France’s Paradiski has long been one of our favourite ski domains, thanks in part to its snow-sure altitude, but also thanks to its massive network of connected areas (La Plagne, Peisey-Vallandry and Les Arcs), which give mountain-goers a huge variety of terrain to play in.
The villages might not have the old-world charm of some Alpine resorts, but they definitely make up for it on the convenience scale, and the location is frankly unparalleled. And so, when booking our summer break there for our family of four, we were curious to find out if these satellite resorts would link up as smoothly in the summer as they do winter. We packed the full-suspension mountain bikes in the back of the van and set sail for Les Arcs… or more specifically, Arc 1950.
When booking our stay, with my wife (Welove2ski’s editor, Nicola) and two boys, aged six and eight, I remembered Arc 1950 was third highest of the four Les Arcs resorts (there is Arc 1600, Arc 1750, Arc 1950 and Arc 2000, all denoting the altitude they sit at). At 1950m of altitude, the views are of course fantastic: the majestic Mont Blanc on the opposing side of the valley is visible from many angles around the resort.
We checked into our Pierre & Vacances apartment, complete with kitchen and dining area, which was super well laid out and right in the centre of town. There was a pool – no, two pools (indoor and out) – a supermarket, café, several restaurants, souvenir shop, bakery, rental shop, mountain bike school and bar within a few steps of the front door. The developers of each of the Les Arcs villages planned the lot before starting construction, knowing full well that customers would be lining up year-round to get out among the impressive peaks and bowls this range has to offer and that a little convenience wouldn’t hurt.
A real wilderness
The rain started falling the morning of our planned family ride, and Nicola and I took it as a reason to let our youngest son have a rest day. So, it was our eldest boy Lupo and I who went out and braved the storm on the bikes. At the lower altitude where we live in the Portes du Soleil, rain can often mean deep, sticky mud; but up here at altitude, the rocky trails were sure to ensure better run-off and drainage, we thought. And we were right.
We stopped into Evolution 2 and arranged a local guide, Mario, who was instantly warm and stoked to show us what his valley had to offer. We elected to get over the Col de la Chal and down to the Transarc gondola into the Arc 1800 and 1600 arenas. Bear in mind, the Col de la Chal is at 2500m so the terrain is rugged, rocky and beautiful.
The Transarc dropped us into the neighbouring valley, which began filling up with patches of trees, meadows and pasture. We could pick out the bike trails running through them, and I exchanged a smile with Lupo over the excitement we knew was in store.
Mario took us on the mellow Marsupilami trail into Woodstock, direction Vallandry, as a warm up. The trails were a perfect balance of flow, being well drained, with nicely shaped jumps, but still feeling very natural. It was not long after this, once the rain had stopped completely, when we were descending a fantastic red piste called Rock N’Arolles, where I remember calling our guide to stop, just so I could explain how rarely I had ridden such an excellent trail.
“We don’t have anything like this where we live!” I exclaimed. The trail was long, sinewy, full of patches of roots and rocks, with optional jumps in places. This was real wilderness, but of course, not far from another lift, or from a restaurant for a pitstop.
We stopped for lunch at a modest, friendly place called Le Panoramic in Arc 1600, where the food was generously served, yet not so heavy as to slow us down for the efforts of the afternoon. We lapped the Arc 1600 and 1800 side, even dipping towards Vallandry for a couple hours, trying sections of the black runs and enjoying fast greens. Lupo and I noticed the call of a nutcracker while on a chairlift, seeing it fly between trees just under us (it has a very recognisable look and song).
As we took one of the higher lifts and trails back towards Arc 1950, I remarked on how many sheep were out in pasture up high on the mountain, very pregnant sheep in fact, and even some newborn lambs. Our guide explained that the shepherds and sheep farmers from Provence bring their sheep up the mountains in the warmest of months for better grass and cooler temperatures. A bit like a sort of mechanised migration.
Pushing boundaries
Arriving back at the Col de la Chal, we had a long red or a mellow green to opt for. We were feeling confident from the well-built trails we had sessioned all day, and thanks to the grippy grit at this altitude, so elected for the red: Yellowstone. It had some cool rock features and even a good-sized step-up (a step in the trail that requires you to lift the front wheel first, quickly followed by the back wheel), which we inspected on foot before summoning the courage to tackle.
Mario couldn’t believe Lupo was sending a jump that big at his age, I suppose because Arc 1950 hasn’t yet attracted the hardcore biker-crowd yet. Of course, they haven’t needed to. Snow-sure areas like Les Arcs in the Paradiski are only adding biking to give their guests an extra way to experience their beautiful mountains, and I can only say how grateful I am that they are. We were deeply impressed by the work of the trail-builders and by the quality of the guiding from Evolution 2.
Ride over, it was back to pool to see Mum and the youngest, before heading to Arc 1950’s funky Wood Bear Café for dinner and then one of the best bowling alleys I have seen in my life at Arc 2000.
When I think back to the riding experience in Arc 1950 and beyond, my lasting impression is one of the sheer scale of the place. This feeling was augmented by the lack of crowds and queues, which are so common in more bike-dependant resorts. We really had the entire place to ourself on those trails – pure luxury. It really is a lesson that the resorts you normally associate with a different sport, in this case skiing, have so much more to offer.
20th Anniversary Summer Continues in Arc 1950
- Explore the 149km of Bike Park from Arc 1950, where easy green and blue paths ease progress to the more challenging pump track. Mountain bike lessons and rental are available from the village itself. Bike Park slope 66 actually crosses right through the village of Arc 1950 on its 23km route.
- Every Wednesday during the summer, enjoy one of the special themed days, with free family focus activities all through the car-free village. Click for details.
- Thursdays are concert nights, with live music and a party atmosphere – rock, folk, acoustic bands and more.
- Stay a minimum of five nights and guests can use the ‘Outdoor Pass’ to access three free activities, from yoga to golf…
- Each of the eight residences that make up Arc 1950 have their own pools and saunas, and guests can also book in to the 1000m2 Deep Nature Spa, with its incredible views to Mont Blanc.
- Click for more info about the summer entertainment at Arc 1950.
Book it
A seven-night stay at Arc 1950 Le Village Premium residence, arriving 17 August 2024, is priced from £868, based on up to six people sharing a two-bedroom Pierre & Vacances apartment, self-catered. Flights and transfers extra.
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