BRAND MATTERS: All change at Peisey Vallandry

I've always quite liked the Peisey Vallandry logo:

It complements the Les Arcs one nicely, but reinforces the smaller resort's separate identity.

But the marketing bosses at Peisey Vallandry have decided it's time to change.  Step forward the new logo:

Click on the logo to see it displayed in the
resort's new look website

I have to say my initial reaction is that I prefer the old visual identity.  Let's hope it doesn't prompt Les Arcs to change the current look and feel, which marks a fine upgrading of the original designs (pictured below).

For more on the Tarentaise resorts' marketing strategies, as they bid to out-perform a flat market, click here.  The Val Thorens United case study is perhaps the most noteworthy.

THE VANOISE NATIONAL PARK: 1963-2015 RIP

(My rudimentary translation taken from the Alpes Magazine editorial, Dec 2015-Jan 2016)

As we put together the latest version of this magazine, including an article taking us to a wild and secret part of the Tarentaise, far from its ski factory image....we see the majority of the 29 communes who make up the Vanoise National Park refuse to sign the new charter.  This new charter would offer a new future to this area of outstanding natural, in line with the Giran Law, adopted by Parliament in 2006.

Only the municipal councils of Peisey-Nancroix and Saint-Martin-de-Belleville voted in favour of the charter.  Old-fashioned arguments, coupled with a complete lack of political courage, are at the heart of this.  An opportunity has been lost, for utterly irrational reasons.  An opportunity to safeguard a common approach to the area's heritage, to keep a national park which is a shop window for La Savoie, and indeed for the whole of the French Alpes.

Not everyone has the opportunity to live at the gates of a national parti, a treasure in both ecological and economic terms.  

Not everyone has the opportunity to be able to safeguard, for future generations, these protected national spaces.  

Not everyone will have the opportunity to build a different type of mountain area.  One which has achieved a great balance between taking advantage of both the fabulous ski areas and the beauty of the surrounding wilderness.  

This opportunity is the one that the majority of communes in the Tarentaise and the Haute Maurienne have refused to seize - in the name of their liberty, and in fear of a "repressive" state, who isn't interested in what happens beyond Chambéry.  They are quick to forget that this same state, during the 1960s, put in place the famous "Plan Neige" which took the miserable state of the Alpine valleys as its starting point, and which dared, driven on by visionary local leaders, to allocate some of the unspoilt areas to the pursuit of winter sports.  This has allowed people from across the world to come and enjoy themselves on the slopes of Val-d;ISere, Tignes, Les Arcs, La Plagne or Courchevel.  

The ski industry flourished - it created value, employment, innovation, and enabled a whole region to develop a global reputation.  This is the reality, and it cannot be denied.  But, in 2015, this sterile debate between economic growth and environmental protection appears just as much old-fashioned as it is incomprehensible.  Surely it can be possible to work on a harmonious approach, not just one which is "sustainable" (this word has rather lost its meaning recently), but which can finally give proper respect to the fragile equilibrium of our mountain areas. 

It is high time to shake off these worrying prejudices, wherever they may come from - the developers with their cement mixers, the farmers intent on waging was against wolves and other "predators", the middle-claass intellectuals who are so well qualified to talk about the environment it actually disqualifies them...

All of the above groups should be seen as "people of the mountains".  It is only by working together that we can find a sensible way forward.  As the writer Jean Giono put it so well: "through such agreements we can develop a shared love of the mountains".

Lac de la Plagne, Summer 2014.
A 3 hour hike from the head of the Nancroix Valley, on the
Vanoise section of the GR5 long-distance path

SUMMERTIME NEWS

There is new snow up high, but it's the wrong type of snow.  In any case, all the resorts bar Tignes and Val Thorens are now closed.

The Montalbert telecabine is officially under construction.

@WeLove2Ski has published a warts and all guide to La Plagne.  "La Plagne's statistics make it feel like the best resort on earth....However it isn't the best resort - even in France."  It points out the slightly unusual terrain - flat around the main bowl and steep both up top and down below: "by turns it's bland and bloody terrifying".

Les Arcs' website now has its summer skin, with the resort open from 4 July - 29 August. This will see the reopening of the outdoor pool to complement the fancy new indoor pool/spa set-up.

There will also be weekend openings of the funiculaire and Cachette lift during the final two weekends of June.

