Top altitude
3226m
Pistes
200 km
Season
December – April
Price range
€22–€45/day
Les Arcs spreads across four base villages — 1600, 1800, 1950, and 2000 — all connected by ski lifts rather than roads, so you can arrive by train at Bourg-Saint-Maurice and take the funicular up. Arc 1950 is the newest, built in 2003 in traditional Savoyard style; Arc 2000 sits closest to the glacier skiing on the Aiguille Rouge at 3,226m.
What matters in 30 seconds
We’re an aggregator, so here’s the honest picture: which shop is where, what’s near which lift, and the starting price. Tap a pin or a table row — they’re linked — then sort by price or by distance to the lift, or filter by area and level.
| # | Shop | Level | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Précision Ski Bourg-Saint-Maurice Bourg-Saint-Maurice · Valley-town prices beside the station: collect gear before you ride the funicular up. | ≈€20* | Funicular to Arc 1600 ≈50 m · 1 min | All levels |
| 16 | Skimium Bourg-Saint-Maurice Bourg-Saint-Maurice · Cheapest rental in the area, next to the funicular station — worth it if you arrive by train. | ≈€20* | Funicular to Arc 1600 at the station | Beginner to intermediate |
| 11 | Arc Ski Loc Arc 1600 · Independent budget shop in the oldest and quietest of the Arc villages. | ≈€21* | Cachette chairlift (Arc 1600) ≈200 m · 3 min | Beginner to intermediate |
| 3 | Skiset Golf Sport 1800 Allée de Bellecôte, Arc 1800 · Closest counter to the Arc 1800 snow front — 60 m from clipping in. Up to 40% off online | ≈€22* | Arc 1800 front de neige (Mélèzes) ≈50 m · 1 min | Beginner to intermediate |
| 7 | Skiset Arc 2000 Arc 2000 · Budget counter in the Arc 2000 base, a short walk from the Varet gondola. Up to 40% off online | ≈€22* | Cabriolet (Arc 2000) ≈150 m · 2 min | Beginner to intermediate |
| 14 | Bérard Skishop Vallandry, Peisey-Nancroix · Long-standing local shop; cheaper than the Arc villages for the same brands. | ≈€22* | Vallandry gondola ≈100 m · 1 min | Beginner to intermediate |
| 8 | Skimium Snow Dream Arc 2000 · Quieter alternative on the far side of the Arc 2000 front, less queue on Saturday. | ≈€24* | Cabriolet (Arc 2000) ≈200 m · 2 min | All levels |
| 12 | Sport 2000 Vallandry Centre Commercial de Vallandry · Forty metres from the Vallandry gondola and a few minutes from the Vanoise Express to La Plagne. | ≈€24* | Vallandry gondola at the station | All levels |
| 9 | Sport 2000 – Christina Sports Place du Soleil 12, Arc 1600 · On the Place du Soleil, the small square at the top of the funicular from Bourg-Saint-Maurice. | ≈€25* | Cachette chairlift (Arc 1600) ≈100 m · 2 min | Family / all levels |
| 13 | INTERSPORT Vallandry Vallandry, Peisey-Nancroix · Wooded, quieter side of the domain — the base to pick for tree runs and flat-light days. | ≈€25* | Vallandry gondola ≈50 m · 1 min | Beginner to advanced |
| 1 | INTERSPORT Arc 1800 – Charvet Allée Commerces du Charvet, Arc 1800 · Main rental in the Charvet gallery, the busiest of the Arc 1800 shopping levels. Web price below counter price | ≈€26* | Arc 1800 front de neige (Mélèzes) ≈200 m · 2 min | Beginner to performance |
| 6 | INTERSPORT Arc 2000 Arc 2000 · Highest village base at 2,000 m and the natural place to gear up for the Aiguille Rouge. | ≈€26* | Cabriolet (Arc 2000) ≈100 m · 2 min | Beginner to expert |
| 10 | INTERSPORT Arc 1600 Route du Funiculaire, Arc 1600 · Right on the funicular road — collect skis within minutes of stepping off the train link. | ≈€26* | Cachette chairlift (Arc 1600) ≈100 m · 1 min | Beginner to advanced |
| 2 | Précision Ski Arc 1800 Galerie Pierra Menta, Arc 1800 · Proper boot-fitting bench and a demo fleet — the shop to use if your feet have opinions. Up to 50% off online | ≈€27* | Arc 1800 front de neige (Mélèzes) ≈250 m · 3 min | All levels + demo |
| 4 | Skishop 1950 Arc 1950 village · In the pedestrian heart of Arc 1950, the newest and most polished of the villages. | ≈€28* | Cabriolet (Arc 1950) ≈100 m · 1 min | All levels |
| 5 | Le Manoir Ski Service Rue de la Piste des Étoiles 206, Arc 1950 · Premium end of the Arc 1950 rental market, with overnight servicing. | ≈€32* | Cabriolet (Arc 1950) ≈200 m · 2 min | Performance / demo |
Prices are a starting point for a skis + boots + poles set per day; check the shop’s calendar for your dates (peak weeks cost more). * ≈ = market estimate; exact figures shown for shops that publish a price list. Renting in Les Arcs is car-free — see “Getting there” below.
