Les Arcs Season 2014 - 2015, New Thread for this season starts on page 29.

Snowcrazy, to continue our conversation from 'somewhere else', I'm feeling quite inspired to do the day trip as you described. Checked the lift pass price and ski rental plus the rail ticket and although expensive, it would be tremendous fun. I think I would prefer a Saturday in late March or April in a bid to minimise the chance of poor weather!

Edit: just realised the trains don't run after the Easter weekend. Grrrrr!

Hi Lota, yes one Saturday in March is always a good bet plus, not to busy and great fun as you say. If you are interested in doing this just send me a PM and I can see what can be arranged. If you have any other questions I will try and help.

For those that are wondering what we are talking about, here are the details.

Day Trip to the Alps! Yes it can be done.

It is a great way to get a days snowboarding or skiing if you can afford it. I have now done this 6 or 7 times with friends over from London. Not cheap, but then as they said to me. It is cheaper than a day in the snowdome at Hemel and a lot more fun.

This is what they did the first time for the day.

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Ski and Snowboard Day Trip from London. An above average day out!

Came direct to Bourg on the overnight Euro star.

I met them by the train station. I think it was about 7am. We had breakfast up the road at Chez Roger.

Then we went to the bottom of the Funi station, ten minutes walk. They got their day lift passes. They had already ordered the Samediski day lift pass which is a special discounted lift pass just for Les Arcs on a Saturday. They presented the coupon at the ticket office and that was all done in a few minutes.

They changed into there ski and snowboard gear at the Funi bottom station. There are even showers there so not a problem or you could change at the railway station changing rooms which are bigger if you have a bigger group.

We then went to Polaire Star Ski and Snowboard rental shop by the bottom of the Funi and they rented the gear. Much easier than bringing it with them on the train just for one day. The shop has a really good range of piste and all mountain skis and snowboards.

They were allowed to leave their day bags with their travel clothes and other items safely stored at the shop all day as they had rented the gear from them.

http://www.polairestar.com/ (For your ski and snowboard rental)

We then went up the Funicular, had a coffee near the lift and waited for the first lift to open at 9.15 am. Sometimes in High season the lifts open at 9am.

After a short wait we headed up the lifts. Had a great morning skiing and snowboarding all over Les Arcs area. Even managed some piste natures and the Aiguille Rouge.

Had a quick lunch at a nice out of the way restaurant at the end of one of our runs, so know waiting. They wanted to make the most of the day on snow. But still enjoy the whole experience of being in the Alps with a mountain lunch.

Out on the snow again all afternoon and in the park until the lifts closed.

Then a nice drink at the Altiport near the snow park and waterslide to watch the sun go down and a final ride down to the Funi after the pistes had closed as the sun was going down.

A final Apre Ski drink at the bar in Arc 1600 and then back down the Funi in time to give back the hire skis and boards before changing for the journey home.

We then walked up to town and had dinner at the Petit St Bernard Hostilere (restaurant). Really nice as always.

I walked with them back to the train for 9pm and they left on time at just before 10pm.

I heard they had a good trip home and a nice restful day on Sunday.

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I think I enjoyed showing them around Les Arcs on a Saturday as much as they enjoyed the day away from London.

I have now done this with friends at least 6 or 7 times and it is always really fun. Even if the weather is not so kind.

My advice. Well worth the effort. You have Sunday to recover for work on Monday

Hope that helped. If anyone does decides to do this let me know and we could meet up for a day out if you are interested.

Take a look at my Les Arcs Winter facebook page for photos of some of the skiing and snowboarding we do around Les Arcs. If you come in late Feb or March you can even risk the 'Waterslide'.Very Happy

https://www.facebook.com/LesArcsWinter

We did booked for Les Arcs in that ski resort you mentioned. Looks great, bit expensive but we just ski once a year.... evrything is organised now for our ski holiday. Thank for the advise, helped us to make a decision. What I wanted to add as I read quiet a lot about how every body travel to airport or hotel with trains and buses. We go always with 2 families and hire a minibus to do the transfers.

We arrive coming holiday at Grenoble and rented the car for a very good price at topautoverhuur (as my husband is dutch but they do also english). If you divide the price in 7 or 8 its almost always cheaper. Maybe a good tip if you travel with friends or family. Hope I can contribute in this way.....

