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Voykit pocket guide · France
Les Arcs
Go for 3–5 days of skiing or hiking: the linked Paradiski area (425 km of pistes) is the draw, not the resort villages themselves. One night is too short to justify the transfer.
Les Arcs is a purpose-built ski resort in the Tarentaise valley, connected to La Plagne by the Vanoise Express cable car to form the Paradiski domain. The six villages (Arc 1600 to Arc 2000, plus Peisey and Villaroger) are functional bases, not alpine postcard towns. Most visitors come for the skiing (December–April) or summer hiking and mountain biking (June–September). The funicular from Bourg-Saint-Maurice gets you up in 7 minutes; once there, free shuttles link the villages.
- Country
- France
- Best months
- Dec–Apr (ski), Jun–Sep (hike/bike)
- Avoid
- May and Nov (lifts closed, mud season)
- Stay
- 3–5 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Contactless cards work in most shops, cafés and restaurants.
- Daily spend
- Budget €80–120 excl. ski pass and bed · Mid €120–200 excl. ski pass and bed · High €200+ excl. ski pass and bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Orange, SFR, Bouygues Télécom and Free sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at tabacs; ID is required to register.
- Emergency
- Police 17 · Fire and ambulance 18 / 15 · European emergency 112
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; type E sockets have an earth pin sticking out, so Schuko (type F) plugs need a C/E hybrid or an adapter.
- Tipping
- Café or bar: Leave small change, €0.20–1.; Restaurant: Service is included; leave 5–10% in cash for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro or two.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day, more for private guides.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere unless signed otherwise. Restaurants must serve a free carafe of tap water on request.
- Toilets
- Paris has free automatic public toilets (sanisettes); elsewhere use cafés (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €0.50–1.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee (in resort) | €3–5 |
| Beer (half litre, bar) | €6–8 |
| Pizza (restaurant) | €14–20 |
| Lidl grocery run (Bourg-Saint-Maurice, basics for 4 days) | €40–60 |
| Funicular single (Bourg-Saint-Maurice ↔ Arc 1600) | €8–10 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CMF · Chambéry
- About 1.5 h drive; seasonal flights from UK and Benelux
- GVA · Geneva
- About 2.5 h drive; year-round connections
- LYS · Lyon-Saint Exupéry
- About 2.5 h drive; TGV to Bourg-Saint-Maurice also possible
Typical fares
- Funicular Bourg-Saint-Maurice → Arc 1600
- about €8–10, 7 min (check)
- Paradiski ski pass, 1 day (high season)
- about €65 (check)
- Taxi Bourg-Saint-Maurice → Arc 1800
- €40–60 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Free shuttle buses connect the main villages (Arc 1600, 1800, 1950, 2000) during winter and summer seasons. The funicular from Bourg-Saint-Maurice arrives at Arc 1600. Ski lifts and cable cars cover the slopes; the Vanoise Express links to La Plagne.
See and do
Known for
- Paradiski ski area (425 km of pistes)
- Vanoise Express cable car to La Plagne
- Aiguille Rouge (3227 m) viewpoint
- Summer hiking and mountain biking
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Bourg-Saint-Maurice | Funicular, 7 min | 30 min |
| La Plagne | Vanoise Express cable car (free with Paradiski pass) | 20 min |
| Val-d'Isère | Car or bus via Bourg-Saint-Maurice, about 45 min | 1 h |
| Chambéry | Train from Bourg-Saint-Maurice, about 1 h 20 min | 2 h |
Sleep
- Arc 1800
- Largest village, most shops and restaurants; central for lifts.
- Arc 1950
- Pedestrianised, ski-in/ski-out, more upmarket; quieter evenings.
- Arc 1600
- Funicular arrival point; free parking, budget accommodation.
- Arc 2000
- Highest village, snow-sure, short walk to Aiguille Rouge cable car.
- Bourg-Saint-Maurice
- Valley town with cheaper hotels and supermarkets; funicular up each day.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjourbohn-zhoor |
| Thank you | Mercimair-see |
| How much? | Combien ?kom-byen |
| Where is the lift? | Où est le télésiège ?oo ay luh tay-lay-syej |
| I need a doctor | J'ai besoin d'un médecinzhay buh-zwan dun mayd-san |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'bonjour madame/monsieur' on entering any shop, bus or office; avoid: Asking a question before saying bonjour — it is read as rude
- Cheek kisses (la bise): Follow the other person's lead; one to four kisses depending on region; avoid: Initiating la bise with strangers or in business
- Addressing people: Use 'vous' and titles until invited otherwise; avoid: First names and 'tu' with older people or staff
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated in restaurants; call the waiter 'monsieur' or 'madame'; avoid: 'Garçon', snapping fingers, asking for the bill before you are finished
- Conversation: Debate is a pleasure; food, politics and philosophy are fair game; avoid: Asking about salary or religion; loud voices on trains
- Dinner at a home: Bring flowers (not chrysanthemums), chocolates or a good bottle; arrive 10–15 minutes late; avoid: Cutting the tip off a cheese wedge or asking for ketchup
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders in churches; avoid: Beachwear in town centres
Scams and watch-outs
- Everything in resort is expensive: stock up on groceries in Bourg-Saint-Maurice (Lidl, Super-U).
- Parking at Arc 1950 and Arc 2000 is very expensive unless included with accommodation; free parking at Arc 1600.
- Aiguille Rouge has no toilets or shelter; check weather before going up.
- Mobile signal can be weak or congested on busy days.
Standard mountain resort safety: stick to marked pistes, check avalanche risk, wear a helmet. The main risk is altitude (Arc 2000 is at 2000 m) – drink water, limit alcohol on the first day. The villages are very safe; petty theft is rare.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Les Arcs yet. Suggested stay: 3–5 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Paradiski ski area (425 km of pistes)
- Vanoise Express cable car to La Plagne
- Aiguille Rouge (3227 m) viewpoint
- Summer hiking and mountain biking
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Les Arcs, revision 5049459 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5049459
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Les Arcs
À cette adresse, s'il vous plaît
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
The US has an embassy in Paris; the nearest consulate is in Lyon. Most other countries have embassies in Paris.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/les-arcs). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.