Les Arcs Sets Up For Summer Season

Your playground, your rules….biking, hiking, golfing, picking and brewing your own botanicals, discovering the best cup of coffee…  Whatever appeals to you - Les Arcs delivers.

The Paradiski area is probably best known as a ski resort but it is also an incredible summer adventure playground. This summer’s headline event is The Tour de France.

EXPERIENCE THE TOUR FIRST HAND

Les Arcs Bourg Saint Maurice is hosting not one but two stages of the 105th Tour de France. The 11th and 12th stages of the event will pass through on the 18/19 July and to celebrate this the commune is organising the ‘Fête du Tour’.

This event will take place on Saturday, 2 June 2018 and will follow the same route that the Tour will take just a few weeks later. The day will start with a ride up to La Rosière. The race is open to the public and all levels of cyclists will be joining in the procession. There will be amateur cyclists, classic bikes and E-bikes (electric bikes) so that anyone, of all fitness levels, is able to experience the event. In the afternoon there will be family ride, with a fun course around the town, a quiz and prizes. There is also a children’s course.

LA VOIE VERTE

If you prefer a flatter less strenuous route the 'Green Route' cycle path alongside the Isère River is a beautifully scenic route.  It is 15 km long and links Bourg Saint Maurice to Aime, all standards of cyclist will enjoy this path which is sheltered in the shade of the trees and has the freshly chilled wind from the river to keep you cool.

But Summer is not just about biking…

How about hiking, golf, watersports or just chilling out and literally absorbing all that the mountain has to offer?

HIKE LES ARCS

The Glacier hike: The Les Arcs Bureau des Guides has a choice of exhilarating excursions on the local glaciers. The slopes are not difficult and you learn to use crampons and walk as part of a team on a rope at an easy rhythm.

Gold mining hike: Discover a stream which contains specks of gold. The guide will demonstrate gold panning to show that riches are within everyone’s reach.

The mountain wildlife hike: Being at altitude provides a great opportunity to see the local wildlife. Keep your eyes peeled and you’ll see Marmots, foxes, and if lucky the Ibex.

GOLF GETS TECHNICAL

2 courses overlooking Mont Blanc

The Les Arcs golf course is particularly technical. The topography and small greens complicate the final approach providing all golfers with excitement and a good challenge. There are lots of experienced local players so holiday golfers can always find partners. The atmosphere up on the course is relaxed. Les Arcs offer golfers two courses and a practice green: The 18-hole Chantel course, approved by the French Golf Federation, par 70 over 5497 metres – Beauchet 9-hole compact course, par 27 over 860 metres.

WATERSPORTS

White Water

The Isère river which runs through Bourg Saint Maurice is ideal for white water sports. These are some of the ways you can enjoy the River Isère:

• Rafting: Paddle down the river on board an inflatable raft, navigating rapids
• Hydrospeed : Swim down the river, rapids and all, with the help of a large float
• Kayak-Raft: Navigate the river in an inflatable kayak that is stable, light and self-emptying
• Canyoning: Combine potholing, hiking, climbing and swimming in white water while going up-river through gorges and narrow ravines.
• Calm Water
• The pool in Arc 1800 brings the beach to the mountains. Soft grass surrounds the pool. With indoor and outdoor pools, bubble massage beds, slides for kids, a sauna, a Turkish bath and a relaxation room, everyone can have fun here.
• Those who like to be pampered should head to the Deep Nature Spa in Arc1950 and enjoy the fun pool with hydrotherapy jets and jet stream

REVIVE & REFRESH

Gather your own plants and make beauty products

This is a truly unique experience. Spend a day with Odile Lazzarotto, an aromatherapy and phyto-energy practitioner, looking and collecting plants with medicinal properties on the mountains. Reach out and collect what nature has give us, and then benefit directly from its purity. You will be taught how to distill your plants to separate the hydrosols and essential oils and you’ll make a personalised product, such as a face cream, a medicinal syrup or a floral elixir.

Discover the perfect cup of coffee?

For coffee lovers, there is a curious place in Bourg Saint Maurice which roasts its coffee beans using a wood and coal fired machine dating back to 1935! This old-style slow roasting process releases delicate aromas and produces exceptional coffee. Daily tasting 9–12am & 2-7pm.

Roasting on Thursdays & Saturdays at 10am L’Or Vert, 253 Avenue Antoine Borrel, 73700 Bourg-Saint-Maurice

AND FINALLY,  isn't it time you tried Plogging?

Join in the Mountain Clean Up Day, 23 June - Plogging is the art of jogging and picking up litter at the same time.