Family summer mountains

Mountains to the max: summery Les Arcs switches to family activity holidays

Last updated 1st June 2025

Think it’s all about winter fun in the French Alps? Mike MacEacheran and his young family try thrill-a-minute summer in Les Arcs to find that nothing could be further from the truth.

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Family pool, Bourg-Saint-Maurice ©Juliette Rebour

Looking over the cliff edge, directly beneath me, some 1800ft down, was a steeply pitched slope of boulders, all gneiss and granite grey and enough to terrify anyone silly. A few metres away, a man in a harness was attached to a wobbly cable, goggles on, and about to rocket over this jagged landscape.

On the face of it, his decision seemed crazy, especially when considering he’d hit speeds of 80mph. But somehow — let’s put it down to the top pester-power tactics of children — my wife and I had been talked into taking the same wild leap of faith. Moments later, we were screaming in tandem. With our kids, on the sidelines, squealing with delight.

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Mountain biking, Les Arcs ©Nicolas Secerov

Summer in Les Arcs is packed with outdoorsy family thrills

We were in Les Arcs, a purpose-built, 60s-era mountain resort in Savoie, France, and the Aiguille Rouge Zipline (the most fun 70 seconds I can write about here) is a gripping ride from the top of the Varet cable car, and yet, it’s only one of dozens of outdoorsy thrills families can experience during summer in Les Arcs.

In winter, the four traffic-free, ski-in-ski-out villages (so-named after their altitudes, 1600, 1800, 1950 and 2000) turn into snow globes of all-out ski activity, but when the thaw hits, the resort really comes into its own; for all ages, all abilities, and all interests.

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Mini quad biking, Les Arcs ©Raj Bundhoo

No wonder they call it a ‘dream factory for kids’

My kids (aged 7 and 4) were too young for the eye-popping ziplines (riders have to be 25kg minimum), but there was so much more to keep them entertained, on and above the ground. With sheer ingenuity, the slopes and base lift stations surrender to circus tents for acrobat workshops and grand prix circuits for quad bike races. Bungee jumps for tots pop up beside high ropes courses, and, along with the zipline, swimming pools, hiking routes, mountain biking trails, obstacle courses and chairlift rides, they consume the village. This is, as one of the French activity instructors told me, a dream factory for kids.

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High rope course, Les Arcs ©Raj Bundhoo

We’re already planning to spend some of next summer in Les Arcs

As well as rising early, so families can pack as much in as possible in summer, Les Arcs goes to bed early. By 7pm, our kids were exhausted and so were we (the first day’s agenda? Archery, trampolines, an inflatables park, the Go Ape course, mini golf, then the outdoor water slide at La Piscine). By 8pm, my reward was a drowsy bottle of red and a heavy-lidded view of Mont Blanc across the Upper Tarentaise Valley, as it lit up from our fifth-floor balcony. By 9pm, everyone was snoring.

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Arc 1800 ©Raj Bundhoo

Impressed by the Arc 1800 family-first, easy-on-the-wallet concept

We stayed in main hub Arc 1800 at Le Roselend, a self-catering apartment block with an American cowboy vibe, run by Pierre & Vacances, and it became the hub of our life for a week. The original architectural idea behind Arc 1800 was affordable mega-apartments for low-budget holidaymakers, and we thought so much of its family-first, easy-on-the-wallet concept, we’re hoping spend a bit of this summer in Les Arcs too.

It’s a cliché that the French know how to do family holidays well, but clichéd as it is, our days flashed by at such a pace there was no talk of TV, iPads, or screen time. In a nutshell, parental bliss.

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Pump Track, Bourg-Saint-Maurice ©Manu Reyboz

Pick up a multi-activity Hero Pass for your kids, it’s great value

If you’re planning to spend some of summer in Les Arcs, I’d recommend buying a multi-activity Hero Pass for your kids, giving them access to a raft of 30-odd activities. Some require a reservation in advance, like the high ropes course, but otherwise the red-and-white lanyards are a magic key to unlocking all sorts of pursuits. It felt like a Center Parcs, but one scattered across a near-vertical mountain range of climbing grasslands and plunging gullies.

