Les Arcs Area - Opinions?

Fully

Has anyone been here? I'm thinking of staying with Trail Addiction, but am slightly worried that my wife will have nothing to do whilst i'm out riding, and that we may be better off staying in Bourg St Maurice instead.

Any info, advice or recommendations for accomodation much appreciated.

Cheers 8)

Fogliettaz

Stay in Bourg St Maurice, central to the whole area, less than 10 min to Les Arcs by the funival and a good ride back down!

paul.skibum

I have heard its good and I understand Tignes/Val D are upping their game in last few years too so Bourg would be a good base with a car.

Fully

I am taking my car, so there is loads of scope to get around.

I really like the look of the package that Trail Addiciton offers, and it's good value when you consider how expensive it is to eat/drink out in the Alps. If it wasn't for the location further up the mountain i would have booked already. I may consider their guiding only package and have a dig around for some catered digs in Bourg. This could increase the cost by quite a bit though.

Decisions, decisions....

sellisnba

I have been snowboarding in les arcs for the last four years, i have been over in the summer. There is some stuff to do in the town (mostly shopping) Arc 1800 has a pool and some summer activitys to be honest if i hadn't been riding i would have been bored to death. Went over with my partner at the time (who wasn't an active person at all) and she was very bored after a coup[le of days however if your missus enjoys walking and stuff like that she will be fine.

Daz555

Nowt to do in Les Arcs but ski/walk/ride/drink.

Soul Boy

You'll enjoy the riding and there is enough marked stuff to keep you going for a week, but Trail Addiction would provide you the back country experience.

I did meet a couple who run a chalet down in Bourg, but can't for the life of me remember the name of their chalet. Will post if my mate does.

You can use the funiculaire to get up to the resorts, it starts earliest the ride back down Black 8 is a blast (810 decent in 10km's), although there are other routes down.

For her? Tennis, Swimming, Paragliding, Golf, Horse Riding, Rafting, Rock Climbing? They're all there. The mountains are beautiful, and miles of walking available.

Other than that, theres cooking you a lovely meal to come home to, or getting very drunk in a bar Might be the time to get round to reading War and Peace.....

scottyjohn

Ive been meaning to go out to stay with a friend who owns some chalets in Les Arcs, Mark, top guy and service will be second to none. See his chalets on
http://www.go-alpine.co.uk

Fully

It looks like there's a pool in Bourg too, this would be a big plus. She does like walking and she will be doing horseriding too. Also i'm sure i'll be having 'one' rest day, so we can do some other stuff.

If i can get some reasonably priced digs in Bourg, then i'll probably do that and pay Trail Addiction for the guiding. However, so far i've only seen either; very expensive digs (600 pp/pw) or dirtcheap (14 pp/pn). If i was going with friends i'd be straight into the cheap ones, but my missus wouldn't be happy at all in a bunkhouse type affair, and 600 is a bit much when Trail addiction offer the same plus guiding for 469.

tuxpoo

Trail addiction is in the Nancroix valley. There are buses that run up and down the valley. The equestrian center has loads to do and its at the top. You can do the same trails around vallandry and peisey on horseback (slow safe trott). They run groups that go out and there always seemed to be english speaking clients. I briefly met a couple of the guides in la vache (bar above piesey) they are real cool. I can see that taking all day. That would kill a couple of days.
Is your wife a complete no-go with bikes? Les arcs has loads of easy non-pedling cross country. TBH les arcs is brilliant place to introduce mountain biking. Most of the runs are NOT gnarly 45dergree downhills. If you can persuade her to hire an XC bike then take her on some of the blue/green runs (cat tracks) that would kill another few days. The stuff like grange hill (valley of the idiots) is great, as she can do the cat track and you the good runs just cutting the corners of the hairpins.
There is also the cycle track from landry to Bourg. Pleasant ride.
Bourg has shopping and is single stop on the train from trail addiction. Perfume shops, shoe shops... all the usual girly stuff. If you have a car its all REALLY easy. She could even meet you for lunch at the various villages.
Dont forget Paridasiki pass is only a few extra euros. I spent more time over there this year. If you can coincide your visit with one of the big X-games style events. Thats a great day out.
Does she do photography? The place is a photographers dream.
You can catch all the same lifts (both up and down ) on foot. If you spend a day on the downhill run, she can join you on foot as spectator just walk the cat track that crosses the run meeting you for coffee etc.
With a good bit of forward planning and investigation, You could get her to fall in love with the place.
Tux

Fully

That's a wealth of information Tuxpoo, many thanks. If there is a bus and train service into Bourg from Trail Addiction then i think that we may stay there. I can always drive her there anyway if that falls through. I may try and get her on a bike while we're there, but with Winter on it's way it's going to be difficult to try and get her confidence up a bit before we go, as she really isn't a bad weather person.

Once again, thanks to all for the info so far 8) .