Cars disappear in the snow in Les Arcs

Definitely a winter for parking indoors, as these two pics by our Les Arcs rep, Tim Wilson prove:

There's a car under there apparently

German cars are affected too...

The latest from our man in the Alps…

Our man in France, Tim Wilson, reports on the latest superb conditions:

The snow in the Northern French Alps this season really is unprecedented. I think we had another 20-30cms last night in Les Arcs, but it’s quite hard to tell as there is so much of it already! We are due up to 80cms tomorrow which is quite insane, particularly in contrast with last season!

Christmas day in Paradiski consisted of clear blue skies and fresh fluffy snow. Temperatures have remained generally quite mild but have been cold enough at times to allow snow right down to the valley floor.

These are the makings of an epic season and one that I recommend people experience for themselves.  I have attached a couple of fairly recent photos.

Snow, snow, snow…in Les Arcs

Some great photos of Arc 1950 from Tim, our Les Arcs rep, show off exactly how much snow has fallen in the last couple of weeks:

Deep Nature Spa adds to luxury of Les Arcs 1950

It’s not long now until Arc 1950 will be gaining a welcome addition to its already luxurious resume. A new spa located in the Sources de Marie residence will be yet another addition to help lift the resort as an all year round premium holiday destination.

The spa includes numerous luxury facilities such as sauna chalets, hot and cold grottos, an ice garden, heated fur-covered stone cocoons, outdoor ‘dutch’ jacuzzis and many other features designed to bring you at one with nature.

One blissful summer holiday in Arc 1950

Two couples, with babies in tow, wing their way to the mountain region of Savoie, in the French Alps. For those of you who think that the Alps are for winter exploits only, think again. The myriad of activities on offer, leave you spoilt for choice. Valued client, Andrew Hall, describes their experience in this truly awe-inspiring mountain region.
 
Saturday 31st July 2010 – You can self-drive to Les Arcs or you can fly to Geneva and drive from there. With the little ones the prudent decision was to fly and drive. Much excitement from the little ones going on ‘airplane’. The perfect way to kick start your holiday is a stop off in the beautiful town of Annecy. 

Sally and Skye at Lake Annecy

 
The crystal clear waters of the lake are inviting and the relaxed atmosphere in the park at the northern edge help you unwind as you make your final ascent to Bourg-Saint-Maurice and on to Les Arcs. Les Arcs is effectively made up of 4 separate villages, namely Arc 1600, Arc 1800, Arc 1950, and Arc 2000, which, demarcates their altitude. Having only visited Arc1950 on one previous occasion last summer, I was flattered by the car-parking steward remembering me, and the fact that I was driving a different car, and last time I had a bike in the roof. Coincidence? I like to think not. Friendly, welcoming staff in the hotel, cots and high chairs had been provided for the little ones, all arranged by Erna Low before we arrived. The apartment afforded us magnificent views of the surrounding mountains and the tranquil atmosphere in the Village make you feel right at home. 

View from Arc 1950

 
After a hot journey why not pop into Les Belles Pintes for a refreshing pint of Eidelweiss. Make sure you identify the location of the boulangerie/patisserie. Really difficult to leave with your freshly baked baguette without buying additional treats. The croissant abricot and their tarte citron come out as firm favourites. If you stay at the Prince de Cimes, the smell of the bakery comes wafting through the building. Nice! The Spar has pretty much everything you need including fresh milk, vegetables and fruit.

Skye and friend at George's bar

Sunday 1st August – Options are completely open, we decided to relax at the pool, while our friends headed up to Arc 2000 and beyond, for a gentle orientation, past the Chalet de L’Arc and up to the lake, affording you stunning views across the valley to Mont Blanc. The snow capped peaks look all the more majestic in the glorious sunshine. We took the easy option and popped down to the pool and relaxed in the sunshine. There is a fabulous indoor/outdoor pool at the Prince de Cimes, where can swim seamlessly from one to the other. There is also a jacuzzi, sauna and hamman. At night time the temperature drops and the stars shine brightly with the limited light pollution.
 
Monday 2nd August – Always reassuring when travelling away from home that there is good medical provision. One of the infants was poorly, which necessitated a visit to Arc 1600 cabinet medical. The doctor was brilliant. Good sense of humour, knew just how to handle the little one. He contacted the pharmacy for us so she was expecting us when we arrived. Felt really well cared for. A trip to Bourg-Saint-Maurice followed with a ride on the funiculaire back up to Arc 1600. A really interesting trip to make. Tickets for the lifts can be purchased from the Spirit 1950 office just off the main square. Worthwhile buying a pack of 10 for a discounted price of €49. The afternoon brought with it some rain but still took in a walk up to 2000 and beyond. It is advisable to take waterproofs with you, being in the mountains you have to take account of quite quick changes in the weather. If you need warming up afterwards, just head for the sauna. A relaxed evening followed with drinks at George Brown’s Wine Bar.

