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Unlike typical Alpine resorts that evolved from farming villages, Les Arcs is purpose-built for skiing. In 1961, mountain guide Robert Blanc convinced developer Roger Godino to create a resort above Bourg-Saint-Maurice, famously bringing in modernist designer Charlotte Perriand. She designed innovative buildings that lean into the mountain, featuring slope-following roofs, angled balconies, and apartments where everyone can enjoy the view.

Fifty years on, Arc 1600 holds an official “Heritage of the 20th Century” listing, drawing design enthusiasts and skiers alike. Built to democratise the mountains with early ski-in ski-out access, the resort remains quietly radical. It is home to speed-skiing records on the Flying Kilometre, a December independent film festival, and a direct, airport-free train route from London to the funicular.

We reached out to John Thomas, an instructor at the New Generation ski school who spends every winter teaching in Les Arcs, to get his insider tips on the resort. JT is a passionate skier, ski tourer, and cyclist with more than three decades of instructing experience. Read on to explore his expert advice on the best places to ski, eat, and drink in Les Arcs.

Les Arcs villages: which one is right for you?

Les Arcs is not one place but five villages, each with its own altitude, personality and view. Choosing the right one is the single most important decision you’ll make when booking.

Bourg-Saint-Maurice (810 m). Not technically part of the ski resort, but the gateway to it – the TGV and Eurostar terminus, connected to Arc 1600 by a seven-minute funicular. This authentic French mountain town is riddled with bakeries, a weekly market, restaurants and accommodation prices that reflect reality rather than resort inflation. If you’re arriving by train and want a more authentic base, Bourg is an underrated choice.

Best for savvy skiers who’d rather put their euros towards an extra day on the mountain than a hotel room at lofty altitudes. The funicular whisks you up to Arc 1600 in under ten minutes, and it’s included with your ski pass.

Arc 1600. The original village and Charlotte Perriand’s first Les Arcs project – quiet, family-friendly and directly linked to the funicular from Bourg. The architecture here earned the heritage listing, and the atmosphere is unhurried. Beginner and intermediate terrain is right outside the door. If you want peace and proximity to the train, this is your village.

Arc 1600 is best for those who like their skiing without the queues. Arc 1600 is the original village where lifts and ski schools start right from the centre, and the funicular connection to Bourg-Saint-Maurice means you can be on a train to Paris before your goggles have demisted.

Arc 1800. The largest and liveliest village, split into four quarters: Charvet, Villards, Charmettoger and Chantel. The widest choice of shops, restaurants and rental outlets, the best après-ski scene, and La Folie Douce overhead. This is where the energy lives. If you’re here for the full resort experience – skiing hard by day, socialising by night – Arc 1800 is the answer.

Arc 1800 is best for energetic groups who lean into first lifts, but also last drinks. 1800 is the liveliest of the Les Arcs villages with the widest choice of bars so expect après-ski and terrace dancing aplenty.

Arc 1950. The newest village, built by Intrawest (the Canadian developer behind Whistler) – car-free, family-friendly and ski-in/ski-out with a polished North American chalet aesthetic. This is Les Arcs’ luxury anchor: design-led hotels, boutique shops and an atmosphere that feels curated without being clinical. If you want polish and convenience, you’ll love 1950.

Arc 1950 is best for luxury travellers who want to linger over long lunches and browse the boutiques and for families who aren’t afraid to splurge on the annual ski vacation.

Arc 2000. The highest village, at the foot of the Aiguille Rouge – the base for the resort’s best freeride and high-altitude terrain, plus the most reliable late-season snow. Simpler facilities, bigger mountains. If off-piste and summit views matter more to you than village nightlife, head here. For more information, head to New Generation’s free guide on where to ski in Les Arcs 2000.

Arc 2000 is best for adventurous off-piste skiers, or piste skiers who love to ski from first lift until last.

Peisey-Vallandry. A quieter, more traditional sector to the west, with tree-lined runs and a less purpose-built feel. It’s also the French-side departure point for the Vanoise Express – the spectacular cable car that links Les Arcs to La Plagne, forming the vast Paradiski area. If you value tranquillity and a peaceful atmosphere over nightlife, this is an excellent base.

Peisey-Vallandry is best for families who prefer tree-lined cruising to the hustle and bustle. These two picturesque, intertwined villages have direct links to La Plagne via the Vanoise Express, making it the sweet spot for skiing the whole of Paradiski.

On the slopes: Paradiski and beyond

One lift pass, 425 kilometres of linked piste across Les Arcs and La Plagne, and a cable car that swings you between the two across a deep gorge in under four minutes. Paradiski is one of the three largest ski areas in the world, and it’s genuinely linked – not a bus ride, not a hike, but a proper lift-connected circuit.

Within Les Arcs itself, the terrain spreads from 1,200 m to 3,226 m at the summit of the Aiguille Rouge, offering everything from gentle nursery slopes to one of the most celebrated descents in the Alps.

For beginners: Les Arcs is one of the friendliest major resorts for first-timers. Free beginner lifts operate in several villages, the dedicated learning areas are wide and sunny, and the progression from green to blue to red is gentle and logical. First-time skiers will enjoy Vallandry, Arc 1800 or Arc 2000. Arc 1600 is a bit awkward for first-timers; Arc 1950 works well for beginners, but they’d need to start their ski day from the nearby Arc 2000.

