Areches Beaufort Ski Resort France
A surprising ski resort in the mountains of the Savoie between Albertville & Mont Blanc, Arêches Beaufort has an enviable snow record and enough tasty terrain to please most powder seekers. A hefty skiable vertical (particularly if skinning up to the Grand Mont summit for huge backcountry freeride descents - recommended!), reasonably modern lift system, very low crowds and a super-cheap lift pass price was enough to temp us to check it out. Our visit confirmed its upper mountain skiing, hospitality & snow are awesome, even when the valley below is green! A certified Powderhounds gem!
Pros & Cons for Areches Beaufort Ski Resort
Pros
- Can receive loads of snow in the right weather conditions.
- Long skiable vertical of 1,240m on-piste, & potentially over 1,600m off-piste.
- Some of the Savoie’s best off-piste freeride routes.
- Good range & diversity of on-piste trails for all abilities, including on-piste descents of over 11km.
- Incredibly affordable lift pass (practically free by modern standards!).
- Quiet, uncrowded slopes & backcountry.
- Well-priced local accommodation
- Ample free day car parking close to the ski lifts & efficient local free ski bus.
Cons
- Limited on-piste terrain for advanced skiers & boarders.
- Public transport access by bus from Albertville is limited.
- Low elevation base village & trails may not have natural snow for part of winter.
Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)
- Authentic French Alps villages that feel almost Swiss (but without the prices).
- Huge numbers of ski-tourers on the mountain on weekends.
- Nearby accommodation can be hard to get on weekends.
- No luxury accommodation options nearby.
- Mix of modern gondolas & chairlifts plus older chairs & surface tows.
- Late opening date just before Christmas.
Skiing & Snowboarding, Lift & Terrain
The Arêches Beaufort skiing & snowboarding cold, shaded north-aspect terrain is one of the region's best kept secrets. Off the beaten path to the main 'industrial' ski resorts in the Haute Tarentaise (think La Plagne, Les Arcs, Tignes etc), the resort is one to remember when searching for untracked after a storm. Within a short skin from the upper lifts at Col de la Forclaz, glorious 1,600m vertical descents are possible from the Grand Mont summit (2,687m). On piste, the trails are best for progressing beginners to strong intermediates, with a top to bottom descent possible of over 11km in length.
Split into two ski sectors ('Areches' & 'Le Planay'), and separated by a deep valley (the off-piste bit!), the 50km of groomed piste runs & terrain is all cunningly linked by ski trail, gondola, and free ski bus! Above Le Planay (1,200m), two chairlifts and a superfluous surface-tow serve 930m of skiable vertical below the Col des Combettes (2,130m). Near the base, a novice area is available for learners. Above the other sector at Areches (1,000m), the full 1,240m of vertical is available from Col de la Forclaz (2,320m). Novices can learn mid-mountain at Le Cuvy (1,710m). Freeride descents in either sector can include everything from open alpine meadows, steeps, chutes/couloirs, and tree runs.
Check out the ski trail map for Arêches Beaufort below.
The ski lifts at Areches Beaufort are a mix of new and 'not so new but not ancient'! A recent addition is the 'Le Bois' 10-person gondola linking the Le Planay base to the Areches mid-mountain station at Le Cuvy. The 'Le Planay' sector has a modern suite of chairlifts & surface tows dating from 2007-09. The lifts are older in the 'Areches' sector. Access there is via chairlifts, with upper terrain only served by surface tows. The on-piste valley trail, named Perches, from the Areches down to Le Planay is an absolute, unexpected beauty (particularly in a tough snow year at lower elevations). A fantastic way to finish a day. Of course if not up to it, the gondola can download you just s easily. The two ski lift bases at Le Planay & Areches are also connected by piste trail that traverses through delightful rural landscapes.
Lift passes at the resort are amongst the cheapest in the Alps for a comparative medium-sized ski area and represent excellent value for money. An adult day pass is about ½ the price of a lift pass in the larger resorts of the French Alps.
The resort opening for winter is quite late, guaranteed only for the Friday before Christmas. However if snowfalls allow, weekend openings occur earlier in December.
Where is Arêches Beaufort France?