The summer music festival runs from 19th July-2nd August - bringing with it lots of keen music students and free concerts.

The Tour de France continues to cold shoulder the Tarentaise, but at least the Cyclocoeur cyclo-sportive events, now in their 12th year, continue to flourish.  This year's events are on 7-9 August.

Meanwhile, over at Peisey Vallandry, home to some of the best walks in the area, there is a new website, including a summer photo competition...

Wainwright in the Alps: a walk from
Nancroix valley to the Lac de la Plagne

GATEWAY TO THE VANOISE: Peisey-Vallandry

Peisey-Vallandry needs little information - a resort of its own, reached by an extremely tough (for cyclists anyway) climb up from Landry, now reaping the benefits from being right at the centre of the Paradiski area.  The arrival of the Club Med is a sign of its success.

The Nancroix valley which divides Peisey from the La Plagne side is of course now spanned by the Vanoise Express lift.

In winter, it's the site of some of France's best cross-country skiing.

In summer, there is serious walking to be done, for example exploring the gateway to the Vanoise National Park from the head of the valley at Rousel.  The long-distance GR5 passes through, en route from Lake Geneva to the Med.

The classic one-day walk is the round trip to the Lac de La Plagne - a stiff 3 hour climb from the Rousel car park at 1550m.  Leave early, take plenty of water, and aim for lunch at the entre-le-lac refuge 500m higher up:

Looking back at Rousel, about one hour in

The gradient levels out slightly after a couple of hours

The Lac de La Plagne: an Alpine "tarn"

You can stay at the refuge for 38€ a night

LAKE TO COAST WALK: The GR5

This month's Alpes Magazine devotes almost the entire issue to the GR5 trail, also known as La Traversée des Alpes, an epic 607km walk from Lake Geneva to Nice.  It takes 30 to 45 days, depending on your state of fitness and how quickly you want to go. The official start is at the border village of Saint-Gingolph, which is divided into French and Swiss components.  According to one local: "The English take the London-Geneva-Lausanne leg by train, and then cross Lac Léman by boat, before staying the night in St Gingolph".

Some way down the route (stage 9 to be precise) the path reaches the Tarentaise, rising from the valley floor, under the Vanoise express and into Peisey-Vallandry territory.

This marks the gateway to the Vanoise National Park (website here).

The Tarentaise resorts are always going to struggle to attract summer visitors over and above local day-trippers, proprieteres looking to get their money's worth and cyclists/motorbikers en route for the grands cols.  But the walking, once you get away from the ski lifts, is very good:

Porte de la Vanoise (1)

Porte de la Vanoise (2)

Here's my feeble attempt at a translation of the Alpes Magazine account of the GR5 route through the Tarentaise:

"What a pleasure it is this morning to cross the Isere - still youthful and impetuous - on the descent from the Grande Aiguille Rousse.  After the bridge, the GR5 splits into two for the climb up to Peisey-Nancrois.  Which route to take?  The direct way via Montchavin?   Or the path via Landry?  Consultation of the guide-book and much scratching of heads ensues.  Montchavin is chosen.  The result: two hours of (occasionally steep) walking, until we end up at the Moulin (1264m).  We then enter the Ponturin valley through a mixed forest of oaks, maples and sycamores.  Then follows the refuge de Rosuel, gateway to the national part.  It's ideally situated below the snowcapped slopes of Mont Pourri and the dome de la Sache.  The area around the refuge is a cross-roads for walkers.  You have to say that the possibilities are endless.  There's something for everyone - the Lac de la Plagne, col de l'Entrepote, chapelle des Vernettes, lac de l'Etroit, site of the lead and silver mines.  And there's aso the via ferrata des Bettieres and organised donkey walks and horse riding.  And that's without forgetting the climb to the col du Palet which awaits us the next day.  That night, la gardinenne of the refuge fuels us up for the next day - vegetable soup, reblochon casserole with crozets and lardons.  It's just what we need given what lies ahead."  

For more on summer in Les Arcs click here.

BEST FOR BEGINNERS? Les Arcs makes the shortlist

Les Arcs has been nominated in the Chillfactore awards in the "Best Resort for Beginners" category.

It is up against Soldeu, Arinsal, Alpe d'Huez, Saas Fee and Cervinia.

