Skiing in Les Arcs

Les Arcs: from the funicular to the Aiguille Rouge, five villages on one mountain

Les Arcs ski guide: 115 pistes with lengths, the 7 km Aiguille Rouge, 2026–27 Classic vs Paradiski prices, train and funicular access and which Arc to stay in.

Pistes in Les Arcs / Peisey-Vallandry (km)

200

Pistes across Paradiski with La Plagne (km)

425

Highest point, Aiguille Rouge (m)

3226

Aiguille Rouge descent to Villaroger (km)

7

Downhill piste records in the operator catalogue (Les Arcs sectors)

115

Classic pass, adult 13–64, 1 day, peak season 2026–27 (EUR)

71

Skiing & terrain in Les Arcs

All 115 downhill piste records that the operator's interactive Paradiski map files under Les Arcs sectors (Arc 1600 21; Arc 1800 21; Arc 2000 40; Peisey-Vallandry 25; Villaroger 8). The operator's 'Arc 2000' sector also covers the Arc 1950 slopes and the Aiguille Rouge. La Plagne sectors are excluded (see the La Plagne guide). One composite route — the full Aiguille Rouge descent to Villaroger — is added at the end and not counted.

Downhill piste records in the operator catalogue (this table)

115

Records with a published length in metres

104

Pistes in the resort's own headline count (14 green, 51 blue, 35 red, 17 black)

117

Pistes in Les Arcs / Peisey-Vallandry (km)

200

• Green pistes in this table: 14
• Blue pistes in this table: 49
• Red pistes in this table: 35
• Black pistes in this table: 17

Checked 18 October 2026 from the operator catalogue behind the official Paradiski interactive map (the same map embedded on lesarcs.com). It gives each record a colour (green, blue, red, black — French grading) and, for 104 of 115, a length in metres; 11 lengths are unpublished and left empty. The resort's own headline count is 117 pistes (14 green, 51 blue, 35 red, 17 black), two blue more than the catalogue; we show the catalogue as published and do not invent the missing rows. The catalogue's greens include named learning zones (1ere Glisse, 1ers Virages), while the beginner page speaks of 8 green runs. Lengths are per record and some records are sections of one descent (Aiguille Rouge upper/lower), so do not add them up. Snowparks, boardercross lines, the Tetras slalom stadium, sledging and kids' gardens are excluded. The Kilomètre Lancé speed track at Arc 2000 is not a public piste and the Vanoise Express is a lift to La Plagne, not a run.

Les Arcs pistes: Aiguille Rouge, Arc 2000 and the forests of Peisey-Vallandry

Les Arcs and Peisey-Vallandry share one lift-linked area of about 200 km of pistes between 1200 m and the Aiguille Rouge summit at 3226 m; the resort says 70% of it lies above 2000 m. The operator's map catalogue lists 115 downhill pistes in five sectors — Arc 1600, Arc 1800, Arc 2000 (which also covers the Arc 1950 slopes), Peisey-Vallandry and Villaroger — graded 14 green, 49 blue, 35 red and 17 black, with a length in metres for 104 of them.

The signature run is the Aiguille Rouge: from the 3226 m summit, the resort gives about 7 km and nearly 2000 m of vertical drop to Villaroger, as a black upper section (2340 m in the catalogue) and a red lower section (3910 m). Most of the black runs sit above Arc 2000 — Génépi, Cretes, Lanches, Refuge, Robert Blanc, Dou de Homme — while the forest runs above Peisey-Vallandry, such as Foret 1 and 2, Myrtilles and Ecureuils, are the place to be in poor visibility. Arc 2000 also has the Kilomètre Lancé, the speed-skiing track used at the 1992 Albertville Olympics; it is not a public piste.

La Plagne is reached from the Peisey-Vallandry side by the Vanoise Express cable car (a 1840 m crossing of about 2 minutes, according to the operator catalogue). It is a lift, not a run, and it requires a Paradiski pass. Check the live map for which links and upper lifts are open before planning a round trip.

