Les Arcs – Arc 1950

Varet Bubble (Arc 2000)

Starts just above Arc 2000 (which is 10 min ski above Arc 1950) and sweeps all the way back down through Arc 1950's front door. You ski directly through the village — past restaurants and chalets. It's the heart of the mountain for Arc 1950 guests.

The classic Arc 1950 run — a long, wide avenue that sweeps past the village and continues down the valley. On a bluebird day the views of the Tarentaise Valley are sensational.

Vallée de l'Arc — Arc 1950 blue run POV

Bois de l'Ours Chair

The Bois de l'Ours chair is reached by skiing down from Arc 1950 for about 5 min — it's the main lift that connects Arc 1950 to the higher mountain. From the top (L'Arpette), the run winds all the way down to Arc 1600, the lowest of the four villages.

From L'Arpette, this long blue winds all the way to Arc 1600 — connecting four villages in one descent. A brilliant run for understanding the mountain's layout on your first day.

Bois de l'Ours Chair

Hidden in a small side valley of the Arc 2000 bowl — you won't see it from the main piste. After riding the Bois de l'Ours chair, traverse skier's right along the ridge, then drop into the Edelweiss valley. Many people ski Arc for a whole week without finding it.

A hidden gem tucked in a secluded valley in the Arc 2000 bowl. Wide, consistently pitched, and very quiet. Best skied late morning.

Arc 1950 runs including Edelweiss — GoPro

Grizzly Chair (Peisey-Vallandry)

In the Peisey-Vallandry sector on the far side of the mountain from Arc 1950 — about a 25 min ski across. The Grizzly chair is in the Vallandry area. Forêt winds through dense forest all the way down to the village of Vallandry.

A long tree-lined blue winding from the Grizzly lift all the way to Vallandry. The forest keeps the snow quality superb even on bad-visibility days.

Cruising a blue run in Peisey-Vallandry, Les Arcs

Transarc Gondola (mid-station)

The Transarc is the main gondola that links Arc 1800 to the upper mountain. Plan Bois starts at the Transarc mid-station and runs toward Peisey-Vallandry — from there, you can take the Vanoise Express cable car across the valley to La Plagne.

The connecting blue between Arc 1800 and Peisey-Vallandry — and from there, the Vanoise Express cable car to La Plagne.

Cachette Chair (Arc 1600)

Above Arc 1600, the lowest of Les Arcs' four villages. The Cachette chair is right at the base of Arc 1600 — you can see the run from the village. A good morning warm-up before heading higher.

A Les Arcs local who described it as their favourite run in the entire Paradiski system: 'normally super quiet, wide, at a gradient that really allows you to lay out some wide, speedy turns.' Multiple visitors independently highlighted this run — it comes up in almost every Les Arcs recommendation thread. The views of Mont Blanc from this run are exceptional — you're skiing directly toward the massif with an unobstructed line of sight. Access from the top of the funicular from Bourg St Maurice: take the Mont Blanc or Cachette chairlifts and follow the blue. You can also ski from here to the bottom of the Carreley chairlift to reach the famous Les Arcs letter sign.

Les Arcs Mont Blanc blue slope — sunny day POV

Cachette chairlift (Arc 1600)

Arc 1600 is the lowest of Les Arcs' four resort villages, connected to the valley by the Versant d'Aime funicular. The Cachette chairlift is right at the base. The blue run here winds above the village through light forest — a good option for Les Arcs first-timers or those staying in 1600.

The most accessible run in Arc 1600 — visible from the village, easy to reach, consistently gentle. A good starting point for first-time visitors to Les Arcs before exploring the wider Paradiski area.

Aiguille Rouge cable car (Arc 2000)

The Aiguille Rouge at 3,226m is the highest point in Les Arcs, reached from Arc 2000 by cable car. The blue run from this area descends across the high mountain terrain above Arc 2000. Most of the Aiguille Rouge skiing is red/black but this is the genuine blue option from the high mountain.

