Ski holidays in La Plagne

La Plagne is one of the largest single resort areas in France and caters especially well for beginners and intermediates. It is in the Tarentaise Valley in the Auvergne Rhône Alpes region of the French Alps. There are a few smaller areas that link all the villages of La Plagne to each other, to ensure maximum skiing time. Plagne Centre, Aime Le Centre, Plagne 1800, Plagne Villages and Plagne Soleil areas provide a wide variety of blues and reds, ideal for the beginner or intermediate skier as well as being a good start for those looking to rediscover their ski legs.

Complete beginners will also find the nursery slopes here, roped off to stop other skiers rushing through. The Belle Plagne and Plagne Bellecote area provides more reds for a bit more of a challenge and also has access up to the Bellecote Glacier via a cable car that goes up  one side of the mountain then heads downwards to the bottom of the glacier’s skiable area. This area is worth going to for the beautiful views alone, but also has a few blue and red runs, along with a couple of blacks (conditions permitting). The amazing “North face of the Bellecote” off-piste run can also be accessed from here, although this should only be skied with a professional qualified guide. The Champagny area of La Plagne (accessible on a La Plagne local ski pass) is accessed from the top of the Grande Rochette cable car and provides an extra little treat to the main La Plagne ski area. Particularly enjoyable in the afternoon when the sun shines directly on it, this is another area which predominantly features blues and reds and also links up to the back of the Belle Plagne and Plagne Bellecote area. For the less energetic skier, there are also a number of lovely mountain restaurants with terraces that allow you to make the most of the sunshine. 

For beginners

There is a nursery slope adjacent to each village that makes up the resort of La Plagne but the main nursery slopes our guests use are situated at the very top of the resort in La Plagne Centre. One slope complete with button lift is directly opposite our apartments (perfect for nervous parents to spy on their little ones!), the other is just to the left of the Grand Rochette bubble  a few steps away from the Summit View. Ski schools use these runs to start novices off on their skiing adventure before progressing on to the Vega and Ramy runs back into resort.

Snow parks

Snow park (Belle Plagne) is split into 2 parts; one small and one big. The ‘small’ park for beginners has bumps, boxes and small rails. The ‘big’ park has 3 levels with larger bumps, boxes and rails. There is also a big air bag to try out moves in complete safety and a ‘chill zone’ to relax in.

Mountains

There are some amazing mountains in La Plagne including: Mont Blanc, Belledonne, Lauzière, Aiguilles d'Arves, Massif des Cerces, Aravis Range, Mont Cenis, Bauges, Chartreuse, Vanoise, Beaufortain.

Off Piste

La Plagne has a very good reputation for off piste skiing. The resort is spread over a large area, much of which is not touched by lift systems resulting in more powder, that doesn't get tracked nearly as quickly as some other more 'macho' resorts. Both the Bellecote and Biolley areas offer some rather challenging off-piste skiing.  It is imperative that you take all the safety precautions you can, shovels and probes and beepers can be purchased or hired. Speak to lift operators prior to going off piste as they will have a better idea of what is safe and what isn’t. To be extra safe professional guides can be hired who have all the local knowledge to take you to the best spots without sacrificing safety.

Cross Country Skiing

Cross country skiing is very popular in La Plagne with over 80km of specialised marked tracks available (many of which are free of charge). 22km of those pistes are in the award winning area of Champagny-le-Haut Nordic; a ski area to the south side of the resort. For those that want to explore even further there is also 44km of piste in the Peisey-Nancroix area in Vallee de Bellecote between La Plagne and Les Arcs. You will need to have a car to access these and you do need to purchase a pass but it’s an area highly recommended to investigate. In terms of tuition, Oxygene, our ski school partner can offer one-on-one or group lessons.

In La Plagne we provide our ski hire from Oxygene, we have been working with them since our arrival in resort. Their shop is in the same building as our chalets, so once you’re settled in your chalet host will take you downstairs to collect your equipment. You can go down in your slippers if you wish. We are confident you’ll get the very best of service from Bertrand, Manu and the team. 

We collect details such as ski ability, height, weight and shoe size beforehand. This is key to ensure the team at Oxygene know exactly what you’re looking for and therefore the whole fitting process is as quick and seamless as possible.

Ski rental equipment descriptions and categories vary from resort to resort, and even from shop to shop. To make this easier we describe ski equipment as bronze, silver, gold or platinum. We would advise you book the following according to your experience and ski ability;

Bronze – for complete beginners  Silver – for intermediate level (blues and easy reds) Gold – for intermediate/advanced level (reds and easy blacks) Platinum – for advanced/expert level

PLUS as VIP SKI guests you will also get;

• Free delivery and collection (once fitted in the shop your equipment will be delivered to the ski locker room, and collected from there at the end of the week)
• Free helmet for children ski packs (saving 9€)
• Free insurance covering theft, breakage with no excess (saving 9€)

Prices shown below are a guide and may fluctuate due to exchange rates.

Possibly one of the most important aspects of a ski holiday, the lift pass is vital unless you plan to walk up the mountain before skiing down!

Pre-book your lift pass directly with us before you travel. Your lift passes will be delivered to your chalet before breakfast on the first morning, in plenty of time for you to make it up the first lift. Prices detailed are for the 2016/17 season.

Prices shown below are a guide and may fluctuate due to exchange rates

There are several ski school providers in La Plagne, each will offer a variety of tuition options from beginner groups to private lessons and off piste guiding, however, some may specialise in a particular area. We have listed a few of our recommended suppliers below, and highlighted those we pre-book on your behalf.

Oxygene ski school +33(0)4 79 09 03 99

We can pre-book lessons on your behalf - please call us on 0208 875 1957

Our childrens ski school La Plagne, is run in partnership with award-winning Oxygene who are a highly respected and professionally run ski school, with a refreshingly forward thinking and innovative attitude. Oxygene understand the importance of their role in your holiday and share our own ethos of total satisfaction. We work tirelessly with them to create a relaxed environment for our children to learn or improve, without barrier of language and at times that suit our guests. All the instructors selected for our ski school have been hand-picked for their fluency in English, particular affinity and experience with children and friendly, encouraging manner.

In addition to our dedicated VIP SKI child lessons, Oxygene provide group ski & snowboard classes for adults and children of all abilities. They also provide Off-piste courses and tailor-made private lessons. All with small group sizes of no more than 6-10 per class. 

Click here to see prices of our Oxygene Childrens ski school lessons

ESF +33(0)4 79 09 00 40

ESF are a local branch of the French Ski School and provide private and group ski & snowboard lessons, for children, teens and adults. ESF are unique in offering Kindergarten ski school for children from the age of 3 years. Lessons are available for beginners or advanced abilities and you will find all their instructors are not only highly competent but extremely friendly to ensure you enjoy your lessons.

New Generation 01462 674 000

New Generation is a British-run ski school with teams in 16 resorts across the French, Swiss and Austrian Alps, including their school in La Plagne. With 19 years' experience they'll help you get the most out of your time on the hill, and pride themselves on providing excellent customer service. They offer a wide range of ski and snowboard lessons for all ages and abilities from tiny tots to all-mountain adventurers. And whether you're looking to join a group, a private lesson, or an off piste adventure they will help you improve, develop technique and have fun. You are on holiday after all!