Les Arcs 1950 – the luxury ski station Les Arcs 1950 (1950 m)

Without doubt the main attraction of this whole ski area is the Village Les Arcs 1950, a top-class Savoyard-style ski resort which only opened in 2003. Unique of its kind in Europe, this is the newest of the Les Arcs stations and consists exclusively of 4-star accommodation – tastefully decorated appartments aimed at the most discerning holidaymakers. Hotel service and luxury bath and spa products are included in the price.

This unique resort, surrounded by Swiss pine woods, is characterised by charming Savoyard-style architecture in which wood and stone have been used to great effect to lovingly recreate a real Savoyard ‘feel’.

So it is that the modern ski station Les Arcs 1950 came into being - a perfect combination of authenticity and exclusivity, appealing predominantly to a more discerning and cosmopolitan clientele.

The superb infrastructure offered by Les Arcs 1950 adds to the resort’s wonderfully relaxed atmosphere. Completely car-free, all areas of the resort can be accessed easily on foot or on skis and visitors here can relax in the knowledge that their own car is safely parked in the underground car parks near to their accommodation for the duration of the holiday.

An ideal base from which to access the vast ski area

With the help of a gondola and 3 chair-lifts holidaymakers staying in Les Arcs 1950 can easily access the whole ski area with its 200 kilometres of pistes. The Varet and Aiguille Rouge gondola lifts take more experienced skiers and fans of deep snow skiing straight up to the top of the Aiguille Rouge glacier at 3,226 metres from where they can ski down some attractive freeride descents and difficult pistes. For those skiers looking for something a bit less challenging there is a wide choice of easy to moderate runs to the south of Les Arcs 1950 (at the foot of the Col de la Chal peak) as well as a boardercross course and a slalom piste. The Bois de l’Ours chairlift can take skiers lower down to the ski areas of Les Arcs 1600 and Les Arcs 1800 where the Apocalypse freestyle park is located.

Anyone coming to Les Arcs looking for a unique and unforgettable skiing experience should be sure not to miss two very special highlights – the Olympic high-speed piste above Les Arcs 2000 with its 76 % incline and the waterslide descent next to the L’Apocalypse park where brave skiers and snowboarders have to try to ski across a 15-metre long pool. As this can inevitably result in a “dunking” for some(!), this “water-ski” facility is only open from March.

Les Arcs 1950 also makes an ideal base for skiers wanting to explore the other half of the Paradiski ski domain, i.e. the slopes of La Plagne as well as those of Les Arcs. Just one short descent and a ride on the Comborcière chair-lift takes you to the blue Belvédère piste which leads to Peisey-Vallandry. From there you can pick up the high tech double-decker gondola, the Vanoise Express, to take you to Les Coches, the most northerly station of the La Plagne ski area. Here a further 225 kilometres of pistes await you.

Leisure and après-ski facilities of the highest quality

It is not only the accommodation in Les Arcs 1950 which is of high quality – the centre of this luxury resort is equally sophisticated. In effect one long shopping street, the area has several attractive liitle squares and numerous small shops and boutiques. For refreshment, there are a number of cosy bars and cafés and several first-class restaurants. And for night-owls, a visit to the “Chalet de Luigi” or the “O'chaud Concept Bar” is a must.

Les Arcs also has lots to offer those who fancy an occasional break from the usual winter sports on offer. Whether it is a snowshoe hike, a snowscooter tour or a dog-sledding expedition you are interested in, everything you need is right here. And if you enjoy the spa experience, the new 1,000 m2 luxury spa facility will be perfect for you. As well as a pool complex, sauna, hammam and jaccuzzi this delightful “temple of wellness” also has some really charming special features such as an ice-cave, volcanic grotto, massage showers and a beauty area from where you can often enjoy fantastic views of Mont Blanc.