 Poster: A snowHead
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We enjoyed Les Arc and visited briefly La Plagne but didn't really ski too much of it, now have a choice of staying in either, any pros or cons?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I would say Les Arcs has more "interesting" and varied skiing. La Plagne has more motorway skiing and more proper traditional villages to visit, if snow is good enough....but can become a bit of a scrum on the runs that take you back, at the end of the day.
It is my view, that staying in Les Arcs and taking a couple of days in La Plagne, is the better way to go - and staying in Arcs 1800 makes this a little quicker.
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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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Fight  , this is going to cause some 'conversation'. I'd have to say I personally agree with the above.
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@Old Fartbag, @wills_h, thanks, I will look forward to more comments 
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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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@feefee, I agree with @Old Fartbag.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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When do you plan going?
In the first week of February 2019, La Plagne's lifts had bigger queues than Les Arcs (excepting Aiguille Rouge). If you enjoy cruising around and doing mileage, it's a good choice.
You don't have to choose one of them - stay in the area of Peissey Vallandry, close to the Vanoise Express. Take the bigger skipass and ski a different direction each day.
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feefee, if you enjoyed Les Arcs I would go there again. A second visit always worthwhile: you know your way around so gain at least a day in less faffing and mistakes.
If you want to get an idea of La Plagne, then go with drporat's suggestion of Peisey-Vallandry: easy access to La Plagne, and lot of lovely quiet tree routes.
Our favourite area of Les Arcs is the other end: 1600. Everso quiet runs.
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| Alastair wrote: |
| @feefee, I agree with @Old Fartbag. |
....and if anyone should know...
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Looking at January so I don’t expect it to be busy? The Les arc one we found is in Villaroger so opposite end to Vallandry (where we stayed before) thought maybe La Plagne this time could make it different but then Villaroger would be too, hmmm decisions, also have a couple near Morzine to consider 
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| feefee wrote: |
| Looking at January so I don’t expect it to be busy? The Les arc one we found is in Villaroger so opposite end to Vallandry (where we stayed before) thought maybe La Plagne this time could make it different but then Villaroger would be too, hmmm decisions, also have a couple near Morzine to consider |
Unless going at the end of January, I'd go to where there is a Glacier.
Where in La Plagne are you thinking of staying.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Mid January La coche/Montchavin?
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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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| feefee wrote: |
| Mid January La coche/Montchavin? |
In which case I'd go to La Plagne (Les Coches/Montchavin). Les Coches is higher than Villaroger - and both are pretty close to the Vanoise Express, so giving easy access to either resort.
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@Old Fartbag, great thank you 
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You know it makes sense.
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@feefee, I agree with @Old Fartbag, too.
However, Villaroger wouldn’t be on my list of places to stay in January.
Why? Far end of whole lift area, as you know. If I fancied a trip over to high altitude skiing on La Plagne side, it’s a bit of a schlepp.
Tucked into valley, so doesn’t get much sunlight in January. Better Feb onwards.
Piste down to village often not in great condition in my experience. Tendency to be chopped up, not great snow coverage, etc.
If none of the above bother you, then Villaroger is a pleasant enough quiet village to stay in.
But overall I definitely prefer a Les Arcs side base to La Plagne.
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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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| Old Fartbag wrote: |
| feefee wrote: |
| Mid January La coche/Montchavin? |
In which case I'd go to La Plagne (Les Coches/Montchavin). Les Coches is higher than Villaroger - and both are pretty close to the Vanoise Express, so giving easy access to either resort. |
I think that @Old Fartbag meant to say that that
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Les Coches is higher than Villaroger Montchavin - and both are pretty close to the Vanoise Express, so giving easy access to either resort. |
- as Villaroger is nowhere near the Vanoise Express.
Villaroger is a pretty enough village (hamlet?), but as far as I am aware (I was last there in 2013, things might have changed a bit) there is pretty much nothing there except a restaurant - i.e. no shop, no ski hire etc. I wouldn't stay there without a car and it wouldn't be my choice in January either, it's a long, cold journey into the rest of the domain.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Except reaching the ferme for lunch from the top of Aiguille Rouge, I'm afraid there isn't much to do in Villaroger.
It is very small and situated at an extreme lower end from the whole Paradiski area, as previously stated.
Thus it won't allow you to reach La Plagne easily and rapidly.
You wrote that you've been to Vallandry already. Hop to the other side for a week, so you can easily reach both parts
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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bad weather = trapped in Villaroger and can't reach rest of domain. Remember we stayed in Les Granges (1200 elevation close to funiculair BSM - Les Arcs 1600) and a group of friends were in Villarodger. Last few days it was dumping heavy, on thursday and Friday we enjoyed waist deep powder right at the side of the pistes, wind was on the stronger side, so they closed everything over 2000 meters and Villarodger got trapped with lover lifts operating and a few runs available. And if you stay in Villaroger means there is very little time to spend in La Plagne. But that wouldn't bother me, there is nothing to write home about La Plagne, Les Arcs is better.
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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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Villaroger will be a better option when it's transformation is complete https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2017/oct/14/villaroger-les-arcs-redevelop-green-ski-resort-france-french-alps I have no idea of current progress.
Les Arcs always seems to be favoured over La Plagne on here... personally I don't understand why. There is great skiing in both IMO. And besides they are linked so in reality it's not one or the other.
But anyway... I have stayed in Les Coches many times. For me it's the ideal spot on account mainly of two things #1 it sits in the middle of the domain with easy access to both sides of the divide and #2 the skiing immediately above is great in poor weather (tree lined) or to close out the latter part of the day.
