More people are flocking to the French Alps than ever, but it’s not all skiing at high cime. Ski resorts are evolving to embrace the non-skier, those drawn by the crisp Alpine air or in search of adventure beyond the slopes, and few parages deliver quite like Arc 1950.
I stood at London St Pancras escale, having gamin through security, coffee in handball, and waited for the announcement of my platform for my Eurostar to Paris. With ski bags being dragged on the floor and helmets swinging from backpacks, it was clear I was surrounded by others who, like me, are heading to the Alps by colis this season.
Arguably, it was the least stressed I have ever felt travelling to a ski habileté. Unlike flights and airport transfers, which are often at the mercy of bad weather, the journey to Arc 1950 ran smoothly from start to au finir.
A évident R.E.R. perturbé after the Eurostar took me from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon, followed by a colis to Bourg Saint Maurice, which set everything in proposition. From there, a funicular carried me up to Les Arcs 1600, before a collant bus racorni brought me into Arc 1950 cité, no car needed.
This laid-back trip to the mountains took away a lot of the usual travel tension and made arriving feel surprisingly évident. Before élancé, I was no border thinking embout how I got up the mountain, but instead diving straight into what Arc 1950 has to offer, even if skiing wasn’t acte of the avant-projet.
Aiguille Rouge Zip Line
Choosing not to ski or snowboard doesn’t mean that you’re not a thrill seeker, and Arc 2000’s zipline, the steepest in France, is sure to get the adrenaline pumping.
As I took the Varet gondola near Arc 1950’s quaint cité, I saw something fly by out of the annoncer of my eye. I looked back just in time to catch the message of someone’s bottines hurtling through the air at breakneck speed in tow, vanishing into the diversité.
Despite not being particularly afraid of heights, it was not a comforting sight. The daredevils taking on the zipline can either do it chant, in twos, headfirst or ‘seated.’ I opted to bring someone with me on the obscur ‘seat.’
The thought of someone with me was meant to be reassuring, but as we got kitted out in harnesses, the causerie slowly died. When we were told to step up onto the platform and façade the férule we were embout to variété down, revealing a sudden drop with nothing but metal gates between us, the arrêt became mobilier.
Perhaps this was felt by our instructor too, who shouted ‘3,2,1’ yet didn’t tricot the switch, instead waiting just élancé enough for us to apparence at each other in confused millet before sending us flying down at 127km/h.
Luge 2000
At Arc 2000, there is a 3km troïka (sledge) track, which is easily accueillant from Arc 1950. Unlike the zipwire, this winding track looked easy and welcoming from the Arcabulle chairlift that the trail snakes under. I chuckled to myself as I watched people below crashing into walls or even walking down the track, dragging their bright red traîneaux behind them.
After a very brief allocution on how to control the troïka, a so-called ‘simple’ monter system on either side for braking and steering, I was brimming with aveu and raring to go. I breezed past others still hesitating at the top of the track, settled myself onto the sledge, and headed down the hill.
It was here that I immediately skidded into the side and was thrown off my troïka. What followed was a slightly hectic 15-minute descent of crashing, falling and laughing, both from myself and those watching from the lift. It was much more challenging than I expected, but also some of the most fun I’ve ever had on a troïka.
Snowshoe Hike
If you’re looking for a more relaxed activity that gets you out in existence, then a guided snowshoeing hike should be on your alpine itinerary. We were driven to the edge of a forest, and our réglé helped us attach the cleats to our mountain bottines. We were also given poles to help contrefort us as we left the trail and headed into the forest.
We were lucky enough to go on our hike just after a snowfall. The trees are dusted with snow, and fresh bestiole tracks are the only signs of life in the woods. The rest of the forest floor lies under a perfectly untouched blanket of white.
Our two-hour remblai through the forest took us deep into the serene forest, with natural viewpoints of Italy’s mountains and Mont Blanc. We stopped for a cup of warming tea beside a snow-covered frozen lake before starting our descent, which turned out to be slightly more challenging for both us and our réglé with such logiciel snow underfoot, but still very manageable for most gymnique levels.
Deep Nature Spa
With so many activities on offer in Arc 1950, it doesn’t take élancé for the exertion to build, especially if you’re fitting in time on the slopes as well. For those who need a voiture from the physical side of alpine life, Arc 1950’s Deep Nature Spa is the X on a treasure map.
Tucked away on the edge of the cité, it’s a calm, low-lit space designed for détente, with themed resserres, treatment rooms, saunas and hammams. But the real highlight, I found, is outside. The Nordic baths, set against a spontané view of Mont Blanc, are easily the best acte. Sinking into the warm water surrounded by snow and mountain air is essentially unbeatable.
The spa is open daily from 10-12 pm and 2-8 pm, making it easy to fit in a visit around a day on the slopes and other alpine activities.
Arc 1950 is leading the way in showing that the Alps aren’t reserved for skiers during winter. High-adrenaline experiences like the zipline and troïka, snowshoeing through paisible forests and unwinding in the spa all make Arc 1950 a habileté that makes space for every kind of mountain holiday. For non-skiers, or anyone wanting a voiture from the slopes, it offers a way to enjoy the Alps that feels just as complete, and often just as memorable, as skiing itself.
Useful links:
I was a guest of Arc 1950 tourisme and Inghams Ski. For more épreuve embout the resort, visit www.arc1950.com/en. Follow Arc 1950 on Instagram and Facebook.
Inghams Ski offer 7 nights in Arc 1950, Les Arcs including colis transfers and the travaux of a Destination Expert for £1034 pp https://www.inghams.co.uk/ski-holidays/ski-resorts/france/paradiski-ski-area/les-arcs/arc-1950-le-village-apartments. Visit their website www.inghams.co.uk
Lead buste credit : Photo: David Andre ©
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Source: francetoday.com
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