Awesome Ski Holidays in La Plagne
La Plagne, France is a huge ski resort suitable for all ages and levels of ability.
Nestled in the French Alps and sometimes overlooked in favor of more popular Alpine ski regions like Chamonix or St. Moritz, La Plagne is one of Europe's largest and most versatile ski resorts.
Unlike some of Europe's ritzier resorts, this one is affordable and a good value for your dollar. The resort is so expansive that you'll never be bored and will always be able to find runs that are appropriate to your ability level and enjoy other fun winter activities as well.
The Villages
La Plagne Ski Resort is actually made up of ten distinct villages, most of them built specifically to cater to the skiing public. Each has a bit of a different personality; some quaint and charming while others are pretty utilitarian.
Four of the villages are located at low altitude. These are more traditional and tend to exude more charm than the others. If you're looking for the quintessential ski village, these should be your choice.
The lower villages include Montchavin, Montalbert, Les Coches, and Champagny-en-Vanoise.
The six upper villages are all about skiing convenience and are perfect for no-nonsense skiers who want to spend all their time on the slopes. Just like the lower-altitude villages, each of these has its own stores, restaurants, ski shops, and everything else that you might need on a ski excursion.
The six high-altitude villages are Aime la Plagne, Plagne Soleil, Belle Plagne, Plagne Centre, Plagne Bellecotte, and Plagne 1800.
The La Plagne Ski Experience
La Plagne, France has a bit of something for everyone. There are 134 runs of various levels here, including 10 black and 34 red.
Beginner runs are, of course, located at the lower altitude areas while the high-altitude resorts offer some fantastic bowl skiing. The glacier skiing in La Plagne is also magnificent and a definite must for experienced skiers.
Most travel guides will tell you, however, that La Plagne is a haven for intermediate skiers. The rolling mountains here offer a challenge but are not overwhelming and there are enough gentle off-trail areas for developing deep snow-skiing skills.
This ski area is vast and getting around can be a bit confusing. There are a whopping 105 ski lifts all together, including eight gondolas.
It's best to always keep track of the time so that you can navigate the system and wind up back where you started before the lifts close for the evening, but don't hesitate to travel away from your resort and enjoy the other areas.
For cross country fans, there are nearly 50 miles of trails that run along the base of the Alpine ski area. One such trail is interpretive, providing information about the La Plagne region every few miles.
There are tons of ski shops that rent the latest equipment, so if you're arriving in La Plagne sans skis, you should have no problem finding what you need. Many shops offer advance rental reservations so that you can select what you need before you arrive
Dining and Après Ski
The mountains of La Plagne play host to 21 restaurants, providing plenty of choices for a midday meal when you need a break from skiing. All of the villages are home to a number of eateries as well.
Plagne Center, in particular, boasts several excellent little restaurants where the atmosphere is cozy, the food is delicious and steaming hot, and the crowds and staff are friendly.
Après ski in La Plagne is not what it is in St. Moritz or Aspen, but visitors will find plenty of bars or night spots that offer music and dancing.
Getting There
Getting to La Plagne will definitely involve some driving or a train or motorcoach ride from the nearest airport, Geneva (93 miles). If you don't mind driving the mountain roads, renting a car is often the most affordable way to get to the ski resort, as transfers from the airport are often quite costly.