LA PLAGNE'S GREAT DESCENT: From the Glacier to Montchauvin

Much is made of the epic descent in Les Arcs, from the mighty Aiguille Rouge at 3226, all the way down to the pastures of Villaroger 2000m below.

Very few resorts can claim to have ski runs giving 2000m vertical.  La Plagne is one of them.  Its own great descent takes you from the Bellecote glacier, at around 3250m, all the way down to Montchauvin.  But it is rather less well known.  For two good reasons...

The trip starts on La Plagne's rustic/"urban" gondola from Roche de Mio over to the glacier area, followed by the new Traversée chairlift.  

The glacier at La Plagne

This 2000m descent has been on and off La Plagne's piste map for years.

Here's one example, which shows the pistes (regardless of whether you take the black or red/blue versions) finishing at 2300m.  There is no piste down towards Les Bauches and the Vanoise Express.  And the oh-so-fancy interactive Paradiski map doesn't have it either (yet).

This is where the newly resurrected Derochoir piste comes in.  It was on the piste map until 1987, was then retired and became an off-piste route.  And now, following a series of works by the lift company, it's back.  Skiers taking this route are warned with a big sign saying (from memory) "68% gradient - good skiers only".  But it's just too enticing for many.  Carnage ensues:

The Derochoir piste

There are no nasty cliffs to fall off, but it is icy, busy and has some narrow sections. Stay patient and you should be fine.  But it is harder than anything on the Aiguille Rouge-Villaroger run.

If you survive the Derochoir, you ski down a beautiful deserted valley to your next challenge.

To avoid taking a lift, and therefore keeping to the "2000m in one descent mission", you have to take the Les Bauches blue.  This sounds delightful.  However, a sign warns you that this is, er, on the flat side:

2km of flat piste awaits

This is indeed a correct assessment.  But if you persevere, in perfect solitude, your poling will lead you to the Vanoise Express sector, with a clear run all the way down to Montchauvin at 1250m...

A WEEK IN ARC 1800: The Non-Skier's Guide

Updated 10 Feb 2013

Les Arcs cannot claim to be the best destination for non-skiers.  All is not lost, however. Here are some things to do if you are going to be in Arc 1800 for a week, and have some time to kill....

SATURDAY

Take the bus to 1600 and then the funicular down to the market in Bourg Saint Maurice. The Grand Rue is quite animated, and the assembled stalls sell more cheese, ham and jam than you can shake a stick at.  There's even a horse butcher.  It starts at 8 and is over by lunchtime, so you'll need to be organised.  After lunch you could have a swim in the municipal pool, which is on the road to Tignes and Les Arcs.

SUNDAY

To the top of the Transarc to see the Grotte de Glace.  This is actually quite good - each year there is a different theme.  During November they create an ice cave, and then expert sculptors do their thing.  The only downside is that the adjacent restaurant (La Creche) isn't Les Arcs' finest.  But it's a good place to meet skiers and the view from the terrace looking over to the Nancroix valley is great.  The Transarc is one of the lifts open to non-skiers (see below).

MONDAY

Snow-shoe walking.  This "snow art" below the Varet lift (below) was created by a gifted snow-shoer, by the way.  (Search for "Simon Beck" on Google to see his latest work). There are quite a lot of organised outings - Arc Aventures have a daily programme, as do the ESF in both 1800 and 1600.  Some outings go from the top of the Tranarc; others in the forests above 1800 and particularly in the 1600/Courbaton sector.

TUESDAY

Les chiens de traineau are not cheap, but it is an amazing experience.  Their kennels have now moved from the Comborciere lift to Arc 1800, so the dogs can be closer to their clients.  More here.  

                          

WEDNESDAY

Check in at the Hotel du Golf.  You can get good deals out of high season if you book direct.  And they now have a small pool/spa complex which will be nice and quiet during the day.

THURSDAY

Running out of options here, but today might be the day to take the bus round to Arc 2000 and meet your skiing chums at the Chalets de l'Arc (more on restaurants in Les Arcs here.)   Pedestrians can (just about) make it to the Varet lift, and onwards to the Aiguille Rouge at 3226m).

