I have been to La Plagne twice Jan 2009 and Jan 2011.
This is a huge resort with good reliable lifts and a mega choice of runs to explore, the off-piste is very accessible and amazing so long as there has been some snow. 2009 was amazing with powder everywhere and clear sky's during the day, 2011 was dire with nearly no snow all season! The pistors did do an amazing job keeping the vast majority of runs well groomed and open all be it the lower runs were getting very bare and icy by the end of our week, not surprising when it reached +6 at 2500 m in mid Jan !
This is a good resort for all ability's just hope you get some snow !
It does still suffer from French rip off prices however !
if you want to spend the week in the bar partying La Plagne is probably not for you, nor if you are looking for chocolate box pretty villages.
La Plagne is great for novices and intermediates, the weakness is probably the lack of reds and blacks but if you are good enough to go off-piste it is truly awesome.
We have just returned from La Plagne. Stayed for one week. No snow from 16th March. Stayed in Plange village ski in / out. A bit sparse but ok, selfcatering. Mainly ski up the top, some slopes got a bit slushy in the afternoon. We are in our mid sixties, we live in the Lot, France. Took 1 hour to get there, the traffic was bad but, all in all, good time.
I came back to La Plagne in January 2011 - the first time since maybe 2003 - this time staying self-catering in Plagne Village. Had a fantastic week and although the snow conditions could have been better, the pistes were pretty good despite no new snow for at least 2 weeks. Cost was very reasonable since we "ate-in" throughout the holiday, shopping at the local convenience Spar shop. All-in cost including absolutely everything (flights, accommodation, transfers, lift passes, ski & boot hire, food, drink, more drink...) worked out to about £600 per person, for 2 adults.
Say what you like about the architecture (er.. ugly?), night-life (OK I guess), La Plagne is all about skiing for which it offers something for everyone.
Just been out in La Plagne. We stayed in the centre in a chalet hotel right on the slopes with ski in ski out which was great! The weather was fantastic and considering they haven't had much snow this season, the conditions were fantastic - I'am and intermediate / advanced boarder and found it great - not much to go on off piste but having been there in past years I know there are some great secret spots on the mountain!
Expensive to eat and drink but not as bad as other resorts like Tignes Val and Courchevel. We found Scotty's early on in our stay which is the busy English bar in the Centre. Really great classic food and good service, also some amazing bands in the nights with a ski raffle as well - although I didn't win that one!
I would definitely recommend the resort for all levels of skiing and I'll definitely be going back next year!
Just got back from half-term week at Belle Plagne, where I stayed at the Chalet Balcon 1.
Was the resort busy? Of course it was - this is Brit ski time!. All lifts in the immediate area converge on Plagne Centre or Bellecote. Peak times are from 10-12am and then after lunch 'till around 4pm. Queuing on the bottom lifts can be around 15 minutes. However, there is ample opportunity to get out of the valley and stay out, either using the chair lifts dotted around the vast Paradiski area or going on those long blue/red runs from Roche de Mio or down into Mont Chevin etc. These lifts are much quieter. The only other lift that will be busy is the Roche De Mio to Glacier lift. A good example of getting out and not coming back is the blue Mont Blanc run which is one of Europe's longest runs. The Mont Blanc run will take you over an hour to go down on and to come up again with less than a minute's queue at each station.
Even at peak times there was plenty of room on the slopes with the vast majority of skiers and snowboarders using good etiquette. The only thing to watch out for are the numerous ESF processions that zig-zag down the blue slopes on most days. These do not change course for anyone!
Plenty of variety for the intermediate and advance skiers too. There were at least two slalom runs, a tricks park and a half-pipe just above Bellecote. Further afield there were some good black mogul runs and off-pistes off the edge of mountains within easy access. Good access was also available across to Les Arcs on the same lift pass, whilst Tignes etc is less than an hour away by road.
I can recommend the Chalet Balcon. Direct access from the ski room to the slope and, again, direct access into the ski room from above (from the Arpette lift blues) Clalet Balcon also has it's own SkiSet hire shop which is much less busy than the one on Belle Plagne itself.
Other sports include: bobsleigh on the Olympic track, swimming in the heated open air (yes, you heard me) pool, cross country skiing on dedicated tracks, skiidoos and ice skating (plus ice hockey sticks, pucks and nets too).
Got back from La Plagne a couple of weeks back after my first skiing trip with my wife and I am well and truly in love with La Plagne. It would be easy to criticise the expensive restaurants and the bad 70s architecture in Plagne Centre, but why bother when the skiing is this good.
Such a variety of slopes, minimal queues and as long as you stayed away from the standard training blues (Trieuse and bottom of Mira) then there was very little traffic on the slopes either.
I started the week as a beginner, but the progression of the slopes meant that by the end of the week I was a competent intermediate with a love of all the red slopes.
My favourite was to go over the back of the mountain from either Verdons or Grand Rochette and take any one of the lovely routes down to Champagny. Le Bois was open as well and was a truly brilliant, challenging, exhilarating and beautifully scenic run.
Dropping down from the very top of the glacier down La Combe was also a highlight.
Our apartment was in the Residence Grange du Soleil in Plagne Soleil - we were lucky enough to have a balcony right on the snow so were able to literally ski up to our apartment at the end of the day or at lunchtime where cold beer was permanently waiting for me. Who cares about €7 beers in the pub when you can buy a crate at the local supermarket for €10!
I could definitely recommend La Plagne for advanced beginners and intermediates. There also looked to be loads of great off-piste for advanced skiers although that was off limits for me this time - next year though, bring it on!
January 16, 2011
Paul.A.Newton
from
United Kingdom
Have just returned from Plagne 1800, where my wife and I stayed at a Crystal catered chalet named Marmotte. I can thorouhly recommend this one. We were in Montillet, within this chalet, with the host named Will. He is a fully trained chef and his meals were by far the best we have experienced in any catered chalet that we have stayed in previously. The chalet is about 2 years old. The Mines bar down the road is very unusual but beware of the happy hour as only the ordinary beer and soft drinks are at half price. The nearest chair lift is only about 150metres down the hill or the ski bus stop to Plagne Centre or Bellecote is outside the door and runs every 15 minutes.
Belle Plagne is probably the best of the places to stay in La Plagne. High and good links up to the Roche de Mio esp if you get on the telecabin as soon as it opens. If you are a beginner snowboarder avoid Le Tunnel as there is a lot of flat on this run so you'll end up walking quite a bit. Arpette is a nice wide blue for beginners although it gets quite steep as you descend into Bellecote. Riding most of the blue runs with my 2 children in a mixed ability group was pleasant and easy enough to do.
I booked the resort through Crystal and overall the experience was good. I'd booked my 2 children into ESF and as they had previous tuition and were classed in England as intermediate riders. Watch out as the ESF intermediate standard seems to be much higher.
I didn't notice too much queueing for lifts but a rep reported that the new year week had been very busy.