Why I love La Plagne

daved wrote:

LOTAPerhaps the ugliest edifice in any ski resort, anywhere![/quote wrote:

noooo...avoriaz is MUCH worse:mrgreen:

This is all getting a bit like an episode of Fawlty Towers to my mind :)

Nobody has mentioned Champagney en Vanoise. It is a real village with old houses, farms etc. But has a fast bubble up the mountain and is part of the the Paradiski ski area. You can be at the Vanoise Express from the village in about 35 minutes or Plagne Centre in 20 minutes. The village has a lively pub the Timballli with live and disco music several times a week. I was there for an 80's evening last month dancing until 2am. There are reasonably priced good real French restaurants like the Bouquetine that have been there for ever and the locals are friendly and helpful. You can ski back to the village via The Mont de la Guerre or the Bois. Lots of cheap apartments in attractive buildings and a couple of small French owned hotels.No high rises or concrete. Half an hour by pre book able local bus from Moutier railway station. 17 euro return this year, great for Eurostar travellers.

Yes I too think the La Plagne area is unsurpassable for piste and off piste skiing, but stay away from the main centres it is cheaper and pleasanter. In my 40 plus years of skiing I have skiid most places from Niederau where I too learnt to ski to most of France, Italy, Switzerland and the states. The pistes are better kept than the 3V's and the lift system continually updated with new fast chairs and links. On a visit this year to the 3 V's I was amazed that the chairs had not been updated since I was last there 12 years ago just the prices up substantially and much more crowded.