Stay active in La Plagne this summer

It’s not all about the skiing and snowboarding in La Plagne. Come summer, the once-white mountains of the French Alps turn a vibrant shade of green, ski boots are set aside for walking shoes, and woolly scarves are swapped with sun hats. As ever, La Plagne has a vast selection of events and activities on offer this summer, whether you’re travelling solo or in a couple, with your family or as a group of friends. From tough trail-running challenges to ‘flying’ down the mountain on zip wires, cruising around the resort on e-bikes or simply soaking up the sunshine and scenery, there’s something for everyone.

Summer 2015 promises several NEW activities and events in La Plagne, as well as some popular favourites:

NEW: 23-25 July: La 6000D

Now in its 26^th year, La 6000D has added three new competitions to its trail-running programme. Power up the one-and-a-half kilometre Olympic Bobsleigh track in the 6D Bob (23 July), climb 1,000 metres of vertical terrain over five kilometres during the 6D Verticale (24 July), or encourage your children (aged six-15) to take part in the 6D Mômes (24 July), an 800 to 4,800 metre contest (the older the child, the further they can run), that starts and ends in Plagne Centre. There’s also the annual 6000D ‘battle’ (25 July), a challenging 63 kilometre trail-running race, starting and ending in Aime, complete with a 4,000 metre vertical climb. And, when the exertion is all over, relax at the new 6D Night, a lively closing celebration. Entrance to events in the La 6000D costs from €2 / £1 per child for the 6D Mômes, to €60 / £43 per adult for La 6000D main race (minimum age 20).

Need somewhere to stay?

One week’s self-catering, from 18 to 25 July, costs from €265 pp / £191 pp (four sharing). Return flights (London-Geneva) currently cost from £96 pp with EasyJet. Call La Plagne on +33 (0)4 79 09 79 79 (www.la-plagne.com).

NEW: 2-9 August: 6D Week

This brand-new, trail-themed week presents a selection of exhilarating challenges across La Plagne’s 10 villages. Ready yourself for hard climbs, alpine tracks, cycling or jogging up the Olympic Bobsleigh run, or take part in short test events and fun, relay-style family entertainment that includes an exciting treasure hunt using GPS. Families can also join in with the Adventure Days tournament in Champagny En Vanoise, which features an orienteering course an adventure trail, and an entertaining quiz in the beautiful Vanoise National Park. Throughout the week, you’ll experience a range of terrains, varying from rocky and earthy tracks to wooded landscapes, snowy glaciers, flower-filled pastures and riverside routes. Entrance to all events during the 6D Week costs from €11 / £8 per child and from €17 / £12 per adult.

Need somewhere to stay?

One week’s self-catering, from 2 to 9 August, costs from €274 pp / £199 pp (four sharing). Return flights (London-Geneva) currently cost from £91 pp with EasyJet. Call La Plagne on +33 (0)4 79 09 79 79 (www.la-plagne.com).

Other NEW activities to try in La Plagne this summer include…

• ‘Fly’ from Belle Plagne to Plagne Bellecôte on the new 1,700 metre long zip wire.
• Jump on an e-bike and sample the new, fun and easy mountain-bike trails down to Plagne Centre.
• Ascend the mountain by climbing one of the new Via Ferrata routes in Belle Plagne.

…as well as well-established favourites, such as:

White-water rafting on the Isère river, paragliding through the clouds, horseback riding, swimming, trekking, and whizzing down the mountain on Deval Karts. Or why not join in with the sociable Cimes en Scène (4 July to 28 August)? Taking place every Wednesday at the top of the Grand Rochette gondola, enjoy an irresistible combination of lively entertainment and 360° mountain vistas towards the Vanoise and Bellecôte glaciers. Admission into Cimes en Scène costs €10 / £7 per child aged 10-14, and €16 / £11 per adult. Children under 10 go free.

Return flights (London-Geneva) currently cost from £80 pp with EasyJet. Call La Plagne on +33 (0)4 79 09 79 79 (www.la-plagne.com).

Did you know…?

La Plagne introduced the La 6000D mountain trail race at the start of the 1990s and, since then, four runners from Great Britain have won. Ruth Pickvance, a British athlete who won in 1993 and 1994, is the only non-French woman to win.

In 2014, Bernard Mercy set a new record as the oldest 6000D competitor. He ran the race aged 77.

The current record for running up the Olympic Bobsleigh track (which averages 8.2 per cent with a maximum grade of 14 per cent) is six minutes and 12 seconds.

To avoid throwing away 25,000 plastic cups at the refuelling stations during La 6000D 2015, the organisers are offering a fold-up cup to each participant, ideal for racers to tuck away in a pocket until the next break.

Ends/ 5 May 2015 

Note to editors: Please download a copy of the press kit here.

Press: For press trip enquiries, further information and high-resolution images please contact Laura Manning or Rosie Barcroft at Travel PR on 020 8891 4440 or email l.manning@travelpr.co.uk or r.barcroft@travelpr.co.uk.