Stunning view at Mont Blanc

 
Tuesday 3rd August – For the intrepid, get yourselves a couple of bikes from Precision Sports shop and head down the mountain. Having done a great deal of road cycling, I was seriously outside of my comfort zone. Knee and shin protection is a must. Try the downhill run (route 5) from Arc 1950 through beautiful forest tracks to the  village of Villaroger. Don’t be misguided by the fact that you are going down hill. Once you reach the river east of Bourg-Saint-Maurice there are some testing little undulations to keep the heart rate ticking over at a fair pace. Caught the funiculaire back up to 1600 and got ourselves across to Arc 1800 to catch the Transarc lift over the top to get ourselves back to 1950. It was only going half way due to technical problems, so jumped off at the half way point and sped down the green slope (route 1) back to Arc 1600 for the free shuttle bus back to Arc 1950. Your could always bung your bike on the back of the free shuttle bus and get yourself back home for a lounge around in the pool and jacuzzi. Mid afternoon each of the families set off on different walks. The route down to 1600 and on to 1800 is a beautiful forested walk, and not terribly demanding. The route signs are generous in their time allocation so don’t be put off.
 
Wednesday 4th August – Decision was made to tackle the Aguille Rouge, which lies at 3226m. You could take the lift to Valet and the Cable Car to the summit from there, but the satisfaction gained from walking up to Valet is certainly worth doing. When you reach the little lake at Plan de L’Homme, it is a great place to stop for a snack. The views are magnificent, the lake crystal clear. It is only another 150m (vertically) before getting to Valet.

Andrew at the Plan de l'Homme

 
We took the cable car to the summit of Aguille Rouge where we had fantastic 360 degree views of white cloud – fun walking across icy snows, to the summit point. On a clear day you will get superb views across to the Italian Alps and beyond. We took the circular route back via the Transarc lift station and back down to the village. After a big day ou, we headed off to the Savoyard Restaurant to indulge ourselves in CHEESE! It was my first experience of Raclette! A must do, at some stage. I defy anyone to finish everything that is put in front of you! Awesome meal followed by big sleep.
 
Thursday 5th August – We took a trip down to Arc1800, a very different village, with an incredibly scenic golf course. Weather was a bit drizzly and but gave us the opportunity to browse around the shops in the village. Back up to 1950 and a relaxing afternoon chilling out in the apartment followed by a swim in the in the pool.  The creperie is worth a visit with a full range of sweet to savoury fillings. An evening meal at the Brasserie 1950 was enjoyed, lovely quiet restaurant, traditional brasserie faire with an alpine flavour, cured meat platters, beef steaks, delicious salads.
 
Friday 6th August – A trip round the Village on the Ponies is must for the children. They might not find it quite as exciting as the parents, but a worthwhile venture.

Skye explores the village on horseback!

 
A brisk walk in the mountain air is always good before lunch, especially if it leads you to Les Chalet de L’Arc. You need a healthy appetite. The portions are not only ample but truly delicious. For the meat eaters, the Le Geant Kebab, with a delicious combination of local sausage, chicken and steak is an absolute treat!

The Kebab Geant!

 
For the more traditional amongst you the tartiflette is one of their specialities. If the sun is shining make the most of sitting outside and enjoy the surrounding mountains in all their glory, but don’t miss out on having a peak inside to witness the warmth and uniquely rustic charm of the open bread-making kitchen. I definitely want to go back there to experience it as an après ski venue. For a pleasant morning trek, try the Plan de Violettes leaving Arc 2000 on the eastern side. It takes you through wooded areas with superb views over the valley towards La Rossiere and Mont Blanc and off course the villages of 1950 and 2000.

Aerial View of Arc 1950

 
Drag your way up the Aiguille Rouge red piste (great work out with a baby on your back), before heading right down the blue reservoir piste behind Arc 2000 and finishing at Les Chalet de L’Arc. A lazy afternoon with a swim in the pool and the dreaded feeling that tomorrow you have to leave.
 
Saturday 7th August – Departure day. You will undoubtedly leave with the feeling that a week isn’t long enough. On this trip, no golf, no kayaking, no white water rafting, no parasending, no tennis, no outdoor chess, not enough walking, biking, or chillaxing by the pool, that is why we will undoubtedly have to do it all again at some stage! Take a look at the Arc 1950 website to get a flavour of all there is on offer.

