 Poster: A snowHead
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Afternoon all. We're planning on a New Year trip to Les Arcs next year. Are there any recommendations as to which part of Les Arcs would be best for avoiding lift queues, please? I recall reading that one of the sections is worse than the others in this respect when busy. Thanks! (Appreciate that "less busy" is a relative term, but NY is the only week we can go away as 2 * separate families given school and work commitments.)
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The  who have apartments there, will have better insight.
We went there for Christmas, just the once, around 18 years ago. We went to Arc 1950, which gave American levels of luxury. The snow was poor, so we were glad to be high...and there was little queuing - though it was probably a little busier over the New Year.
My view is that if you have the budget - Arc 1950 would be the first choice. Arc 2000 is better value, so would be my VFM choice.
Arc 1800 is nearer the Peisey/Vallandry area.
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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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As always in Les Arcs the big queues are in the Arc2000 valley and the least in 1600, But as you move around so easily it doesn't really make much difference where you stay. However, an essential lift pass makes a huge difference as it allows you to use priority lanes, knocking upto 10 minutes off some of the popular lifts. I'd consider that before choosing which village. As an example we stay in 1600 so if we want to ski in Arc 2000 it's up the combette lift (never anyone in front of us), down to the Cachette (walk straight to the chair), across to the Arpette (into the priorit lane and a 2 minute queue  ) then down to 2000 and the masses there. Or more usually stay the 1600 to Vallandry side. However, if you are in 2000 you can ski down to the Ours lift (once again a priority line, but perhaps a 5 minute queue) and you are away, non stop to Vallandry if you want or the almost deserted slopes of Rouelles
Choose the village where you want to stay in based on what you want from the accommodation you'll be to other parts of the resort in no time at all.
@Old Fartbag, compared to, say, St Anton there is generally less queuing in Les Arcs, but we have waited over 10 minutes for the Arcubulle lift on occasions.
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Given that you're asking about New Year, what would peoples recommendations be about most festive Arc?
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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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| joffy69 wrote: |
| Given that you're asking about New Year, what would peoples recommendations be about most festive Arc? |
it is true that 1600 and 1800 are a bit dead but I'd go to 1800 for the skiing I think. The plateau is a bit bleak if the weather is bad.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Went to 2000 last year for New Year. Fabulous time with loads to do with kids. Good fireworks and live music on New Year’s Eve. The place was busy and a few lift queues in some of the bottle necks but well worth a visit.
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Not really sure what "festive" means, but in Arc1600 the restaurants will be serving special New Year eve meals at high price and lasting perhaps from 20:00 to 1:00 the next day. There is usually a firework display which we hear rather thanm see as we are either one of thosehe restaurants or in the Abrevoir. The bars will be packed with revellers and much hugging and kissing wil be going on.
Sorry for the limited review as I haven't done the other villages.
In no way does it compare to the masssive outdoor party in Tignes le Lac
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| johnE wrote: |
| as we are either one of thosehe restaurants or in the Abrevoir. |
I imagine you mean L'Abreuvoir ? (it means drinking trough)
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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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@davidof, of course. Spellin has never been my strong point. I think L'Abreuvoir markets itself as l'Abre these days but I've always liked the idea of drinking in a trough. It is a really quirky place that often has live music or in ski bar tradition shows ski films including last year the Les Arcs classics Apocalypse Snow 1&2. It's not all good however, they sometimes have karaoke.
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| johnE wrote: |
| @davidof, of course. Spellin has never been my strong point. I think L'Abreuvoir markets itself as l'Abre these days but I've always liked the idea of drinking in a trough. It is a really quirky place that often has live music or in ski bar tradition shows ski films including last year the Les Arcs classics Apocalypse Snow 1&2. It's not all good however, they sometimes have karaoke. |
Thanks for the extra information, an address to check out when in les Arcs.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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In terms of avoiding lift queue bottlenecks I don't think there's much difference between the different parts of the resort. It's all fairly seamlessly interlinked, and you can get from pretty much any point to any point by two or three lifts. For me the worst two bottlenecks at busy times are the Arcabulle chairlift and the Aiguille Rouge cablecar, but the fact that these are both on the Arc 2000 side of the resort shouldn't have any bearing on whether you stay in 2000/1950 or not.
Arc 1950 is uber convenient, with all accommodation offering true ski in/out and a compact resort centre meaning everything is a very short walk for apres-ski options. As a consequence, there's not a large number of different options. Arc 2000 is similar, although a bit more spread out and not all accommodation is as ski-convenient. Arc 1800 has a larger number of apres-ski options, including the Folie D if that's your thing, but is more spread out than Arc 1950 so your accommodation might not offer the same level of convenient location as you'd get in 1950. Having said that, plenty of the accommodation in 1800 offers true ski in/out convenience and just a short walk for apres offerings.
