian side is great, and you can ski back to the car at Ecudets currently at end of day.
The Les Arcs discovery pass does include the Vanoise to get over on that day so no need to drive. If you are new to Les Arcs there is tons to go at in a short trip however!

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@dgschof, I wouldn't bother with anywhere else. 3 days in Les Arcs and 1 in La Plagne will be more than adequate. I'v skied Paradiski something like 15 weeks and I'm a long way from bored yet!

You'd be better off making Tignes next years trip.

It would be half an hour to Les Brevieres where you could park for free and access Tignes.

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Top tips thanks guys

@dgschof, Drive or walk to Les Arc funnicular in Bourg every day, up to Arc 1600 and enjoy. 4 days isn’t a lot and the less travelling you do the better. Anything above a 3 day Les Arcs pass includes 1 day in La Plagne anyway.

You know it makes sense.

Folks, I need your recommendation for a good ski hiring place in 1800, if possible close to Le Belmont. We will be there in 2 weeks.
I am bringing my own but my elder son needs a better tailored place. He has been to Les Arcs 2000 in the last 2 years and ran off from Skiset/Precision ski shops.
Initially I planned to drive up to 2000 and rent there from his usual shop, but we will arrive quite late in the evening.
TIA

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Lower level in shopping area nearest to your accommodation has more interesting independent shops that may suit your choice.

Or else walk up to the other end of village past hotel Golf along snow front, and again go to lower level shopping area for good choice. Sport 2000 is on that walk also.

You shouldn't be short of choice as you've got the most commercial availability in any of the Les Arcs villages right there in 1800.

Right from one end to the other is only five minutes-ish walk, at a brisk pace. So it's pretty easy there.

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There's a ski set attached to Le Belmont that friends of mine have used hen there have stayed there and have been very happy with. Failing that there are plenty on ski hire shops in the Villards village

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Glad contusions holding up and some forecasts showing healthy snowfall in next few weeks (crosses all extremities). Looks like we’ve taken the call to do 4 day discovery pass. From you kind residents/regulars - re our La P day - How long does it take from Les Arcs 1600 to Vanoise Express in the morning, and then what’s the last time to get the VE back to get back to 1600 for a funicular down (or at least to a bus stop at eg 1800 that goes to Bourg)?

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@dgschof, As you only have 4 days and you have a car to maximise your day in la Plagne it might be worth driving over to La Plagne early and being ready for 1st lift, that means you don't have to worry about time for the journey home. I know you can park and get close(ish) to the lifts in Montchavin and that's an easy ski home. If that idea interests you worth popping over the La Plagne thread and asking some of the locals where best to park there to get the most from a day there?

https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=138079&highlight=

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@dgschof, It takes about half an hour from Arc 1600 to the Vanoise express when there are no lift queues, and there arn't usually. Different people use different routes; I go Cachette followed by Grizzly, but other people use Arpette or Vallandry. There is an obscure bus between Vallandry and 1800 but as @thefatcontroller, says it will probably be better to drive to La Plagne

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Saturday 19 Jan. It is great to finally be back on my skis in the powder. Still work in progress, but with care I hope to be hitting the bigger routes before to long!

Here is what we managed to find today. The cold temperatures are keeping the snow in great condition. Getting safer to do the steeper routes and good enough quality to be really fun powder.

Another powder day! Fresh tracks and excellent fluffy snow most of the day.

After the fun of yesterday some of us headed over from Les Arcs to the Bellecote.

Our first challenge was the crazy queues at the bottom of the Funicular in Bourg. The only time I have seen so many people there before is when it broke down. Today it was just the numbers. Really busy and running none stop every 10 minutes from about 9am until after 10am at least.

Having made it to the top we had a fast ski across to the Vanoise Express and then using the new lifts we soon arrived at the top of the Bellecote.

A careful ski around to the Friolin bowl and great snow all the way to the trees with room to make our own tracks. Even in the trees to the bottom the snow was still OK and we made it to the lift without any problems.

Another fast ski got us back to the top of the Bellecote with a short delay when the gondola stopped for a while. Not a problem we eat our picnic on the gondola.

Then onto the Petit North Face avoiding the ice and crud where the avalanche had happened a few week before.

Decided we needed to find some untracked snow so did the left ridge of the Canadian Couloir from the lower entrance. Great powder and almost no tracks all the way into the main couloir.

Finally down to the meadows and more nice powder fields, but oh dear we went to low and needed to hack through the bushes at the bottom and back out along the river bed path. Not very good for my leg, but hey I made it and only a little sore tonight.