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Aiguille Rouge cable car, Les Arcs ©Raj Bundhoo

Hop on a chairlift, stride out and catch some astonishing views

On our second day, things began to slow down, but only slightly. I wanted to get high — figuratively speaking — and preferably on a walking trail with a chough’s-eye view of the Aguille Rouge: the Shangri-La peak that tops out Les Arcs at 3,227m. Up there, I’d been told, we’d get a better sense of the whole destination, away from the carousel of activities. And only once was there a gripe about going for a walk.

Onto the Carreley chairlift, above the self-catering apartments, goat-filled pastures and treeline, we hopped off at the Col des Frettes, with its bumper 2,000m-plus views of rocky crags and the exaggerated pointy-ness of so many summits. It was comforting to see our kids scuttle off over the mountain saddle and down towards Arc 2000, along a helter-skelter trail of loose stones. On reflection, there’s a chance it was the Haribo sugar rush and not the views, that got them moving so fast.

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Arc 2000, summer ©Les Arcs

Marmots summer in Les Arcs too, keep your eyes peeled and your step light

All around were wildflowers and a handful of like-minded families, parents beaming, up in the high Alpine for a breather. Two marmots appeared along the track, took no notice of us, then continued on their day-to-day business, squirrelling obsessively in and out of their burrows. Another highlight of summer in Les Arcs was the mountain reservoir above Arc 2000: it glittered silver and the children were at their happiest skimming polished stones while we picnicked. It might be easy to dismiss, but sometimes the best things in life are free.

Better yet, Arc 2000 was near deserted when we arrived and boozy drinks were on the menu while the kids used their Hero Passes on yet another inflatables course — this one was blown up conveniently next to a bar. One thing I’ll never regret is sitting in the hot sun, with a mountain view and a cold beer. OK then, I’ll admit we had more than one.

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Traditional French carousel, Les Arcs ©Andy Parant

Journey through time from traditional summer markets to sci-fi funiculars

One of the reasons for Les Arcs’ development in the first place is its proximity to Bourg Saint Maurice, a centuries-old crossroads of Tarentaise trade. During summer in Les Arcs this spirit continues with a lively local market every Wednesday from 4-8pm, and, looking back, I can fondly fantasise about the cheese, wine and charcuterie we sampled.

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Funicular, Les Arcs ©Manu Reyboz

The market on Rue Desserteaux has grown in popularity in recent years, with live bands and entertainers, and the journey there takes you through France and across the centuries; from the architectural modernism of Arc 1600’s cantilevered apartment blocks to Bourg’s less obtrusive, traditional chalets in minutes — and all by virtue of a swishy-designed funicular. Frankly, it’s worth the 7-minute trip for the futuristic, sci-fi ride alone.

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Waterpark, Bourg-Saint-Maurice ©Juliette Rebour

Our fine-tuned approach to getting the most out of summer in Les Arcs

The days were packed. So, by our last morning, we’d fine-tuned our approach and already knew what to tackle and what made everyone tick. First, the rousing high ropes course (for le petit monsieur), then the bungee trampoline (for la petite mademoiselle), the pool sunbathing terrace (for la femme) and, lastly, a rouge sundowner on the balcony (pour moi). Then we retreated to bed. The lesson here, you understand, is stop while you’re ahead.

Les Arcs has built its reputation on being a modernist, egalitarian ski resort, that’s true. But it’s also got something to say about how to holiday on healthy terms, and the transformation to vast outdoor theme park now makes summer in Les Arcs one of the most compelling reasons to travel. In exchange for your time off, it gives you a family break, but one at full speed. Sounds a fair swap to me.

How to plan summer in Les Arcs

How to get there

Direct UK flights to Chambery from 1 hour, 47 minutes

Chambery to Les Arcs from 1 hour, 30 minutes

Where to stay

Le Roseland, 2 Bedroom Apartment (2 adults, 2 children) from £701 per week

Find out more and book

Good to know

More information on Les Arcs

Book Hero Passes for summer in Les Arcs

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