If it snows or rains, the option of going to see a film in Arc 1800 and Arc 1600 is sadly no longer available.  (The cinema in Bourg St Maurice on the main road is a listed building by the way).  Occasionally some of the big blockbusters are shown in "v.o.", with English subtitles.  Of course if you come before Christmas, you can immerse yourself in an entire film festival.

FRIDAY

Connect with the "real France" by going back down to Bourg St Maurice and taking the train to Chambéry, which has a lovely setting, a fine old town and some good shopping.

Chambéry is, by some distance, the largest town in Savoie, is the capital of the department, a university town and one of the few places in the area to vote for the Parti Socialiste.  More on the town here.

It is also home to a noted handball team, which regularly records attendances of 5,000+.

AND FINALLY....

The tourist and lift pass offices sell a special "pedestrian guide", which includes one or two other attractions eg the "luge run", which goes from the top of the Transarc down to Arc 2000.  A day's lift pass for pedestrians was €16.50 in 2011/12, with the following lifts on offer: Transarc 1 and 2, Arcabulle, Vallandry, Vanoise Express and the Funiculaire.

THE GREAT DESCENT: Aiguille Rouge to Villaroger

Updated 13 Jan 2013

Les Arcs' finest run is the Aiguille Rouge descent, which takes you from 3200m all the way down to 1200m.  In days of old it was a black, then it was (more appropriately) graded red.  Now it's back to black again - presumably to make the skiers making the trip feel good about themselves.  There are various by-passes and alternative black/blue options as you get lower down.  One of the hardest pistes is a short black section (marked red on the piste map...) in the Planay area.

The Villaroger area was opened in 1982.  It all feels very old fashioned and rustic, certainly compared with Arc 2000.  The lifts are slow, the mountain steeper, and the snow tricker.  As the Espace Arcadien site points out, the lifts really ageing now, but there's little need for an upgrade given the small numbers who make it over here.  Allow 20 minutes to get yourself back to the foot of the Drosets lift.

You start by getting the James-Bond style cable car above Arc 2000.  Note the architecture of the cable car station - it is has been awarded a special architecture of the 20th century award.  For more on Les Arcs' architecture click here.

Most of the shots here were taken during April, which means you start off in winter in the haute montagne and finish in a green-white spring setting down in Villaroger.  A beer in La Ferme is the target.

Ski-trainspotters can revel in being able to see the slopes of La Plagne, La Rosiere, Ste-Foy and Tignes during the descent.  Here's the Grande Motte from the Aiguille Rouge summit.

The Bellecote summit of La Plagne reaches similar heights. But the Aiguille Rouge summit feels higher somehow.  There is no restaurant - just a first aid post.  And, of course, a 360 degree view - these folk are looking over towards the Beaufortain
and Moutiers.

At the foot of the glacier you take a right towards Villaroger, rather than taking the direct route down to Arc 2000:




If you are having a leisurely descent, stop at the Solliet restaurant below the Droset chair.  You used to often see the husky dogs here.  They had a kennel down by the Comborciere lift, and took their guests over to the Solliet for a chocolat chaud.   This season, chief musher Hervé has moved the dogs over to Arc 1800, so he can be closer to the bulk of his clients.

The Solliet changed hands a few years ago, and has recently been extended.  It's a fine place to stop, with views towards Le Monal, Le Miroir and Ste-Foy.



The piste below the Solliet gets very heavy during late season 

afternoons, and doesn't keep its snow particularly well.

On to the home run, just above Villaroger.  By now you are likely to be all alone.

Just above Le Pré (Villaroger), the piste/winter ends, and the footpath/spring begins.

The view across to the Villaroger chair lift.  Anyone coming from Tignes or Val d'Isere for the day should park here rather than trek round to Bourg St-Maurice.

As you can see, every effort is made to keep the run open until April, and there is now artificial snow-making on the lower slopes.   Here's a more wintery view, from January 2013:

                                        

Given its relative fame, there are of course various videos to be found on YouTube.  

This one seems as good as any: