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Ski more for less in Les Arcs

Top tips to keep your trip from breaking the bank

featured in News & reviews Author Sam Birch, Les Arcs Reporter Updated

Skiing holidays can be expensive, especially if you are bringing the family. Fortunately, you can bring the price down with some forward planning and a little insider knowledge.

Here are our top tips for saving money whilst visiting Les Arcs.

Skimium - Snow Pro Villards Ski Hire, Les Arcs 1800

DIY Independent Holidays

Booking a self-catered apartment, or chalet, can be one simple way of reducing your overall costs.

Staying in Les Arcs tends to be less expensive if you are willing to travel a short distance, or take an extra lift, to get to the slopes.

Bourg St Maurice has many self-catered apartments available during the winter, and is just a short funicular trip from Arc 1600. The funicular is included in your ski pass and there are inexpensive ski lockers at the top to save you carrying your gear more than is absolutely necessary.

Similarly, staying towards the edges of the Les Arcs ski area, in Peisey-Vallandry at one end or Villaroger at the other, can be more cost-effective than some of the central villages.

In many of the villages there are competitively-priced hotels which can provide meals, as well as a bed for the night. Hotels typically offer more flexibility than a standard seven-night stay, allowing you to take a shorter (and thus less expensive) break.

2 bed apartments - Residence Le Belmont, Arc 1800 living room

Smart Food Shopping

If you do decide to self-cater, there are shops in all the resorts providing relatively low cost foodstuffs.

Sherpa supermarkets are located in Arcs 1600, 1800, 2000, Plan Peisey and Vallandry and there's a "8 a Huit" in Arc 1950. You will also find a good selection of boulangeries (bakeries) and groceries selling fresh local produce, culinary staples and ready-made meals (you just need to reheat them). For a small fee, or simply a deposit in some cases, stores in the resorts will often hire you an electric raclette for that authentic, cheese-based, Alpine experience.

Shopping when on the way to resort can save you even more money. Bourg St Maurice has two large and well-priced supermarkets: Super U and Intermarche are adjacent to one another on the Route des Arcs, the main road towards Arcs 1600, 1800, 1950 and 2000. It also has a Lidl, a five minute walk from the funicular station.

If you're staying in Peisey-Vallandry, you may want to stop off at the brand new Leclerc supermarket on the Aime bypass (N90).

If you are driving yourself, it is well worth pausing to acquire necessary food and drink. Even if you are not, some transfer drivers will agree to a short stop depending on their itinerary, and possibly your generosity.

Family Ski Pass Discounts

Timing your Trip

It is typically cheaper to ski outside of the British and French holidays. January can be very cold, and the days are not as long, but prices are lower and you are practically guaranteed great snow. In March, once the French half-term holidays have finished (they usually span the whole of February) prices recede again, providing another opportunity for economical snow-based fun.

If you must ski during the school holidays, it is far cheaper at Easter than in February. Les Arcs can see excellent snow right until the end of April but, when booking a holiday late in the season, it is always a good idea to choose a resort at a higher altitude to get the best snow conditions.

Booking Flights / Trains

There are number of budget airlines flying from a variety of UK airports to Geneva, Grenoble, Lyon and Chambery. The cheapest flights tend to go to those who book first.

Eurostar runs a direct service from London to Bourg St Maurice during the ski season. Like flights, it's best to book early to get the cheapest tickets. Indirect rail services using Eurostar (via Paris or Lyon) are also available 90 days in advance. Train tickets may seem expensive but, as you alight in Bourg St Maurice station next to the funicular up to Arc 1600, it can negate the need, and cost, of a transfer to resort.

skis and snowboards propped up outside a restaurant

Cheaper Ski Hire

If you are not bringing your own gear, you will need to hire skis, a snowboard and/or boots.

Prices can vary massively according to demand, quality of equipment and location. Sometimes you can get a good package deal from your holiday or accommodation provider. However, the best deals are usually found online when you book in advance.

See our directory of Les Arcs ski hire shops for options in all villages.

motorhomes in a campsite

Use a Campsite (even in winter)

Now, we're not suggesting you bring a tent to the Alps in the winter, regardless of how high the tog is on your sleeping bag, but camping in a motorhome or caravan can be a very inexpensive way of staying in Les Arcs. Some of the campsites also have small chalets, or bungalows, which you can hire for a self-catered holiday.

