LE GRAND BORNAND

Le Grand Bornand offers something very different to the "ski factories" of the Tarentaise.

An old village, at the heart of Reblochon country, with more than 400 traditional chalets, set at the foot of the striking Aravis range.

Parking at the main village (1000m)

It's very close to civilisation - a little over an hour from Geneva, with regular ski buses direct from Annecy.  If you get the early flight from Luton or Heathrow, you will be on the slopes by 11.30 (with a following wind).

"Le Grand Bo" has been developing quietly over the years.  Its population has risen from 1,500 in 1960s to 2,000+ now, making its current population now above 1807 levels (for more, see the wikipedia page).  It actually has more inhabitants than its better-known neighbour, La Clusaz, which boasts 130km of pistes.  There has been talk about linking the two areas via Le Danay since at least 1974/75 apparently.  The reasons for this not having happened yet appear to be as follows:

1. Local rivalries between La Clusaz and Le Grand Bo
2. Low natural snowfall - apparently there was a draglift there until 1950 but it got taken down because there wasn't enough snow, even then...
3. Environmental concerns associated with developing a virgin site
4. Environmental concerns associated with having to build a mega neige de culture facility to keep the link open (see 2 above)
5. Would it be worth the investment - it's a moyenne montagne area, very familial, people coming here aren't into the motorway piste-bashing experience you get in the Tarentaise.  Etc

I can't find much recent by way of debate about the proposals.  So, for the foreseeable future, you need to rely on what seems to be a reasonably well organised network of ski buses to access the 200km+ of Aravis pistes.

The skiing

It won't keep you going for a week, but Le Grand Bo's 90km of pistes are a lot of fun. There are a whole series of areas to explore, including a real "away from it all" valley below the Col des Annes.  It has one of France's leading snowparks.  There is a great kids' area at the top of Le Rosay gondola.  The area is peppered with restaurants.  And at 31€ for a day pass, you have money in your pocket for a plat du jour, when compared with Les  Arcs' €46...

Col des Annes (1)

                          

Col des Annes (2)

Ski geeks will find just about everything they'd wish to know about the ski areas of both Le Grand-Bo and La Clusaz is on the excellent www.ski-aravis.com site.

Day-trippers can stop in the old village where there is a car park by the two gondolas and some street parking (1000m).

At the top of Le Rosay gondola

This is probably neater than driving up to Chinaillon (the summer gateway to the Col de la Colombiere).  The pistes at Chinaillon (1300m) are great for second week skiers:

Above Chinaillon

Le Grand Bornand has been trying to brand itself as a real "sporting town" in recent years. For example, it has been very assertive in investing in its role as a regular Tour de France location.  The 2013 Tour will finish at Le Grand Bo for the fourth time in a decade - you can read more about its TDF history here and see a profile of the 2013 stage here.

                            

THE SEASON SO FAR...

Although temperatures have warmed up things over the last week or so, the season has started well, with snow conditions good or better in most French resorts.

La Rosiere from Clocheret lift, Les Arcs

For a good overview of some of the snow depths in key resorts, click here.

And to look in a little more detail at your favourite resort, you have the strangely addictive www.snoweye.com at your disposal.

Nightmare start to the season goes to La Giettaz in the Aravis.  The two new chairlifts planned for this season did not open in time for the Christmas and New Year holidays...

In Les Arcs, there's not too much new to report, although the upmarket Edenarc development is continuing its slow move up the slopes.

Les Arcs is of course one of the many resorts whose lifts are controlled by the giant Compagnie des Alpes, and they have declared war on the so-called lits froids, and plans to buy up ageing apartments ready for renting out or re-sale.  Les 2 Alpes, Serre Chevalier and Les Menuires are also on the hit list here.

At La Plagne, there is much change at Plagne Centre in terms of both lifts and an upgraded shopping centre: see www.perso-laplagne.fr for regular updates.

And there are more developments on the way....

Further up the Tarentaise, La Rosière will truly be a Premiership resort when 40kms of new lifts open in 2016/17.