Cannot bring myself to post a photo today. It is still white at the top, but the snowline is about 2400m right now. Take a look at the web cams. There has not been any more snow since I last posted the photos! :(

http://www.lesarcs.com/webcams.html

I hope the meteo is correct and it does get cold and start snowing during the coming week. :-D

Time to start the snow dance!!! :D

Still no snow yet. France meteo have now updated their info and are saying a 70% chance of snow by Saturday with colder temps for a few days. This is predicted to continue off and on until the 13 December.

These long range forecasts are a bit unreliable, but let us hope it will be correct.

The trouble right now is that the predicted bad weather got blown away from us and the next front is a few days off .

Keep the snow dances going!

Much sign of Snow Cannons working in Les Arcs??
Tignes seems to be firing them up now.

This is my weather and snow prediction for the start of the season on the 13 Dec.

Oh dear! Oh dear! Sorry to be the first to state what many people are fearing, but here it is!

As I have been asked by a few people what I think about the chances of skiing or boarding during the opening week. This is what I think. Hope I am wrong, but with a blue sky again today and the sun shinning it is not looking great. (Unless yo like it to be good weather of course!)

Due to the current weather patterns, I think it is going to take a big change in the weather to make skiing possible in most of Les Arcs by the 13 Dec. A front is coming later this weekend, but it does not look like bringing very much snow. (I hope I am wrong!)

Even if we do get some snow, there is no base and the ground has not yet cooled down enough anywhere below 2300m. Unless we get over 50cm in one dump which is unlikely, it will take more than a week of light snow to make a difference.

Hope I am wrong, but right now it is only likely to be Arc 2000 bowl that 'might' open on time with very limited skiing. If it get's cold enough they could get the snow canons going and make enough snow to have single stripes crossing into the other stations. But I am not sure they will do this.

If like me you will be here. best to make the most of whatever we have and just enjoy a relaxing break. Come with that mind set and you will not feel so disappointed. Maybe!!

I will post another update after we see what happens with the weather this weekend! As of right now, there is no official news from the resort. They I am sure are still hoping for the best as am I!

Updated again: Just posted the photos of Les Arcs for the last few days over on the Les Arcs Winter page. Take a look.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.750205721722563.1073741841.195692797173861&type=3

I have heard, although not official that they are hoping to open most of the Arc 2000 bowl for the start of the season plus the Transarc 'up and down' for those coming over from Arc 1800. There will be a bus running from Arc 1600 round to Arc 2000 area and if there is enough snow, hopefully Cachette or Mont Blanc plus Arpette, but this might not happen. (See comment about Vagere.)

Vagere will only open if there is enough snow to make the area safely skiable (bit of a get out of jail card that) so may well not open. Same with all other lower lifts which is understandable, so unless we have a big dump it might be busing round to ride in the Arc 2000 bowl for me.

Peisey Vallandry right now still has no snow at the bottom. They hope to run a bus to Arc 1800. To be confirmed or if enough snow at the top, then 'up lift and down lift' for beginners and for the rest across to the Transarc via Derby. I think a bus may be cheaper to run so we shall have to see?

This info is not official so you still need to wait for these details to be confirmed. It is confirmed that the published reduced lift pass rates will apply for the opening week as not all lifts will be open so I guess the pressure is off to have more than the basic lifts running.

As the week goes on it is hoped to slowly open more lifts, but this will depend on the snow conditions.

As for the pistes. The snow canons are on. See my photos. But not all of them, they would run out of water quickly if they did. The plan is to try and have linking pistes open to each station, but only if it stays cold and even then in lower areas this may be impossible to achieve. IMO, the biggest problem is beginners as they may have to travel quite a long way to get to suitable pistes. For better skiers, I am sure they will have a few nice pistes to ski on, just limited. AND unless we have a big dump, forget most of the 'off piste' unles you want to risk hitting yourself on the rocks just under the surface.

Take a look at the photos on my summer page if you would like to see what Les Arcs looks like when there is no snow.

https://www.facebook.com/LesArcsSummer

More to follow in the next few days.

Hope that helps with your planning and it is good to know we can ski somewhere.