For me the biggest factor, especially at that time of year, is the best place to be if a big winter storm comes through. It's fairly common when the weather is very lively for much of the Arc 2000 bowl to be almost entirely shut down because of wind/snow risks, whereas the lower lifts in Arc 1600/1800/Vallandry are all running normally and giving access to nice skiing below the treeline. I've had some brilliant days skiing fresh snow through and in the trees from my place in Arc 1800, whereas people staying in Arc 2000 have not skied at all or had the extra faff of getting the resort shuttle (which is very busy on these days) around to Arc 1600 and the return journey at the end of the day.
A tip for skiing in the busiest weeks if the lift queues are unbearable: head to the slopes above Villaroger. I had one of my best ever day's skiing on a New Year's Day a few years ago, lapping around the two upper chairlifts above Villaroger, each lap offering fresh tracks in knee-deep snow just by traversing off the side of the main piste down to the village. Hardly any lift queues so I skied myself to a standstill by early afternoon, but as soon as I dropped back in to the Arc 2000 bowl to head for home the lift queues were very long on all the main lifts.
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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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Thanks for all the advice, folks. I have passed it onto the Organising Committee and will doubtless be carrying out my duties as the Financing Committee shortly!
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Quick update...
After dithering rather too much, everything that ticked our boxes in Les Arcs was booked up, so we're off to Alpe D'Huez instead!
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You know it makes sense.
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@The Flying Snowplough, you been ADH before?
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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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| Layne wrote: |
| @The Flying Snowplough, you been ADH before? |
Not skiing. Don't tell me that we've made a mistake. Timings and logistical constraints are not great. Even the worst day's skiing is better than the best day in the office!
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Poster: A snowHead
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@The Flying Snowplough, not at all. I've been there several times - stayed in ADH itself once, but several trips since have stayed in Oz-en-Oisans.
It's a great ski area - open, flatish bowl in front of ADH itself with several mini areas surrounding it. Plenty for everyone.
We kind of overdid it in the end and got a bit bored so it's not on our list at the moment but it's a great choice.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Layne, sounds good! I'm looking forward to skiing the area having cycled up there and also to Oz and Vaujany.
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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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FYI,
Ive just booked les Arcs 1950 for over new years via sunweb. upgraded to the essentials lift pass to try and avoid some queues.
Ski Republic currently have 10% discount code "sept23" for extra 10% off valid till 4th october at mo. 4 peoples ski and boots of various spec still costing 390 euros thou... scracth that. got it for £250 via alpineresorts at same place
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Quote: |
upgraded to the essentials lift pass to try and avoid some queues.
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Good idea. The benefits at Combourciere and Varet lifts are immense.
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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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| rob@rar wrote: |
It's fairly common when the weather is very lively for much of the Arc 2000 bowl to be almost entirely shut down because of wind/snow risks, whereas the lower lifts in Arc 1600/1800/Vallandry are all running normally and giving access to nice skiing below the treeline. I've had some brilliant days skiing fresh snow through and in the trees from my place in Arc 1800, whereas people staying in Arc 2000 have not skied at all or had the extra faff of getting the resort shuttle (which is very busy on these days) around to Arc 1600 and the return journey at the end of the day.
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Do you mean they sometimes shut down the lifts that can get you over to 1600? ie "Comboriciere" or "Bois de l'ours"?
I assume the shuttle bus's run quite frequently so its not that hard to get to where runs/ lifts are open? If a storm does come in is there any good way to know its worth getting the bus over? I assume if the websites say the lifts there are open then its probably worth checking it out...?
I haven't been to Les Arc before so no idea terrain, looking at piste map its a shame theres no run from bottom of Comboriere lift round following the road to tie into the Mont Blanc run. Assume its not feasible.,
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If they are closing lifts in the 2000 bowl the higher runs will all be closed. This means all the runs from the ridge separating 2000 from the rest of the resort. Those high runs on the 1600/1800 side will also be closed as there is a significant avalance risk on both side of the ridge.
The Navettes run about every 30 minutes and can become very crowded when the bowl is shut down. In fact they will probably be full by the time they get down to 1950 so it is best to catch it from the terminus in Arc 2000. If the storm is very bad the road itself will be closed, but this is rare. The web site or the Yuge app will say exactly whch runs are open.
There is a track between the bottom of Comborciere and Arc1600 that I suppose could be polled along. The trouble is at the 1700 (ish) metres start at Pre st. Espirit it is almost flat around to 1600. I've cycled it quite often in the summer and it is quite scenic (oddly it didn't feel flat going the other way). It should, perhaps, be born in mind that the founder of Les Arcs, Pierre Blanche died in an avalanche on this track so it may not be entirely safe.
Personnaly I wouldn't worry about it. If it happens then start thinking of alternatives.
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FAQ
