Belle Plagne village

A snowHead

Hi all,

The family are off to Belle Plagne at Easter, and it's our first time staying there (although I have skied La Plagne before) so am trying to get my head around how the village is set up - especially as maps tend to lack gradient so what may look close on paper may not be that easy to get too.

We're staying at the Lincorne apartments, and I'm looking at nearby ski hire shops - does anyone have any recommendations about where is both good value and in easy reach (I might have to carry the kids skis, so carrying them a distance or up hill wouldn't be that much fun!)?

How easy is it to ski-in ski out of the apartment (and can we ski-in/out both ways? Or do we have to ski-out in one direction, and ski back in the other?). I'm specifically thinking about dropping the kids off at ski school each morning.

Any other recommendations regarding family friendly restaurants for lunch in the surrounding area, or family-friendly bars with outdoor tables for the traditional post-ski drink in the Easter sun?

Or any Belle Plagne tips in general.. thank you! Smile

A snowHead

It's been a couple of years since I was there, but it looks like where you're staying is in the higher part of the resort. It effectively slopes down from East to West, with the Carlina Hotel being at the lowest part.

It's well laid out with 'pistes'/runs through the village, so you want have much of a walk to and from the snow. Yes, it will be ski out one direction, and return from another - unless you take the Belle Plagne lift and the end of the day, and then walk uphill back to your apartment.

I can't help with any ski hire recommendations. I do remember a good cheap pizza place hear the lift station in the village, but not what it was called NehNeh

I really liked staying there - it was so central in the ski area, and we covered a LOT of ground. Start as early as you can and just explore!

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

It’s the best village in La Plagne in my opinion. High and central so you can head off in any direction. Maybe the nicest village too. Pretty much everywhere is ski in/ski out within a few paces.

Plagne Bellecote (just below Belle) gets very busy first thing in the morning so if you’re heading off up the Arpette lift (and onto Les Arcs) make it early. The upper mountain towards the glacier is dead first thing. The sources run from Roche de Mio back down to Belle first thing in the morning when it’s quiet is a really lovely fast run. Best to stay away from all of the blue runs above Plagne Central first thing as thy are chock a block with ski schools as they are not very steep.

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Thanks @fixx, @Joy Zipper - great tips!

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

There are also lots of hidden walking routes through the village, cutting through buildings, using lifts in buildings to change between levels. Make sure you suss them out, the first day I was there (first day of ski school ever), I spent 1hr walking back up some stairs in my clunky ski boots, carrying skis to get back to the appartment. A few days later I'd sussed the indoor route out and could get all the way without any stairs whatsoever.

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Cheers @fixx! snowHead

@Handy Turnip, those arrows are both routes out from the apartment, to either Plagne Bellecote (off lefthand edge of picture) or Belle Plagne centre / ski schools.

To ski back to the apartment you will need to take either the (steep) Tyrollienne drag lift (right hand side of picture) to the high point of the village and then a short ski, or a long approach from above the village (via the top of Roche de Mio or via the Arpette chair from Bellecote).

You know it makes sense.

You’ve chosen the best village in the La Plagne area, we have been returning to Belle Plagne for 8 years and absolutely love it.

So, the top path to the right on your plan will take you down to the ski schools in Belle Plagne, Haut and Bas. From that point onwards after leaving the kids at ski school, the piste winds its way down through Belle Plagne which is lovely through the village to join up with the lifts at Bellecote. Alternatively you can jump on the gondola within Belle Plagne Bas which takes you up the Roche di Mio. The left path takes you down a steeper piste initially, direct to Bellcote.

The preferred return avoiding walking to your apartment at the end of your day is via a ski from the top of the Arpette chairlift, accessed from Bellecote or via the Tunnel piste from the Roche de Mio. In order to gain really easy access to your apartment, once you ski past or have the Arpette mountain bar in your sights on your right hand side, make sure you swing to the left quite sharply and take the piste to Belle Plagne, there is a little sign but it can be easily missed if snowing or if you don’t know the area, meaning a repeat of what you have just skied or the gondola up from Bellecote to Belle Plagne and a walk back to your accommodation. Alternatively accessing within the village, a steep drag exiting higher than your apartment with a ski over.