Not a bad place to be, although I fear Les Arcs may be something of an outsider when pitted against these rivals.  There is little in the way of resort-level nursery slopes.  For example, the excellent area for beginners above Peisey-Vallandry involves a lift up and down.  Meanwhile the home runs to Arc 1800, 1600 and Plan Peisey are all not without their difficulties for first time skiers.  For me, Alpe d'Huez clearly has the edge, with its mega area of green-piste-gradients just above the resort.

Les Arcs is however an excellent proposition for 2nd and 3rd week skiers - easy blue runs take you from top to bottom of the Grizzly (Peisey-Vallandry), Vagere (Arc 1800) and Arcabulle (Arc 2000) lifts.  And of course we have the new beginners' zone coming soon as part of the remodelling of the Chantel - more here.

Home runs above Arc 1800

ELECTION SPECIAL: Municipales 2014

It's round one of the local elections today.  Here is an open letter written by the proprietors' organisation Avenir et Animation des Arcs setting out their questions to the candidates, together with their responses.  It also includes a TV debate specifically covering Bourg St Maurice-Les Arcs - local democracy in action!

The list of questions/concerns from Avenir et Animation covers the responsibilities of town hall, the lift company, police and neighbouring local authorities.  It includes:

• How the gulf between valley and town hall down below can be addressed
• General worries about whether enough is being done to keep Les Arcs in the Premier League
• Ensuring that the golf course at Arc 1800's future can be assured
• How the two key cultural events - the summer music festival and the international film festival can be safeguarded/developed
• Ensuring the dastardly scheme to build a new 4,000 bed development at La Maitaz (part of Vallandry's terrain but very close to Charmettoger) remains off the agenda
• Putting pressure on the lift company to moderate price rises (this seasons were 5X inflation, apparently)
• Safeguarding the return piste from Arc 1800 to Arc 1600 following the removal of the Chantel lift
• Getting more clarity on the plans for the new lift to run between Arc 1800 and Chantel/Edenarc
• Improving access to the resort, both at the funiculaire and on arrival (signposting etc)
• Better maintenance of paths, snow clearing, dealing with noise nuisances
• Giving proprietors more concessions/price reductions, given they are often there for several weeks and are therefore practically residents

Round 2 is next Sunday, 30 March.

SOCHI 2014: Allez David!

This February sees Peisey-Vallandry getting behind David Poisson at the Sochi Olympics. He will be on show at 7am on Sunday morning.  Ladbrokes see him as rather an outside bet, and is currently placing him at 100-1:

David is a keen Peisey-Vallandry fan

Meanwhile, La Rosiere invites you to join them this Thursday at the front de neige, to support local boy Jules Bonnaire in the Slopestyle.  A giant screen, breakfast and an aperatif are promised:

Upwardly mobile: Jules was born in Moutiers

Here's a bit of a ropey video showing Jules in training at the La Rosiere snowpark:




The next two weeks will see many locals will be looking back at Albertville 1992, which included speed skiing at Les Arcs and bobsleigh at La Plagne.

And it's also a time when precisely nobody will be looking forward to Annecy 2018, given that the bid was doomed from the start and got worse as the process continued.

Pyeongchang won 63 votes, Munich got 25, with
Annecy receiving only 7: more on the sorry tale here.

The Annecy bid saw the La Plagne bobsleigh
track making a comeback 

NEW SKI SEASON: More new things in Les Arcs

In addition to what's here, a few more things to look out for this season, courtesy of the excellent www.peisey-info.com.

The Les Arcs Film Festival isn't exactly new, but deserves a plug as the anchor event of the first week of the season, from 14 December, with "Yugoslav" films under the spotlight.  Much to the delight of the manager of the Spa in Charvet, various British university ski trips are also expected in Arc 1800 this week...

To celebrate Paradiski's 10th anniversary, there will be a tightrope walk between the cabins of the cable cars, by what are billed in the press release as "the world's greatest": Julien Millot and Tancrede Melet.  They will be 380m above the ground, and it may look something like this:



The two Vanoise Express cabins will also have a makeover, in the form of designs by Jean-Charles de Castelbajac which will be in place all season.

Apart from that, the only other "nouveaté" is in the form of a small draglift above the Replat lift in Villaroger and some behind-the-scenes work to the artificial snow-making. The big changes this year are over in La Plagne, which sees defunct black pistes re-appearing and a reshuffling of the lifts ahead of the opening of the Montalbert telecabine in 2014: more here.

Panic on the pistes of La Plagne:
The black Derochoir piste

Big changes are being planned for Les Arcs, however, with the Chantel area due for a complete overhaul.  Here is the planning permission application for the new "Telecabine des Villards".  But this  is only part of the story...

WHAT'S NEW IN LES ARCS

Updated 13/1/13

A couple of weeks into the season, the main news in Les Arcs - as across the region - is that there is A LOT of snow.  The resort is completely full for the New Year holidays, and there are February-esque queues at the main lifts (Vagère, Arcabulle).

Belles Challes, Arc 1800, 29 Dec 2012

What's new in Les Arcs?  Well, not a lot, in reality.  There's more change going on at La Plagne - see www.perso-laplagne.fr for regular updates.  But here are 5 things the keen visitor to Les Arcs may notice during the 2012/13 season:

1. The next phase in the Edenarc development above Arc 1800 is now open

There are now two apartment blocks on the Chantel site, and plans to extend the development up the hill, including a new hotel.  It's fair to say that the units have been slow to sell (I have marketing emails from them dating from 2007, and they are still miles away from completion.  Apparently the original developers went bust).  According to the website, work will start in "December 2013" (sic) on the new hotel, but it hasn't been updated for a while.  A "telecabine" of some description is also planned, which will replace the ancient Chantel chairlift, and give a more direct link between the Edenarc satellite and the main resort.

For more on Charlotte Perriand's original design for the Chantel site click here.

Left on the drawing board.
 Perriand's design for Chantel Haut

2. The Aiguille Grive hotel has NOT opened

This new 4 star hotel/chalet development is on the site of the much-loved-and-now-demolished Aiguille Grive restaurant, formerly run by Gilles and Annick.  It cost 5.3m € to build, and promises a luxury that is rare in Arc 1800.  The website is up, they've had a bit of press coverage.  But the doors are closed.  To be continued...(13/1/13: apparently there is an issue with the electricity certificates - there were people on site last week).

3.  The Arc 1800 cinema is CLOSED

This is a real blow, taking away one of the few non-skiing activities.  Given that Brits are at least 30% of visitors, the management didn't help themselves too much by ignoring the wonders of English subtitles and showing Hollywood blockbusters in the dubbed French versions only.  But it's a big shame, and an online petition has been launched calling for it to be saved. (13/1/13: one stumbling block appears to be the costs associated with upgrading the cinema to digital format).

4.  The Aux Enfants Terribles restaurant above Peisey has been extended

It now has a new "lower deck" including a self-service bar.   A good move, as it's a popular spot, and these latest changes open up a "budget eating" option.  For more on eating on the slopes click here.

Aux Enfants Terribles 

5.  Famous visitors

The Aux Enfants Terribles management also run the Arpette restaurant above Arc 1800. This was the location for the sighting of disgraced French politician Dominque Strauss-Kahn this Christmas.  "DSK" was spotted eating at this "très simple" establishment, queuing up along with everyone else.  More here.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? New lifts for Les Arcs

It's more than 50 years since the first ski lift appeared in the area, linking Bourg St Maurice to Les Granges.  And the last 10 years have seen some big changes, with draglifts almost eradicated.  The whole Arc 1600/1800/Peisey flank of the valley can now be negotiated using fast chairs - more on the history here.

Before the Edenarc: The Chantel site at Arc 1800

The excellent Espace Arcadien site has carefully prepared a series of short essays on each lift.  Among the fascinating facts:

• The Peisey Lift was the first Leitner construction in France, and isn't ageing well
• The Pré-Saint-Esprit lift, at 15 minutes, is the slowest in Les Arcs
• The Bois de l'Ours lift reduced journey times from 7 mins to 3, and waiting times from 20 mins to 5...

What next?

It seems the next developments will be at Arc 1800, with a chair and potentially a mini-gondola to serve Chantel and Edenarc.

Meanwhile, no-one is clear when the 32-year old Pré Saint Esprit will finally be pensioned off. Espace Aradien reckons maybe around 2015.