The Areches-Beaufort ski resort located above the village of Arêches (& just up the road from Beaufort!) in the Savoie region of the French Alps, only 24km (30min) drive northeast of Albertville.
The closest gateway airports are Geneva (GVA) (120km/2hr by road) and Lyon - St Exupery (LYS) (162km/2hr by road).
The recommended mode of travel is rental car either direct from the airport, or from another nearby location (if already in the Savoie and hunting out a sneaky powder day). Driving a rental car from either airport is easy via Albertville, with only the last 22km on smaller rural roads, but without any high passes. Travel to the region from the north via Megeve & Flumet is a little more 'sporting'. The road from Flumet to Beaufort is undeniably magnificent on a clear day, with views across Hauteluce to Mont Blanc. However, the route traverses up and over 1,650m altitude at the ski resort village of Les Saisies, so can be more challenging in full winter conditions than the alternative way from Albertville.
Getting to the region is possible by combination train & bus, but the limited bus service requires some planning. Trains to Albertville from Geneva airport generally take less than 3hr with a change at Geneva city & Chambéry. From Lyon airport, the journey takes over 3hr to Albertville, with a change required at Lyon city & Chambéry. Buses to Areches are on the route 21 (or A1) and run between 2 and 5 times a day, depending on the day of the week and the time of the year. Check here for the Albertville to Arêches bus timetable (in French).
Anyone with an unnatural aversion to public transport or driving on winter roads may want to consider looking at a private transfer, particularly if in a group of 3 or more people.
Search & book here for all airport transfers to Areches-Beaufort.
Once in the local region, a free ski bus runs throughout the day in winter, linking the village of Beaufort and Areches, plus the two ski lift bases at Grand Mont (on the outskirts of Areches) & Le Planay (further up the valley).
For hints, tips & warnings about getting to France ski resorts in winter, see our Travel in France page.
Arêches-Beaufort Accommodation
The accommodations available at Arêches Beaufort is both limited and affordable. On weekends it can difficult, but not impossible, to source lodgings. There are no luxury accommodations in the area, with all hotels being of the simple, clean, traditional 2 & 3-star variety (just the way we like it!). The most commercial lodgings are the new chalet-apartments near Beaufort.
Closest to the ski lifts, the options are two-fold. The best is in the authentic mountain village of Arêches, near the base of the Grand Mont chairlift. it provides the majority of local hotel, chalet & apartment lodgings. Then, further up the hill at the base of the Piapolay chairlift & the new Le Bois gondola, Le Planay has a limited number of apartments & chalets for holiday rental. In Areches, the quiet Hôtel Viallet and the livelier Hôtel Les Ancolies à Arêches are the best options. On the outskirts of town in a sunny location on the opposite hillside, the new chalet-apartments of the Résidence Club MMV La Clé des Cimes are worth a look for larger families or groups. Apartments for up to 10 guests are available. Note that the Résidence Club MMV La Clé des Cimes is listed incorrectly on some accommodation sites' maps as being in Beaufort. It is definitely off the Route des Carroz in Arêches!
A third alternative is nearby Beaufort. A quiet market town, larger than Areches, it has a few decent hotel and apartment options plus can be a worthwhile 'middle-ground' location if combining skiing here with the Les Contamines ski resort via Hauteluce. Beaufort is linked to the ski resort by a free ski bus. Try the centrally located Hôtel Maison Doron and Hôtel du Grand-Mont. The Hotel Maison Doran has a large dormitory bedroom for anyone looking for the most affordable beds in the region.
Search for the best local places to stay via our Areches-Beaufort Ski Accommodation Listings page.
Ski Rentals & Equipment
Ski rentals are available in four locations at Areches (including, in the village, near the Grand Mont chairlift base, and the Le Planay lift base) via our local partners. Receive a discount when you search & book via our Areches Beaufort Ski & Snowboard Rental page.
Review
The Powderhounds reviewed Arêches Beaufort in March 2023. We adored its authentic vibe, fantastic freeride descents, local hospitality. A lack of snow down low in the valley belied the huge amount of snow up high where it counts most. Click on the review link in the left column (or top of the page if on a mobile) to read all the reviews.
See how Arêches Beaufort compares to the rest of the French ski resorts on the France ski resort ratings page, or compare to the rest of Europe on the European ski resort ratings page.
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