 Poster: A snowHead
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My first ever skiing holiday was in Les Arcs back in 2007 and I loved every minute of it. The only thing I regret is not exploring more of the mountain - as we were beginners, we lacked the confidence to go further afield and only really spread out away from the couple of blue runs we favoured towards the end of the week. I am fortunate enough to be going back there this coming February. Since my first trip there, my repertoire now includes reds and (very) easy blacks so I hope to see more of the ski area. With this in mind, does anyone have any suggestions for some good itineries around Les Arcs?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Aiguille Rouge - top to bottom, reward yourself with a beer at La Ferme.
Repeat.
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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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SnowCookie, When I was in Les Arcs i LOVED blasting down the reds into Peisey and taking some of the tree lined pistes and off piste bits round there
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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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SnowCookie, Welcome to Snowheads
Overly Long and overly detailed TR here from last season - http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=53223 talks about a lot of the various runs..
I did answer something similar on here a while ago, but I can't find it at the moment. When I dig it out I'll add it to here. But it is very straightforward - the 2000/1950 area is a bowl and the 1600/1800/Peisey-Vallandry is a ridgeline. Head skiers left to get towards Plan-Peisey and head skiers right to get towards 1600.
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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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SnowCookie, Weclome to 
With the kids last year we actually did a " 6 village challenge" - which includes all the Arcs: 1600,1800, 1950, 2000 Vallandry and Peisey (we missed Villaroger for the purposes of timing) - although it sounds trite, it's a nice way to get to see the large part of the Arcs bit of Paradiski in a few hours, and then you can decide which bits you want to go spend more time exploring.
Where are you starting out from?
PS Villaroger has different snow conditions to most of the rest of the 2000 bowl. Only one way out, and not a huge number of (pisted) routes down, but certainly a visit worth making, if only for the restaurants.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks for the advice, guys. I'll certainly be looking into your suggestions. If I make it back alive, I'll tell you how it went! 
JimW - We'll be starting off from Arc 1950.
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SnowCookie, ah - my home town. In which case, may I suggest: (PS best read with a piste map in hand)
Blue down to Pre St Esprit - nice gentle warm up. Comborciere Chair, Blue round the side to top of Chachettes chair, then either of the reds down into 1600.
At this point you could take a bit of a diverson up the Mont Blanc Chair to one of the quietest and finest runs in the resort (Mont Blanc) - but it is a bit of a clunker chair (which is possibly why its one of the quietest...)
Back up Chachettes, follow blues and red down into 1800. Vagere chair, blues (stay high over top of Transarc midstation) and reds down to Vallandry (we like L'Ours). Grizzly up , blue and reds into Peisey. Lunch - Flying Squirrel or Hotel Vanoise.
Take the eponymous Peisey lift and cross over to the Derby via the cat traks in the woods. Derby up , and across to TransArc mid-station. (warning.. the reds here can be a bit tricky if you've over indulged at lunch...) Over into the 2000 bowl, where there are a number of options to take you down into 2000, and that's 6 villages in 7 lifts.
Depending on the state of your legs you can then if so desired take the Lanchettes from underneath fatcontroller's balcony to get into Villaroger, and then the three linked lifts to get back to 2000/1950.
This is the direct route of course, so take notes: there will be a whole heap of pistes all the way along and just off that route that will pique your interest and you'll want to do more of, and there are more than a few gems besides you can find on your own!
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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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SnowCookie, from Arc1950 I would definitely do this:
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Aiguille Rouge - top to bottom, reward yourself with a beer at La Ferme.
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It is black at the top and red lower down, but our ski instructor last year said that the black is the easiest black in France, or Europe, I can't remember. I had second thoughts when there were flashing signs at the bottom of the cable car up saying "only for very strong skiers", and also when I skied down the very first bit to arrive at the top of a scary vertical mogul field (well, it looked like that to me - was having a bit of a tantrum at that point) but you can take a red to your left which swoops round and joins up at the bottom of the scary bit, and actually it was absolutely fine (even for a big chicken like me).
It's a different sort of thing from the itinerary suggested by JimW, which I think may be more what you were looking for, but worth doing as well! Top tip from our instructor was to do it first thing whilst the snow is still in good condition - it's a popular route so can get a bit chopped up I think.
Have fun. Les Arcs is great!
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JimW does a nice summary but I'll add a couple of comments
| JimW wrote: |
| Comborciere Chair, |
Take a book it's the slowest chair in the resort.
| JimW wrote: |
| then either of the reds down into 1600. |
Arolles which you access by going round the back of the chair is my favourite route into 1600. There is a little cut down to Arolles 10m before the top-station but most people miss it on their first go. If you take the alternative Cachette (bigger/wider/more obvious red) then 1/2 way down the run then there's an option to drop black onto the blue to avoid the steeper and more intimidating bit lower down the hill.
| JimW wrote: |
Back up Chachettes, follow blues and red down into 1800. Vagere chair, blues (stay high over top of Transarc midstation) and reds down to Vallandry (we like L'Ours). Grizzly up , blue and reds into Peisey. Lunch - Flying Squirrel or Hotel Vanoise. |
Flying Squirrel not open for lunch 09/10 season, but I'd recommend from the top of the Grizzly to turn right and take the black run ecureils to the bottom (it's not really a black, especially if you keep the trees on the right lower down when you have a 'right-left option'. Of it you don't fancy the black and the snow is good then from the top of the Peisey lift take Combe (red) and retour combe or retour plan-peisey lower down. Both of these runs will give you the option to take the new short piste (not yet marked on the maps) to stop at La Vache for lunch which is the left-most building in this photo (click for larger view)
After lunch a quick up and down the new local lift (being built outside the restaurant) and then as Jim says
| JimW wrote: |
take the eponymous Peisey lift ...and cross over to the Derby via the cat traks in the woods. Derby up , and across to TransArc mid-station. (warning.. the reds here can be a bit tricky if you've over indulged at lunch...) |
If you're feeling a little shaky the turn right of the Derby chair, take the 1st right (Bellette, Red) and then take the right fork just under the big rock that the top station is on - bit of a track but easier than the reds. Come out at a piste cross it carefully and ski round tightly below the chamettoger top station and you can get across to the Transarc midstation.
| JimW wrote: |
This is the direct route of course, so take notes: there will be a whole heap of pistes all the way along and just off that route that will pique your interest and you'll want to do more of, and there are more than a few gems besides you can find on your own! |
Absolutely - I could regularly do that route in about 2 hours with lowish lift queues, but the fun is not treating it as a mission but as an 'exploration day' and if you like a run then do it again!!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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bertie bassett, nice notes. Shall we write a book?
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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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SnowCookie
Loads of decent tips so far - you'll love it.
On a different note, (if you haven't seen it already) make sure you spare time to take in Arc 1950. You can ski through the streets and it's almost Disneyland on snow. I know that might not be everyone's tasse de the - but we loved it.
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