Arêches-Beaufort is a haven with 50 km of downhill skiing and as the resort is above 1200 m, you can ski straight back to your choice of après. It is a very family-friendly resort attracting the ‘Family Plus Montagne’ label which denotes that it is one of the most popular destinations for a family holiday.
A free shuttle bus called ‘SKIBUS’ ferries skiers between the three villages making up the domain; Beaufort, Arêches and Le Planay.
The Skiing and Snowboarding
The numerous winding pistes throughout the picturesque wooden chalets which overlook the outstanding Mont Blanc offer refreshing and relaxing cruising. Arêches-Beaufort is divided into two parts; Le Grand Mont and Le Planay. Skiers and boarders of all levels can get their freestyle on to their heart’s content at the well-stocked Freestyle Snow Park – WoodPark – which crosses the Boarder Baby Cross.
There are also large areas dedicated to freeriding, the beautiful backcountry is surely some of the most picturesque in the region. There’s something for everyone, although the resort’s terrain may not be quite extreme enough for some expert skiers.
Marcot-Beaufort, with its long flat trails are perfect for the beginner. Or check out Le Bersend – easy skiing with a sneaky peak into the local wildlife in action – animals such as deer, chamois, foxes and weasels roam about freely in this area. Great for nature lovers and kids in particular will get a super bang out of this.
Where to stay
In terms of hotels there is a decent selection of options. Hotel Christiania is a simple two star hotel which is located at the centre of the village with just a five minute walk to the lift. Hotel Le Calgary is a cozy three star hotel. It was built in the 1990 and has forty bedrooms, spa, indoor pool and children’s playroom – perfect for families.
Where to eat
For food in Arêches-Beaufort check out Les Arolles where you can enjoy delicious soup in rustic comfort. L’Alpage is a yet another cozy and rustic restaurant featuring log burners where you can dry your gloves and, hats and jackets while eating. Their specialty is creamy tartiflette and two course plat du joir. La Ferme de Victorine has been owned by the same family since 1923. It used to be a bar, which then became a grocery shop. Now, it is a restaurant which serves simply scrumptious meals.
Après
There is lots of lovely, family based après – visit local farms and learn how their local wine and cheese are made. There are carriage rides, snow or ice races and snowshoe races. There isn’t so much in the way of wile piste-side partying but you should be able to find a cosy bar or two to while away the evening.