There are two campsites in Bourg St Maurice: Le Versoyen (Indigo) and Le Reclus. However, they are both around a 15-minute walk from the funicular, so when staying at either a car would be practical. Les Lanchettes campsite is situated very close to the Nordic area near Peisey-Vallandry, which is ideal for cross-country skiing. There is a free navette (bus) that goes regularly to Vallandry, or to the Lozagne lift in Peisey village, giving access to the downhill slopes.

In Landry, a short drive from Peisey-Vallandry, there is the Camping Eden De La Vanoise. Although there is a free navette between Landry and the pistes, it runs rather infrequently, so this is a better choice for people travelling with their own car. However, the campsite does boast a heated swimming pool which is open all year round. Now that’s affordable luxury.

Transports Christian Bouzon Airport Transfes,

Airport Transfers to Resort

If you have booked your own accommodation and flights, you will need some way of getting from the airport to resort. Finding the cheapest option often depends on when you are travelling, from which airport, and with how many people.

Hiring a car is relatively straightforward at most airports, and can be booked in advance. You should take into account any additional costs that car hire entails (petrol, motorway tolls, parking in resort, etc) when choosing this option. Also, ensure that the hire company has provided you with the necessary equipment for driving in the mountains (winter tyres AND snow chains).

Coach or minibus transfers are readily available through a variety of providers. Sometimes it is possible to get “last minute” cheap seats on existing transfers as companies would rather fill up a bus at a reduced rate, than drive half-empty. In some cases this may mean waiting at the airport for other passengers and/or flights to arrive, but it can save you money.

If you are a large enough group (minibuses commonly take up to eight passengers), then a private transfer can be both good value and convenient. You can be transferred right to the door of your accommodation and spread the cost amongst your fellow travellers.

It is possible to transfer by rail from both Lyon and Geneva airports to Bourg St Maurice. However, both options are indirect (so require changing trains at least once), and normally take longer than a road transfer.

Les Alpages de Chantel Premium | 2 Bedroom Superior Apartment, Les Arcs 1800

Book with a Tour Operator

Independent travellers often pride themselves on getting better deals than the big holiday companies, but this is not always the case. Bulk buying, fierce competition and low margins mean that tour operators, large and small, can sometimes offer prices that will beat anything you can book separately. Late deals, where businesses are trying to fill empty beds at seriously reduced prices, can mean great savings for the holidaymaker.

Staying in a catered chalet can be fairly cost-effective as, depending on the company, you can have a full breakfast every day, afternoon tea and a large evening meal for little more than the normal cost of accommodation. It’s almost certainly cheaper than eating in a restaurant every evening but, unlike self-catering, someone else does the washing up.

About ski & snowboard lessons in Les Arcs

Ski Pass Deals

Ski passes can be expensive, however, like many aspects of your ski trip, savings can be made by planning ahead.

There are two main types of passes available in Les Arcs: Paradiski and Les Arcs/Peisey-Vallandry. The Paradiski pass allows the holder to use all of the lifts across both Les Arcs and La Plagne, including the Vanoise Express which links the two. The Les Arcs/Peisey-Vallandry pass is cheaper, providing access to over 200km of pistes, and this year includes one “free” day in La Plagne.

If you're purchasing your ski pass at the same time as one other person (adult or child), and are skiing for between 6-15 consecutive days, you can benefit from the “Duo” deal. Similarly, if three people (adults or children) are simultaneously buying a 6-15 day pass, they can each receive a €15 discount under the “Tribu” deal.

For families of two adults and two children who are skiing for between 6-8 days, there is the aptly-named “Family Pack” where every pass costs the equivalent of a normal child’s pass. For any additional children, you simply pay the kid’s price. You can find the prices for Les Arcs ski passes, along with the discount deals, on our Ski Pass page.

If you're looking to save money, another important thing to consider is how often you are actually going to ski. Many people take a day or two “off” the pistes, deciding instead to visit the ice rink in Arc 2000, enjoy the Mille 8 complex in Arc 1800, or simply to have a nice lunch and a massage. If that is likely to be the case, it may be worth buying your pass on a day-by-day basis rather than committing to six or more consecutive days. With free lifts for beginners throughout Les Arcs, and cheaper half-day passes available, it can be beneficial for some people to pay-as-you-go.