Meanwhile, €140m of investment is going into 10 new lifts at Courchevel and La Tania; more here.

Away from the Tarentaise, Avoriaz is udergoing a significant makeover.  Again we see a move towards bigger apartments.  In contrast to Les Arcs, the original architect is still overseeing things.

At the other end of the spectrum, Saint-Hugues in the Chartreuse is up and running, with its bargain €10 day pass offering something completely different.

OFF THE PISTE: The Red Bull "Linecatcher"

   Updated 19 January 2012

Here's what happened:

And there's another video via Atomic Skis here.

Updated 12 January 2012

January sees a serious off-piste/backcountry ski competition come to Les Arcs. "The best free-skiers" in the word on the Fond Blanc slopes", proclaims the Dauphiné.

The "stade" is off-piste - at the Cirque du Fond Blanc, on the Arc 2000 side of the mountain.  You get there by climbing the improvised steps from the top of the Clocheret lift.  But this is not particularly encouraged; pictures will be beamed back to Place Miravidi in Arc 1800, for example.

Previous "host resorts" have included Vars and La Clusaz.

The official opening is today, with the competition proper starting on Monday.

Armchair off-piste skiers like me enjoy looking at the various options in Didier Givois' Les Clés du Paradiski, available in resort.

Le Dauphiné's preview also covered a "bluffer's guide" to the various words used in "freeski" circles, given that they all have English origins:

Rider: a name given to both skiers and snowboarders.  Only skiers are participating in the Linecatcher.

Le Freeride: The practice of ski or snowboard on a virgin (off-piste) slope.

Le Freestyle: Also for skiers and snowboarders - involves acrobatic displays of various types.  Style counts for everything.

Le Backcountry: A hybrid of freeride and freestyle, taking place on virgin slopers.  This is the discipline of the Red Bull Linecatcher.

Glad we've got that sorted!

WHAT'S NEW IN LES ARCS

Updated 13/1/13

A couple of weeks into the season, the main news in Les Arcs - as across the region - is that there is A LOT of snow.  The resort is completely full for the New Year holidays, and there are February-esque queues at the main lifts (Vagère, Arcabulle).

Belles Challes, Arc 1800, 29 Dec 2012

What's new in Les Arcs?  Well, not a lot, in reality.  There's more change going on at La Plagne - see www.perso-laplagne.fr for regular updates.  But here are 5 things the keen visitor to Les Arcs may notice during the 2012/13 season:

1. The next phase in the Edenarc development above Arc 1800 is now open

There are now two apartment blocks on the Chantel site, and plans to extend the development up the hill, including a new hotel.  It's fair to say that the units have been slow to sell (I have marketing emails from them dating from 2007, and they are still miles away from completion.  Apparently the original developers went bust).  According to the website, work will start in "December 2013" (sic) on the new hotel, but it hasn't been updated for a while.  A "telecabine" of some description is also planned, which will replace the ancient Chantel chairlift, and give a more direct link between the Edenarc satellite and the main resort.

For more on Charlotte Perriand's original design for the Chantel site click here.

Left on the drawing board.
 Perriand's design for Chantel Haut

2. The Aiguille Grive hotel has NOT opened

This new 4 star hotel/chalet development is on the site of the much-loved-and-now-demolished Aiguille Grive restaurant, formerly run by Gilles and Annick.  It cost 5.3m € to build, and promises a luxury that is rare in Arc 1800.  The website is up, they've had a bit of press coverage.  But the doors are closed.  To be continued...(13/1/13: apparently there is an issue with the electricity certificates - there were people on site last week).

3.  The Arc 1800 cinema is CLOSED

This is a real blow, taking away one of the few non-skiing activities.  Given that Brits are at least 30% of visitors, the management didn't help themselves too much by ignoring the wonders of English subtitles and showing Hollywood blockbusters in the dubbed French versions only.  But it's a big shame, and an online petition has been launched calling for it to be saved. (13/1/13: one stumbling block appears to be the costs associated with upgrading the cinema to digital format).