It is a French website, but for those who like me have very poor knowledge of the language, there are loads of visuals! It was only when a friend pointed out that there is in fact a UK button at the top that you realise how inept you are with IT skills. Erna Low have a real gem in their pocket, with this extraordinary and unique village on their books. There is an abundance of activity for all ages and tastes. The Kariboo Club for the children has not been explored by us yet, but it is worth knowing that Pierre & Vacances who manage the village offer two half days of child care per apartment included in your package. Bonus! www.arc1950.com and book your ski holiday to Arc 1950 with Erna Low www.ernalow.co.uk

Alice’s Arc1950 summer in photos

Based in our French property office in picturesque Arc 1950, in the Paradiski region of the Alps, Alice has been discovering the delights of a summer season spent at altitude and that the Alps aren’t just for skiing! Surrounded by stunning views of green mountains, imposing forest and mountain lakes and rivers, taking a few photos must have been irresistible…

Enjoying a view of the Mont Blanc

a bird's eye view of Arc 1950

Another popular, and slightly more adventurous, activity! Paraponting offers an eagle’s-eye view of the breathtaking alpine scenery and a dose of adrenaline on the side! Alice even took her camera up for a few aerial snaps…

Up up and away!

free as a bird...

Back on land again, Alice takes a view from just outside the property office window. Snow-sure and ski-friendly in the winter, Arc1950 is surrounded by Alpine meadows and bathed in sunshine during the summer- meaning any ski property for sale in this charming alpine resort will be snapped up before long!

view from the office window - certainly beats London HQ!

Thanks for the pics Alice, wish we were there! Erna Low Property team x

PS: want to see more photos? Become a fan on the Erna Low Facebook page to see the rest of the album.

Fancy trying it for yourself? book your summer holiday to the Alps with Erna Low today www.ernalowsummer.co.uk

‘Bend ze knees…!’ Taking ski lessons at Arc 1950

Bethan Stacey, is spending the season working in the Erna Low Property office in Arc 1950 and has been testing out the local ski school…

Last week was the most beautiful week of the season so far – sun every day, cool temperatures to keep the snow good but not too cold (only one day of not feeling your toes at the end of your ski boots) and a small amount of fresh snow when it was needed.  And as I start in the ski property sales office every day at midday (jammy!), I decided to make the most of it by taking some ski lessons.  I’d taken a handful of private lessons before but never group ones, so it was going to be a little bit different and I wasn’t sure what to expect. But the bonus with the ski school in Arc 1950, ‘Spirit 1950′  is that it’s an ESI (International Ski School) and so the groups are limited in number so we were only 8 in total.

Bethan getting ready to go in Arc 1950

Although we were a level 3 group, in reality our ability was quite mixed but our instructor, Alex, coped well by giving us lots of different technique lessons so everyone had a different thing to work on depending on our capability.  We also took some pistes and off-piste routes that I’d never been to, despite having already had many ski holidays to Les Arcs, and I know that the rest of the group were also discovering areas they didn’t know existed.

We had a day where we went to the top of the Aiguille Rouge – the highest point in the Les Arcs domain – and did the run part of the way to Villaroger, so almost 7 km of black and red pistes without a chairlift!  We had a lesson on moguls and off-piste and did lots of fun tree runs around Peisey Vallandry and Arc 1600, which always test your technique, and then did technique to try and improve our general piste skiing – short turns and longer carving turns.

On the lift with Spirit ski instructor, Alex

All in all it was a really fun few days : great to be part of a group and fantastic to ski with an instructor who has all the local knowledge to guide you to places that you wouldn’t have known to explore alone.  Private lessons are great for really improving your technique and always working at your own pace but group lessons are a real laugh and you get to learn from other people too.  Not to mention the price advantage of course – adult group lessons cost 160€ for 6 mornings of 2 ½ hours.

Safe to say I would definitely recommend group lessons and also the Spirit 1950 Ski School in Arc 1950!

Snow place like home… Selling ski apartments in Arc 1950

Bethan Stacey, our newest recruit, is lucky enough to be running the Erna Low Property office in one of our favourite resorts: Arc 1950.

