New Snow Dreams with La Plagne

Already dreaming of a white winter? With its brand-new lift and plenty of new activities, La Plagne has it covered…

With 225 km of runs and 121 lifts linking 10 villages, each with its own character, and a multitude of activities available both on and off the slopes, La Plagne is an ideal resort for anyone enthusiastic about time spent surrounded by snow-covered mountains. Ever keen to excite, La Plagne is introducing a selection of brand-new activities, plus a new gondola and a new place to stay at altitude this season. Get ready to make fresh tracks this winter!

Inspired? Here’s some more information…

NEW LIFT: Montalbert Gondola

On 19 December, a brand-new gondola will open in Plagne Montalbert, saving skiers and snowboarders valuable piste time. Replacing the Montalbert and Fornelet chairlifts – which could take 45 minutes to transport skiers up the mountain – the new gondola will take 10 people per cabin and will shorten the journey time to just six minutes. A six-day Paradiski lift pass (encompassing La Plagne and Les Arcs) costs £158 per child (maximum age 13) and £203 per adult. For more information, visit la-plagne.com.

NEW ACTIVITIES:

• Zip wires – eight new zip wires, from 50 m to 200 m in length, have been installed and run from Belle Plagne to Plagne-Bellecôte, two high-altitude villages. Make the most of this new area – complete with spider nets, wooden bridges and a final nine-metre base jump – after a day on the slopes. The wires will be open all winter and offer a fun, new slope-side activity, and a different take on traditional après events. A 90-minute session on the zip wires costs from £13 per child (maximum age 13) and £20 per adult. For more information, call +33 (0)4 79 09 11 62 or visit fr.
• Ski mountaineering project – leave the well skied pistes and enjoy the new ski touring itineraries, located across La Plagne’s 10 villages. To make full use of the well-maintained and signposted runs, sign up to a session with Oxygène ski school, which will be offering guided trips for small groups of skiers before the slopes open (7-8:30 am) and again after they close (5:30-7 pm). What better way to make the first and last tracks? A morning or evening session with Oxygène ski school costs from £26 per person. A week’s ski touring with Oxygène ski school costs from £237 per person. Skis, skins and boot hire are included, if needed. Up to five people can join each group, and all levels of skier are welcome. For more information, call +33 (0)4 79 09 03 99 or visit oxygene-ski.com.
•  Swap your skis for a fatbike – don’t want to leave the pistes in the evening, or fancy a new mode of transport? Hire a brand-new fatbike from the village of Montchavin, board the last gondola to the top of Plan Bois (1800 m), and speed down the groomed tree-lined runs. The thick, under-inflated tyres are designed to grip the snow, and the disc brakes mean that, even in the wettest conditions, the descent is still controlled. So, what are you waiting for…? Hire a fatbike from £21 per person. For more information, call +33 (0)4 79 07 81 85 or visit evolution2-montchavin.com.
• Imp run – ideal for families, Plagne Montalbert is now home to a new ‘Imp Run’, where children can follow carved wooden sculptures situated at different points along the blue slope back to the village. For more information, visit com/en/winter/.
• Snow-shoeing track – for a change of experience, why not fix some snow shoes to your feet and follow the new snow-shoeing track for great exercise combined with fantastic views, at a more relaxed pace than skiing? Beginning at the top of the new Montalbert Gondola, the three kilometre trail starts at an altitude of 2070 m; admire the characters cut into the surrounding woodland (similar to those on the imp run) en route. Hire a pair of snowshoes for half-a-day from £2 per person. For more information, visit la-plagne.com.

NEW ACCOMMODATION: An alpine escape 

Spend the night ‘off-piste’ at Le Chalet du Friolin, in the wild and unspoilt valley of Montchavin les Coches, situated at 1800 m. Reached from the Glacier de Bellecôte above, and a short walk from Les Bauches chairlift, the chalet will now offer overnight stays every Wednesday to skiers and snowboarders. On arrival, remove your ski or snowboard boots and slip on a pair of fluffy slippers (supplied), before tucking into delicious traditional Savoyard-style cuisine. After dinner, simply retire to one of the five cosy bedrooms for the night (sleeping two to six people). Rise with the sun and enjoy a hearty breakfast, prior to venturing back onto the slopes to make the first tracks of the day. Dinner, bed & breakfast at Le Chalet du Friolin costs from £64 per child (maximum age 12) and from £87 per adult. For more information, visit: chaletdufriolin-savoie.com/.

 One week’s self-catering in Plagne Centre currently costs from €235 pp / £164 pp (two sharing). Return flights (London-Geneva) currently cost from £44 pp with easyJet.

 Call La Plagne on +33 (0)4 79 09 79 79 (www.la-plagne.com) for accommodation bookings and advice.