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| Airport | Distance to Les Arcs | Approx. transfer time by road |
| Chambery | 144km | 2 hours |
| Geneva | 226km | 2 hours 30 minutes |
| Grenoble | 212km | 2 hours 30 minutes |
| Lyon St Exupery | 222km | 2 hours 45 minutes |
Flying
Chambery is the closest airport but facilities are limited and it can get very crowded on Saturdays and Sundays. Grenoble is also close but Geneva has more flexibility with routes and the best all round facilities. Lyon St Exupery airport also close enough to Les Arcs. However, the charter section of this airport is probably the most notorious in the Alps and often referred to as the cattle shed.
Train
Unfortunately there are only a couple of trains a week - normally Fridays and Saturdays. Eurostar runs a direct train from London on these days. The Snowtrain, run by Rail Europe, means a change in Paris but you can party all night in their legendary ‘disco carriage'! All trains can be booked with Rail Europe, although frustratingly, trains in France can only be booked 60 days or less in advance.
When booking a train you want to go to Bourg St Maurice. It is the same price and the tickets will often show this as the destination. If going to Plan Peisey, Peisey Nancroix or Vallandry it can be easier to get off the train at Aime (or Landry, if you can find a taxi company to use there and pre-book it). It is only Arcs 1600 that you can easily access using the funiculaire from Bourg St Maurice. The direct trains do not allow for boarding at Aime or Landry so it is necessary to go to Bourg St Maurice for the homebound journey. The reason for this is that the smaller stations do not have the equipment to scan luggage. Leave plenty of time for the scanning process at Bourg.
Bus transfers are the most economical way to travel to resort from the airport or train station. If possible, try to book your tickets well in advance - the buses can get very busy and some companies act on a reservation-only basis.
Hiring a car is the most flexible option of travelling to Les Arcs and it means you can travel around to see other resorts. Be aware though that you will have to probably have to park your car in paid parking for your time there, unless your accommodation comes with free parking. (Be aware you are required by law to carry snowchains).
For door-to-door, taxis are a good option, although not the cheapest.
Self-drive
Driving to Les Arcs will take you about 12 hours once you reach Calais or Boulogne. The motorways are the quickest route but you will have to pay around €50-60 in toll charges each way. If you are driving down on a Saturday, beware that the road after Albertville becomes a bottleneck for all traffic heading to the ski resorts in this part of the Alps.
For Les Arcs follow the signs for Bourg St Maurice. For Plan Peisey, Peisey Nancroix and Vallandry there is a turn off between Aime and Bourg St Maurice. For the other villages of Les Arcs go to Bourg St Maurice and follow the signs.
To help with driving routes, check out www.rac.co.uk or www.drivingabroad.co.uk for directions and tips. You are required by law to carry snow chains.
www.skilesarcs.co.uk
| Report date: | 30 Apr 2008 |
|---|---|
| Last snowed: | na |
| Fresh snow: | cm |
| Lifts open: | na out of 54 |
Snow depth | |
| Lower slopes: | 0cm |
| Upper slopes: | 0cm |
Piste information | |
| On-piste: | na |
| Off-piste: | na |
| Resort runs: | na |
