Ski Accommodation in La Plagne, France

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Description

La Plagne is a purpose built resort, built under Charles De Gaulle’s leadership so everyone in France could have an affordable place to ski. The resort isn’t the most attractive but there is plenty of great value accommodation which is one of the reasons why La Plagne is Europe’s most visited resort.

La Plagne is comprised of several different villages - Plagne 1800, Plagne Centre, Belle Plagne, Plagne Bellecote, Plagne Village/Soleil, Montchavin/Les Coches, Montalbert, Champagny and Aime.

La Plagne links with Les Arcs forming the Paradiski, which is one of the largest ski areas in Europe totalling 452km of piste. The resorts are linked by the Vanoise cable car which is the only double decker cable car in Europe!

Getting There

Flying is the most popular way to get to La Plagne, there are four local airports to the resort:

117km from Chambery (1h30)
190km from Grenoble (2h55)
194km from Lyon (2h15)
196km from Geneva (3h50)

Geneva and Lyon have the most flight options from the UK and other international airports but tour operators will offer flights to all four destinations.

There are several companies who offer both private and shared transfers to take you to and from the resort:

Alps2Alps provide private transfers from Geneva, Chambery, Grenoble and Lyon.

Alti Bus provides shared transfers from Geneva, Chambery and Lyon.

Bens Bus provides low cost shared transfers from Geneva, Grenoble and Lyon.

Cool Bus provides private transfers from Geneva, Grenoble, Chambery and Lyon.

Europe Transfer provides private and shared airport transfers from Geneva, Lyon, Grenoble and Chambery

Ski Lifts have been awarded the world’s best ski transfer operator in the world ski awards. They provide private and shared transfers from Geneva, Grenoble, Lyon and Chambery.

Snowbus provides shared transfers on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from Geneva and Grenoble and private transfers every day of the week from Geneva, Grenoble, Chambery and Lyon.

Snowdrone provide shared transfers from Geneva and luxury yet affordable private transfers from Geneva, Grenoble, Chambery and Lyon.

Bourg Saint Maurice is the closest train station to La Plagne which is approximately 40 minutes’ drive away. The Eurostar runs directly to Bourg from London St Pancras and Ashford in Kent.

To drive to La Plagne from the UK, you can take the channel tunnel or the ferry. When driving in France, there are several tolls along the route which cost approximately €75.

When to Go

La Plagne is one of the most popular resorts for families so does get booked up during school holidays and the prices on travel and accommodation are more expensive during this time.

For groups not restricted to school holidays, La Plagne has good conditions throughout the season and is one of the better value resorts for its size so you will normally be able to find yourself a good deal on an off-peak date.

Where to Stay

La Plagne is made up of several different villages - Plagne 1800, Plagne Centre, Belle Plagne, Plagne Bellecote, Plagne Village/Soleil, Montchavin/Les Coches, Montalbert, Champagny and Aime.

Plagne 1800 is a traditional family friendly with plenty of chalets offering quick and easy access to the slopes. There are a few shops and restaurants here as well as one or two bars but it is not the liveliest part of the resort.

Plagne Centre is purpose built and is where the majority of restaurants/bars/shops are located. The compact town has a few chalet options but some good chalet hotels.

Belle Plagne is the most attractive part of the resort. It was built by Intrawest which is the team behind Whistler. Belle Plagne was built for ski access with plenty of the accommodation boasting ski in/ski out access.

Plagne Bellecote is located just outside of Belle Plagne and is a lively centre with plenty of accomodation, shops and restaurants. The resort has excellent ski access with one bubble, one drag lift and four chair lifts.

Plagne Village/Soleil is a small village with two clusters of accomodation on either side of the piste. The majority of the accommodation here is ski in/ski out.

Aime is considered the least attractive resort in La Plagne. The village consists of a couple of big complexes and the resort has its own ski school and beginners area.

Montchavin/Les Coches are traditional towns that existed before the ski area opened. They are picturesque towns located next to the Vanoise Express cable car which links La Plagne with Les Arcs. The chalets here are in a good location in terms of ski access ut the villages are quiet so it is not the best place to stay for groups looking for a lively atmosphere.

Montalbert is another traditional and picturesque village with plenty of well located chalets for ski access, but the village itself is far away from the rest of the resort.

Getting around

There are two free bus services in La Plagne.The first connects Plagne 1800 to Plagne Bellecote and Plagne Centre every 15 minutes and runs between 0830 and 0550. The second runs between Les Charmettes, La Roche, the bobsleigh run, Plagne 1800, Plagne Centre and Aime 2000 every hour from 0600 to 0300.

During school holidays (Christmas, February and Easter) there is a free shuttle that operates between Plagne Soleil and Plagne Villages that runs every 15 minutes from 0835 to 2345.

There is no bus services connecting Belle Plagne and the other villages. To access other resorts, there is a Telecabine lift that runs between Belle Plagne and Plagne Bellecote untill 2345 and then take a bus from there. There is also a Telemetro lift that connects Plagne Centre and Aime 2000 which runs every 5 minutes between 0800 and 2345.