4.  The Aux Enfants Terribles restaurant above Peisey has been extended

It now has a new "lower deck" including a self-service bar.   A good move, as it's a popular spot, and these latest changes open up a "budget eating" option.  For more on eating on the slopes click here.

Aux Enfants Terribles 

5.  Famous visitors

The Aux Enfants Terribles management also run the Arpette restaurant above Arc 1800. This was the location for the sighting of disgraced French politician Dominque Strauss-Kahn this Christmas.  "DSK" was spotted eating at this "très simple" establishment, queuing up along with everyone else.  More here.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? New lifts for Les Arcs

It's more than 50 years since the first ski lift appeared in the area, linking Bourg St Maurice to Les Granges.  And the last 10 years have seen some big changes, with draglifts almost eradicated.  The whole Arc 1600/1800/Peisey flank of the valley can now be negotiated using fast chairs - more on the history here.

Before the Edenarc: The Chantel site at Arc 1800

The excellent Espace Arcadien site has carefully prepared a series of short essays on each lift.  Among the fascinating facts:

• The Peisey Lift was the first Leitner construction in France, and isn't ageing well
• The Pré-Saint-Esprit lift, at 15 minutes, is the slowest in Les Arcs
• The Bois de l'Ours lift reduced journey times from 7 mins to 3, and waiting times from 20 mins to 5...

What next?

It seems the next developments will be at Arc 1800, with a chair and potentially a mini-gondola to serve Chantel and Edenarc.

Meanwhile, no-one is clear when the 32-year old Pré Saint Esprit will finally be pensioned off. Espace Aradien reckons maybe around 2015.

And some have dreams that the Col de la Chal (the slope facing the Nancroix valley on other side of the Transarc) will be opened up by a new chairlift.  Others - the mairie at Peisey, the départemet and "the ecologists" are less keen.  This projet is very very unlikely to ever see the day. 

THE HISTORY OF LES ARCS: A Timeline

To bring you up to speed with all things to do with Les Arcs:

1.  Here's a bluffer's guide.

2.  Here's an A-Z of the area.

3. And here are the key dates in the resort's history:

1961: First ski lifts, at 850m, from Bourg St Maurice to Les Granges
1968: Arc 1600
1974: Arc 1800

THEN: Pierra Menta, Arc 1800 (Charvet), 1970s

NOW: Arc 1800 (Charmetogger): The site of the former
Aiguille Grive restaurant, now being developed
 as a hotel, 2011-12

1979: Arc 2000
1980: Death of Robert Blanc
1982: Link to VIllaroger opens
1996: Tour de France arrives at Arc 1800
2003: Arc 1950
2009: Les Arcs Film Festival
2011: Opening of stage 1 of Edenarc at Arc 1800

For more, see the Les Arcs Wikipedia entry, which includes the installation dates for every single lift....

THE BIG SCREEN: The Les Arcs Film Festival

Les Arcs has a number of cinemas: Bourg St Maurice (which has a special architecture of the 20th century label), Arc 1600, Arc 1800, Arc 1950...

But it has only recently had its own film festival.

It's never been a resort which opens really early, ie the minute December arrives and there's enough snow.  It's too far from Geneva & Lyon, and has no "special features" like the glaciers of Tignes or Les 2 Alpes.

The Film Festival has become a real focal point around the start of the season.  Without it, the slopes would be the preserve of Staffordshire, Surrey and Coventry universities (who are on the agenda for this season).

It started slowly, but seems to have found its niche.  More here.  The idea is that it is an opportunity for independent film from across Europe to get a good airing.  Each year there is a "special focus" (Belgium in 2012), and each year there are various meetings and workshops for film makers, producers, etc.

The official site is here.

Salle Bernard Taillefur - the Arc 1800 equivalent of the Millennium  Dome

Alongside the 14 Belgian films there are also French premiers for two British productions, namely I, Anna and Shadow Dancer.  Thanks to www.lesarcsnet.com for the link.

Along with all these films are some quite good posters.  La saison de ski, c'est parti!