WHAT'S NEW IN LES ARCS: Two new places to eat

What's new in Les Arcs for 2013/14?  Well, alongside what's here, a couple of things to report on. These cover two of the essentials of modern life: food and parking.

First, food.  The new restaurant above the pistes at Arc 1800 is now open.  Chez Grillette has a brilliant location on the home runs above the golf course, with great views across the valley.  It's a great addition to an area which has been crying out for a piste-side refreshment stop for years.  There is a big outdoor terrace, and a fair-sized indoor area, which does get busy.  It's more upmarket than the Arpette, but nothing like the Chalets de l'Arc: €12-14 for a one-pot casserole, and, in a possible first for Les Arcs, a selection of "wok" dishes.  

Chez Grillette

Expect to see more developments in this part of the resort over the next few years, as part of the reorganisation of the Chantel slopes and lifts - details here.

There is also news over at Arc 1600.  The original Les Arcs village suffers more than Arc 1800 for not having a proper front de neige with restaurants, places to meet etc.  The facilities are all rather set back from the lifts.  Step forward a new hostelry, just to the side of the Cachette piste, below the Hotel Beguin.  Not sure what it's name is - it appears to be called "restaurant" at the moment.

The new restaurant is at the foot of the
beautiful Mont Blanc piste

Strictly speaking the newly-openend Aiguille Grive Hotel may not count as a "mountain restaurant", as it is only a stone's throw from Charmettoger.  But you can ski to the door, and directly to the lift afterwards, and the location does feel quite away from it all.  Resort old-timers will still miss the "Gilles and Annick" restaurant which used to sit on this site. But at least Gilles is back running the restaurant, and the new construction is quite something:

The hotel's opening was delayed due to problems
with the electrical licence - here is the restaurant

Although the area will win no prizes for its mountain restaurants, things are definitely improving, both in terms of quantity and range.  For more on piste-side eating in Les Arcs, click here.

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.

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.

WHAT'S NEW IN LES ARCS

Here are 6 things which are new in Les Arcs for 2011/12:

1.  Snow

After last year's debacle, the arrival of l'or blanc is THE big news.  Last year, there was no snowfall of note between the end of December and June (sic).  This Christmas sees snow depths of 300cms at the top, more than Val d'Isere and Tignes and far more than in Austria and Switzerland.  Here is Place Miravidi in 1800:

2. Changing hands (i): Hotel du Golf

The "anchor" hotel of 1800 has changed hands, and is now owned by the Groupe Temmos.  They are looking to change the ambiance a little, making it more "welcoming" and less formal.  Sadly this means the charismatic bar host and ace monoskier Pierre-Yves no longer appears to be part of the hotel's plans.  They seem to be having a promising start, and they have some quite competitive half-board deals if you book direct. Hotel du Golf's website here.

3.  Changing hands (ii): Aux Enfants Terribles

The restaurant formerly known as La Poudreuse, on the slopes above Peisey-Vallandry, is now re-named and under new ownership.  Indeed it is now under the same ownership as the Arpette restaurant below the 1600/1800 snowpark.  It boasts a newly wood-cladded exterior and "cosy" bar.

4.  Just open: Edenarc

The Edenarc development is now starting to come on stream, and it looks like Stage 1 is now open.  At least I did see some skiers going in there, and a light burning inside.  It does feel quite lonely and isolated at the moment, a bit like the kind of place Scooby and co would show up at on a stormy night.  If you've got the cash, I'd wait until a later phase, by which time the hot-tubs etc will presumably be bubbling away happily.

By the way, you can see the original Charlotte Perriand design for this site here:

5.  Coming soon: A new 4-star at Charmettoger

The much-loved Aiguille Grive restaurant is now long gone, and 2012/13 will presumably see the opening of this new hotel-restaurant.  You can have a sneak preview by turning left on the main run back to Arc 1800.  It looks like it will be a fair old size.  And it looks like the design will be at least paying some reference to the "Les Arcs" pointy style.

6.  Ride in Style: The newly "pimped" funiculaire

The funiculaire from Bourg St Maurice is proudly deemed to be "unique en France".  It has been given a new coat of paint, which proclaims its "environmentally friendly" credentials.