Les Arcs Live Cam

Origins and Early Development of Les Arcs – Vaglière

Perched at 1,600 meters above sea level in the heart of the Paradiski ski area, Les Arcs – Vaglière bears a unique history rooted in mid-20th-century alpine planning. Conceived in 1968 as part of the ambitious “Alpine Modernism” movement, the station’s development aimed to integrate functional architecture with the natural mountain environment. Designers Eugène and Michel Gauthier envisaged a ski village that would respect the contours of the Aiguille Rouge massif, blending brutalist concrete structures with wood accents to mirror the ruggedness of the surrounding peaks. The original lifts—Téléski du Sagas and Télésiège de Vaglière—opened in 1971, marking the official birth of Vaglière as a gateway to the Glacier de la Vanoise and the glacier-fed Porte du Soleil runs.