La Plagne or Les Arcs?
These two are close on 8 of 9 measures. That is the honest answer: the numbers will not choose for you, so the difference below that matters to you is the one to decide on.
France
La Plagne
Eleven linked villages and probably the best family skiing in France — ski-in/ski-out is the norm rather than the exception. Choose the village carefully; they vary enormously in character and altitude.
Worth knowing. Eleven villages of wildly different altitude and character. Pick wrong and the week is wrong.
Choose it if
Families with young kids
About £1,161 a week from London
France
Les Arcs
Tree-lined runs down to Arc 1600 and 1800 give it a bad-weather advantage over most high Tarentaise resorts. The Vanoise Express cable car links it to La Plagne for a 425 km pass.
Worth knowing. Arc 1600 and 1800 are dated, and reaching La Plagne eats a morning.
Choose it if
Off-piste
About £1,159 a week from London
Side by side
| La Plagne | Les Arcs | |
|---|---|---|
| Snow reliability | 70/100 | 56/100 |
| Size of the ski area | 225 km | 200 km |
| Top lift | 3250 m | 3226 m |
| Cost before travel | €1120 | €1120 |
| Families with young kids | 9/10 | 8/10 |
| Snowboarders | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| A non-skiing partner | 4/10 | 4/10 |
| Budget and après | 6/10 | 6/10 |
| Off-piste | 7/10 | 8/10 |
Bold marks the winner. Rows where neither is bold are close enough that the difference would not change a decision. Cost excludes travel, which depends on where you leave from.
Piste kilometres, lift counts and prices are indicative and compiled from public sources — they have not yet been checked against the resort's own figures for this season. Costs are planning estimates, not quotes. Spotted one that is wrong? Tell us.