Les Arcs for beginners: Arc 1800, Arc 2000 and Vallandry learning areas

The lift company has set up a three-step progression in three places. At Arc 2000: first slides at the bottom of the Réservoir piste, first turns on the 'Bas KL' slope at the top of the St Jacques chairlift, then first descents on the green St Jacques. At Arc 1800: first slides on the snow front, first turns at the rope tow at the top of the Villards gondola, then the Piste des Minis back down. At Vallandry: first slides at the top of the Vallandry cable car, first turns at the top of the gondola, then La Forêt des Pitchouns.

Beginner passes are sold only at ticket offices and cover selected sectors; for example, the Arc 2000 + Villaroger beginner day costs €45 for ages 13–64 and €36 for ages 5–12 and 65–74 (2026–27, checked 18 October 2026). Passes are free for children under 5. Download the operator's green-and-blue piste map before moving on to wider terrain.

Choose accommodation near your learning area rather than by village name alone. Arc 1600, Arc 1800 and Arc 2000 all have their own ski schools, so you can meet your instructor without crossing the area on day one.

Getting to Les Arcs: Geneva, Lyon or Chambéry, the train to Bourg-Saint-Maurice and the funicular

Les Arcs has no airport. The resort names Geneva and Lyon as the nearest major airports, each about 2 hours 30 minutes away; the Peisey-Vallandry tourist office also lists Chambéry (about 110 km, mainly seasonal winter flights) and Grenoble (about 180 km). Altibus coaches run from Geneva airport to the Tarentaise, including Bourg-Saint-Maurice, from 18 December 2026 to 27 March 2027, and from Lyon Saint-Exupéry to Bourg-Saint-Maurice on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 11 December 2026 to 3 April 2027; book ahead.

By rail, Bourg-Saint-Maurice is the station for Les Arcs. For 2026–27 the resort lists TGV INOUI and OUIGO from Paris, the Travelski Night Express overnight train from Paris (and, new this winter, from Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Antwerp and Brussels), and Eurostar with a change or direct on certain winter Saturdays. From the station, the funicular climbs to Arc 1600 in about 7 minutes and is free in winter with a train ticket; the last departure is 9 pm Sunday to Thursday and 11 pm on Friday and Saturday.

From the top of the funicular, free shuttles continue to Arc 1800, Arc 1950 and Arc 2000. After the last funicular you need a pre-booked taxi. For Peisey-Vallandry, use Landry station (about 10 km away) and the winter Altibus shuttle, which must be reserved, or a taxi. Drivers need winter tyres or chains from 1 November to 31 March.

Les Arcs with kids: ski schools, the Piste des Minis and childcare by village

The tourist office lists ESF schools in Arc 1600, Arc 1800, Arc 1950 and Arc 2000, Evolution 2 in Arc 1800, Arc 1950 and Arc 2000, plus Privilege, Switch Snowboard and Initial-Snow; on the Peisey-Vallandry side there are ESF Vallandry, ESF Plan Peisey and Evolution 2. At Arc 1800, the Skimômes Mini Club combines ESF lessons with childcare for ages 3 to 8, from complete beginners to 3rd Star level, at the bottom of the slopes in Le Charvet.

For younger children, the tourist office lists childcare in Arc 2000 (Halte Garderie 2000), Arc 1950 (Yéti Camp kids' club and crèche) and Arc 1800 (Les Skimômes). Ages, teaching languages and meeting points are set by each provider, so confirm them when booking, especially in school-holiday weeks.

The Piste des Minis at Arc 1800 is a gentle nature trail with giant insects and huts, a good first run together. A non-skiing parent can use a pedestrian pass to meet the family at altitude, and the operator runs attractions such as the Mountain Animals Museum and the Aiguille Rouge illuminated murals.

Where to stay in Les Arcs: Arc 1600, 1800, 1950, 2000, Peisey-Vallandry or Bourg-Saint-Maurice

Bourg-Saint-Maurice (850 m) is the valley town with the international station and the funicular, useful for rail travellers and for non-skiing time, but every ski day starts with the funicular. Arc 1600 (founded 1968) is the quieter original village at the top of the funicular, with easy links for anyone arriving by train. Arc 1800 is the largest base, four pedestrian villages with shops and cafés, the Mini Club and the Piste des Minis — the natural choice for many families.

