SKI SEASON REVIEW: Les Tops et Les Flops

 It's nearly the end of the season, with April conditions easily an 8 or 9 out of 10 compared with the norm. A few thoughts on what's hot and what's not so hot in Les Arcs this winter.

One of the top viewpoints is from summit of Grizzly chairlift in Peisey-Vallandry

LES TOPS

* Coffee: The snow shack below the Arcabulle (en route to les Chalets de l'Arc) is far less busy than the Bulle Cafe and a great place to stop in the sunshine. Bring cash.

* Lunch: The Vanoise Restaurant in Peisey-Vallandry remains the go-to place for a sit-down meal, with prices in line with what you get at the self-service places in the more mainstream areas of the reports and quality far far higher. Pro tip: try the Tarte au Beaufort with a glass of sparkling Savoie or regular Les Abymes white wine.

* Afternoon drink: The Altiport is quieter and has better views than the Arpette. Staff and punters seem super-happy here! The patron of the Rooftop bit is a wine fan and has a fun Instagram account (rooftop_altiport). I hear good reviews of their lunch dishes as well. 

* Social media: Follow R'Les Arcs and Eric Siri on Facebook if you are a French speaker. Ski Club of Great Britain - Les Arcs on FB is great for latest conditions and opportunities to meet up with people to go skiing. The Les Arcs account on Instagram is quite good, though they seem to have given up on Twitter. Follow @RFJ1966 during the season instead.

LES FLOPS

* Morning buses from Arc 1800 to the Funicular on Saturday (changeover day) simply can't cope with the demand.

* The Blanche Muree: sadly it isn't what it was since the change of ownership. High prices and middling service/food.

* Club Med: it's been there a few years now, looking sullenly up at the beautiful Mont Blanc piste and refusing to fit in with the landscape. The feeble Xmas trees above the jardin des enfants will presumably soften the view in time. The only silver lining is that it seems to have been a catalyst for change as the new administration in Bourg-Saint-Maurice now have a "no new developments" policy.

OTHER THINGS

* The new Arpette restaurant has a great Les Arcs vibe including memorabilia all over the walls, but I wasn't sure they had the menu quite right. There is still a self-service, but it lacks that genuine mountain and everyone-in-it-together of yesteryear.

* The lightshow at the Varet gondola is well worth the time.

* Stand by for NEW Transarc for 2024/25 which will be an 8-seater (like the Vallandry lift) and reduce journey time from Arc 1800 from 20 to 13 minutes.

WHAT'S NEW IN LES ARCS

A few NEW things in Les Arcs this season.

1. The Arpette (pictured) is under new management (the operators of the Base Camp Lodge in Bourg Saint Maurice. They have gutted the interior, which has not pleased everyone, and it feels even more oriented towards apres-ski vibes than ever. The Wednesday evening savoyard evening continues, with pisteurs escorting you down the mountain at about 9pm.

2. Season ticket prices: Anyone staying for a couple of weeks or more may as well buy a season ticket pass as they are MUCH cheaper than previously, at 629EUR. The background to this is a French court ruling which forbids offering reduced priced season tickets for locals, prompting an understandable outcry. A reasonable compromise appears to be in operation in Les Arcs, which gives the chance for seasonal workers etc to buy a 250 EUR pass for 2/7 days of the week. And the reduction in the price of the full season ticket pass is a happy outcome for the regular tourist.

3. Stage 1 of the Transarc redevelopment. There's a swish new escalator taking you up to the foot of the lift, which now features a new building with ticket officer, toilets etc.

Police visited the Arpette in February 2023
and instructed the management
to turn the sound down

 

END OF SEASON UPDATE

After an up-and-down season both Covid and weather-wise, April sees fantastic conditions, with the resort staying open until 30th April.

NEW additions and developments since pre-pandemic days include:

1. A handy restaurant at the foot of the Derby lift - ideal for groups of skiers to meet up at specific times

2. The Blanche Muree has new owners - and a newly-extended terrace

3. The new LES ARCS sign overlooking the Tarentaise from the Carrelly lift

4. The picnic area at the top of the Comborciere, which is a triumph

5. The Malgovert piste has rightly been promoted from red to black