 Poster: A snowHead
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I've been to Val D'isere for the last 3 Years and have improved a lot.
I want to go to a new resort next year and am thinking of going to Les Arcs.
Which Les Arcs village is best? and to anyone who's been to both Val D'isere and Les Arcs - how do they compare?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Been to both.
Can't say which Les Arcs village is best only stayed in the main village.
Both resorts can be a bit of a moonscape in bad weather - few trees in main ski areas. Plenty of good easy blue runs in both resorts. The Val D'Isere/Tignes area to me has a little more variety of run whilst Les Arcs/La Plagne is a bit samey: red/blue. However, I have skied in the Espace Killy much more and somebody that knows Les Arc better may be able to hazard some counter arguments
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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sam135: I've skied in Espace Killy loads, Les Arcs a fair bit and La Plagne a little less.
I would say that if you love Espace Killy you would love Paradiski (Les Arcs/La Plagne) area as well. Les Arcs side is (in general) more varied and steeper than La Plagne but both are well worth a visit, with some great, high altitude/snowsure skiing. A particular highlight is the 7000 ft+ vertical drop from Aiguille Rouge at Les Arcs - a fantastic run. One definite plus for Les Arcs in comparison to Val D'Isere is better access to/from the slopes for all levels of skiers - which can be a big positive, depending on your group.
Both Les Arcs and La Plagne probably have more bad weather/tree options than Val D'Isere and Tignes, with some especially good tree runs above the lower resorts of Les Arcs.
All the Les Arcs resorts are, of course purpose built - so you may not enjoy that aspect as much as Val D'Isere. Arc 1600 is very small and quiet with limited food and drink options. Arc 1800 is bigger and livelier. I'm not very familiar with Arc 2000. The newest and most modern Arc (ie Arc 1950) - is picture book perfect and offers fantastic ski in/out options.
I think that you'd really enjoy the change from Val D'Isere  .
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I stay on the side (La Plagne) mostly. I've stayed in Arc 2000 once. I am toying with the idea of staying in 1950 at some point because it looks really nice. Anyhow. Overall, I'd say they are much of a muchness. None of them will be like Val D. But then you don't say if you used the town much. Skiing wise. They are both mega resorts. Mark1863's comments are a common minor misconception. In that it appears that way on the surface but if you know where to look, etc there is plenty of challenging skiing and off piste. There is also some good tree skiing for bad weather. More so than Val D iirc. It's a while since I went EK, though I've been that area three times.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Quote: |
All the Les Arcs resorts are, of course purpose built - so you may not enjoy that aspect as much as Val D'Isere
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The vast majority of Val D'Isere is purpose built, too; the original village was tiny. Just about any French resort where you can ski out of your door is largely "purpose built" though the tourist authorities do their best to convince people otherwise with liberal sprinkling of words such as "authentique" and "savoyard". But it is true that some purpose built buildings are more attractive than others. 
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pam w, And in Val's case a sizeable grant to 'savoyarde up' some hideous buildings before the '92 Olympics.
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Re. the purpose builtness of Val D'Isere.....Position noted. The point I perhaps should have made is that Val D has probably succeeded in retaining its original, valley town feel - which of course cannot be said of Les Arcs & La Plagne....Though, as mentioned, Arc 1950 is gorgeous.
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If you like the kind of terrain and variety of EK you will love les Arcs. I usually stay in Tignes but v famiiar with Val d'I slopes. I even think the pisted black runs in Les Arcs beat EK (barely) though long "glory" reds are definitely better in EK and if I had to plum for one it would be EK though Les Arcs my 2nd favourite place and going there next year. Also easier to join into off-piste guided groups or lessons in Tignes. La Plagne is a little disappointing on-piste at least but maybe if conditions are right in Feb and I have balls I will get someone to bring me down the Bellecote N face which for many is mecca of off-piste skiing. Conclusion: definitely go for Paradiski this time round
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Mark1863 wrote: |
Both resorts can be a bit of a moonscape in bad weather - few trees in main ski areas. |
Up high at the very top of the resorts I agree no trees but that's pretty much the same everywhere over 2300 metres. Around the 1800m and below there are fantastic tree lined runs in both La Plagne and Les Arcs and the main parts of the resort are based around Arc 1800 La Plagne 1800 and Plagne Centre which is at 2000m. The advantage of such large ski areas is that when the weather is bad and everyone does inevitably head for the tree lined runs there is still plenty of piste to go around.
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If you like Micky Mouse and "hello, how are you" - go to Les Arcs 1950. Plastic phantastic.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Onnem, +1 looks like a Disney film set.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Jaggeur,
Why the name change??
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You know it makes sense.
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| Onnem wrote: |
| If you like Micky Mouse and "hello, how are you" - go to Les Arcs 1950. Plastic phantastic. |
Purpose built, for sure. Great if you like total convenience for skiing and apres-skiing, in well specified self-catered apartments with doorstep access to a large, high altitude ski domain. If you don't like those things there are plenty of other places that you will enjoy. It's great to have the choice, isn't it?
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I liked 1950 for all the reasons R@R points out. Easy access to loads of runs, and easier on the eye than some concrete ski towns. Fit and finish of the apartments was good, and the bar was reasonably priced.