For self-catering the Spar shop in Belle Plagne Bas is well stocked although can be a little expensive if you are buying fresh meats and the like from the butchers section, other than that it is great. A roast chicken on one of the outdoor spit things was 14 euros last year if I remember correctly. I cant comment on buying groceries in Haut as have never used the little shop.

Restaurant wise, they are all much what you would expect in a ski resort price wise, with snack/sandwich places in both Haut and Bas open during the day. There is a pizza takeaway kiosk at Location 20 of Bas for the evenings too. If using, best order and then go for a drink for 10 minutes as its pretty cold standing about waiting on them to be cooked as its just a hatch that is open most of the time.

Drinks in the sunshine; Le Mafatan is your outdoor drinking venue but this is at Bas, right beside the piste, and if at the end of the day, it will involve a walk uphill to your apartment. Personally, if a drink at the end of the day is your thing and it is most definitely mine Very Happy

, apres on your ski back home at the Arpette Mountain Bar, it has a huge veradah for sitting out in the sun and then a short ski back to your apartment, remembering to hang that left after leaving Arpette Bar to avoid landing back in Bellecote. Just to cover myself however, please don’t drink and ski with the kids, well not too much anyway.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Ski hire is at locations 33 and 35 in Haut. I cant comment on either of them as we rent from Armand Bernard Sports in Bas which has always been excellent.

If you are driving to resort definitely take the indoor parking and don’t struggle trying to find external parking, it is quite scarce.

Again if you are driving, do your bulk grocery shop in Albertville or Moutiers before you drive up to resort

Enjoy the village.

A snowHead

Cheers @ecureuil.

And thanks @GixerGirl, great level of detail! Just the info I was after. I'd actually been looking at Le Mafatan for post ski drinks but was worried that it would be harder to get back to the apartment. The Arpette bar sounds like a perfect alternative!!!

A snowHead

Belle Plagne is a brilliant little spot, my first ski holiday was there and everything was so simple. Only downside is dealing with Bellecote queues at busy times, but at least there are about 4 options and all lifts are fairly quick.

When I was last there we enjoyed skiing down from the top of Arpette in the evening and then hitting the Tete Inn (think that's what it's called) for a few beers. The added bonus was that they put out tins of pate and baskets of bread, which we made disappear. Then a quick run round the Spar if we needed anything before skiing the last stretch down to the Onyx apartments we were staying. Unfortunately the route back for you not so easy, but there are lifts/escalators so worth trying to find those early in the trip to see if they'll work for you.

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Cheers @SnoodlesMcFlude, the more I hear about Belle Plagne the more comfort I feel that it's a good choice. The family love their annual ski holiday so always feel a bit of pressure to get it right!

I had a quick look at the Tete Inn too, looks good - we'll try and check it out while we're there.

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I've booked Belle Plagne again this year, will be my third visit. Love it every time. Its very well positioned for the whole ski are, its relatively quiet and Apres is more relaxed.....just the way I like it.
all the comments above are accurate. You will love it.

J

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Cheers @Corduroy! Just hope the snow gods deliver now Smile

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@Corduroy, is that offer only valid till the end of Oct? I've been checking out skiset as they have a shop closest to our apartment and saw the discount (plus another 5% off with the snow heads code) but was hoping it was on for longer. It's been an expensive month (costs for two lots of ski holidays coming out!)

After all it is free

Agree with bertie bassett: The Arpette bar looks great from afar, is warm and cozy inside and has a large veranda.
But it has a monopoly on all the runs down from the Arpette lift and so can charge a bit more.
Great for those heading down to Belle Plagne or Bellecote, but we tend to avoid and head on to the Bergerie (on our way back to 1800.)
Can get very crowded.

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Thanks @bertie bassett, @Jonpim for the heads up. Any nearby bars that you would recommend for those going back to Belle Plagne. Obviously only want a short ski home ideally, so not far away.

Or is there an easier way of getting from the bars in Belle Plagne back to our apartments (Licorne) with avoids having to walk uphill with ski gear?

