It's a great base. TBH your are spoilt for choice either side of the VE. Avoid anything marked black and you would be fine. As the week progresses you will enjoy traveling a bit further on each side. There is loads to explore. Later in the week see if you can find the canyon below the start of the Verdon Nord lift above Plagne Centre (off to the right as you look down the mountain). The kids will love it.
Welcome to Snowheads
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Ah, thanks denfinella. Wonder when / if they have plans to get it back up and running this season.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
@Otherworld, more specifically, the three or four blue runs down from the top of the Arpette into Belle Plagne and Plagne Bellcote have got to be some of the best slopes for begginners to build confidence and skills on I've ever found, so you are indeed spoilt for choice. Later in the week you could try taking Blanchettes chair out of Plagne Bellcote (not to be taken on a cold / windy day mind, brrrrr!) and ski back in to Bellecote - couple of steeper pitches (for a blue) but they are amongst the widest pistes you will find so absolutely great to safely build confidence on something a bit steeper, with the added safety of flatish run-out areas at the bottom. For kids you really also have to do the Tunnel run from the top of the Roche De Mio - they will love the Tunnel section.
Great info, thanks chopkins. That's all on our agenda for Sunday, as our lad doesn't start lessons until Monday, and we all have a full day together to get our ski legs back on.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Two days done in Plagne Centre at our usual chalet base and it keeps on snowing. Quite a decent layer now on top of a harsh and scraped base. Most pistes of any declivity cut up quite quickly into snow mounds, but conditions are really good. There is plenty of snow for holiday piste-cruisers, which is us. Off-piste is way above my pay-grade, but I believe there are some options opening up.
Up high there is a bit of a lack of visibility, so we have mostly been going down to Montalbert, but Tunnel was great this morning. The resort is busy, but the only really bad queues we have seen were down at La Roche where all the ski schools converged yesterday.
For the guy wanting to get down to Plagne Centre for lessons from Aime 2000, the Telemetro things seems to be seriously broken and is not running. I believe there is a bus replacement. With regard to getting down from there by ski, the flat road has been re-graded as RED (???) and the steep alternative, is still blue. Wrong way round, methinks, but the locals think it is all about keeping the traffic down for Club Med.
In summary, the conditions are great. Wax your skis!
Chris Bish, glad you are having a good time.
Webcams look rather gloomy today, and more snow forecast . . .
Interesting the Telemetro is broken - it was only upgraded a couple of years ago.
La Plagne not doing so well wit its lifts just now: Telemetro caput, new Envers lift not finished . . .
For one of the most popular resorts, where does all the money go?
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Chris Bish - thanks for that insight into the telemetro. I'm not too concerned as there are buses, but it must be frustrating to the businesses up at Aime 2000.
Week and a half to go before we arrive - keep it nice for us please!
After all it is free
After all it is free
Still snowing and piste conditions are lovely. Visibility is not great, and in a moment of comparative brightness today, I overdid it and had to be body-bagged down with a damaged ACL. So that is my season done then, after 2 and a bit days. Might be the gods' way of telling me I am too old to ski.
Anybody coming out to La Plagne in the next weeks (half terms, of course) will find plenty of snow on piste. Can't comment about off piste.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
@Chris Bish, Sorry to hear about your injury, I hope your recovery goes well. Thanks for the updates on the conditions, we are out there next week (staying in Champagny) for half term so have been keeping an eye out for updates.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Chris Bish, that is awful, you poor chap. Real bum deal.
Hope it all mends up ok.
But you're never too old to ski. The first target is the "Free" Lift Pass - €10 for over 75s.
I'm sure we'll ski together next year.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Sorry to hear about your knee, Chris Bish. I must admit, that as a skier the wrong side of 50, it's something I worry about too. A couple of weeks ago I was in Flumet with some friends, and one of the guys trashed his knee, a stupid, innocuous fall as he got off a chair lift. Season over, and plenty of physio ahead for him.
On the bright side, we'll be in Montchavin in 3 days time. We have a very excited 9 year old who can't wait to get back on the slopes!
Looking at the webcams, it seems that snow conditions are pretty good, but the weather looks pretty murky at the moment. As much as I love to see the trees full of snow, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a bit of sunshine and blue skies next week.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Sunshine and cloud today, with that magical dusting of snow on the trees. Looks like plenty of snow for all.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
My dad (currently aged 74) had a near miss a few years ago - innocuous fall in bad fitting helmet left him a bit dazed. Skied down, refused to see a doc, was then OK for the remainder of the week at VT with a nasty bruise to his head.
