Located high in the mountains of the Savoy region of the majestic French Alps, La Plagne is one of the most famous and attractive France’s most popular ski resorts. With the introduction of the Vanoise Express lift connecting it to Les Arcs, the resort has become considered one of the largest ski areas in the world. This lift connects the two resorts of La Plagne and Les Arcs, creating a combined area called Paradisci. The 200-person Vanoise Express gondola lifts will take you 380 meters uphill from Plan-Pacsy to Le Coche, La Plagne. The entire 3,000-meter journey from station to station takes just four minutes.

La Plagne means “mountain plateau” in Savoyard. La Plagne is larger than Les Arcs in terms of area and the number of resort villages located here, the length of the slopes and the number of cable cars. The first ski resort of Plani was built in the early 1960s, when the first lifts and small chalets were built. Today, La Plagne consists of several small settlements: Plan-Centre, Em-La-Plagne, Champagne, Montshaven, Bellecote, Le Coche, where there are many fashionable hotels and cottages; all of them are located at different altitudes – from 1250 to 2050 m above sea level.

One of the largest and most interesting stations is Belle Plagne (2050 m). There is no car traffic here (transport access is limited to a large underground parking lot), and there are no roads as such – you can ski to and from the residence: sidewalks and footpaths replace numerous stairs, lifts and walkways, creating the impression of a real space station!

In general, the resort boasts excellent infrastructure, so you won’t have to get bored here.

But the main advantage of La Plana is the opportunity to ski or snowboard right from the hotel doors, thanks to the numerous lifts located throughout the resort.

How to get there

By plane

The nearest airports are in the following cities: Geneva (149 km), Lyon (196 km), Chambery and Grenoble. From where you can get to the resort by regular buses.

By car

From Paris to the resort – 645 kilometers, from Geneva and Grenoble – 149 kilometers, from Lyon – 196 km.

By train

From almost any major city in France, you need to take a train to the Aim La Plagne, Moutiers or Landry station. Then you can get there by bus or taxi

Ski slopes and lifts

The resort of La Plagne, which is part of the Paradi Ski area, is a large skiing region, which includes 10 zones: Plan Village / Plan Soleil, Em La Plagne, Plan 1800, Plan Centre, Plan Belcot and Belle Plan, Champagne en Vanoise, Plan Montalbère and Montchavin / Le Coche. All of them are interconnected by a huge network of lifts, so moving between them will not be a problem.

The villages and areas for skiing are united by a powerful system of lifts. The resort is notable for its wide, straight slopes, and reliable snow. It is simply a paradise for beginners and intermediate skiers, as blue and red slopes predominate here. As an example of a favorite skier from such slopes, we can offer a descent from Grand Rochette in Champagne. The descent from Rocher de Mille to Belle Plagne is also interesting. Risky intermediate skiers can ride along a beautiful route to Le Bauche and further to Les Arcs. In the middle of a pine forest below the center of Plagne is the village of Plagne 1800, where a ski school and rental points are located. There are two long black slopes in the resort, starting on the Belcott glacier and going away from the lift system, but only confident skiers can master them.

The altitude difference in the resort is 1250-3250 m. In total, the resort has 125 ski slopes with a total length of 215 km. Of these:

Green slopes (easy) – 16%

Blue slopes (medium difficulty) – 33%

Red slopes (difficult) – 38%

Black (for professional skiers) – 13%.

By the way. Here is the Olympic bobsleigh track with 19 turns and a length of 1500 meters.

The slopes of La Plagne cover an area of 10,000 hectares. This is more than at any other resort. Here, most of the slopes are designed for skiers and snowboarders with average training, because there are as many as 66 blue slopes. For professionals, the choice is not so great: there are good “red” slopes in the resources, Champagne-en-Vanoise and Grand Rochette. For extreme sports, black slopes are reserved, called “Kamikaze” and “Harakiri”. It is also worth trying the longest 15-kilometer trail, located on the Bellecote glacier.

The slopes of La Plagne, with the exception of Champagny-en-Vanoise, have two or three pleasant easy descents. The most comfortable are the trails located in the L’Arpet region (descent to Belle Plagne).

La Plagne provides excellent skiing opportunities. The main number of red runs are steep, perfectly prepared slides, which are conveniently connected to each other. In Aime-la-Plagne, the runs are much steeper. Belle Plagne is equipped with a wide variety of runs, the most recommended of which is Rocher de Mille. The Croza run, 1800 meters high in Les Bauches, deserves the attention of skiers, and next to it Mont de la Guerre and Le Verdon, located in Champagne-en-Vanoise. Summer glacier tows do not work in the winter season.

