Discover La Plagne
La Plagne is a ski resort located in the Savoie region of the French Alps. It is part of the larger Paradiski ski area, which also includes the resort of Les Arcs which is connected by a network of lifts and gondolas. La Plagne is a highly versatile resort that is made up of 11 villages that spread from the valley floor, up to the Alpine peaks. The villages all have their own charm, some are renowned for being family friendly, some for nightlife and another for historical heritage, as a few examples.
La Plagne is situated in the Tarentaise Valley, within the Savoie region of France and is located on the edge of the Vanoise National Park. As a resort, it is easy to access from major cities and airports, making it a popular ski destination for both domestic and international visitor.
The resort is a mixture of purpose-built ski resorts and traditional villages which dot up the mountain from La Plagne Vallée at 700m, up to Plaine Aime 2000 which sits at an altitude of 2100m. The ski area is vast and is part of the wider Paradiski Area which has a variety of slopes to cater for all levels of ability.
La Plagne is connected to Les Arcs via the Vanoise Express Gondola which was built in 2003 and carries 200 skiers at a time from the village of Montchavin-Les Coches to Peisey in Les Arcs. Plagne Soleil, Plagne Village, Plagne Centre and Plagne 1800 all form the centre of the resort and from here you can try out the many blue and green runs or alternatively drop over into Champagny-en-Vanoise, which sits at 1250m and has 4 ski lifts and a gondola to deliver you back up to the main ski area. Aime 2000 which is also known a Aime La Plagne is very much a purpose-built resort which juts out from the ridgeline and is favoured by more serious skiers. The resort as a whole offers a healthy mixture of runs, snow parks and even has a bobsleigh track.
La Plagne is also a highly popular summer destination offering an array of outdoor activities, including hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing and paragliding. The stunning scenery and fresh mountain air attract outdoor enthusiast all year round.
La Plagne as a whole, offers a range of accommodations including both self-catering and luxury hotels. Much of the accommodation in the purpose-built resorts, which are generally those over 1800m, is ski-in/ski-out and there is also a variety of nightlife to enjoy after a hard day hiking or skiing. La Plagne is served by a wide structure of shuttle buses that run at night joining the resorts and making it easy for visitors to reach neighbouring villages to sample not only the skiing, but also the restaurants and nightlife.
Altitude 700m – 2100m
225km of ski pistes
425km of interlinked skiing Paradiski
The most difficult run is the “Le Rochu”
The longest run is 15km
2.5 hours from Geneva airport
La Plagne is a fantastic resort to explore if you are a beginner or an intermediate skier especially, although the advanced and off piste experts are well catered for too.
- 9 green runs
- 74 blue runs
- 34 red runs
- 8 black runs
The resort offers a great selection for all and of course with the interconnecting links to the wider Paradiski Area then the ski slopes are your oyster with over 425km of marked pistes, including 69 black runs, 127 red runs, 257 blue runs and 22 green runs. There is also 153km of cross-country skiing on offer.
For the snow boarders amongst us there are a few snowboard and terrain parks, one of which is found in Champagney-en-Vanois and includes a slalom, snowpark zone and a freestyle area. There are also snow and terrain parks in La Plagne and Montchavin-Les Coches.
It may be easier to divide the villages to explain the different areas of La Plagne. Aime-le-Plagne/Aime 2000 is probably the most well-known of the resorts as it is characterised by “pointy buildings”, designed to look like the surrounding peaks. Accommodation is mainly ski-in/ski-out apartments and full of shops and restaurants. There are the most amazing views due to the elevation and there is a lot of sunshine here providing a good après ski backdrop.
Montalbert and Longefoy are hidden gems and the Bécoin chair lift now only takes 5 minutes to La Plagne centre, making it much more accessible. There are North facing slopes here that make up for the slightly lower altitude of these 2 villages. It offers lovely runs through the trees, powder skiing and lots of cross-country ski areas.
Plagne Soleil, Plagne Village, Plagne Centre and Plagne 1800 form the main villages in the centre of the resort and are mainly purpose built. Plagne Centre is where most of the action is and there is a huge convergence of ski runs here. Plagne Soleil and Plagne Village are 2 quieter villages that boast amazing Mont Blanc views and Plagne 1800 is where most of the beginner skiing takes place and is a family friendly resort.
Montchavin and Les Coches are more traditional villages and are North facing so keep the snow for longer. These resorts are known to be very family friendly with enough shops, restaurants and nightlife to keep you entertained. It is also home to the Vanoise Express, the world’s largest cable car, offers a unique transportation experience, connecting Les Arcs/Peisey-Vallandry to La Plagne in just four minutes. Its single-span design without intermediate pylons and the glass floor in the interior space make it an exceptional ride, offering stunning views and a sense of adventure.
Belle Plagne and Plagne Bellecôte sit at around 2000m and you can use the Bellecôte Gondola to reach the highest parts of the resort, as well as the glacier which sits at 3,417m. Belle Plagne is a family friendly, pedestrianised resort with lots of blue runs, a snow garden and the beginner slopes. It has a more traditional village feel that Plagne Bellecôte which is another main crossing point for lots of pistes and has reams of apartments to rent, as well as restaurants, bars and nightlife. Plagne Bellecôte rivals Plagne centre as one of the most popular areas of La Plagne to be in.
Biking is a big part of the Tarentaise Valley’s appeal in the summer. Enthusiasts are extremely well catered for with 300km of signposted bike routes called the Enduro, that are either blue, red or black colour coded, just like the ski slopes. There are stunning Mont Blanc views to be enjoyed, either climbing up the mountain of bombing down. La Plagne also has 2 pump bike tracks to sharpen your skills and perfect your tricks. Road biking is also a popular sport here with many circuits of varying levels, so take your pick.
The green trail is a more sedate and level path which is popular for joggers, walkers and bikers with families. It follows the Isère River from Aime to Bourg-St-Maurice.
Water sports on the Isère River are also popular as it tumbles from the heights of the Alps into the Rhône. It provides thrill seeking activities such as rafting, canoeing, kayaking, hydrospeed, canyoning and white water rafting. The river is a real gem in the crown of La Plagne.
As with many Alpine resorts, hiking is also a popular sport. There are literally multitudes of well mapped trails to follow through forests, alpine meadows and past glacial lakes. It should be noted that dogs are not allowed in the Vanoise National Park though.
Other popular activities include via ferrata, climbing, trail running, paragliding, canopy trails and zip line courses, mountain carting and orienteering. The list is endless ensuring you will never have a dull moment in the summer in La Plagne.