3 months later started to lose words, admitted to hospital - diagnosed with chronic subdural haematoma and had two holes drilled in his skull to relieve the pressure, and all his words etc came back to him rapidly. 8 months later back on his diet of two skiing holidays a year, and showing no sign of stopping.
(He first skied aged about 62, then next year had a quadruple heart bypass and was skiing 11 months after the operation - getting VFM out of the NHS!)
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
larkim, glad your dad was ok. Eventually.
On the whole we don't take head injury seriously enough, mainly because we can't see the injury: its hidden inside the skull.
Natasha Richardson was a famous case.
But we are having similar arguments in rugby, football, and boxing.
The brain is a delicate organ - it is especially vulnerable in the elderly. As you and your dad have found out.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Yep, it's amazing to look back at photos of old skiing holidays, some only 8 years ago, and no-one is wearing a helmet. Rare to see helmetless heads now, although there are some who still don't like to mess their hair up!
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@Otherworld, I was thinking the same thing regarding helmets. Almost universal adoption now. As for La Plagne, The sun is shining, Mont Blanc is clear and the skiing looks wonderful. Bev, who has been out on her own, says that the resort is busy, but holding up. Some places are showing a bit of wear, but the pisteurs put it right. The new chair was being tested this morning, and the telemetro has its new wires, but is still not back in action. La Plagne continues to defy the French resort stereotype by being friendly, welcoming and helpful, especially to walking wounded, which is me.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Good you are so upbeat Chris Bish.
I'll not be so jolly until that Envers lift is up and running.
Just before the snow arrived last weekend the blue run down to La Roche was full of The Terrified faced with Non-grippy Iron Hard piste.
Then when the snow arrived the same lot were having to deal with large mounds of soft snow and looking similarly perplexed.
I must say though that the proposed restaurant complex at the top of the Montalbert Gondola does look rather impressive.
Lets hope they manage to get that finished by December.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Bev's snow report for Saturday's beautiful conditions was that it was the best snow she had skied on for years. Telemetro being tried out but not back in service yet. People going out for half-term will be fine. Enjoy.
How busy is LaPlagne looking during half term week?? - coming out next week - never done school hols before - I'm gussing its not going to be like skiing in Jan and March??
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Dippy, it can be quite busy, but with a bit of planning you can still have a good day.
1. Avoid the Ski School start, so get out before 9.30 or leave it to after 11.00.
2. Ski through the lunch period - have a snack about 11.00 and then ski until 2.30. Take cereal bars or sarnies if you get the munchies at 1pm.
3. Avoid Bellecote at 2pm when the lunchtime crowds re-appear. And then avoid again as skiers start heading home at around 3.30 to 4pm.
4. Don't forget the buses as a way of getting around.
+ 1 for Jonpim's very good ideas. Certainly valid for LP and with substitutions for No 3 local jam points probably also to other large purpose-built French resorts.
Been a few years since I've been to LP but I was always amazed how quiet the pistes were at lunchtimes. And if I skied right thro' from 9 to 3ish I could then give up before the last-run grabbers and go into deck-chair mode, with a pint on the terrace, watching the sometimes messy results of those who were really too tired to ski their last runs of the day enjoyably and safely.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Agree with comments above. The other tricks we learnt from an instructor:
- not to ski all the way down to the bottom of the villages (e.g. Bellecote, Plagne Centre etc) but half way down and get the lifts back up. These mid way lifts tend to be significantly quieter.
- the outer reaches of the area are quieter.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Fabulous tips all noted - easy to implement!
Thank you all.
I only ever ski during quiet (low season) weeks - so it may be a very interesting experience!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Kennyboyo, that is a good idea . . .
But,
There is only one half-way lift to Bellecote: the (now) truncated "Long Drag" (Col de Forcle).
Often full of happy young'uns on their way to the SnowPark, so good of you like that stuff - not so good if you don't.
And only one half-way lift to Plagne Centre: Verdon Nord.
This does service a couple of fun pistes and lots of lovely off-piste-beside-the-piste, so could keep you happy for a day.
If its very busy, i would get up early to get on the Glacier (Bellecote) Gondola before the mega queue builds up, but get off at the half-way mark and play around on the Chalet de Bellecote runs, an often overlooked area.
Take your own lunch and drinks - there is no restaurant there, but lots of pleasant pic-nic spots.
