My recollection is that the piste marking isn't very consistent in La Plagne. However, I do remember Levasset it's pretty easy (albeit with an annoying flat bit). From Belle Plagne it's accessible at the top of the gondola.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I shall be very interested to see what other people have to say on this given that we're a mixed group of abilities heading back to La Plagne in mid March...
Personally, we found the blue that heads off to Plagne Centre from the top of the colosses chair (the sweeping right turn that I think connects with Mira, then Bridge, then finally Vega pistes) to be very nice and easy. If you turn off to the right near the end there's a nice section through the trees which brings you out at the top of the Boulevard green in Plagne Centre.
The blues off the Arpette chair lift are all fairly straightforward.. If you Take Blanchets, it's steep at the to, but there's and elbow you can take off to the left
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Hi - was there last week again (it's our favourite resort).
Took my daughter for the first time - she's 4, so this subject was very close to our hearts.
Disagree with Levasset. The top section is a busy section and can get bumpy/icy at the end of the day, also the bit near the bottom of the Carella lift can be icy. Also we avoided the tunnel when she was out with us, the upper section is fairly steep. The blues off Colosses lift to Bellecote are are also steep at the bottom (Trieuse), but going to Plagne Centre from there Mira/Bridge is really easy (as somebody has said). There is a steep icy section just as you are about to ski into Plagne Centre, but you can turn right instead (on Bridge just before getting to Vega) and ski a lovely path through the forest instead to avoid this.
As people have said the blues off the Arpette are great, our favourite was the 'Dunes' run - the best of them, much less flat bits. There is a steeper bit just as you pass Belle Plagne on the left however.
The easiest blue runs are the 3 blues off the Rossa chair in Champagny. It's a bit of a trek to get there though.
Also great blues are the 2 off the Colorado chair in Plagne Centre - Cappella and Arnica.
Have a great time, we did and so did my daughter!
After all it is free
After all it is free
Ski down to belkecote and then take the chairlift that goes off to the far left. I can't remember what its called but the runs back down from that chair are very easy.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Thank you ever so much for all your advice, really appreciated.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Tris, makes a key point: if you are looking for an easy blue, then the route to is must be easy too.
I also agree with Tris about getting to the top of Levasset: the run down from the top of Gondola to Inversins restuarant (known to many as M25) is not for the nervous.
If you are staying in Belle Plagne, then the blues down from the top of Arpette are the clear choice.
But how to get to the bottom of the Arpette lift?
There are 2 obvious routes: the Arpette slope or the Belle Plagne slope from either side of Belle Plagne.
Both blues, but both have a top steepish bit and both can get very busy and rather intimidating.
There is a sneaky fun route - slightly longer but less intimidating.
First ski down to the "Magic Carpet" on the Belle Plagne slope, and from the top head towards the Col de Forcle drag.
As you near near the start of the drag, cross it (heading left as you ski down) and head towards the fun gulley that you will see instructors taking kids down.
Its then an easy run into Bellecote.
Enjoy.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Agree with Jonpim - we always stay in Constellations in Belle Plagne. When skiing down to Bellecote the first bit of 'Arpette' run you get to is steep and icy (first thing) and can be quite intimidating for the first run (my wife usually carried my daughter down the steep bit on subsequent descents - I'm on a board).
The route Jonpim suggests is perfect to get to Bellecote, lovely all the way!
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.
Hi @jonpim @tris that really helps, as we too really struggled with that first drop.
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
@Jonpim, Yes , good point. My balcony directly overlooks the steep bit on the Belle Plagne piste ( just past where the old Belle Plagne chairlift was ). It can get quite icy and chopped up, it's often busy, and could be quite intimidating for a beginner.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
True that the beginning to Levasset is a bit busy from the gondola (it feeds about 5 different pistes and is a high point) but it's still quite wide and once you reach the restaurant (a couple hundred meters) it thins out. The benefits are that Levasset is a very wide and quite long run, plus the majority of people seem to head for Tunnel. Additionally there is a chairlift further down that then feeds 3 fairly simple blues that run side by side (forget the name). Runs off the top of Arpette chairlift are good to get eye in, but the bottom part into Bellecote can be very busy/bumpy/icy so it may be easier to take the track into Belle Plagne. It's narrow but much gentler.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
I remember the main blue run off the Grand Rochette bubble (down and to the left) being VERY steep for a blue, really it should be graded red, even though it's wide.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@HoneyBunny, yep, first bit of it is a bit steep, also the other run down the back is a bit narrow.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
SnoodlesMcFlude offers excellent advice about veering off into Belle Plagne at the signpost some 50-100m beyond th Arpette Restaurant.
Of those blue pistes down from Arpettes, some are more Blue than others.
The easiest is probably the on on the extreme left (as you come down).
Almost as easy as the one on the extreme right, and this one now has a "Funslope".
Not tried it myself, but the video suggests it is quite gentle and designed for beginner skiers:
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?
Verdons and Marie Chalat blues from the top of the Verdon chair are beautiful and I think that edge of the area is rarely used. It's a long wide blue and is lovely. The views at the top are epic both down towards la Plagne side and across to the three valleys. When we were there at Christmas it was the best blue run of the whole holiday.
The best in La Plagne and Les Arcs are the 'Milka' chocolate runs. Regular reasons to stop, including the Milka cow handing out little squares of their delicious product....
There is a sneaky fun route - slightly longer but less intimidating.
First ski down to the "Magic Carpet" on the Belle Plagne slope, and from the top head towards the Col de Forcle drag.
As you near near the start of the drag, cross it (heading left as you ski down) and head towards the fun gulley that you will see instructors taking kids down.
Its then an easy run into Bellecote.
Enjoy.
Huge thanks for this tip - we're out here st the moment and this route down has proven itself so much easier than down the main piste
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
rosborne, so glad you find it to your liking.
Interesting conditions just now.
Very warm - almost t-shirt skiing weather.
And lots of lovely soft snow.
A modified version of that route with the Magic Carpet at Belle Plagne can also be used to avoid the snarl-up at Bellecote for those trying to get over to Plagne Centre - not so much of a problem now as the place is quite quiet, but come the busy periods back in February, Bellecote can be a nightmare.
So, after the Magic Carpet, take the drag to the top, and then run down the Champagny side to the quick Verdon Sud lift. At the top you can cruise down the pleasant Blues back to Plagne Centre.
Hope you enjoy the rest of your week.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