And some have dreams that the Col de la Chal (the slope facing the Nancroix valley on other side of the Transarc) will be opened up by a new chairlift.  Others - the mairie at Peisey, the départemet and "the ecologists" are less keen.  This projet is very very unlikely to ever see the day. 

TOUR DE FRANCE: Les Arcs 2009

The Tour de France stage to Bourg St Maurice lacked the drama of the 1996 visit to Les Arcs (scene of Indurain's downfall - more here.

What could be better - a start in Switzerland, through Italy, down into Bourg St Maurice, via the Grand and Petit St Bernard passes, before a final climb up to Arc 1800.

Except the decision was taken for the riders to finish down in the valley in Bourg St Maurice - so that the suspense could continue right until the final Saturday and the climb of Mont Ventoux.  Here's the Wikipedia account of the 2009 Tour.

In the event, the Ventoux stage proved to be a bit of a let-down, and the stage to Bourg is little remembered.  Or at least remembered for the wrong things.  The winner of the stage, Miguel Astarloza, later tested positive for drugs, and the stage was awarded to Sandy Casar.

Here are the riders on the descent to Bourg St Maurice.

The finish line was in the road leading from the SNCF roundabout to the Funiculaire:

The following day the riders left from Bourg St Maurice.  Here they are on the very lower slopes of the Cormet du Roseland.

Lance Armstrong and co stayed - of course - in Arc 1950.  The Euskatel Euskadi team, on the other hand, stayed in the more modest environs of Arc 1800.  As did The Tour Doctor:

More on cycling in Les Arcs this summer here.  If you think the 1st category climb from Bourg St Maurice is too easy, go down to Landry, take the (much harder) climb to Peisey and up to Arc 1800 on the summer road, and then continue to Arc 2000.  The final climb from the Comborciere lift at 1800m to Arc 2000 (actually at 2100m) is a tough one....

THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: How They Voted In Round 2

The results are in, with Hollande scoring 51.7%, and Sarko 48.3%, on an 80% turnout. All the results, including by departement and commune here.

True to its tradition of being more to the right, Savoie voted for Sarkozy, by a 53: 47 margin.  In Haute Savoie, as ever, the result was even clearer: Sarko ahead by 60:40.

Chambéry voted for Hollande, just as it voted for Royal in 2007.  But the "Trend Tarentaise" is again evident.  In other words, the higher you go up the valley, the higher the vote for Sarkozy: First round results here.

In Bourg St Maurice and Val d'Isere, Sarko's vote held up well.  There are changes elsewhere, more in line with the national swing.  Indeed, in the key marginal of Landry, below Peisey, a 51:49 Sarko-Royal in 2007 transferred to a 52:48 Hollande lead.

Here's how some of the ski villages and towns voted.  The 2007 figures are first, followed by the 2012 scores.

All figures are % voting for Sarkozy:

Landry  51, 48

Moutiers  55, 53

Albertville  55, 54

Bozel (Courchevel)  56, 54

Aigueblanche (Valmorel)  57, 52

Beaufort  58, 58

Aime (La Plagne)  61, 58

Bourg St Maurice-Les Arcs  60, 59

Seez (La Rosiere)  61, 58

Champagny  62, 59

Peisey-Nancroix  65, 60

Tignes  66, 67

Macot-la-Plagne  68, 65

Villaroger  70, 64

St Martin-de-Belleville  73, 70

Brides-les-Bains (Meribel)  74, 68

Crest Voland  79, 77

Val d'Isere  80, 79

PEISEY-VALLANDRY

Peisey-Vallandry used to be a bit of a backwater, tucked away at the far end of Les Arcs' skiing, with some brilliant red runs served by ancient chairlifts.

Today it's most certainly on the up - the Dutch are particularly in love with it, and the arrival of the Vanoise Express link has been followed by more developments, including a Club Med and some new lifts.

It's probably not the place for beginners - the nursery slopes are good, but at the top of the chairlifts, which is hardly ideal.  And there is much cheaper accommodation available in Les Arcs.  Getting to know the local place names: Landry, Plan-Peisey, Peisey-Nancroix, Vallandry....it's something of a challenge.  Minor niggles aside, it certainly has a lot going for it.

