La Rosière or Les Arcs for Christmas?
- Les Arcs is the safer bet for snow: at least 30cm on Christmas morning in 24 of 29 years, against 22 of 30 for La Rosière.
- On Christmas atmosphere we rate them the same (3 out of 5).
- La Rosière is stronger on families (5 out of 5 against 4), in our editorial view.
- On beginners we rate them the same (4 out of 5).
La Rosière and Les Arcs side by side
| La Rosière | Les Arcs | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | France | France |
| Village altitude | 1,850m | 1,600m |
| Top of the ski area | Not recorded | 3,250m |
| Christmases with 30cm+ of snow | 22 of 30 (La Rosière (village), 1867 m) | 24 of 29 (Les Arcs, 2040 m) |
| Snow lying in the village | No village record | 17 of 27 Christmases |
| Christmas Snow Score | 72/100 | 72/100 |
| Christmas atmosphere (our rating) | 3/5 | 3/5 |
| Families (our rating) | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| Beginners (our rating) | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| Chalets we list | 6 | 27 |
| Typical Christmas week, 19 Dec – 26 Dec 2026 | Too few priced | £6,618 (9 chalets priced) |
Snow figures are Christmas-morning measurements by national and regional weather services, shown on the Christmas Snow Report. Ratings are our editorial view. Prices are Booking.com’s cheapest total for the week for each chalet’s full capacity, among chalets still available when we checked.
What Christmas is like in each
Christmas in La Rosière
Small-scale and family-focused. The resort's Magie de Noël programme brings decorations, children's activities and the arrival of Father Christmas, and the ESF's weekly torchlit descent and instructor show falls on a Monday evening in Christmas week. Evenings are quiet.
Christmas in Les Arcs
Varies by village. Arc 1950 is purpose-built to look traditional and does it well, with a pedestrian square that comes into its own at Christmas. Arc 1800 is livelier and more functional. None of them has the depth of a real Alpine village, but 1950 comes closest.
Questions about La Rosière and Les Arcs at Christmas
Which has more snow at Christmas, La Rosière or Les Arcs?
Les Arcs is the safer bet for snow: at least 30cm on Christmas morning in 24 of 29 years, against 22 of 30 for La Rosière. Measured on Christmas morning at the nearest weather station to each resort since 1996; how often there has been snow, not a forecast.
Which is better for christmas atmosphere at Christmas, La Rosière or Les Arcs?
On Christmas atmosphere we rate them the same (3 out of 5).
Which is better for families at Christmas, La Rosière or Les Arcs?
La Rosière is stronger on families (5 out of 5 against 4), in our editorial view.
Which is better for beginners at Christmas, La Rosière or Les Arcs?
On beginners we rate them the same (4 out of 5).