Time for a word from the Erna Low property office in Arc 1950…  Alice (the boss!) and I had a beautiful afternoon’s skiing yesterday with her parents, who have just arrived for a short stay in the Village, very much in time for the beautiful weather – the last few days have been gorgeous with cold temperatures keeping the snow in a good condition and blue skies all day (how skiing should be really!).   The other good thing to note is how few people there are on the slopes right now!  If anyone has the choice to come when it’s lower season, not being restricted by school timetables, then I think that there is no better time than now for a ski holiday to Arc 1950 - the snow is guaranteed to be great and queues for ski-lifts non-existent.

Alice and Charles on the slopes of Les Arcs

So yesterday was just a quick jaunt as we needed to be back in the office for the end of the afternoon.  To keep the sun with us we popped over to Arc 1800 side of the resort to do a quick run down to the brand new Arpette chairlift.  Anyone having skied around Les Arcs in previous years will appreciate how this much speeded-up, larger chairlift can make a huge difference to your skiing day; it having been one of the ‘lifts to avoid’ despite being quite an important liaison lifts between Arc 1800 and Arc 2000.  But, hurrah! – one lift further away from a bum-numbing, wind whipped 20 mins being an obligatory part of the day! 
We then decided to head to the Peisey Vallandry ski area : a favourite part of the Paradiski domain thanks to its fantastically large, beautiful, tree-lined slopes .  Amazingly, to get all the way to the village of Vallandry from Arc 1950, it takes only one lift and then you’re skiing non-stop for several pistes, taking in blues, reds or forest runs, as you fancy.  Quick ‘shot’ of coffee at the bottom of the slopes and then it was back over to Arc 1950 to do some work, this time taking one chairlift and then the Transarc from Arc 1800 all the way to the top of the Arc 2000 slopes.
Bit less skiing involved in the office today (!) but tomorrow should be interesting as Alice and I are heading off to the Southern Alps to see property for sale in Serre Chevalier, where we have a property project, and Les Deux Alpes, another ski property spot.
So far so good then in my new role as Property Sales Assistant with Erna Low Property– getting to see plenty of the Alps, finding out more about ski property for sale,  and getting plenty of skiing in (of course!).
Until next time,
Bethan

Arc 1950 before Mont Blanc

Getting the family started in Les Arcs!

Louise Povah, our longest running seasonnaire and resident yummy mummy of Les Arcs, reports on life in the bustling resort…

We are back for our seventh season in Les Arcs and so far it looks like it’s going to be a great one.   Cold weather and lots of snow mean that the mountains are looking beautiful blanketed in snow and the skiing is fantastic. 
The recent snowy weather meant that tree skiing was the best option and best visibility with some great runs winding down like a roller coaster through the tightly wooded areas of Vallandry.   My Mum, who prefers the gentler slopes, loved the Foret run which is a relaxing blue cruise from the top of the Grizzly chair all the way down into Vallandry.
This year, we are here with our 2 small sons, Luka and Oliver.  Luka is two and a half and had his first go at skiing the other day.  It was a great success and he keeps asking to put on his ski boots.  There is an excellent children’s area in Arc 1800 (free of charge) with a magic carpet to get the children up the small slope – I think that is the main attraction for the little ones. 

Little Luka makes his way around Arc 1800

I spent yesterday afternoon in the picturesque mountain village of Arc 1950, organising discounts for our Erna Low clients in the village shops, bars and restaurants.   It is one of our most popular destinations for ski holidays and also a great place to buy a ski property.  The village is always alive with street entertainment, people skiing through and no cars to get in the way.  Yesterday there was a torchlit descent and food stall for the Orthodox Christmas. 
There is more snow forecast for tomorrow so it should be another great week in the mountains! 

Daddy struggles to keep up as little Luka hits the slopes of Arc 1800

Latest snowfalls in La Plagne

Tim, our resort manager for La Plagne, reports in the current conditions out in resort…the pictures speak for themselves!

After some unsettled weather and even some rain over the week of New Year, the Alps are back in full winter mode. The last couple of days have seen some of the best skiing conditions of the season so far, with blue skies and fresh snow.

view of the Mont Blanc from the Aiguille Rouge in Les Arcs

I used my day off to do a tour of Paradiski starting in Plagne Bellecote and heading to les Arcs. The views from the summit of the Aiguille Rouge were phenomenal and from there we undertook the longest run in Paradiski, non-stop to Villaroger. Some beautiful pistes through the trees that I’d never done before and the snow low down was surprisingly reasonable.

I paid a brief visit to our Erna Low Property office in Arc 1950 to see how fellow employee Alice was getting on before heading back home to soak my tired legs in the bath!

January is a great time to be here, with empty pistes, hardly any queues and great conditions. Accommodation prices are also significantly cheaper than the holiday periods so why not come and see for yourself?

buried car... spot the wing mirror!