For intermediates: this is your playground. The long, groomed blues and reds between Arc 1800 and Arc 2000 are a joy – wide, well-maintained and linked by modern lifts with minimal queuing. The run from the Aiguille Rouge summit all the way down to Villaroger (over 2,000 m vertical, if conditions allow) is one of the great Alpine descents and entirely within reach of a confident intermediate.

For advanced and freeride: the Aiguille Rouge bowl above Arc 2000 offers serious off-piste – north-facing, snow-sure and seriously steep. The speed-skiing piste (the Flying Kilometre, where the Olympic demonstration event was held in 1992) is a unique piece of history you can ski beside. Peisey-Vallandry’s tree skiing is excellent on flat-light days. For all off-piste skiing, be sure to book with a professional ski instructor or mountain guide.

Where to eat and après-ski

La Folie Douce (Arc 1800). Featuring three venues under one roof: La Fruitière for fine dining, La Petite Cuisine for generous canteen-style portions, and Le Butcher Shop for grilled meats. But La Folie Douce is really about the après: live performers, DJs, a south-facing terrace and a crowd that starts dancing in ski boots by mid-afternoon. It’s loud, joyful and unabashedly fun.

Chalet de Luigi (Arc 1950). A Savoyard chalet restaurant and bar with a large terrace – the village meeting point for lunch or end-of-day drinks. Tartiflette, fondue and vin chaud, done well.

Bois de l’Ours (Arc 2000). Ski-in, ski-out restaurant and bar with live music and a family-friendly atmosphere. A good base-of-lifts lunch or afternoon beer.

Benji’s (Arc 1800). Tex-Mex, burgers and a sunny terrace – the informal, no-fuss option when you want something quick and cheerful.

Ski school and lessons

New Generation Ski School in Les Arcs. International ski school with over 25 years of experience. Each team member brings their own unique skills and perspectives to the slopes. Small group sizes, a focus on technique and genuine progression. Private and group lessons for all ages and abilities. All their instructors have internationally recognised ski qualifications and are selected for their inspiring, nurturing, and patient teaching styles, making the learning process fun for everyone.

For children, New Generation offers structured programmes that build confidence and independence on the slopes - exactly the kind of teaching that turns a nervous first-timer into a keen skier. Their unique passport allows children to continue their learning without interruption, regardless of which resort they visit next.

Mountain guides are available for off-piste days - the Aiguille Rouge bowl and the backcountry towards Villaroger offer adventure for those with the appetite and a qualified guide beside them.

The Les Arcs Film Festival

Every December, as the ski season opens, the resort hosts the Les Arcs Film Festival – a week-long celebration of independent European cinema, founded in 2009 and described by Variety as a “European Sundance”. Over 110 films, premieres and industry events, with the distinctly Les Arcs twist that festival-goers bump into the cast on the slopes between screenings. If you’re choosing your December trip, this festival will ensure your evening entertainment is all buttoned up.

What to wear in Les Arcs

The terrain ranges from 810 m in Bourg-Saint-Maurice to 3,226 m at the Aiguille Rouge summit – a spread that means conditions can vary wildly within a single day. High-altitude winds and morning cold above Arc 2000 demand proper technical outerwear; sunny afternoon laps on the groomed reds below Arc 1800 can feel almost spring-like. Therefore a good layering system is essential.

The village vibes vary too: Arc 1950’s ski-in/ski-out crowd tends towards polished, modern kit; Arc 1600 and Bourg are more relaxed. What unites them is practicality – this is a resort where people ski hard and dress for it.

Hire ski clothing online, delivered to your door in Les Arcs

Rent your favourite ski outfit with Cirkel Supply before you travel and it will be ready and waiting at your accommodation when you arrive.

We deliver to accommodations across Les Arcs, Bourg-Saint-Maurice (and France!), and we offer ski clothes for men, women and children from brands including Patagonia, Fjällräven, Ortovox, Halfdays, Hestra, Rudsak, Houdini and WHITESPACE.

Whatever the look, you can rent it with Cirkel’s skiwear rental service – just remember that outfits book up quickly for peak season, and it’s essential to book your rental at least 3 days in advance.

Getting to Les Arcs: the no-fly route

This is Les Arcs’ superpower for sustainability-minded travellers: you can get here from London without seeing an airport.

By Eurostar Snow Train. Direct from London St Pancras to Bourg-Saint-Maurice (with a change in Lille), running most Saturdays through the winter season. Journey time: just under 8 hours, with the French Alps unfolding outside your window as you arrive.

By TGV from Paris. Around 5 hours, direct, no changes, into Bourg-Saint-Maurice station.

The funicular. Seven minutes from Bourg-Saint-Maurice station straight up to Arc 1600, then free shuttle buses to 1800, 1950 and 2000.

By air. For those who need to fly, Geneva Airport is around 2 hours 45 minutes by transfer (see Alps 2 Alps), and depending on the connections between 4 and 5 hours by train. Chambéry Airport is around 1 hour 45 minutes by both transfer and train.

Summary

Les Arcs is a purpose-built resort for every skier. With its vast 425km Paradiski terrain, and options from beginner slopes to expert freeride, it’s a great choice for groups of varying levels. With vibrant culture and easy no-fly train access, it’s the perfect destination for sustainability-minded travellers coming from London or Paris – best sure to rent your ski outfit in advance, to make your train journey even more relaxing.