Despite the apparent steepness of the runs, some of La Plana’s black runs can hardly be called truly difficult. The most difficult of them is considered to be the glacial black run from Galcier de Bellecot. The slopes of Aime-la-Plagne are distinguished by the steepest slopes. And the longest black run to the resort area is Emile Alley.

Of the virgin slopes, the glacier zones are the most popular, and the unequipped “wild” slopes of Le Bosch and Montshaven. The slope located west of Le Biolley is worth the attention of an experienced skier. The descent from Col du Nant, located in Champagne-en-Vanoise, is quite good, but you will have to get back only by bus.

Snowboarders, despite a good selection of freeride slopes, do not particularly pay attention to La Planche. Carvers like the well-groomed appearance and wide slopes of the La Planche area much more. Between Planche Village and Planche Belcot is the Col de Forcle fan park, and Montchavin also has its own park.

All snowboarders gather at the Col de Forcle lift, because there is a fan park with big air and a half pipe. Another place for snowboarders is the fan park in Montchavin / Le Coche.

Ski schools and equipment rental

The resort will delight vacationers with 46 shops where you can rent equipment. Only updated equipment is provided here, which experienced sellers will help you choose.

There are also 15 ski schools in the resort, where classes are held for children and adults. More than 300 experienced instructors will help you get on skis or snowboard for the first time, as well as arrange a master class in off-piste skiing.

Ski passes

La Plagne is 10 villages located right on the slopes – it is part of the vast Paradisi ski region (more than 420 km of slopes together with Les Arcs). The Paradiski Unlimited ski pass is valid on all Paradiski slopes (420 km), it makes sense to buy it for those who ski well and expect to see the slopes of La Plana and Les Arcs. Price for 6 days: €254 for adults, €190.5 for children 6-13 years old. The Paradiski Discovery ski pass is valid on all slopes of one of the regions (Les Arcs or La Plana) and gives the opportunity to ski at neighbors for 1 day. Price for 6 days: €237 for adults, €178 for children 6-13 years old. There are special types of ski passes and special offers for beginners and families with children.

The new six-seater chairlift “Verdons Sud” has opened in the Champagne-en-Vanoise sector. Its capacity has increased from 1540 people / hour to 3600 people / hour. Of the 12.7 million euros invested in the Paradisci ski area in recent years, more than 9 million are intended for improving the lift system.

Lifts

The resorts of La Plana are designed mainly for a quiet family holiday. The skiing here is mostly comfortable – 60% of the slopes have “blue” markings. However, even those who consider themselves experts have something to do in this part of “Paradisci”.

Wide sunny slopes, ideally prepared for learning to ski, are in Belle Plan, Plan Village and Plan Soleil, above Plan Centre, in many other parts of the region. The gentle “blue” slopes on both sides of l’Alpette (2385) and the lower slopes of Grande Rochette (2505), the slope to Em La Plan and the forest paths of Fornelet (1970) above Plan de Montalbert are always full of children and beginners.

Having climbed from Plan de Belcotte on the 6-seater Blanches chairlift, more experienced skiers can go to the southern slopes above Champagne-en-Vanoise (1250), where there are good “red” slopes. The neighboring 6-seater gondola lift takes you to the top of Roche de Mio (2700), on the north side of which there is a wide, medium-difficulty slope, but the “red” Sourses, which runs along the western slope, is, on the contrary, narrow, with stone chips underfoot. From Plan Centre, the 24-seater Funiplagne lift takes you to Grande Rochette – from there several “red” runs with a very decent slope start. Pleasant forest runs await skiers with average skiing experience above Montshaven / Le Coche; using the Vanoise Express cable car, you can transfer from here to the Les Arcs slopes.

At the opposite end of La Plana, for experts, there is a very steep, unprepared “black” Morbleu run, which starts on the Biolley ridge (2350), above Ems la Plana, and leads to the bottom of a beautiful deserted valley. From Verdons (2500) towards Champagne, two runs with the telling names Harakiri and Kamikaze go. It is also interesting for professionals at the very top, on the slopes of Bellecote (3417), where a 6-seater gondola lift takes you; there are two serious “black” descents with a kilometer-long elevation change and several options for off-piste routes.

Hotels and cottages

On the territory of the La Plagne resort there are many comfortable hotels, small chalets, guesthouses and apartments of various levels and star rating. All of them are famous for the fact that you can start skiing right from the doorstep.

The best accommodation option is the four-star Hotel Araucaria, located right next to the ski lifts.

Each room at the Araucaria hotel has a private balcony, from which a magnificent view of Mont Blanc and the ski slopes opens. Guests have cable TV, a mini-storage room and an internet signal. Amenities include a private bathroom with a bath or shower.

The hotel’s Araucaria restaurant serves authentic French cuisine and original Savoyard dishes. You can have a drink at the bar and relax in the leisure corner.

