A TRIP TO LA PLAGNE

A 3 day or more Les Arcs lift pass now includes a day over in La Plagne.

So, if you're staying for a few days, it's worth taking the trip over to visit our neighbours on the other side of the valley.

Some thoughts, based on our trips this season:

1. At some point, there will be big changes to the Montchavin/Les Coches lifts.  For the moment, though, it's quite fiddly and time-consuming getting over to the La Plagne bowl.  If you're coming from 1600/1800, get yourself up to the top of the Arpette or Derby lift first - so you can get a nice long ski in before you arrive at the Vanoise Express.
2. Despite the new Colosses lift at Plagne Bellecote, the queues on and off piste remain a nightmare, and the whole sector is really no place to linger.  Better to take the Inversens chair to the top of the Roche de Mio and avoid this part of the resort altogether.
3. The blue run from the Roche de Mio underneath the Carella lift is quite something - beautiful scenery and a flattering, rolling piste.  I find the runs on the Champagny side much more rewarding than those above Plagne Centre.
4. Go home just after lunch and avoid the end of day crowds on the pistes.  Perhaps including lunch at the cosy Pierres Blanches restaurant.  Make sure you take the super-relaxing blue via the Plan Bois area above Les Coches, which also includes a number of enticing piste-side restaurants

Click here for more on La Plagne: cycling, skiing, history...

Les Pierres Blanches - above Montchavin/Les Coches
Photo via www.la-plagne.com

WHAT'S NEW IN LA PLAGNE

La Plagne's piste map for the coming year is now available online via the ever attentive Perso-LaPlagne site.

It sees the realisation of further developments to the ski area, as per their long term plan.

On the agenda for the coming season:

• The new "Envers" chairlift
• The retirement of piste bullies from the Glacier - the pistes up there will now be "Natur" slopes, with 10 new itineraries created in the process
• A new fun slope in the Arpette area
• Some tinkering around with piste names at the margins

The website now has its winter skin, including prices for ski passes.  At 59€ a day or €259 a week, the price is exactly the same as over the road in Les Arcs - where the lifts are also run by Compagnie des Alpes. 

The creation of the "Natur" ski slopes on the Glacier makes my favourite La Plagne descent - all the way down to Montchavinn - even more enticing.  You do have to do a bit of poling on the flat Bauches track, but it's worth it, and is a worthy rival to Les Arcs' more famous Aiguille Rouge run.