Les Arcs is half of the Paradiski area being next door to La Plagne and consequently sprawls across the alps like a giant squashed tarantula. The resort is made up of several little villages which include Arcs 2000, 1950, 1800 and 1600 as well as Vallandry. I would highly recommend staying in Arcs 2000 or 1800 as I think they are by far the best positioned in terms of access, guarenteed snow and fun nightlife.

Like La Plagne, this place really is a great all round resort and I think that almost any skier would get a lot out of the skiing here. Most of the slopes are south facing which is great from a sun point of view although the lower runs can definitely get a bit slushy towards the end of the season. As with all French resorts these days though, there is a very good cover of snow making on the lower runs and it is a high resort, so it is a safe bet for snow.

This is a great place for intermediates, but maybe not quite so ideal for complete beginners as there is not exactly an array of nursery slope possibilities. Still, the large number of blue runs tend to be well-groomed and wide open to the extent were beginners will find themselves comfortably progressing onto the slightly steeper terrain without even noticing.

The terrain park, “Apocalypse Parc”, is absolutely excellent and is serviced by the Clair Blanc 17 and Arpette 14 chairlifts.  Both chairs seem rarely to be busy and offer a brilliant view over the park so that you can watch the action as you ride upwards. The park itself also seems just busy enough to have a good atmosphere yet quite enough that you don't have to queue to hit the features. 

There were 4 lines of jumps available during the times when I visited the resort. This allowed a brilliant progression from beginner to ninja on very sensibly built and safe jumps: The big line of jumps was big enough to easily get a decent trick in, but there was also a mega booter, which was about a 70 foot wedge. It looked really good, but I didn't hit it because I was being a pansy. If you are mainly about the park, then I would stay in Arc 1800 from where you can use the Vagere 24 chair to access the park instantly.

The expert skier will have a brilliant time as there are lots of steep skiing opportunities, although there aren't that many black runs. The off piste is brilliant and easily accessed and simply cutting between pistes can be an incredibly rewarding experience. The red runs are perfect for getting lots of speed and be sure to go and visit the famed speed skiing piste above Arc 2000.

I think Les Arcs could be a good place to do a season although the villages are quite small so I'm not sure how much of a social scene there would be. Brilliant skiing though. For the weeklong holiday goer, Les Arcs is a fantastic bet- maybe not for the complete beginner, but all others will have a blast.