The relaxation complex offers guests a steam room, hammam and jacuzzi. Daily room service and massages are available.

Another popular place is Le Cocoon, located in the La Plagne 1800 ski area, just 300 meters from the ski lift. It offers an outdoor sauna, ski storage and luggage storage.

A cheaper accommodation option is the Chalet Hermine La Plagne hotel, as well as Apartment Les Chalets Edelweiss.5 where for €40 per person per night, a beautiful Alpine-style room awaits you, with a beautiful view of the mountains.

Chalet Hermine La Plagne

Set in La Plagne, next to Le Coche Gondola, Chalet Hermine La Plagne is a bed and breakfast located 26 km from Melize Ski Lift and 27 km from Berger Ski Lift. It offers rooms with free WiFi and a garden. 3 parking spaces are available.

All units are equipped with a dishwasher, oven, coffee machine, microwave and kettle. Some units have a dining area and/or terrace.

Skiing is possible in the surrounding area, and ski slopes start right outside the property.

Bourg-Saint-Maurice is 14 km from the bed and breakfast, while Aimé-La Plagne Ski School is 27 km away. Geneva International Airport is 150 km from Chalet Hermine La Plagne.

Apartment Les Chalets Edelweiss.5 3 star hotel

Les Chalets Edelweiss offers apartments with a balcony in La Plana, just 700 metres from the boulevard and 800 metres from the Colorado Ski Lift. Private parking is available on site. The apartment is 600 metres from the Telebus Gondola Lift.

The apartment features 2 bedrooms, a TV, a dining area and a kitchenette with a dishwasher and a microwave.

In the surroundings you can go skiing and cycling.

Nearby are such popular attractions as the Funiplan Grande cable car, Berger and Verdon Nord ski lifts. The distance from Les Chalets Edelweiss to Meythet Airport is 111 km.

Restaurants and cafes

La Plagne is a large ski resort, which is reflected in the large number of establishments where you can have a bite to eat: there are more than 100 bars and 95 restaurants, offering a variety of dishes that can satisfy the most sophisticated requests. Vacationers will be especially pleased with the fact that even in the most popular and expensive restaurants the bill will not exceed € 50.

The most respectable restaurant in the resort is considered to be Restaurant d’Altitude Les Inversens, which offers a gorgeous view of the mountains. There is a self-service system here, so visitors can have a tasty and inexpensive snack. The average bill will be around €20. Another popular place is the restaurant Le Dou du Praz, which specializes in Savoyard cuisine. It is located on a picturesque mountain plateau, so the views here are stunning.

Sights and activities

In addition to mountain skiing and snowboarding, the resort can be found many other entertainments that will suit both lovers of active and quiet recreation. There are: 5 cinemas, 8 discos, bowling, fitness center, game area, paintball, swimming pools and an ice rink. In addition, from La Plan you can take the lift to the small town of Bourg Saint-Maurice, where there are several museums, many shops and an indoor swimming pool. Therefore, you definitely won’t have to get bored here.

In the skiing region – a snow park, excellent slopes for snowboarders, slopes for off-piste skiing. Other opportunities for active recreation and entertainment: a mini-pool in Plan Bellecote, bowling and electronic golf in Belle Plan, fitness centers, nightclubs, discos, restaurants, bars. For thrill seekers – a descent along the Olympic bobsleigh track.

Серед інших новин курорту – відкриття велнес-центру “L’Espace Paradisio” в селі Моншаван-ле-Кош. Новий велнес-комплекс c панорамним видом включає в себе басейн з гідромасажами, хаммам, сауну, інфрачервону кабіну, купіль з крижаною водою і джакузі, ігровий майданчик для дітей і спа-центр для їх батьків.

Один з кращих готелів Ла Плани, Carlina в цьому сезоні отримав четверту зірку. Розташований у трас в селищі Бель Плань, цей готель пропонує затишну сімейну атмосферу і сучасний спа-центр з просторим басейном, джакузі, сауною і процедурними кабінетами.

Спа готель працює з маркою Payot. Carlina стане першим чотиризіркових готелем в Бель Плань і одним з кращих – у всьому регіоні Ла Плань.

Новий спа-центр з’явиться також в клубній резиденції MMV le Centaure.”Ô Pure Spa” – так називається новий спа – також буде працювати на косметиці Payot і запропонує гостям джакузі, хаммам, сауну, внутрішній бассейн, що підігрівається, і масажні кабінети.

Також Ла-Плань пропонує широкі можливості для відпочинку з дітьми. Малюки можуть весело провести час в дитячих клубах, покататися на міні-автомобілях або навіть пограти в міні-гольф. Тут для дітей часто влаштовуються різноманітні заходи.