Messages posted by : smartski
Hi Biki17 Yep, Skied down to Montalbert. There's not a vast amount down there, the runs are similar to each other. Blues wind their way down through the trees and a couple of reds cut a more straight line. My first run down was in fresh snow which was lovely. For eating...we had crepes a couple of days, but to be honest it was just as easy (and rather more cost effective) to head back to Plagne Centre and eat s/market sandwiches & snacks on the hotel terrace. Scotty's bar in La Plagne Centre has live music some nights...(I know this cause it was very noisy and disturbed us!) Not my scene at all, so I don't know if there are others. BTW Oxygene Ski school advertise a tobogganing evening at about 25 euro/person. But it's just 8 Euro if you go direct to the cabin at the Colorado chair. Have fun |
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"Errrmmmm", what, Tony_H? BA Charter departs Heathrow 10:30 Sunday mornings. eh? am I missing something?
nothing funnier? really? TIP: As soon as you see the entrance to the tunnel in the distance, then let the skies run and you'll make it just fine...on skies you can make it all the way through the tunnel too without poleing. |
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A recommended good day's skiing is a Day Trip to Les Arcs (you'll need an unlimited area pass or a 'discovery').
From Plagne Centre you head towards Bellecote, using La Bergerie [lift] with a simple run down 'Trieuse' [Blue], partway down 'Trieuse' you can peel off to the right and take a natural gulley which is fun. Once in Bellecote, use Arpette [lift]. Off the lift there's a short run down to a rope drag (flat link). After here there is the really long 'Mont Blanc' [blue] all the way down to the Vanoise Express [double-decker cablecar link to Les Arcs]. Once you're over the other side then you'll need to judge how long to stay before heading back. We got over at 10:45 ish. The weather closed-in and started snowing at 12:15 so we had lunch and headed back. We didn't really explore much further over than Arc 1800. The 'Foret' (blue) being a tree-lined wandering road that snakes back-n-forth – a favourite for the beginners, but with some reds to drop down in-between as desired. The way back is easy from Plan Peisey (Les Arc side) then it's the Vanoise Express back, sign posted blue to either Lac Noir (bubble) or Plan Bois (chair); followed by Bijolin (lift). Short blue run down to the Crozats (lift) which lifts you back to the Bellecote valley. Let it run from the 'La Barrieres' into 'L'arpette' (blues) for some fast cruising. Colosses (lift) is the quick way back to Plagne Centre. The Mont Blanc run was one of our favourites, if you're not going to Les Arc (and if snow conditions are good) don't miss the full length staying on this run as it carries all the way down to Montchavin/Les Coches (the villages at 1250 & 1450). 60 markers all the way from the top of Dos Rond [lift] down to no.1 marker where there is a small but lovely bar/restaurant down at Montchavin (opposite Montchavin lift]). |
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Well that was my third time to La Plagne (over a 15 year period) and it is one of my favourite resorts. It's a vast area (bigger than it looks on maps) and then you can add Les Arcs to it as well.
We were there 6th-13th January 2013 – the place was deserted. Longest "queue" all week was just 3-persons deep, and only then because it was a main link just after lifts opened. By the way, this was a family trip, with pre-teen kids who were in their second week of skiing, so the review is from that perspective. Flights were Heathrow/Grenoble, about a 2½ coach transfer (non-stop direct) to resort. We stayed at the Hotel Christina in Plagne Centre. Plagne Centre has a decent range of shops, typical 'tat' souvenir shops but also some nice deli's and a useful spar. For skiing, Plagne Centre is a pretty good base to get to all the villages, Bellecote is slightly more central, but having said that the whole resort is so well connected you can jump from one area to another with ease. We used Oxygene ski-school who were really good, well organised. Private lessons were 95 euro for 2 hours for 2 people (afternoon lessons). I didn't hear any complaints from other hotel guests about the group lessons either. We hired equipment from Intersport, good and reliable. In my opinion La Plagne is ideally suited to beginners/intermediates, some lovely long wide blues to cruise and they can get to experience some good distance in a day. Some of the blues do however throw in a few surprises with some short more difficult sections to give the beginners something to think about. Many of the lifts are fast six-seaters, although you'll come across a few slightly slower fours too. We didn't touch a slow 2-seater nor a drag lift all week :) . Also a great plus we didn't have the fear of getting stuck in the wrong valley after 4pm. From most parts it is only ever one or two lifts and you can get home. If the worst happens and you miss the last lift then there is a free bus linking Belle Plagne, Bellecote, Soleil, Plagne Villages and Plagne Centre. We were lucky with the conditions, which were fantastic. Days 1-4 were blue skies; overnight & into day 5 was heavy snow; day 6 ended our week with blue skies and fresh snow :D . La Plagne offers a range of terrain options. Tree-line runs down to villages of Montalbert and Montchavin. It is a good idea to head over to the Champagny valley first thing in the mornings (sunny side!). Up to the L'Arpette area for some good blues, but this is a rather bland part of the resort. Up to Roche De Mio (2700m) taking the great 'Le Tunnel' run back down. You can go further up from Roche De Mio to access the Glacier, but there's not much up there for beginners and it's a cable car ride back. Other than skiing, there's the Olympique Bob sleigh run open for 'tourist runs'. As an alternative to competition bobs, they have a more stable 'raft'. A couple of minutes of thrill of speed junkies. As it was 120 euro for a family of four, we didn't bother. Instead we spent our pocket money on the absolutely fantastic sledging run at Plagne Centre. 8 euro each, plastic sledge (with some limited steering/breaking capability) and then launch yourself down a dedicated piste. Sledging in UK will never be the same again. You get the 'Colorado' lift up (without skis (!)) then take the 10-20min run back down. A time range of 10-20 mins because it depends on how often you wipeout – it was a blast! Although I do add the caution that you are more likely to break/injure something in those few minutes than the rest of the week put together. Open 4:30-6:30 Mon-Sat, floodlit after dusk. (Helmets compulsory (sorry bobblers ;-) ), 1.4m min height. Recommended runs (and maybe some photos) to follow.... |
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I've just read this includes Thomson and Crystal withdrawing ski hosting too. "The French police have stopped a group of UK skiers out with their Crystal Ski hosts in Courchevel." 18/1/13 http://www.planetski.eu/news/4580 |
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Mark Warner's guys in La Plagne were skiing in 'personal' jackets/clothing this year...no company colours, no logos.
Not sure if that was anything to do with the situation. |
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Interesting last question...I think I might be too competitive.
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Well in the end we used "Oxygene" in Plagne Centre - they were very good, I'd thoroughly recommend them.
We took two private instructors so did not mix adult/kids: 1 for 2 kids (3x 2hr afternoon lessons) and 1 for 1 adult (2x 2hr afternoon lessons). The cost was 95 euro per lesson (for 1 or 2 persons), so overall 475 euro. The alternative would have been group lessons 5 x 2 hrs each (about 500 euro). They all developed so well in the private lessons that I think this was a good result in the end. Plus we still had 3 full days to ski together as well. |
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