I stayed in Montchavin once. It's a bit prettier than Les Coches but slightly lower so needs an extra lift in the morning and it's a bit more shaded/gloomy.
Some people don't make use of both sides... if you don't ski long days or like to rack up a bit of mileage then yeah just concentrate on one side.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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stay in Villaroger, have a car - La Rosiere/La Thuile is in the backyard generally speaking.
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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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| Layne wrote: |
| Les Arcs always seems to be favoured over La Plagne on here... personally I don't understand why. There is great skiing in both IMO. And besides they are linked so in reality it's not one or the other. |
I agree with that. To me they are pretty similar, offering a little bit of everything for all skiers. Choice of which village you stay in are best taken on non-skiing options, such as cost, convenience, facilities, etc, rather than skiing issues like proximity to slopes you will enjoy.
Regardless of where you stay, the terrain above Villaroger offers some great skiing, and if you are visiting in peak period will be noticeably quieter than the skiing nearer the centre of the piste map. One of my most enjoyable days skiing ever in Les Arcs was on New Year's Day (one of the busiest of the entire season) after a good overnight fall of fresh snow. I lapped around a couple of chairlifts skiing just a short traverse away from the red piste down to the village, getting fresh tracks in sometimes knee-deep light powder on every single run. The chairlifts were pretty much ski on with no queue at all, and there were so few skiers heading for the pitches I were skiing by the end of the day almost all of the tracks were mine. Meanwhile, just over the ridge in the Arc 2000 bowl there were 20 minutes queues for the lifts, pistes were busy and side-of the piste completely tracked out. I like Villaroger!
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Thu 26-09-19 10:31; edited 1 time in total
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Gämsbock wrote: |
| Old Fartbag wrote: |
| feefee wrote: |
| Mid January La coche/Montchavin? |
In which case I'd go to La Plagne (Les Coches/Montchavin). Les Coches is higher than Villaroger - and both are pretty close to the Vanoise Express, so giving easy access to either resort. |
I think that @Old Fartbag meant to say that that
| Quote: |
Les Coches is higher than Villaroger Montchavin - and both are pretty close to the Vanoise Express, so giving easy access to either resort. |
- as Villaroger is nowhere near the Vanoise Express.
Villaroger is a pretty enough village (hamlet?), but as far as I am aware (I was last there in 2013, things might have changed a bit) there is pretty much nothing there except a restaurant - i.e. no shop, no ski hire etc. I wouldn't stay there without a car and it wouldn't be my choice in January either, it's a long, cold journey into the rest of the domain. |
What I said was confusing. By "Both", I meant Les Coches and Montchavin....and that Les Coches was higher than Villaroger, so was another reason to choose it.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Sat 28-09-19 9:57; edited 2 times in total
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| Quote: |
However, Villaroger wouldn’t be on my list of places to stay in January.
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Ever in my case - it will take you close to 45-mins to get anywhere first thing.
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Really helpful guys thank you, ok so Villaroger now falling out of favour for me how about Arc 1600? I’m also now looking more into La Plagne going by the positives here
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| feefee wrote: |
| Really helpful guys thank you, ok so Villaroger now falling out of favour for me how about Arc 1600? I’m also now looking more into La Plagne going by the positives here |
I prefer 1800 Les Arcs for ease of use mostly, but don't think it matters too much where you stay in both sides of the ski domain, there's such a contrast to the skiing on offer from each direction you go.
Whenever crossing between the two I get mostly a sense of travelling through the opposite side to ultimately get back to the vanoise express that maybe misses out some of the intricacies of the location.
If you stay in either side there's certainly nooks and crannies to explore that maybe you'd not get to if you focus on going across to the other. I know the big linkup is a selling point publicity wise but there's also something to be said for staying in the terrain you want to cover most.
Don't think you'd feel you have missed out if you stayed either side really, hope you enjoy where you choose.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Les Arcs 1800.
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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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stay in Les coches , its a great little village lots of little bars / shops / restaurants in resort plus some lovely slopeside restaurants above resort . It's on la plagne side but is right in the middle of the area for easy access to vanoise or the rest of la Plagne area .
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+1
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You know it makes sense.
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| Layne wrote: |
| Les Arcs always seems to be favoured over La Plagne on here... personally I don't understand why. There is great skiing in both IMO. And besides they are linked so in reality it's not one or the other. |
I think much of it is based on people's opinions of Plagne Centre.
I only skied a day in Les Arcs and seemed like a very nice area but not dissimilar to La Plagne (i.e both have good terrain and plenty of it). It seemed to me to still have some of the same type of pinch points which get clogged during busy weeks (although I suspect not to the same degree which Bellecote does). It also seemed to me to be easier to get to the higher parts of La Plagne than it was Les Arcs, we had quite a long wait for the cable car to get to Aiguille Rouge, more so than Roche De Mio on that particular week.
I've been to La Plagne 3 times (twice in Belle Plagne, once in Les Coches) and I really enjoy it. Great variety, it's possible to get to fairly quiet parts of the resort even on busy weeks and it's very good value IME. If you prefer a nicer feeling/looking ski town then I'd say Les Coches and the other outlying villages are better, but my generally opinion is that it's the mountain views which matter so more down to where you are during the day.
So summary, both good, wouldn't bother with an area pass for more than one day as there's more than enough to keep you busy.
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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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La Plagne is booked, thank you so much for your help everyone
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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Ok I'll add my 3 peneth worth. With a pro for each area no one has mentioned yet
la plagne - a bob sleigh track.
Les arcs - a funicular to bourg st maurice
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Ok I'll add my 3 peneth worth. With a pro for each area no one has mentioned yet
la plagne - a bob sleigh track.
Les arcs - a funicular to bourg st maurice
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