Apres

La Plagne isn’t famous for it’s apres ski or nightlife but there are several bars dotted around the resort:

Le Cosy Bar & Nightclub is a late night hot-spot in Plagne Bellecote. The bar is open 17:00 to 20:00 and the club from 22:00 to 06:00 and the bar serves snacks right through till the end of the night.

Le Saloon Bar is a Wild West themed nightclub in Belle Plagne with DJs every night. The bar is open from 4pm till 5am but generally doesn’t get busy till later on.

Le Cheyenne Cafe is a warm and welcoming cafe in the heart of Belle Plagne. Choose from coffee, tea, beers, cocktails, spirits and wine in the classic Savoyard bar.

Le Tete Inn is a popular pub style bar in Belle Plagne.

Igloo Igloo Bar is an igloo-themed (hence the name!) bar in Plagne Centre. The bar offers a wide selection of drinks with complimentary nibbles and happy hours.

Luna Bar is a rustic style pub located in Plagne Centre and is good for a relaxing après ski drink, pre-dinner drink or party night with live music ad DJs.

Scotty’s Bar is located at the foot of the Stade Olympic run in Plagne Centre. They serve a great menu from 1130 till 2100 and have excellent daily happy hours and live music during the week.

Mouth Bar is located in Plagne Centre. The underground bar is open from 4pm till 2 am and has a chilled atmosphere in the afternoon with table football, darts and live sport before the party starts later on.

La Rhumerie is a small and cosy bar located in Aime La Plagne serving every flavour of rum.

Monica’s Pub is located in Plagne Soleil and is a lively spot for après ski with happy hour and live music.

La Mine Bar is located in the heart of Plagne 1800 and is a popular bar for apres-ski and evenings.

Eating out

La Plagne has a good selection of restaurants both on and off the mountain:

L’Absinthe is a popular fast food restaurant located in Aime 2000 and serves a range of local Savoyard specialities.

Le M is located in Aime 2000. The restaurant is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner and has a Savoy and bistro menu with daily specials.

Hotel Carlina is located on the blue piste linking Belle Plagne and Plagne Bellecote.

Le Hors Piste is located on the piste in Belle Plagne. The restaurant boasts a large outdoor terrace and serves s menu of traditional dishes, local specialities and pizzas.

Chez Pat Le Sauget is a cosy mountain restaurant located in Les Coches. The family run restaurant has a set daily lunch menu with two options to choose from and is also open from breakfast and dinner.

Chalet des Verdons Sud is a mountain restaurant located in the middle of the piste on the south side of Champagny. The restaurant serves traditional French food and Savoyard specialities.

Le Forperet is a mountain restaurant located above Montalbert. The traditional farmhouse restaurant serves regional Savoyard cuisine such as cheese fondue, meat pierrade, tartiflette, salads, soups, omelettes and snacks.

Le Matafan is located in the centre of Belle Plagne and serves traditional Savoyard food.

Activities

La Plagne offers a good selection of activities for non-skiers:

Bobsleigh
Super Tyro
Paragliding
Walking trails
Snowmobiling
Pistebasher introduction

Ski School

La Plagne offers a good range of ski schools throughout the resort. The ski schools provide both group and private lessons; group lessons are more sociable and generally work out cheaper but will be less intense than one-on-one.

It is advisable to pre-book your lessons as availability is limited.

ESF has been running for over 70 years and has fully qualified English speaking instructors to help you improve your skills. ESF offer group and private lessons as well as mountain guiding for all abilities. They have a ski school in Plagne Centre, Plagne Village, Plagne 1800, Belle Plagne and Plagne Soleil.

Oxygene is the leading family-friendly, English speaking ski and snowboard school in the French Alps. They offer both private and group instruction for children and adults.

Lime SnowSports is the only British owned ski school in La Plagne. They offer private individual and group lessons to both adults and children.

New Generation ski school meeting point is in La Plagne 1800. They have a close-knit team of 3 fully qualified English speaking instructors who teach all levels in both group and private lessons.

Reflex Ski School is a small team of ski and snowboard instructors located in Plagne Centre.

Getting around

Family ski

La Plagne is one of the most popular resorts for families. The ski area has plenty of wide and gentle slopes so it makes a great choice for children learning to ski for the first time.

For families looking for childcare in resort, there are several options available. ESF operate the creche Club Piou Piou for 3-5 year olds.

There are several operators who offer in-house childcare Esprit Ski, Club Med and Mark Warner all operate in resort providing age appropriate childcare and ski lessons.

There are also private nanny companies offering flexible levels of high quality care:

My Travelling Nanny is a family run specialist holiday nanny agency who match families with the perfect Travelling Nanny for their holiday.

Snow Little prides themselves on finding the perfect nanny for each family.

T4 Nannies is the loveliest in the Alps with their handpicked staff offering high quality service.