And lots of fun off-piste-between-the-piste runs for a bit of adventure.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
A quick question for any of you La Plagne regulars, hoping you can help: we will be staying in Sainte Foy in early March and are hoping to get round to La Plagne again for a day this year. Last year we ski-ed in from Villaroger and over to the Vanoise Express but it made for a long day and we didn't get all the way to the far side of LP, so we thought we'd drive round this year - any ideas on the best place to come into LP and park, with an eye on the time it takes to get up from the valley and ease of getting onto the slopes? Grateful for any suggestions.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@Loganberry, Take the N90 to Aime follow signs for La Plagne but take the Montalbert turn off. Drive up through Longefoy and park in any Montalbert car park (all free) Takes about 10 mins from Aime. The Montalbert Gondola then whisks you up the mountain in 7 minutes!
If your are tempted to drive up to La Plagne Centre from the N90 its about a 45 min drive up 22 hairpin bends (each bend is numbered.) Parking in La Plagne is all chargeable. You can park at the La Roche lift about half way up. I think this is the last free public parking on the route up.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
@Loganberry, a vote for La Roche parking from me.....if you park at Montalbert you have to ski down to La Roche anyway from the top of the Montalbert Gondola and you could leave it marginally later for the return as you don't have to make the last lift up to the top of Montalbert Gondola. Personal preference though as @boredsurfin, states it is a bit more of a drive up to La Roche (still fairly quick in clear conditions). Either way, have a great day in La Plagne!
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Montalbert has some lovely runs, but if the aim is to ski La Plagne, then i'm with chopkins13: its got to be La Roche.
Free parking with a good restaurant/bar attached, and a fast lift that gets up to Aime 2000 and the whole of La Plagne before you. No brainer.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Fantastic, thank you boredsurfin, chopkins and jonpim, I'll take a good look at the map (road and piste) and I guess weather conditions - from what you say La Roche is higher up? - yes just looked on Googlemaps - I see what you mean about the hairpins, but we "enjoyed" the trip round to La Rosiere from Ste Foy last year... on a clear road and sunny day, it has to be said. We are very much looking forward to a good long ski day to fully explore La Plagne - although there's so much terrain I doubt (no, I know) we'll (not) cover everything in a day. Hoping to get round to Meribel too one day, to increase our resort count even further in our 8 days skiing this time.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@Loganberry, Yep, those bends can be great on a sunny day, but very different if stuck behind a couple of HGV's and or a coach or two!
We're just coming to the end of a great week in Montchavin/Les Coches. The weather has been amazing, with warm sunshine and clear blue skies for most of the week. Snow conditions have been pretty good too, but a few lower slopes are starting to get a bit bare now, with icy patches and some slushy snow in the lower villages.
We had some great lunches, and can recommend the Carolley restaurant/bar for good pizzas, good pasta and burgers in the Matafan in Belle Plagne, amazing seafood in the Bulle Cafe near Arcs 2000.
So, that's our third family holiday here in Paradiski, and a big success all round. Think we might take a look at somewhere new next year, but might be back in the future, as there's still a lot that we haven't seen beyond Belle Plagne.
For anyone arriving in La Plagne soon, fingers crossed for some snow soon. It is really needed, especially low down.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Not that it means much given the range but seems to be a dump predicted for Fri/Sat.
No, there will be plenty of good snow higher up, but a lot of the lower runs around Montchavin, Les Coches, Montalbert, etc. will be struggling soon. Fingers crossed for snow and a drop in temperatures soon.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
My favourite weather website is showing a growing dump next Friday. I understand there are different models for prediction, but this would be so welcome
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Snow is getting very patchy in places. Les Bois was just slush down to Champagny this morning, not much fun. Champagny side was hard going in general, didn't bother with Kamikaze or Hari Kiri as they were brown from Borselliers. After lunch Colosses down was looking sorry for itself in places, parts of the Colarado pistes were looking poor too.
Higher up we had an absolute blast on Inversens, one of the best runs I've ever had on it. The pisteurs are doing a magnificent job moving the snow around and preparing the runs.
Basically at the moment it's like skiing at Easter, blue sky days but getting slushy by the afternoons
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Try Teppes from the top of Crozats. It's awesome, brilliant snow conditions first thing in the morning, just go for it and don't bother making any turns til the end!
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
Yep, those bends can be great on a sunny day, but very different if stuck behind a couple of HGV's and or a coach or two!