Les Arcs spreads across 6 bases, and where you rent decides how far you carry skis on the first morning. Every shop below is grouped by area, with its nearest lift and the cheapest set on offer — rent where you’re staying and you can ski straight from the door.
3 shops from €22/day · by Arc 1800 front de neige (Mélèzes)
2 shops from €28/day · by Cabriolet (Arc 1950)
3 shops from €22/day · by Cabriolet (Arc 2000)
3 shops from €21/day · by Cachette chairlift (Arc 1600)
3 shops from €22/day · by Vallandry gondola
2 shops from €20/day · by Funicular to Arc 1600
| Level | Per day | 6 days |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner / all-round set | €22 | €100 |
| Sport / all-mountain | €32 | €145 |
| Performance / demo | €45 | €200 |
Indicative 2025/26 daily rates for skis + boots. Prices sit level with La Plagne across the valley; booking online rather than at the counter saves 25–40%, and the shops down in Bourg-Saint-Maurice undercut the mountain villages if you are arriving by train anyway.
Bourg-Saint-Maurice is the end of the TGV and Eurostar ski-train lines, and the funicular from the station reaches Arc 1600 in seven minutes — the reason Les Arcs is one of the easiest big Alpine resorts to reach without a car. By road the villages are 30–45 minutes of hairpins above the town. Airports: roughly 2 h from Chambéry, 3 h from Geneva and 3 h from Lyon, with heavy Saturday traffic through the Tarentaise valley.
The Arc villages are car-light and built in pedestrian tiers, so most people ski to their door. Shops keep overnight storage, which matters if you are staying in Bourg-Saint-Maurice and commuting up the funicular — leave skis and boots at the top rather than carrying them on the train twice a day.
✈️ Transfer · GetTransfer partner
Geneva airport → Les Arcs
About 3 h by road. If you are coming from Paris or London the train to Bourg-Saint-Maurice plus the funicular is usually faster door-to-door and avoids the Saturday transfer queues entirely.
Get a transfer via GetTransfer →Come by train, use the funicular
Seven minutes from the Bourg-Saint-Maurice platform to Arc 1600 beats a three-hour airport transfer, and the valley shops rent cheaper than the mountain ones.
Rent in the village you sleep in
Arc 1600, 1800, 1950/2000 and Peisey-Vallandry are separate bases. A shop in the wrong one costs you a bus or a lift chain every morning.
Ski the Aiguille Rouge early
The top lift is wind-sensitive and the run to Villaroger is long. Go in the morning, and check the return lifts are running before you commit to the bottom.
Flat light? Go to Peisey-Vallandry
The western side has proper trees, and it is also the closest base to the Vanoise Express if you fancy a day in La Plagne.
Book online before Saturday
Counter prices on changeover day are the highest of the week, and the popular sizes go first. Reserving online saves 25–40% and skips the queue.
Beginner sets run about €20–25 a day, all-mountain gear €30–35 and performance skis €42–50. Booking online rather than walking in saves 25–40%, and the shops in Bourg-Saint-Maurice are cheaper again than the mountain villages.
Whichever one you are staying in. Arc 1800 has the most shops, Arc 1950 and 2000 are highest and closest to the Aiguille Rouge, Arc 1600 sits at the top of the funicular, and Peisey-Vallandry is the quiet wooded end near the Vanoise Express.
Yes, more easily than most Alpine resorts. TGV and Eurostar ski trains run to Bourg-Saint-Maurice, and the funicular reaches Arc 1600 in seven minutes — running 13 December 2025 to 26 April 2026.
The Paradiski pass covers both, about 425 km of piste linked by the Vanoise Express from Peisey-Vallandry. A Les Arcs-only pass is cheaper, and you can add a crossing for roughly €26 a day when you want it.
Yes, though its reputation says otherwise. Arc 1800 and Peisey-Vallandry both have gentle learner terrain and dedicated beginner lifts; the steep reputation comes from the Aiguille Rouge and Villaroger, which you can simply avoid.
About 7 km from the 3,226 m summit down to Villaroger at roughly 1,200 m — around 2,000 m of vertical, the longest continuous descent in Paradiski. Allow a full morning and check the lifts back up before you start.
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