Group Ski

La Plagne together with Les Arcs make up the Paradiski area, one of the largest linked ski areas in Europe. The large ski area is suitable for all abilities, in particular beginners due to the vast network of green and blue runs.

La Plagne isn’t best known for its apres ski and nightlife however there are still a good selection of bars dotted throughout the resort, both on and off the mountain. La Plagne is Europe’s most visited resort so offers a good range of accommodation for groups of all sizes, and particularly has good family friend chalets.

Childcare

La Plagne is fantastic for children. Families with kids in tow, who are keen to experience more than just skiing can choose from ice skating, climbing, and snow-shoeing, along with a host of other pursuits. A few mote highlights if you need a break from skiing include:

Swimming - La Plagne Centre has a lovely indoor swimming pool and there’s a heated outdoor pool in Plagne Bellecote too. The pretty base resort of Montchavin is home to a new leisure complex with spa facilities, a wellness suite and indoor swimming pool.

Ice skating - The Bellecote area of la Plagne is home to the resort’s ice skating rink, and it’s a popular choice for families taking a break from the snow.

Tobogganing - La Plagne offers a good number of safe tobogganing areas for children to enjoy. One of the best is located in Plagne Centre where the slope is a good gradient for safe tobogganing.

The Piste

The best beginner area is in Plagne Bellecote. Here there are a number of blue pistes running into the resort. The Arpette chairlift is located next to the beginner area and serves 4 wide rolling runs. There are also beginner slopes in Belle Plagne, Plagne Centre, Plagne Village and Aime La Plagne.

La Plagne offers good skiing for intermediates with a high proportion of blue and red runs. The slopes of La Grande Rochette are where skiers will find some challenging runs including the Mont de la Guerre. Other challenging runs in resort include La Clapet and L’Esselet from the top of the Roche de Mio.

For expert skiers, many of the best black runs are located in the Montalbert valley and the Bellecote glacier. For the best off piste, head to the smaller villages for fresh snow.

Ski School

It is advisable to pre-book your lessons as availability is limited.

Oxygene is the leading family-friendly, English speaking ski and snowboard school in the French Alps. They offer both private and group instruction for children and adults.

Lime SnowSports is the only British owned ski school in La Plagne. They offer private individual and group lessons to both adults and children.

New Generation ski school meeting point is in La Plagne 1800. They have a close-knit team of 3 fully qualified English speaking instructors who teach all levels in both group and private lessons.

Reflex Ski School is a small team of ski and snowboard instructors located in Plagne Centre.

Equipment Hire

There is a good selection of equipment hire shops in resort offering a range of the latest equipment.

It is recommended to pre-book equipment as the majority of stores will offer online discounts:

Sport 2000 are located in Plagne 1800 and offer the best equipment from all major brands.

Oxygene rental shop is fully equipped with a range of skis and snowboard equipment for all ages, abilities and disciplines. Oxygene have a stylish rental shop in the centre of resort but also offer a luxury chalet fitting service whereby you can pre-book skis, boards, boots, helmets and off-piste equipment to be delivered and expertly fitted in the comfort of your own accommodation. By booking online with Oxygene you will benefit automatically from a 15% discount. Oxgene is located in Plagne Centre and Belle Plagne.

Ski Set are in Plagne 1800, Belle Plagne, Plagne Centre, Aime 2000, Plagne Soleil/Plagne Village and offer an array of state of the art equipment to hire.

Intersport have stores in Aime 2000, Belle Plagne, Plagne Bellecote, Plagne Centre, Plange 1800, Plagne Soleil/Village, Les Coches, Montalbert and Montchavin and provide ski and snowboard equipment to suit all abilities.

Skimium provide top brand equipment in Aime 2000, Belle Plagne, Plagne 1800, Plagne Bellecote, Plagne Centre, Plagne Soleil/Village and Montchavin.

Ski Republic are located in Plagne Centre and Plagne Bellecote. They offer a selection of ski and board rental from top brands. Their products are regularly serviced and updated every season.

Lift Passes

There are two lift pass options available in La Plagne, the local area La Plagne pass and the full area Paradiski pass which covers Les Arcs as well.

The below prices are based on the current rates in resort and may change at the time of booking:

6 Day Pass      La Plagne        Paradiski
Adult (13-64y)      €250             €284
Child (5-12y)        €197             €224
Senior (65-74y)    €194             €224

Free passes are available for under 5yrs and over 74ys, proof of age is required.

Discounted passes are available for groups of two or three. Groups of two will benefit from a €10 discount per person and groups of three will benefit from a €15 per person. For the discounts to be applicable, all passes must be bought for the same duration in the same transaction.

Family passes are available for families of 2 adults and 2 children. All members pay the child rate on the deal and all passes must be bought at the same time in order for the offer to be valid.

Beginner skiers can purchase a ‘Cool Ski’ 1 day pass which costs €30. This pass offers access to designated beginner areas in resort.

Passes can be pre-booked online in advance or purchased at the lift pass office in resort.