Alpine Skiing
Alpine Essence makes it possible for you to wake up to a fresh, crisp alpine morning with the exciting feeling that you’ll soon be on the slopes of Paradiski.
First, enjoy hot coffee and croissants whilst gazing out of the window at the sun’s first rays, warming the frozen trails.
You’ll soon be wrapped up warm, outside, preparing yourself and your family for an incredible day ahead discovering all that the mountains have to offer.
Snowboarding and skiing in Paradiski
Snowboarding and skiing in Peisey-Vallandry is a lasting memory - many of our guests return year after year. We have everything you need, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced skier.
The Les Arcs/Peisey-Vallandry ski domain is part of the Paradiski area. When combined with La Plagne, there are 425 km of ski slopes. In just 4 minutes the Vanoise Express cable car whisks visitors over the valley to La Plagne giving you access to a playground you will never forget.
Paradiski is one of the largest ski areas in France with 262 slopes, 70% of which are above 2000 metres. The area boasts 2 glaciers over 3000m, 2 snow parks, a half pipe, ice cave, toboggan runs, spas, a tyrolien and much much more.
Beginners skiing
For beginners, the Peisey-Vallandry ski area offers two nursery slopes for small children - one in Vallandry and one in Plan-Peisey. On top of this there is a multitude of gentle slopes further up the mountain, where it’s easy to learn with a whole new area dedicated to beginners and improving your level.
There are also two beginner poma lifts one at the top of the Peisey chairlift and the other at the top of the Vallandry lift, where your ski instructor will take you to learn once you have mastered the basic. A quiet area to sharpen up your newly acquired skills as a skier or snowboarder.
Once you’ve attained your ski legs, the entire ski area can be discovered on blue pistes. From top to bottom, Les Arcs back to Peisey-Vallandry. Although we recommend giving yourself enough time and energy to return safely to Peisey-Vallandry.
Pistes of Les Arcs/Peisey-Vallandry
Almost all of the pistes are prepared by piste bashers (snowploughs) overnight but a few are left natural, ready to challenge high-level skiers. These are marked on the piste map as Natur’.
What is wonderful about Peisey-Vallandry is the numerous runs through the trees with stunning views. Most of these slopes are protected from the high winds and bad-visibility-weather and they get a maximum amount of sun too. Who could ask for more?
The ski area for more advanced
Within Paradiski, there are two summits towering over the resorts at 3000 metres altitude, both with 360° panoramas and outstanding views of Mont Blanc.
At the top of the Aiguille Rouge, in Les Arcs, you’ll find a viewing platform just a short walk from the top of the gondola. The views over the Alps are amazing - be sure to stop for photos. You could even have a snack on a nice day.
A legendary 7-kilometre run descends 2000 metres from the glacier at the top of the Aiguille Rouge at 3226 metres, to the forests below. To complete the run, head toward the little village, Villaroger down at 1200 metres. Everyone has to try this once!
Over in La Plagne La Chiaupe glacier sits at 3200 metres altitude. Take the Roche de Mio gondola, up both sections to the rocks and snow high above, even in the summer months.
The gondola stops about 400 metres below the summit, you can climb the last few metres on foot. Good skiers can take the natural runs back down to the resorts.
Being on the south-west side of the mountain, Peisey-Vallandry is known as the sunny side - getting plenty of sun-filled days, especially during the spring months.
Freestyle skiing and snowboarding
There is a snow-park and a freestyle zone on the slopes between Arc 1800 and Arc 1600, easily accessible from Peisey-Vallandry.
A boardercross run is accessible from the top of the Transarc gondola.
In the spring the freestyle zone beside the snow park becomes a hive of activity, with a waterslide to try your luck at - ski down to it and see how far you can get across the pool.
There’s also an airbag here at the right time of year, so you can practice your big air tricks.
Watch out though, there’s no escaping the onlookers from the bar at the bottom!
Plenty of fun for freestyle skiing and snowboarding in Les Arcs/Peisey-Vallandry.
There’s also a Chrono speed run to test your nerve and see how fast you can go, can be found under the 2300 66 chair. It will digitally record your speed from the top of the run to the bottom so you can compare with your friends.
Family skiing in Peisey-Vallandry
Forêt des Pitchouns and the Mauve piste, are themed areas in Peisey-Vallandry, and great fun for groups and families.
These are fun, undulating courses contain obstacles designed to hone children’s skiing skills. There are soft punchable bags in fun shapes, sharp(ish) curves and oversized musical instruments dotted through wood-lined slopes.
For the smaller children - the two nursery slopes in Plan-Peisey and Vallandry are near the nurseries, so once they finish skiing they can be safely taken inside to the nursery school teachers to continue their day.
These areas are accessible by foot, enabling you to watch your little ones take part.
We hope you love skiing in Peisey-Vallandry/Les Arcs as much as we do. We’ll see you soon!