1.  The Climb Up

For cyclists, this is a not particularly well-known route.  Most people take the main road to Les Arcs and remind themselves of where Indurain came to grief in 1996.  This is a much tougher climb, with more hairpins, steeper gradients and a nightmare last 3kms.  You can continue the torment by cycling onwards via Arc 1800 and 1600 to the savage climb that runs from Comborciere to Arc 2000.  In winter, you will need chains if it snows.  No question!

2.  The Nancroix valley

This is the gateway to the Vanoise national park from this part of the Tarentaise.  There are loads of beautiful walks in summer, and in winter it's a mecca for ski de fond and biathlon.

3.  An Old Village

The ski resorts of Plan Peisey and Vallandry are basically new, and have been developed since the 1980s.  But there is a genuinely old and characterful village of Peisey-Nancroix just below, at 1300m, and served by a small bucket lift.  Together with Villaroger, this is really the only rustic option on the Les Arcs side of Paradiski.

4.  The New Lift

Suddenly, Peisey is at the centre of things - if you do want to cover the La Plagne-Les Arcs circuit, this is the place to do it.

5.  Flattering Red Runs

There is a pretty extensive selection of red runs served by the three main chairlifts - they tend to be fairly quiet, and are great after a snowfall.  Can be icy lower down, mind, and beware the lower section of the blue Retour Peisey run - probably the hardest blue in the resort!

6.  La Combe

A wonderful red run away from the lifts.  With a guide you can ski to....

7.  Notre-Dame-des-Vernettes

Also a great summer excursion - for example it's about half an hour downhill from the top of the Vallandry lift.  Or you can take the easy walk from Peisey.  Or you can take a much longer walk from the top of the Transarc.  Which brings us to:

8.   1000m of descent

The run from the top of the Transarc, at 2600m, to the Hotel de la Vanoise, and a nice lunch, is a minor classic.  

9.   New lifts

With the advent of the new Grizzly lift a few years ago (built to serve the Club Med development), and the arrival of Le Derby (the key link to Arc 1800/2000), queues are now rarely an issue.

10.  A local website

www.peisey-info.com complements the official site nicely!

TWEETERS OF THE TARENTAISE

Here's an overview of the various websites covering the resorts and villages in the Tarentaise.

To keep in touch on a day-to-day basis, we have Twitter...

So...here's a Rough Guide to some of the local Tweeters (Updated for December 2013....)

Summit of Grizzly lift, Peisey Vallandry

@LesArcs: the official account - they don't tweet too often, but are friendly folk
@LesArcsEN: as above, but in English
@lesarcsfilmfest: more of a seasonal tweeter.  Even if you're not a film fan it's worth a follow for the pre-season build up to the event each December
@laplagneactu: The official La Plagne twitter feed
@peiseyvallandry: ditto for Peisey
@la_rosiere1850: ditto - only 15 mins from Bourg to the Les Ecudets lift...

Above Notre-Dame-des-Vernettes, Peisey Vallandry

@simplyvaldisere: for latest updates on what's happening in Val
@guidespacekilly: for slightly poetic take on the ski season, and great photos
@tignesprgirls: the official press feed from Tignes
@tignesspirit: for real fans of Tignes
@mylaplagne: a real advocate of La Plagne, complete with apartment at Plagne 1800
@simplysavoie: for latest expeditions walking, snowshoeing etc
@skivillaroger: for the latest about...Villaroger
@SimonAtkinson66, boss of the ESF at La Rosiere
@ABSERTI: for latest properties for sale in Les Arcs
@chillchalet: seem to be keener on snowboarding and MTB than skiing and road cycling, but nobody's perfect...

@ledauphine: comprehensive news site, covering a large area of Rhone-Alpes, as well as further south

@ernalow: travel company which covers a big range of resorts, but are big fans of Les Arcs and La Plagne....

EAT FOR A WEEK IN LES ARCS: A (sort of) Gourmet Guide

Les Arcs is far from being one of the top resorts when it comes to mountain restaurants. In fact, it's fair to say that there simply aren't enough of them.  The contrast with La Plagne is marked.  The Montchauvin/Les Coches area seems to have more places to eat than the entire Les Arcs area.  And over at Plagne Centre, there are many many restaurants to choose from.  Arc 1800 has Chez Boubou.

It's hardly the end of the world, however.  Here are six very different restaurants you could visit during a week's ski break.

