It’s early April and the snow is falling hard, turning the world around me into a winter wonderland. I only left the apartment where I’m staying with my family ten minutes ago, but I’m already alone, waiting for my guide and chomping at the bit to make the most of a few hours of freedom while my kids are at ski school. This is not how it usually goes.
I have taken my two kids—now six and ten—on numerous ski holidays. I love the fact that they share my passion for the mountains, and we get to spend some quality time together as a family. But my own levels of pre-trip excitement for our annual Easter jaunt tends not to mirror that of the children. My role is driver, gear monitor, safety consultant, glove finder-in-chief and, most frequently, carthorse. The trudge to and from the slopes carrying my own snowboard, two sets of small skis, backpacks, water bottles, and often a tired child, bookends each day. If we’ve chosen a resort with buses to wait for, or hills to walk up, it really can put a dampener on the whole trip.
But this time is different. We’ve opted to come to Arc 1950, a purpose-built ski village in the French resort of Les Arcs. It was created from scratch by the US company Intrawest—now known as the Alterra Mountain Company—and opened fully in 2004. At the time, the North American model, where almost everything from restaurants to rental shops is owned by one company, was unique in France.
Alterra has since sold up in Les Arcs (although they’re on a march towards world domination elsewhere) but their legacy remains in this traffic-free, ski-through village. The snow-covered streets are flanked by a series of architecturally-sympathetic buildings offering American condo-style accommodation for 3,900 guests, all of which is ski-in-ski-out. Like many purpose-built resorts stateside, Arc 1950 packs a huge amount into a tiny and convenient space: there are restaurants, shops, a patisserie and supermarket, all within a few minutes’ walk (or ski) of any of the apartments.
While the village is compact, it sits at the centre of one of the biggest ski areas in the world, the Paradiski, which unites Les Arcs with neighbouring La Plagne. There’s acres of terrain to explore, and when my guide, Julien, turns up he is as keen as I am to get stuck in. “It’s been snowing for a few days,” he tells me. “Let’s go and find the deep stuff.”
Due to Covid and bad luck with snow, this is my first powder day for nearly four years. But after a quick chairlift chat where Julien tells me about his extensive freeride credentials, I ask that he go easy on me for a couple of runs. Fast forward two minutes and I find myself sitting in a white out with a 100 km/h wind blowing in my face, sheet ice under my board, and a sheer drop in front of me.
Thankfully, my legs rise to the challenge, I navigate my way down the chute and we quickly enter some lovely, widely-spaced trees. There’s complete silence other than the muffled sound of the snow falling. In front of me, lies a perfectly pitched forest of untouched, deep powder. I stop for a second, just to soak in the scene. And then dive in, whooping my way through the trees and into an open bowl that goes on for what feels like an age. Oh, how I have missed this!
Having forced my hand and learned that I can (just about) follow him, Julien makes the most of his morning, leading me into pockets of fresh snow for the next few hours. Honestly, it’s one of the best powder days I can remember. I’m knackered when it’s time to pick the kids up, and I’ve barely scratched the surface of the terrain Les Arcs has to offer.
Of course, being an American-designed resort, each apartment in Arc 1950 has to have access to a hot-tub—the après-ski jacuzzi being akin to a religious rite in the US. After a contented, muscle relaxing soak, we head out as a family and discover one of the many events the resort puts on in the bustling main square each week. Tonight, it’s “human curling,” using giant tubes. It’s basically a rare opportunity to throw your children down the mountain (in a safe, controlled and legal way of course) which proves great fun for adults and kids alike. Later in the week there will be ice courses set up for scooter racing, live music, sledging and snow mini-golf. All great fun.
Small world
Our final day brings blue skies and excellent snow conditions. I head out for some laps with my eldest, Libby. Although we have been on a few runs before, her progression over the course of the week means that we are able to plan a route for the morning and ski ‘properly’ for the first time together. The area immediately around Arc 1950 is superb for intermediates with modern lifts reaching high enough for you to take your pick of the forgiving blues and reds all the way back down to the village.
I explain that because I’m on a snowboard I may have to go fast at points, so I don’t have to walk on the flat, but that I will always wait for her at the next turning or slope. Almost immediately, we encounter a flat section and I speed ahead. Stopping at the next slope I look around to see how she’s getting along, and she absolutely flies past me, arms waving and grinning from ear to ear. It’s clear we’re onto the exciting next phase of her skiing. To my delight as much as hers, we manage to cram in a good number of runs, plus a stop at an Igloo café for a mid-morning coffee.
Earlier in the week, I’d had a chat with Pierre, her ski instructor, who’d been similarly impressed with both Libby and her sister, Rosie's, progress. A proper local, Pierre was born in Bourg Saint Maurice, the town at the base of Les Arcs, and had watched the ski resort develop from the valley up. “Arc 1950 was the last resort they built,” he says. “At the start, people were a little bit surprised, because it’s very different to the big buildings in the other villages, Arc 1600, Arc 1800 and Arc 2000.” But after nearly 20 years, he says, families especially have come to appreciate its smaller scale.
“It’s worked really well, because it’s more on the level of family life,” Pierre said. “So for example, to bring the kids to the lesson, it’s at 50 metres, or 100 metres from the residence. After skiing, kids can play and adults can see them from the balconies—it’s like a small world.”
Certainly this “small world” has been a superb base for our family trip. The ease of the resort has removed all manner of minor stresses. I’ve had a brilliant powder day, the kids have progressed, the activities in town have been great—and best of all, I’ve not felt like a carthorse once. Result!
Further family fun
The Deep Nature Spa
This spectacular spa in the village, one of the largest in the Alps, features a swimming pool, frosted and volcanic caves, outdoor hot tubs with views over Mont-Blanc, hammams and a host of pampering options. Look out for the dedicated family time slots.
The Aguille Rouge Zipline
Fancy a hit of adrenaline? Launch yourself from the top of the Varet cable car in Peisey Vallandry and hit speeds of up to 130km/h on a 1.8km zipwire descent through the mountains. The ride can be done in tandem for some epic parent/child memories—and cool Dad points from the kids!
The Luge 2000
Easily accessible in five minutes from the village via the Cabriolet gondola, the Luge 2000 has 3,000m of descent and a 400m vertical drop—it’s like toboganning, but a whole lot more adventurous.
Snow How
Accommodation
The apartments in Arc 1950 are all ski-in-ski-out and are interconnected, with each having access to an indoor or outdoor pool, spa and, of course, hot tub. They’re comfortable rather than luxurious, but an excellent base for a family trip with well equipped kitchens, decent-sized bedrooms and balconies overlooking the pistes. Jim and his family were hosted by Inghams, whose full packages include flights, accommodation in Arc 1950, and transfers.
Ski Lessons & Guides
The kids were taught by Evolution2, who provide private and group lessons in 20 resorts across the Alps and Pyrenees. Jim’s off-piste guiding was booked through Ecole du Ski Francais.
Ski Rental
Jim and family’s ski hire was provided by Ski Set who have shops across the Alps. They provide a knowledgeable service in store and huge range of equipment for all ages and abilities.