We didn't do many pistes today, but those we did do on both sides of the Vanoise Express were in good condition. Becoming hard packed in places later in the day, but even the Cachette Red piste down into Arc 1600 was fine to ski late in the day.

A great day again, the cold temperatures are keeping the snow in very good condition and tomorrow I hope to have more of the same. This time over in the Park National in Les Arcs.

Please take a look at the Les Arcs Winter facebook page if you want to see some photos of what fun we had today!

https://www.facebook.com/LesArcsWinter/

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Thanks again - advice proving very useful Very Happy

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I'm out for my sole visit of this season in March with a group of 9 friends, our trip coincides with my 40th birthday and I wanted to get some different opinions on the best restaurants in the domain, both for evening in 1800 and for lunch so either on the slopes of easily accessible from them. What do people think. I've visited the Belliou De Fume a few times and its always been great and the Chalet D'Arc is another good one I've been to from time to time.

After all it is free

@wills_h, I found a website that specialises in this sort of review https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurants-g1118194-zfp30-Les_Arcs_Bourg_Saint_Maurice_Savoie_Auvergne_Rhone_Alpes.html

I don't agree with many of the reviews, but then not many people agree with mine, but it is worth a look.

@johnE, Haha, yes good point, I should have checked this out, I do feel a little daft now Embarassed

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@wills_h, Don't feel daft. Almost all the reviews are "excellent" for almost all restaurants and some of these restaurants have chaged since the reviews were written. But I am reclucant to give my views since they conflict with the concensus. For example I found service in Chalet D'Arc so bad I will not go there again. But I like the hotel Vanoise.

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@johnE, I'm not sure I know the hotel Vanoise, where is it?

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It is in peisey opposite just above the lift of the same name. Generally an interesting plat du jour for about 13 euro in a really nice environment. It is full of pistuers

I'll make sure to find it

You know it makes sense.

@wills_h, you could also try next door to Belliou - one of our lunch favourites (especially for Christmas day).

The other is a bit of an oddity.

La Ferme ... but not that one in Villaroger, no, this is at the extreme other end of the domain, out the other side of Peisey. It is a farm, with the farmer his wife and his daughter running it.

Points against:
You need good snow cover to get there.
Hand painted, and faded distance signage on the pistes (Retour Ecureuils, or top of the Parchey lift) optimistic - just because it says 200metres, they actually mean closer to 6 or 700m.
Awkward steps to get down to the terrace.
Seats about 15 inside, but outside has probably space for about 30. (but no terrace heaters so need to pick a good day if it's crowded. It can be (!)).
The meals are simple and occasionally badly cooked; don't expect fast service.
The 'facilities' are rustic;
They speak a heavy dialect of Savoyard only, so conversation is difficult (but he insists);

On the plus side:
the genepi flows after the meal;
Although the family come from central casting when the call was for Hillbillys, I think they deserve our support.
it isn't over-priced.
You only find it if you are looking for it - it is not on the map, and there will not be (many)Brits, kids or Hooray's there.
It is a throwback, and everything a modern, efficient, "competing-with-the-best" domain doesn't want.

I love it! (Mrs Roll, not so keen...)

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@Arctic Roll, Now that sounds a little bit of a challenge (to find at least). I like the idea of flowing genepi. I'm taking this to mean the good type of genepi, I generally find it comes in two grades, a) The awful tasting swill that you get in most of the bars in the actual resort stations b) the more palatable stuff (often home made) that you get in places like the Blanche Muree (apologies the spelling is probably way off).
I think I may have actually heard people I know in resort talking about this place before.

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When you say hillbillys I get a little nervous though. I keep thinking of that scene in Deliverance! Or something out of a film like the Hills have Eyes.

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Someone recommend a nice place to eat somewhere on the Les Arc side for tomorrow. Ideally restaurant and waiter service but don’t want to pay through the roof either

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@Ricklovesthepowder, Le Sanglier qui Fume, just above Arc 1600.

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@wills_h, as far as I can tell, it's a homemade version... it certanly has twigs in the bottle.

Daughter always reminds me of someone who was homeschooled, becuase the other kids may find her odd... but no, they're not Deliverance dangerous, Think more Clampits / The Beverley Hillbillys...

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@Ricklovesthepowder, as above, Chalet du Pre St Esprit - down by the eponymous lift. Both restaurant and self-service available depending on your mood. Love the place, went there for our Christmas lunch this year (and last years' to be honest... and in the summer... ).

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Eponymous lift? Just searched the lists map and can’t find that!

After all it is free

@Ricklovesthepowder, Laughing

The lift is called Pre St Esprit (eponymous means "named after").

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Les Arcs 2018 - 2019 (Useful links are added to the first post)

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