A wedding in the South of France is a dream for many. Add the sensational Paradiski ski resort of Les Arcs and you have the unique, stunning wedding in France you’ve dreamed of for so long.
It was for those reasons and more that Llywelyn and Serene decided to have their wedding at Les Arcs in the heart of the picturesque Tarentaise Valley. Views over Mount Blanc, four top ski resorts and a number of must-do ski locations close make France’s best ski resort for the family the perfect setting for an unforgettable French alps wedding every guest will enjoy.
For your Les Arcs wedding, everything from pretty traditional chapels to sleigh rides, ice hotels, timeless wooden chalets, helicopter or on-skis arrivals, contemporary plush hotels, glacier picnics and swathes of slopes filled with powder will make the occasion special and unique.
Situated in Bourg-Saint-Maurice in Savoie, Les Arcs is famed for the variety it offers. One of France’s top ski resorts, Les Arcs has all the elements for an alpine wedding to remember.
Unforgettable French alpine wedding in Les Arcs
You’ll find over 200km of spacious slopes to suit all abilities in the immediate Les Arcs area plus an extra 225km of Paradiski slopes further on. With guaranteed snow and additional slopes easy to access from the nearby La Plagne resort, there’s always lots to do in Les Arcs.
One of Europe’s first ski-in ski-out resorts, Les Arcs is super convenient. Travel for guests is easy with a Eurostar station located in Bourg-Saint-Maurice plus Chambery Airport close by. Centrally positioned in the South of France, there’s also the option to hop over to Italy, Spain and more during your honeymoon if you want to explore more of Europe.
Pedestrianised ski-in ski-our resorts, well supplied with free shuttle buses and cable cars make travelling around the four resorts easy.
For quick journeys between La Plagne and Les Arcs, the double-decker Vanoise Gondola Express is a legendary sight which links the two areas. The world’s biggest cable car, the Vanoise Express comprises double-decker cable cars which travel at a record-breaking 45km per hour, delivering you to La Plagne in just under 4 minutes.
Whether you’re a skier or non-skier, there are tons of top things for you and your guests to do during your stay. And you can still wed here in summer when the slopes become green meadowed peaks, busy with outdoor pursuits.
Ranked as the world’s second-largest combined ski area, Les Arcs truly has all you need for a dream wedding in the French Alps.
The skiing at the north-facing Les Alps is superb. You’ll discover all the variety you want for both skiing and snowboarding, including fields of powder, tons of space, snow parks, 2 glaciers, tree-lined slopes and pistes for all levels.
Across the entire site, there’s an impressive total of 237 runs of which 66 are intermediate, 35 difficult and 136 easy. A great value ski pass will get you entry to top ski resorts nearby such as Les Trois Vallees and Espace Killy. There are also the surrounding traditional villages of Vallandry, Peisey, Le Pre and Villaroger to explore if you wish.
For your Les Arcs wedding photography this is all, of course, fantastic. You can look forward to all sorts of monumental shots on the picturesque slopes and against some of the resort’s pretty buildings.
I’m a very experienced alpine wedding photographer. I’ve shot weddings all over Europe’s best slopes, including Les Arcs, so don’t be surprised if you see me skiing backwards to get the best shots!
Needless to say you’ll end up with tons of wow wedding photos that will make your heart sing for decades to come. Best of all your wedding photos will be totally unique with a look that’s completely different to the wedding photography all your friends have.
Winter elopement in a ski resort in France
For the most luxurious wedding experience head to Arc 1950 like Llywelyn and Serene. Of Les Arcs’ four resorts and three villages, Arc 1950 is the newest and most luxurious. Whilst Les Arcs’ other three resorts: Arc 1800, Arc 2000 and Arc 1600, largely offer self-catering accommodation, Arc 1950 has lots of top hotels. Each resort’s name roughly relates to the altitude at which it is positioned.
The 5-star Arc 1950 resort is award-winning with panoramic views across Mont Blanc and quick access to the slopes. As you would expect from a luxury resort, Arc 1950 has sumptuous spa facilities where you can pamper and relax before and after your wedding day.