Extraordinarily scenic — starting from 3,200m with views across to Mont Blanc and down into the Isère valley. The gradient stays manageable throughout despite the dramatic altitude. One of the most impressive settings for an easy blue run in the French Alps.

Bois de l'Ours chairlift (Arc 2000 sector)

The Bois de l'Ours (bear woods) chairlift serves the central part of the Arc 2000 ski bowl. The blue run here is wide, consistently pitched, and runs through the heart of the resort's main intermediate area. Arc 2000 is the largest of the four resort villages and has the most extensive intermediate skiing.

The main intermediate run of Arc 2000 — consistently well-groomed, wide, and at the centre of the best blue skiing in the resort. A great run for lapping on a good snow day.

Transarc gondola (mid-station) or Combettes chairlift

Plan des Violettes is a long traversing blue that connects the Arc 1800 sector with the Arc 2000 area at mid-mountain level. Take the Transarc gondola from Arc 1800 to the mid-station, or ski across from the 2000 bowl. The run is wide, consistently easy, and gives you a clear view of the full ski area.

The best way to explore the full width of Les Arcs on blue terrain — this connector gives you access to both the 1800 and 2000 sectors in one run. Good for understanding the geography of the resort on your first day.

Grand Col chairlift (upper arc area)

The Grand Col area sits in the upper part of the Les Arcs ski area connecting toward the Aiguille Rouge. The Dou de l'Homme blue descends from this high area back toward the Arc 2000 bowl. At over 2,800m, the views here are extraordinary.

High, quiet, and with exceptional views — this run is visited by fewer people than the main Arc 2000 blues but offers the same altitude and dramatically better scenery. Worth a detour on a clear day.

Transarc gondola (from Arc 1800 base)

Arc 1800 is the most developed of the four resort villages, with the most accommodation and the busiest lift base. The village run descends from the mid-mountain directly back to the Arc 1800 base station — the most-used blue in the resort by volume.

The run every Arc 1800 guest ends their day on — wide, reliably groomed, and illuminated for night skiing on certain evenings. Not the most exciting run in Les Arcs but its consistency and access to the village make it practically useful. Honest community note: 'The blue runs on the Arc 1800 side tend to be boring traverses — like roads running across the mountain with gentle slopes.' Confirmed by multiple experienced visitors. The traverses are genuinely easy but lack the gradient to build rhythm or practice turns properly. For intermediates wanting to develop their skiing, the Arc 2000 bowl is better. For beginners who just want to get down comfortably, the traverses are perfect.

Grand Col chairlift (Arc 2000 / upper bowl area)

Ninja is accessed from the Grand Col chairlift in the upper Les Arcs area near Arc 2000. A regular visitor specifically named it: 'My favorite run is at the top of Grand Col chairlift, go down Ninja for something blue — super scenic and very quiet.' The upper bowl area around Arc 2000 is consistently described as better for intermediates than the Arc 1800 side — better snow, wider terrain, less crowded.

One of those runs that requires a local tip to find — it doesn't appear in generic guides but comes up in community recommendations. The Arc 2000 bowl has the best beginner and lower-intermediate terrain in Les Arcs according to experienced visitors. The Grand Col chairlift takes you to the high point of this area. Scenic with views toward the La Plagne side of Paradiski.

Comborcière Chair → Carreley 26 lift area (Arc 1600 sector)

From the top of the funicular from Bourg St Maurice, take the Mont Blanc or Cachette chairlifts, then follow the blue run to the bottom of the Carreley 26 chairlift. This is how you access the famous large blue Les Arcs letter sign — which is at the top of the Carreley chairlift. A practical routing run that also provides a scenic descent.

The Carreley area is consistently described as quieter than the main Arc 1800 slopes. The route from funicular top → Mont Blanc/Cachette chair → Carreley blue is the natural beginner circuit from Bourg St Maurice — you're on easy blues the whole time and can take the funicular back down from Arc 1600 at the end of the day. The Les Arcs letter sign at the top of Carreley 26 is at position marked on the official piste map.