Its all about choice and cost, I also enjoyed Arc 2000 for the skiing, but the apartment was "basic" to say the least, still managed to enjoy the skiing.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| rob@rar wrote: |
| Onnem wrote: |
| If you like Micky Mouse and "hello, how are you" - go to Les Arcs 1950. Plastic phantastic. |
Purpose built, for sure. Great if you like total convenience for skiing and apres-skiing, in well specified self-catered apartments with doorstep access to a large, high altitude ski domain. If you don't like those things there are plenty of other places that you will enjoy. It's great to have the choice, isn't it? |
In that respect, I like Les Menuires far far better.
Especially the "Brelin" building (been there).
Just because it is honest, and does not try to cover up it's real nature.
They should NEVER allow Brelin to be torn down.
It's a monument for architecture.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Arc 1950 is a bit 'Disney' having been made by the same group that built Whistler, a traffic free resort basically built over a car park. However, it works. The apartments are very comfortable and spacious. Skiing is proper ski in-out. Nightlife however is on a small scale and I find the restaurants boring, but there's a very well stocked Spar and having a proper kitchen means this is not an issue, if you don't mind eating in. If the weather is bad, then skiing down the mountain to find tree cover, rather than up into the Arc 2000 bowl which is bare, is a good option.
What I like about Les Arcs in general is the reliably good snow conditions and a very slick, well linked lift system.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| Red Leon wrote: |
Jaggeur,
Why the name change?? |
Chasseur is on a tour of Europe...
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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It's a bit of a shame to see people still insisting that Arc 1800 is the best/liveliest bit of Les Arcs. Before Arc 1950 existed that would have been true but with the appearance of 1950, you're best off staying either there or in Arc 2000. Both are small but linked by the Gondola (or a long walk) and complement each other. 1950 is newer, smarter and a little more upmarket, 2000 is older, a bit tired but loads of fun. The nightspots in each are just enough to service the size of resort with spreading the crowds too thinly, so a good time can be had everywhere!
Forget 1800, it's had its day as the party centre of Les Arcs, 1950/2000 is where it's at. You're also right beside the Aiguille Rouge and the awesome descent down to Villaroger, one of the best runs in the entire Tarentaise!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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froomie,
| Quote: |
| London It's a bit of a shame to see people still insisting that Arc 1800 is the best/liveliest bit of Les Arcs. |
Read the thread again. Nobody was insisting anything. mountainaddict, said 1800 was bigger and livelier than 1600 but that he wasn't familiar with 1950/2000. However, Neraida, however tells us the nightlife at 1950 is small scale. I have stayed in 2000 and it was nothing special. I got snowed in at 2000 and it is limited in those conditions. Also the Aguille Rouge was close all week. I know the latter was a one off but even so 1600/1800 would be better in bad weather in my view. I actually like staying in Les Coches on the La Plagne side but that's another debate. Essentialy all the Les Arcs resorts have their merits and it's just down to personal choice IMO.
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Ok, insisting might not be quite the word, I was just alluding to the old "wisdom" that Arc 1800 is THE place to stay, which is no longer the case and hasn't been since the early 2000s when the Altitude and Des Neiges complexes appeared in Arc 2000 and were quickly filled by UK tour ops running the apartments as chalets. At around the same time Arc 1950 was added to the mix and the 1950/2000 area of Les Arcs has had the best accommodation and variety of off slop activities ever since.
"Arc 1800 is bigger and livelier" and "the main parts of the resort are based around Arc 1800" are the sorts of thing that were true in the late 90s but are no longer.
None of the villages in Les Arcs compare to Val d'Isere for off-slope atmosphere, that would be the wrong reason to head to Les Arcs but the skiing is great and there is fun to be had if you stay in 1950/2000.
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if you are thinking of going late season, the snow lasts a bit longer in Val D'Isere. Last Easter (April) there was little left in Les Arcs, and it was crowded on the remaining open slopes, so we drove round to Val for the day and found the slopes to be in much better condition overall. Earlier in the season, there is more tree cover in Les Arcs - helpful if the weather is bad. I would say the nightlife is better in Val. Depends what you want. I feel that the skiing is on the whole easier in Val - there are a lot of very flattering reds and easier blacks. There are plenty of blues and reds in Arcs as well, but they are more accurately graded. In Arcs I perceive that you get more proper skiers and fewer people who are just there to pose and ski to and from lunch, if you know what I mean.
Does it have to be that area? The whole of Europe, indeed the world, is waiting for you....
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I like Les Arcs, I've been there the last 2 years, but (and I might be alone in this opinion) I find the runs over on the 1600 side and around Peisey/Vallandry all a bit same-y; I prefer the variety and the feeling of skiing to somewhere you get in La Plagne and the 3 valleys, rather than the somewhat repetitive nature of going up and down the same moutainside in arc 1600. Having said that, the Mont Blanc run is maybe my favourite run anywhere for blasting down to get the legs going in the morning.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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There's so much to choose from in Paradiski, which is why I like it and it's easy to get around. bobalexander1983, I like the Mont Blanc run too!
Layne, There is little to do in Arc 1950 at night, BUT enough in Arc 2000 unless you want to be bouncing around on Jagerbombs until 4am. The gondola link to Arc 2000 is very useful, being a minute from everywhere in Arc 1950 and after it closes, the little run down is ok to walk.
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