Day 1: Above 1800: Blanche Murée

Probably our favourite over the years.  Good in a bad weather day, with a nice terrace where you can drink cheap rosé when the sun is out.  About 12-13€ for a plat du jour.  If you are charming and try to speak French, you may get a free genepi at the end.

Day 2: Bad weather day: The Arpette

This is a bit of a service-station below the snowpark, but usually buzzing as it's a real meeting point.  It changed hands recently, and the owners have now bought the former Poudreuse on the Peisey-Vallandry slopes. It's a good place to be when the weather is really bad, and there is a restaurant with cosy fire if you want to upgrade. There is a large terrace outside if the weather is good, including an Austrian-style "schnee-bar" (kind of).

Day 3: Excursion: Villaroger, La Ferme

The Villaroger side of the mountain is a big contrast to the main Arc 2000 motorway bowl. It's steep(ish), takes you over into another valley, and has some very retro slow lifts. There's also never really anyone there.  Ski all the way down to Le Pré, and have lunch at La Ferme, which is a proper old hamlet, just by the lift.  The picture below is a bit harsh, as it was taken in April!

Day 4: Above Peisey: Hotel de la Vanoise

This is a nice Logis de France, with a good menu.  More expensive than Blanche Murée but cheaper than Chalet de l'Arc (see below).  Try the Quiche Lorraine.  It's upgraded itself in recent years, with a new spar and indoor pool.  Be in Arc 2000 at about 1145, take the Arcabulle lift up, and then ski all the way down to Peisey - more than 1,000m of vertical before lunch, the perfect run!  It's just above the Peisey chair.  Again, the picture attached is a little harsh, as it was mid-April.  Views over to the Nancroix valley are very good.

Day 5: Running out of money: Arcabulle Cafe

This is a new establishment in the Arc 2000 bowl, with a great outdoor area, and cheap prices.  For example you can buy pizza in slices and beer in cans.  A good option if you are starting to feel your holiday money draining away.

Day 6: Blow-out: Chalet de l'Arc

This is getting quite well known away from Les Arcs, and visiting skiers from La Plagne tend to make a bee-line for it.  It has some enticing tables inside and out, and a fairly unique menu (at least for Les Arcs).  Try the mince beef or cheese pie, or the outrageously large pasties.  Prices are on the higher side.  And the service is rarely that personal.  But you should probably go there at least once.  It even has its own website.

Elsewhere

Personal views of course, but I'm less keen on the places in Arc 1950 (Chalet Luigi, for example) which have Val d'Isere prices and lack soul.  The Creche restaurant at the top of the Transarc is good for drinks but over-priced for lunch, given it's self-service etc.  If you ski down to Arc 1800, the restaurants at Place Miravidi are all open for lunch - you can ski to them if you take the descent below the Chantel MGM apartments.  Le Solliet above Villaroger has great views, though haven't been there for a while.

THE "B" ROADS OF LES ARCS: Avoiding the February Crowds

The February holidays see Les Arcs, like most of the other big resorts, getting very, very full.  To have a lift system in place which eradicated queues completely would of course be utterly uneconomic.  So, February visitors, tied by school holiday dates, have to be ready for busy slopes.

That said, when there's snow in the lower resorts (which of course there most certainly is this year...), this does tend to reduce pressure on Les Arcs et al.  And indeed, with the full area open (in contrast to 2011), there is more scope for everyone to spread out a bit.

February also sees various events in the resort.  People on British half term will miss the "LA session", which is fun and attracts a good crowd - see below.  For a full list of events click here.

But if you are around in February, you will still need to plan your days carefully to avoid spending too much time here:

Here are some ways to avoid the crowds:

1.  Have an early lunch - be at your chosen restaurant at 12 and you should be fine both to get a table and to get back on the pistes while everyone else is eating.

2.  Take the slow lifts.  You can avoid the biggest queues by relaxing slightly and taking some of the remaining 1980s lifts: Renard will take you to 2000; Comborciere will link you back into the area above Arc 1600 (including the fab Malgovert red run), and Grand Col is rarely too busy, taking you to more than 2800m in the process.

3.  Ski anywhere in Villaroger.  Or potter around the Les Granges area below 1600.

4.  Take a day trip to La Rosiere.  Park your car at Les Ecudets car park just above Séez, get yourself a full area pass, and ski over to the sparsely populated pistes of La Thuile.

Enjoy!

Above La Thuile