This winter, Les Arcs is launching what might just be the world's first "business class" ski pass. Skiers and snowboarders can elect to pay more for their ski pass to enjoy priority at lifts and other exclusive advantages. The concept of business class is familiar to anyone who's ever travelled on a plane or even a train, but it's the first time the concept is being tried out in a ski resort.
We all hate lift queues and would like to skip them. This winter, the French ski resort of Les Arcs, part of the Paradiski linked ski area, will be launching three tiers of ski passes: Classic, Essential and Premium. The cheapest pass allows unlimited skiing in Les Arcs and Peisey-Vallandry, with access to the rest of Paradiski for an additional €20/day. The Essential and Premium include unlimited skiing in all of Paradiski and lift queue priority. Purchasing a 6-day ski pass will entitle you to an additional half-day of free skiing, and the Premium pass entitles passholders to one day of first tracks and to skip the queue once a day on the Aiguille Rouge, a huge timesaver.
The advantages of the Essential and Premium passes aren't just limited to skiing. The Essential and Premium ski passes both offer free activities such as visits to the ice cave and the torchlight descent. The Premium pass will give you unlimited use of the Luge 1800 and 2000 sledging runs as well as free access to the Arc 1800 swimming pool and wellness facilities. If you're travelling with a group and you have a few non-skiers, it might be worth investing in the more expensive lift pass.
Would you shell out more money for a premium lift pass? Here's what they cost:
Classic: €54 for 1 day and €271 for 6 days (children between 5 and 12 years pay €44 or €217)
Essential: €61 for 1 day and €310 for 6 days (children between 5 and 12 years pay €49 or €248)
Premium: €69 for 1 day and €359 for 6 days (children between 5 and 12 years pay €56 or €287)
Born and raised in the ski paradise of Vancouver, Canada, I learned to ski before I can remember, balancing precariously on my parents’ skis as they sailed down the hill. I started snowboarding in my teens and am now delighted to be exploring everything Europe’s ski scene has to offer!
