Villaroger - The mountain village that became a ski resort Les Arcs/Villaroger (1100 m)

Surrounded as it is by a host of Olympic-class skiing centres like Val d’Isère, Tignes, Les Arcs and La Plagne; you might expect Villaroger to be something of a tourist hotspot. In reality, it is the perfect place for holidaymakers looking to get away from the main tourist centres. This former mountain village, the beginnings of which can be traced back to the 13th Century, offers the unique combination of a feeling of secluded tranquillity and direct access to one of Europe’s largest ski areas.

Visitors to Villaroger are able to enjoy a relaxing ski holiday, in a small village with rustic chalets and surrounded by thick forest, with the added convenience of being able to hop on a chairlift virtually on the doorstep, taking them straight to the 200km of ski runs in the Les Arcs ski area.

For some “retail therapy”, or just to soak up some Après-Ski atmosphere, the nearby ski centres of Sainte Foy, La Rosière and Bourg Saint Maurice are just a short journey away, as are the various mountain stations of Les Arcs.

Glacier summit to valley floor on one run

Three chairlifts whisk visitors from Villaroger straight into the ski area surrounding the upper mountain stations of Les Arcs: “Les Arcs 2000” and “Les Arcs 1950”. Experienced skiers will find a network of challenging red and black runs just below the head of the glacier, as well as several deep powder snow runs. Further to the south on the other hand, below the summit of Col de la Chal, there are a number of easy and intermediate level runs, as well as a “Boardercross” area and the 3-kilometre “Rodéo-Park” toboggan run.

An abundance of red and blue-rated runs can also be found lower down, at “Les Arcs 1600” and “Les Arcs 1800”. Additionally, snowboarders can make use of the many attractions at the “Apocolypse Freestyle Park”.

Many of the ski runs take skiers down to Peisey-Vallandy, the lower station of the “Vanoise-Express”. This state-of-the-art Gondola cableway carries its passengers directly to Les Coches, from where they are then perfectly situated to explore the 225km of ski runs in the La Plagne ski area. Les Arcs and La Plagne combine to form the “Paradiski XXL Ski Region”, one of Europe’s largest interconnected ski areas.

Fans of off-piste skiing can enjoy the delights of the off-piste areas at the neighbouring ski centres of La Rosière and Sainte-Foy, which are both just a short drive away.

The downhill red/black-graded XXL run to Villaroger is, for the more experienced skiers, a highlight not to be missed. Starting at the very summit of the Aiguille Rouge glacier, and leading all the way down to Villaroger over a total horizontal distance of 7km, with a total altitude loss of 2000m, this run is one of the longest in Europe. In order to opt for an alternative route to Villaroger, which is somewhat less demanding and only about half the length, holidaymakers need only hop on board the “Lanchettes” lift from “Les Arcs 2000”, which will take them to the start of a red/black-graded run down to Villaroger. The fact that the mountainside above Villaroger faces northwards, coupled with the thick forest which covers the lower slopes, means that ideal snow conditions are a certainty throughout the entire season. Skiers heading down towards Villaroger are also treated to a unique view of the Tarentaise Valley and of Mont Blanc.

It is assumed that those who have chosen to holiday in Villaroger, famous for its feeling of seclusion and tranquillity, are not looking for an extensive Après-Ski and activity programme. However, 2 bar-restaurants in the resort nevertheless welcome guests who wish to spend an evening in good company. For those who want to take a day off the slopes, the beautiful mountain landscape surrounding Villaroger is also waiting to be explored, whether on foot or with the help of snowshoes.