Arpette (Les Arcs)

West-facing ridge site · 2,151 m takeoff · 1,397 m height gain

Overview

Arpette (Les Arcs) is a mountain site in the French Alps with a recorded launch elevation of 2,151 m. It works best in westerly winds, and can also work in south-westerly and north-westerly winds. Pilots fly it for ridge soaring and thermal, using foot launch.

Lift-served launches on the Arpette / Fond Blanc slopes above Arc 1600 and Arc 1800 in the Les Arcs ski area, above Bourg-Saint-Maurice (Haute Tarentaise).

Local clubs

Parapente Club Haute Tarentaise (PCHT)

Manages the site

Manages the flying sites from Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise to La Plagne, including the Les Arcs area. Runs a buvette at Les Ilettes and a shared shuttle (non-members welcome at a higher fare).

Source: Parapente Club de Haute Tarentaise

École de Parapente des Arcs

School

Phone: +33613635574

Website

Source: Paragliding at Bourg Saint Maurice

Arcs en Ciel Parapente

School

Winter tandem flights from the Arpette launch; meeting point at their hut at the Arpette.

Phone: +33769942581

Website

Source: Grand vol en parapente sur Les Arcs avec départ à skis

Air Tandem Les Arcs

School

Winter ski-launch tandems; meeting point at the Chalet Parapente at the top of the Arpette chairlifts (Arc 1600).

Phone: +33612103242

Website

Source: Vol Parapente Biplace Les Arcs - Décollage à ski

When to go

Flyable days per month in a typical year.

Flyable days for Arpette (Les Arcs) are on the way. We are scoring ten years of weather for every site, month by month, against this site, its region and the sites around it.

Local weather notes

Lift: thermal · Season: Jun–Aug · Best time: Average XC launch time around 12:50-13:30 in June-August Source: Les Arcs - Heliport Paragliding near Bourg-Saint-Maurice
XContest-derived statistics for the 'Les Arcs - Heliport' launch (at the Cachette chairlift top, where the PGE pin sits): about 27 XC days a year, peaking in August (about 12 XC days) and July (about 8); longest recorded flight 186 km… Source: Les Arcs - Heliport Paragliding near Bourg-Saint-Maurice

Getting there

Nearest airports

NCY Annecy Meythet airport67 km
CMF Chambéry Aix les Bains airport72 km
TRN Turin Airport78 km

Public transport directions from Annecy Meythet airport (Google Maps)All travel options from Annecy Meythet airport (Rome2Rio)

Plan to reach the landing field or the nearest town to Arpette (Les Arcs); most takeoffs are reached by shuttle, cable car or a ride from a local pilot. Data: © OpenStreetMap contributors

Where to stay

The nearest towns, for a bed, food and a lift to takeoff.

Bourg-Saint-Maurice5 km awayBooking.com Airbnb
Albertville34 km awayBooking.com Airbnb
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc39 km awayBooking.com Airbnb

Things to do

For the days the wind is wrong: places worth a visit within 10 km of Arpette (Les Arcs).

From Wikipedia, text and photos under their own licences on each article.

Flying nearby

See them on the map

Pilot notes

No notes yet. Flown Arpette (Les Arcs)? Tell the next pilot what to expect.

Flying Arpette (Les Arcs)?

Takeoff, landing, rules, the hour by hour forecast and live wind are in the site details on the map.

Open site details

Sources

Décollages et Atterrissages autour de Bourg Saint Maurice (map embedded on the PCHT 'Sites de pratique' page) Summarised from the Décollages et Atterrissages autour de Bourg Saint Maurice (map embedded on the PCHT 'Sites de pratique' page) (as of 2026-09-29). The club guide is authoritative; always check it before flying.
Météo et Aérologie Summarised from the Météo et Aérologie (as of 2026-09-29). The club guide is authoritative; always check it before flying.
Parapente Club de Haute Tarentaise Summarised from the Parapente Club de Haute Tarentaise (as of 2026-09-29). The club guide is authoritative; always check it before flying.
Navette Summarised from the Navette (as of 2026-09-29). The club guide is authoritative; always check it before flying.
Rapaces Summarised from the Rapaces (as of 2026-09-29). The club guide is authoritative; always check it before flying.
Atterrissage:Altiport Licence: unknown
Atterrissage:Chalet d'accueil du golf Licence: unknown
Atterrissage:Gare de Bourg-Saint-Maurice Licence: unknown
Atterrissage:Les Ilettes Licence: unknown
Decollage:L'arpette Licence: unknown
Grand vol en parapente sur Les Arcs avec départ à skis Licence: unknown
Les Arcs - Heliport Paragliding near Bourg-Saint-Maurice Licence: unknown
Paragliding at Bourg Saint Maurice Licence: unknown
thermal.kk7.ch thermal hotspots and skyways Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Vol Parapente Biplace Les Arcs - Décollage à ski Licence: unknown

Short extracts from Parapente Club Haute Tarentaise, ParaglidingEarth, Atterrissage:Altiport, Atterrissage:Chalet d'accueil du golf, Atterrissage:Gare de Bourg-Saint-Maurice, Atterrissage:Les Ilettes, Decollage:L'arpette, Grand vol en parapente sur Les Arcs avec départ à skis, Les Arcs - Heliport Paragliding near Bourg-Saint-Maurice, Paragliding at Bourg Saint Maurice, thermal.kk7.ch thermal hotspots and skyways and Vol Parapente Biplace Les Arcs - Décollage à ski. Read the full guide before you fly.