Arc 1950 is a car-free village built in a North American style where you can keep your skis on in the street; it suits families and groups who want to walk to the lifts. Arc 2000 is the highest village, ski-in/ski-out and closest to the Aiguille Rouge, Varet and the black runs; it mainly appeals to experienced skiers, with Arc 1950 nearby for evenings out.

Peisey-Vallandry, on the forested side, is the base for the Vanoise Express to La Plagne and for tree skiing in bad weather; its train station is Landry rather than Bourg-Saint-Maurice. Whatever you pick, check the actual walk from the property to the nearest lift or shuttle stop and whether a 'ski-in' claim depends on snow cover.

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Les Arcs ski pass or Paradiski: 2026–27 prices for Classic, Essential and Premium

The lift company sells three week-style passes. Classic covers Les Arcs, Peisey-Vallandry and Villaroger plus the funicular. Essential adds La Plagne, i.e. the whole Paradiski area, with 14 express lanes and a free arrival afternoon from a 6-day pass. Premium is Paradiski with more activities included. Only Essential and Premium take you across the Vanoise Express to La Plagne.

Winter 2026–27 peak-season prices, checked 18 October 2026: Classic €71 for 1 day and €368 for 6 days; Essential €78 and €412; Premium €91 and €491. The age bands on the operator's price tables are 13–64 for the full price and 5–12 and 65–74 for the reduced price. During the opening week (12–18 December 2026) and the closing week (17–24 April 2027), Classic passes are 15% cheaper — for example €60.50 for an adult day — and Essential is 15% cheaper in the opening week only.

If you are not sure you will ski La Plagne, compare a Classic week with the Essential upgrade. Check cancellation rules before buying: the operator lets you change Essential and Premium until the first ski day, while Classic changes are free only up to 7 days before.

Best time to ski in Les Arcs: snow history, 2026–27 season dates and forecasts

February and March are historically the best snow window in Les Arcs. At Météo-France's Les Arcs snow station (2040 m), the 1991–2020 average snow depth climbs from about 109 cm in January to about 141 cm in February and 159 cm in March, and is still around 146 cm in April. January is the best shoulder month for fresh snow (about 127 cm of new snow in an average month) while the base builds. April keeps a deep base high up, but lower slopes melt sooner: at Peisey-Nancroix (1350 m) the average depth peaks in February at about 29 cm and drops to about 10 cm in March. These figures are a SkiPair calculation from Météo-France daily station data; averages do not guarantee any given season.

For 2026–27 the resort lists a season from 12 December 2026 to 24 April 2027; the Paradiski page gives 12 December 2026 to 17 April 2027 for the wider area, so check the link to La Plagne if you travel in the last week. Opening and closing weeks come with discounted passes.

Before travelling, check the forecast, the webcams and the live lift and piste map together. In early or late season, base yourself near the sectors that are actually running; the long descents to Villaroger and Peisey are the first to suffer when the snowline rises.

Find ski partners in Les Arcs for the Aiguille Rouge or a Paradiski day

Les Arcs works well for a solo trip: the funicular from Bourg-Saint-Maurice and the free shuttles make it easy to reach every village without a car. On SkiPair, add your dates, your village and your level to find people skiing the same week — a partner for the Aiguille Rouge descent, an intermediate group for the Arc 1800 reds, or someone to share a train journey.

Agree in advance on passes (a Classic pass does not cover La Plagne), on a meeting point such as the top of the Transarc or the Vallandry gondola, and on the last lift home. For off-piste or the Aiguille Rouge in poor conditions, ski with a guide or school rather than an unknown partner.

Ski pass prices for Les Arcs

Check the operator’s current prices for your ski dates, ticket duration, age group and the area covered by the pass.

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Weather and snow

A clearer view of the snow in Les Arcs: recent snowfall, what is forecast next, and an outlook for your dates.

Snow and temperature are model estimates. They do not confirm that lifts or pistes are open. Further-ahead dates show seasonal patterns rather than a weather forecast.

Flights & getting to Les Arcs

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Recommended airport for the French Alps: Geneva (GVA).

Les Arcs is better with your kind of people

A destination in common is a good start. Find skiers and snowboarders whose dates, ability and idea of a great day match yours.

A glimpse of Les Arcs

Archive photos · cropped for display

Questions about this resort