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Les Arcs 1950 and 2000 is a new generation of ski resort – a generation that is evolving from the latest demands for high altitude snow and pretty chalet style architecture. Naturally this demand has stemmed from the worries about snow-surety, and is pushing the elite developers to higher climes.

With a new trend in boutique resorts and the modern day demand for ski holidays with altitude, savvy developers are now building their residences up high with state of the art fittings and health centres, whilst loosening their grip on the dreaded concrete touch that ruined so may of those purpose-built high rise resorts of the 1960’s – a common concrete theme that is still evident in many high altitude ski resorts today.

Les Arcs 2000 is ‘new generation’ because it has been designed from scratch for the skier in mind, rather than having grown organically from a farming village. The ski chalets are purpose built but emulate an almost swiss ‘chocolate box’ feel. The now standardised swimming pool, sauna and mini gym highlight the modern-day demand for a more rounded ski holiday where one can choose between apres ski antics, or a less hedionistic approach if relaxation and well being is at the top of one’s agenda?

However not all resorts can offer a ‘new-gen’ developer the necessary attributes to market their resort to the informed modern day skier, because not all resorts have the much needed glacier for year round snow. Nor do they have ski to door access, and moreover the necessary carte blanche for new build projects.But neither do many resorts have the extensive skiing, and neither do they have the wide motorway style pistes to suit the modern day parabolic carving ski.

Les Arcs on the other hand offers some of the highest altitude snow in France, and doorstep glacier skiing to those that stay in Arc 2000. The resort has increased further in popularity with the addition of the twelve million euro ‘Vanoise Express’ cable car that spans the valley to link it directly with neighbouring ski resort La Plagne, which forms the huge Paradiski area and the 4th largest ski area in Europe.

The Paradiski encompasses 17 alpine villages and over 460 kilometres of ski slopes, varying in style and difficulty.

Skiers will find variety to suit all levels and ages in Les Arcs, with family facilities that give an air of confidence when entrusting your littl’uns to any of a number of local creches and day care facilities.

Snowboarders will also revel in the variety of facilities on offer. The Regis Rolland ‘A Boards’ designed Snow Park is one of the best I have seen and offers budding air enthusiasts and experts the chance to hone their skills on well cut jumps of all sizes.

The cafe culture and boutique shopping within Arc 1950 provides Les Arcs with the facilities to rival most Canadian super resorts. It conveys a wonderful atmosphere that depicts the lost feeling of skiing as it should be.

A feeling of cosy chalet-style and boutique skiing comforts, rather than a close association with concrete high-rise shoe box apartments, and that gung-ho ‘I’ll-sleep-anywhere-just-so-long-as-I-can-ski’ machismo that those in their pink fluorescent all-in-one’s like to display.

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