Following a week of regular snowfall, the Les Arcs region has good quality snow throughout the resorts with practically the whole ski area being accessible to holidaymakers. Although some of the “easy” off-piste has been tracked out, there is a surprising amount which has remained untouched even though visibility has improved
With some cloud forecast for the weekend, there are likely to be small flurries of snow to keep the pistes fresh. However, the pistes are in very good condition so almost every run is thoroughly enjoyable to ride. The recent fresh snow means there are few “flat tracks” with some soft moguls forming in rather unexpected places (the top of Charmettoger and Renard for example). Overall the pistes are softer, more playful and easier to grip.
The French half-term begins at the start of February and so the number of skiers enjoying the slopes has increased. However, with so many pistes open and all of the lifts running, there is still very little queueing and always somewhere to go to avoid the milieu. These are my top tips for the best snow and where to ski at the moment.
Use smaller lifts
There are a few of the larger lifts where you are always likely to queue, even in the low-season. Arcabulle in the heart of Arc 2000, the Transarc which also leads to the Col de la Chal and Aiguille Rouge ascending to the highest point are some of the most popular lifts. At busy periods stick to the lesser-known chairlifts and you will be able to ski straight on.
You will rarely queue for Clocheret, which provides access to Clapet (blue), Clocheret (red) and Muguet (black) which are all in great condition at present. The off-piste in this sector has been somewhat underused, which is good news for the latecomer. The Muguet run drops over to the other side of the mountain, allowing you to take the Comborciere (generally quieter) or Pre St Esprit (generally empty) lifts.
The little “2300” lift above Peisey-Vallandry is always a good bet if you prefer a shorter wait. As with many of the smaller lifts, the chair itself is quick to approach (so prepare yourself for impact) but slower ascending, but at least you don’t have to queue. Nearby, the Combe button lift is almost always dead despite it being at the bottom of a lovely tree-lined red run. Unfortunately, the piste itself is perversely rather brown right now, so best avoided.
Ski at quieter times
Lunchtime, between approximately midday at 2pm, is a great time to hit the pistes. I am a strong advocate for eating a home-made snack on the lift and taking a late lunch when everyone returns to the slopes. During lunchtime there are no ski school snakes and the majority of people are in the restaurants eating so you can happily “make hay whilst the sun shines.” If you intend to use some of the busier lifts (Aiguille Rouge is a good example) this can be the best time to do so.
Try skiing late. When there is only an hour or two left in the day, people start to head back to their respective resorts, normally tired from the day’s exertions. This fills up the main blue “travelling” routes (such as Belvedere, Charmettoger, Arpette, Treversée and Renard), but leaves many of the other runs relatively quiet. Find an area where you can easily get back to your village (either by skiing directly or by free shuttle bus) and ski it until the last lift closes. Suggestions for this include the Derby lift (for Arc 1800 or Peisey-Vallandry), Grand Col (for Arc 1950 or 2000) or Clocheret (for Arc 1600 or 1800).
Ski Harder or Off-Piste
If you have the ability, consider sticking to tougher routes. The Comborciere black run is a genuine challenge for most people and looks suitably difficult from the lift so tends to have only a few, experienced skiers on it. Similarly, the precipitous inclines of Lanches and Dou de l’Homme ensure there is rarely much traffic on them. Despite being fairly innocuous (for a black run), with only the steep top and final sections really warranting the classification, Ecureuils above Plan Peisey is often quiet.
At present there are still fresh off-piste lines to be ridden throughout the resorts. However, there are plenty of completely tracked out areas which are largely indistinguishable from regular pistes; the only difference is often that there are fewer people on them. The right-hand side of Belvedere is pretty predictable, there is lots of accessible off-piste adjoining Tuffes and around Golf it is sometimes difficult to know what is officially piste and what is not. As always, do be careful when straying beyond the markers, as there can be a multitude of hazards (from rocks to deep snow).
Other tips
Ride pistes that don’t go anywhere. Some runs, primarily the blue ones that criss-cross the different resorts, are ridden by some for fun and others to simply travel across the mountain. If you take a run with only one potential destination (like Cachette) or that simply returns to the bottom of the lift (like Grand Col) you are less likely to have “travelling” traffic.
Fill the lifts. There is nothing more frustrating than watching a series of half-empty chairs (or gondolas) leaving the station when you are stood in a queue for the lift. It is nice to have a friend with you on the lift, but there’s no need to “block out” the gates so all eight of you can get on at once.
Ski on Saturday. This can take a bit of arranging but, as most tourists are travelling on this day and most seasonnaires are working to accommodate arrivals, Saturdays are generally much quieter on the pistes. By taking the Eurostar snow-train to Bourg St Maurice, or booking early/late flights, you can gain an extra day of skiing.
