La Plagne
From traditional, sleepy villages to bustling and lively, ski-to-the-door resorts, the huge ski area of La Plagne is a dazzling fusion of ten separate villages each with its own distinctive character. Belle Plagne, built in the chalet style is the most scenic village, while Plagne Centre has superb bars and restaurants. The variety of villages is replicated in the range of ski runs. Throughout the resort there is excellent skiing and snowboarding - no matter your ability. Plagne Soleil is ideally situated in a sunny snow bowl and offers easy ski-in/ski-out accommodation perfect for beginners, while up on the Bellecôte glacier there is some of the most challenging off-piste in Europe, a must for passionate freeriders.
Intermediates are exceptionally well catered for as well. The long and winding pistes of La Plagne are ideal for perfecting your parallel turns. A high proportion of blue and red runs means exploring the mountains on your skis couldn’t be simpler. And what an area you have to explore! This superb ski area is linked to Les Arcs by one of the world’s largest cable cars, the Vanoise Express, forming the huge Paradiski domain with 425kms of runs.
As a thriving winter resort there is also plenty to keep you occupied away from the slopes. Après-ski activities include tobogganing, bobsleigh, ice climbing, and airboarding. You can even choose to spend the night in an igloo.
Skiing Levels
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Beginners
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Intermediates
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Advanced
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Snowboard
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Cross Country
Mountain Facts
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Ski area
425 km
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Runs
12
128
0
0
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Longest run
7 Km
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Snowparks
2 snowparks
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Lifts
Drag lifts 43, Chairlifts 58, Cablecars 4
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Slope direction
N,E,W
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Ski/resort bus
True
Things to do in resort
Restaurants, food and drink
La Plagne is a Shangri La for food loving skiers and snowboarders. There are plenty of excellent restaurants serving delicious, traditional French dishes. For lunch, we recommend the lovely Le Chalet du Friolin. Nestled in a beautiful valley on the way to Montchavin, this delightful restaurant just off the pistes serves excellent French cuisine and the terrace has the added advantage of being a real sun-trap too. Le Matafan restaurant in Belle Plagne is another firm favourite here at Inghams. This charmingly, rustic restaurant serves traditional Savoyard cuisine. When we visited for dinner we sampled the delicious beaufortain – a cross between fondue and raclette.
Après, bars, clubs and nightlife
The après scene in La Plagne isn’t focused on one single area but instead spread between the many villages. This has led to a diverse range of options for the die-hard aprés skier – from cozy pubs, via igloo themed bars to open-air bars with DJ performances by the piste. Scotty’s is one of the best known après bars in resort, thanks in part to its location right at the bottom of the Olympic run in Plagne Centre. Another good option is Le Saloon, an American themed bar in Belle Plagne is one of the best places on the mountain to party all night. Perfectly located in the centre of Plagne 1800 and with its quirky, mining inspired décor and regular live music, Bar La Mine, is another fantastic place to spend a night out.
Shopping
Winter sports is the principle past-time in La Plagne and this is reflected in the number of sports shops selling mountain equipment and clothing. Away from the usual winter sports services there are plenty of tabacs selling souvenirs and postcards to send home to friends and family. Visitors to La Plagne staying in self-catering accommodation will find Spar supermarkets located across the resort.
Spas and relaxation
Many of the hotels throughout La Plagne provide spa and wellness facilities, including the Hotel Carlina in Belle Plagne which has a sauna, whirlpool and Turkish bath; the Hotel Araucaria in Plagne Centre has excellent spa facilities including a hammam, pool and sauna; and the Les Granges du Soleil Apartments in Plagne Soleil has a Jacuzzi and a sauna. All offer beauty treatments which you can purchase locally.
It couldn’t be easier to get straight from the slopes to the sauna when you stay at either the Hotel Vancouver or the Sun Valley Apartments. Both offer door-step skiing complete with an indoor pool, sauna and steam room. Available to the public, there is an open-air, heated pool in Plagne Bellecôte where the water is kept at a toasty 29°C. It’s a relaxing and unique way to experience the mountains of La Plagne.
Arts, culture and events
Throughout the season La Plagne buzzes with a thriving calendar of events, both cultural and sporting. The resort consistently hosts professional competitions and tournaments including the Ice Climbing World Championship in early February and the FIS Telemark World Championships in late March, fantastic spectator events for any visitor to La Plagne.
From folk to jazz via rock-n-roll and dance, the Snow Music Festival entertains skiers both on and off the mountain in early February. An eclectic range of musical genres are performed live and in the open-air, with performances lasting until late into the day. Later in the month the Festi'Gliss is your opportunity to road-test some of the latest and wackiest inventions created for getting down the mountain. This surreal showcase will let you test such modes of transport as the yooner, the airboard, the snake gliss and the snowscoot (to name but a few).
The season ends in La Plagne with a massive party. The Subli’Cimes transforms six separate summits into differently themed areas, truly highlighting the diversity of the resort. From adrenaline junky activities to magic shows and beauty treatments, the entertainment on offer is genuinely eclectic.
For more information on travel and transport visit our La Plagne page
