The huge investment in the ski area continues unabated! These new investments total €180 million and bring the latest technology to Paradiski in both chairlifts and snowmaking.
This summer has seen the removal and replacement of the Pre-Saint Esprit chairlift in Arc 2000. The new lift boasts twice the capacity and twice the altitude gain in half the time! At 3km long it is the longest in France and takes only 8.5 minutes! This will make a huge difference to the Arc 2000 and Arc 1950 areas and will mean more of the area will be skiable during adverse weather conditions. Just to ensure your absolute comfort, they've included heated seats and covers as well!
As if that wasn't enough, the Valley des Arcs has had a facelift, the piste has been widened and sculpted to even out the gradient. This will be an excellent area for beginner skiers from Arc 2000 and Arc 1950 to progress and has been aided by the addition of snowmaking to help ensure the snow both early and later in the season.
Let's hope that safety has been considered as well and that skiers skiing recklessly around slow moving beginners are discouraged if not monitored.
Another huge development is the new Club Med site being developed alongside the Mont Blanc piste in Arc 1600. Housing 1,050 beds it will be the showpiece for Club Med in the Alps, offering both 4 & 5 Trident accommodation. At a cost of €93 million euros, Club Med have really invested in Les Arcs as both a summer and winter destination.
The EdenArc development in Arc 1800 has added it's next stage in the development. Offering 4 & 5 star accommodation, a 2nd swimming pool and an outdoor Jacuzzi with a view of the ski slopes in the winter and the golf course in summer. This is completed by a 200 m2 spa with 4 treatment rooms, several relaxation rooms, a Turkish bath and a sauna. This high-end offer further enriches the existing development which includes a 250 m2 aqua-centre with an indoor/outdoor pool, a 68 m2 spa pool, a sauna, a Turkish bath and a fitness room.
Les Arcs has added 80 additional snowmaking machines in addition to the existing 475 machines. The majority of these have been added to the Arc 2000, Arc 1950 and Villaroger ski areas. This is all backed by a new dedicated snow laboratory. All water used will be recycled from the previous seasons thaw and stored in reservoirs over summer. Great care is being taken to protect the environment.
The fact that 70% of the Les Arcs ski area is above 2,000m and now 61% is also covered by snowmaking which means that snow will be ensured from the start until the end of the season leading to a snow guarantee being marketed by Les Arcs!
Also, a new free bus will be running all winter in Bourg Saint Maurice, making reaching the funicular even easier than before!
Finally, the big news is that Alberto is back for Aim snowsports for the entire winter, so look out for us on the slopes!
These are some great developments and highlight the potential for the ski area. Here's looking forward to a great winter!