Covering 1000m2, 1950’s sensational Deep Nature Mineral Spa is a jaw-dropping space. One of the largest spas in the region, you’ll revel in saunas, hammams, jacuzzis, rejuvenating caves, Nordic outdoor baths, spa treatments and more.
Arc 1950 also boasts lots of top restaurants offering cuisine from around the world plus bars, a nightclub, boutiques, all sorts of entertainment, activities for children and more.
You can travel easily to both Arc 1800, Les Arcs’ main resort and Arc 2000. Located in a prime position, Arc 1950 gets the best of the powder with its slopes guaranteed to be filled with snow in winter.
One of the ground-breaking features of Les Arcs when it was first built in 1968 was its game-changing approach to architecture. At Arc 1950 and across all Les Arcs’ resorts, you’ll find beautiful, traditional and environmentally-friendly architecture which complements its surroundings. Decades later, those original principles still remain the priorities for Les Arcs’ structures today.
Paul was absolutely amazing! We managed to arrange for him to come to our ski resort at quite short notice and he was a complete professional. We were so happy with the photos and videos that he shot with us and he gave perfect instructions as to what we needed to do. Would highly recommend him for anyone planning for a winter pre-engagement/wedding photo shoot in Les Arc. Plus he even took my father out for a ski in the afternoon. :-)
Llywelyn & Serene
21 of my favourite images from a Les Arcs Wedding
Les Arcs in the Tarantaise Valley
Les Arcs’ other resorts each have their own character. Arc 1800 is the liveliest of the four resorts with around 100 shops, an ice rink, snowboarding and snowbombing events plus the most vibrant apres-ski!
Arc 1600 was Les Arc’s first resort. Positioned in the lowest location, Arc 1600 is small with easy access to Bourg St Maurice train station and free shuttle buses to the other 3 resorts.
Linked to Arc 1950 by cable car, Arc 2000 is the highest resort.
Appealing to the most experienced skiers, Arc 2000 has some of the resorts’ best slopes though most aren’t edged with trees. Coupled with strong winds and deep snowfalls at this height, Arc 2000’s slopes are challenging and can get busy. Arc 2000 often hosts events such as speed skating and is close to the Rouge Glacier.
Les Arcs ski resort in Borg-Saint Maurice
During winter, beyond skiing, there’s something to keep everyone entertained. Whether it’s the Les Arcs European film festival, live music events, bowling, ice skating, snowshoeing, tobogganing, tree top rope adventures, hiking trails, kayaking, sports centres, husky dog rides, museums, cinemas or artisan markets, everyone will have plenty to do.
If you want to get married in summer there’s an enormous number of activities to enjoy. From cycling to golf, spas, watersports, theme parks, museums, historic forts, rock climbing, activity centres, rope climbing, helicopter rides, horse riding and more, your loved ones will relish all sorts of fun in the immediate Vanoise National Park area – even the Tour de France passes through!
Engagement shoot in the mountains
What better way to engagement shoot in the Alps. A pre-wedding photoshoot is included in my packages as I would normally arrive 2 days before your wedding, meaning it gives me the day before the wedding to familiarise myself with the area but also to meet you guys and capture some great photos of you enjoying the mountains.
With only one opportunity to capture all the drama of both the French Alps and your wedding day, you’ll want to ensure that you have a French Alps wedding photographer who knows what they’re doing. This terrain takes some knowledge. I, for example, have spent the last 15 years as a ski and snowboard instructor and can often be found skiing backwards whilst shooting my couples not something the average wedding photographer can undertake!
Local to the area, I’m a highly experienced Les Arcs wedding photographer who has been lucky to be a Swiss Alps wedding photographer many times. Whether you want to get married at Les Arcs or another location – give me a call on: 07854 172143 or send a message and let’s talk about what you have in mind for your wedding.
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If you would like to enquire about a Les Arcs wedding photographer and the services I offer please feel free to get in touch. Tell me as many details as possible, I love hearing all about what people have planned for their big day, and also the finer details… how you met and a bit about you both.
Please feel free to contact me on 07854172143 or if you prefer you can contact me by email at info@paulkeppel.co.uk or by using the form below. I aim to respond within 24 hours however if you haven’t heard back from me please check your spam folders as sometimes emails drop into there.
