Modern Alpine Design and Four Villages of Snow
Les Arcs is a ski resort in the Tarentaise valley of the French Alps, known for its contemporary architecture, its linked high-altitude villages and its place in the Paradiski ski area. The resort is made up of separate settlements named for their altitude: Arc 1600, Arc 1800, Arc 1950 and Arc 2000. Built from the 1960s as a purpose-designed mountain resort, it was shaped by architects who wanted buildings to sit in the landscape rather than against it, and the designer Charlotte Perriand was closely involved in the design of Arc 1800.
The result is a resort that feels clean, practical and open to the sky. Each village has its own character: Arc 1950 is a pedestrian-only, village-style resort with a pretty central square, Arc 1800 is the lively hub, and Arc 2000 sits highest, with a direct line to the snow. Ski-in, ski-out apartments, family-friendly facilities and efficient lifts make it easy to arrive and be on the slopes quickly. Neighbouring Méribel and Courchevel in the Three Valleys give a different, more chalet-led flavour just across the range.
Paradiski Slopes and Mont Blanc Views
The skiing is wide-ranging. Les Arcs links to La Plagne through the Vanoise Express, a double-decker cable car crossing the Ravin des Arcs, creating the Paradiski area of more than 400 kilometres of pistes. From the Aiguille Rouge, at over 3,200 metres, one of the longest descents in the Alps runs down to the valley floor, with Mont Blanc visible on clear days. Beginners, families and confident skiers all find terrain pitched to suit them, and the resort has long been popular with groups.
Summer brings a quieter, greener pace: walking, mountain biking, climbing and open-water days on the nearby lakes, with the Vanoise National Park close at hand. The valley's food draws on Savoyard tradition, with local cheeses, tartiflette, génépi and Beaufort, a mountain cheese made in this part of the Alps. A hotel group or self-catering collection with a presence here can show guests how easily the resort suits families and friends travelling together, while Val d'Isère across the mountains offers a more classic mountain town feel.
Read the full Les Arcs guide on Visit Travel Group, or see VisitLesArcs.co.uk on Visit Travel Group.