REVIEW: The beautiful ski resort which is easy to access by train

Les Arcs offers spectacular views for skiers and visitors. (Image: Yann Allegre)

Arriving at the snow-covered mountains of the Alps by nightfall after a journey almost entirely by train is an option for those craving skiing or snowboarding for their holidays.

I travelled to Les Arcs, part of the Paradiski area in France’s Tarentaise Valley, in mid-March after catching the Eurostar train from London St Pancras before heading to Bourg Saint Maurice via Lille.

An electric funicular takes a swift seven minutes to transport skiers to the accommodation at Arc 1600 from the train station.

The journey was comfortable and passing through security at St Pancras was efficient and much quicker than an airport experience in my opinion.

What followed during my visit to Les Arcs was beautiful scenery and sweeping, panoramic views accompanied by glorious sunshine and ideal snow conditions.

Les Arcs, made up of multiple villages including 1950 where I was staying, offers accommodation at walking distance from the slopes for skiers.

There is also a range of activities for all ages including snowshoeing, museums, a zipline, igloo village, nature spa, 18 hole golf course in Arc 1800 and sledging.

The less said about my own ability at sledging the better, however. Let’s just say I don’t think I won’t be representing Great Britain at the bobsleigh anytime soon.

Galerie des Minéraux in Les Arcs (Image: Les Arcs)

Museums include the Mineral Gallery with an impressive collection of crystals from across the globe, as well as the museum of mountain animals where marmots, wild boar, hares and the imaginary Dahu, a folklore mammal with legs shorter on one side, can all be spotted.

The snake gliss, in which several sleds are linked together and driven by an instructor who twists and contorts like the reptile, is a hilarious experience which left me and my companions in hysterics while holding on extremely tightly.

But it is not all fun and games for those running the show behind the scenes at Les Arcs.

Les Arcs is the first BCorp certified ski resort in Europe (Image: Ben Hardy)

With climate change proving to be more real than ever, there is a looming threat of ski resorts below 1,200m being lost forever in 40 years’ time.

Many resorts across Europe are now faced with the prospect of addressing climate change promptly through their business model, or having to shut down as warm temperatures reduce the amount of snowfall. Ski seasons will become shorter as temperatures rise.

Les Arcs is therefore forward-thinking in its approach to the environment, not least the option to travel by train rather than plane.

Les Arcs is a ski resort where staff have the environment and climate change at the forefront of their minds. (Image: Ben Hardy)

Figures provided by the resort for 2026 state that 25 per cent of holidaymakers travel by train compared to a national average of 10 per cent. Just over 60 per cent of visitors are from France.

Laurens Audodin, general manager at Les Arcs, explained how no new buildings will crop up at the resort. Only expansion and modifications to existing structures is now possible.

“We are not allowed to build anymore which came into effect three years ago,” she said.

“We can’t control exactly what every guest does of course but sustainable practice is important to us.”

Factbox:

I travelled to Les Arcs (www.lesarcs.com) with Erna Low (www.ernalow.co.uk) and Pierre & Vacances (www.pierreetvacances.com) on the Eurostar Ski Train. Les Arcs can be reached by train from London (with a change in Lille). Then it is a seven minute funicular ride from Bourg Saint Maurice to Arc 1600, with free buses meeting each funicular train, taking you to the other Les Arcs villages.

Sustainability is at the forefront of the minds of those working at Les Arcs with solar panels, waste management and environmentally friendly forms of transport among the ways in which bosses are seeking to protect the mountains and its range of wildlife.

Ben Hardy on the mountains at the Les Arcs ski resort (Image: Ben Hardy)

HVO fuel for snow groomers is made from recycled vegetable oils.

In December 2020, Les Arcs was awarded the Flocon Vert (Green Snowflake) label with a spokesperson saying this ensured it “became the first resort in the Savoie region to obtain this certification, guaranteeing its commitment to a policy of sustainable development”.

Then in 2023, the Les Arcs and Peisey-Vallandry lift company became the first European mountain area manager to be awarded a B Corp label “highlighting its commitment to social and environmental responsibility”.

Les Arcs can be reached by train from London with a change in Lille. Then it is a seven minute funicular ride from Bourg Saint Maurice to Arc 1. (Image: Ben Hardy)

Parts of the resort are protected as ‘quiet zones’ free from human disturbance for the black grouse and rock ptarmigan mountain birds which bury themselves under the snow during the winter.

As it happens, local mayoral elections were taking place in both Les Arcs and Tignes during my stay in which preservation of the mountains was a key topic for voters.

The skiing itself is a delight and caters for all abilities, whether that is intermediate or advanced levels wanting long runs from Aiguille Rouge, standing proud at 3,226 metres high, or for those learning the sport for the first time on the slopes close to the accommodation.

With 260 slopes in total stretching to a distance of 425km, and 132 ski lifts, the resort is a vast area perfect for all levels more than 2,000 metres above sea level.

A new gondola at Villaroger has reduced lift times by roughly 10 minutes to get to Arc 2000 with locals remembering how slow the previous lift felt in comparison.

Les Arcs is a ski resort in France. (Image: Yann Allegre)

Costing 19 million euros, the project was financed by the Domaine de Montagne ski lift company.

Mont Blanc is never too far away when pausing to soak up the scenery. The view at the top of the 2,832m Grand Col pistes in particular left me feeling on top of the world with a line of mountains glistening in an imperious and majestic fashion.

Grand Col was my favourite run during my trip. On the first occasion, the chairlift took us above cloud level with sublime views, albeit a complete whiteout when descending through the clouds meant skiing with caution was necessary due to the lack of visibility in front.

Galerie des Minéraux in Les Arcs (Image: Les Arcs)

In contrast, two days later, with the sun beating down and clear, blue skies, we swooped down moving from winding red run to black run feeling as if all was well with the world in our mountainous bubble of bliss.

Skiing is the ultimate form of escapism, high up and far away from the stresses and strains of the daily routine.

This trip certainly didn’t disappoint and it is eminently conceivable that Les Arcs will continue to welcome skiers for generations to come given the clarity and focus surrounding the mission on climate change.