Les Arcs isn't one resort but several villages stacked up the mountain, all linked to the same ski area. The two highest — Arc 1950 (2,040 m) and Arc 2000 (2,120 m) — offer the same access to the slopes and the same snow. The real difference lies elsewhere: atmosphere, type of accommodation and budget. Here is our comparison, as owners in Arc 1950.
On the snow: 1950 and 2000 are the same
Let's be clear from the start: on the slopes, the two villages are equivalent. Just a few dozen metres of altitude apart, they give access to the same pistes, the same high-altitude sectors (Aiguille Rouge, glacier) and the same snow — among the most reliable in the Alps. Wherever you stay on either side, you ski the same area, and the Paradiski pass opens 425 km of runs all the way to La Plagne. So the choice isn't about the skiing — it's about how you want to experience your stay.
Arc 1950: a car-free village, ski-in ski-out
Perched at 2,040 m, Arc 1950 is the newest of the Les Arcs villages, opened in 2003, with modern residences mostly built between 2004 and 2008 — spacious, well-insulated, well-equipped apartments. Its signature: warm Savoyard architecture (wood, stone, balconies) and entirely pedestrian, car-free streets — you park in the covered car parks under the residences, with lift access straight up to your apartment. It's also genuine ski-in ski-out: the slopes run through the village and the ski lockers open directly onto them. Add plenty of shops and restaurants on the pedestrian squares, and it's easy to see why Arc 1950 was named the most welcoming town in France at Booking.com's Traveller Review Awards 2026 [here's why]. It's the village best suited to families and to anyone after the comfort and atmosphere of a mountain hamlet.
Arc 2000: more compact, a little more affordable
Just above, at 2,120 m, Arc 2000 shares exactly the same ski area and the same snow as Arc 1950 — the difference is in the accommodation and the budget. Its architecture is more functional and less "postcard village." You'll often find more compact apartments and slightly gentler prices, along with large holiday residences and club operators (such as Belambra and MMV): a good option for anyone after a club formula, an all-inclusive stay or a managed budget, without giving up skiing right by the slopes.
Our verdict
- On the skiing: a tie — same area, same snow, near-identical altitude.
- For the charm of a fully pedestrian village, spacious apartments and a hamlet atmosphere → Arc 1950.
- For more compact apartments, a tighter budget or a club/residence formula (Belambra, MMV) → Arc 2000.
The skiing is the same on both sides: choose first the atmosphere and the accommodation that suit you.
👉 We rent our 80 m² ski-in ski-out duplex in Arc 1950 — see the apartment and availability.