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@Handy Turnip, as above, suss out the lifts and corridors in the various buildings at different levels. So much easier than hiking up the paths. We often used to finish the day in Bellecote, have a drink and get the Roch de Mio gondola back up to Belle Plagne. Cut through shopping centre, then use lifts in other hotels and apartments to get back to top level. I once had a freebie vin chaud from a conference taking place in the hotel El Dorador as I crossed through to the lift up.

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Just down the hill in Bellecote is Le Bonnet who really do serve "the best burgers in La Plagne"
They also have this for late season entertainment..

Ah, Hells Bells, the El Dorador. Happy days. Wonderful friendly chaos.
Now ghastly Mercure. Bet you won't get a free Vin Chaude there these days.

As for a Last Beer Stop before home on the way to Licorne Apartmets: apart from the Arpette bar there really isn't an easy alternative.
Go for a Hells Bells-type roundabout route down to Bellecote, or any of the bars in Belle Plagne.

But if you've got family with youngish kids, then they won't want to sit around in a bar while the adults get progressively more boring on beer.
I would stick with your apartment as the last beer stop. Definitely cheaper.

You know it makes sense.

@Jonpim, for us Arcs-its you aren't offering much. I've done the Montchavin run (many times) but have never encountered a place to pause. Perhaps you can suggest somewhere we could meet for a (very brief) laugh?

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Cheers @Jonpim, @boredsurfin, @Hells Bells - we'll definitely have to get familiar with the lifts in the various buildings and hopefully find an easy route home.

We'll probably mix it up a bit, maybe try the Arpette one day and maybe the Mafatan another. Just nice to have a relaxing beer outside in the Easter sun with the family as a reward for a good days skiing. It's never a long stop (an hour at most), before retiring back to the apartment (where I'll definitely have another beer!!)

A snowHead

Alastair, is it a place to stop on your way out from Arc 1800, or on your way back?

For Handy Turnip, when we used to stay in Belle Plagne (many years ago, with kids maybe like yours), we stayed in Les Balcons (many times) and Montangette (once: Chalet des Cimes).
Many of our favourite stop places have changed (some even closed), but i always thought the Matafan overpriced and sometimes less-than-friendly.
And some of the fun on a ski trip is finding out your own favourite places - many of the oft recommended places we definitely avoid (Spitting Feathers in Bellecote being one of them).

A snowHead

@Jonpim, yes very true - I spend a lot of time planning out runs, itinaries, lunch stops etc but actually when we get there we end up just going with the flow. While no doubt the planning stage helps us hit the ground running as soon as we arrive, I have a feeling the main reason I do it is just to indulge myself and start to build the excitement of the skiing holiday!! snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@Jonpim, a good place to stop on the way back? All suggestions welcome...

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@Handy Turnip, we have stayed at Odalys Licorne about 4 or 5 times and it is most definitely ski in ski out but it takes a bit of working out how. In the morning unless you need to go to ski school the easiest is to take the lift to the ground floor and turn immediate right out the door onto a gentle slope which leads down to the Arpette piste down to Bellecote. If going to ski school direct then you need to get off the lift at level 4 and take the walkway which leads to the underground car park at back of the building. The same walkway leads to the piste which passes at the back of the building via a short flight of steps (the piste is actually on the roof of the underground car park) From there you can ski directly down to the ski school without any walking uphill.

At the end of day the easiest is to bear left off the Arpette piste not long after the White House cafe and follow the track round to the piste above the car park. There are 3 access doors along that that you can use with direct access to Licorne depending on where your apartment is situated. It sounds complicated but is very easy after the first time you do it.

The nearest ski hire is Skiset 2 which is about 100 yards from the ground floor exit but turn left this time past the hotel Mercure and up the slope a bit on the left. Not cheap but pretty good quality kit we found. (Had our own for a few years now so things may have changed)

To get to the main centre leave the building on the ground floor and turn left past the Hotel Mercure. You will see the Spar Supermarket facing you. Take the alley to the left of the Spar. It leads to a public lift. Get off at ground level and follow the walkway down a flight of steps past the Bowling. This leads to the main shopping restaurant area.

Our favourite restaurant in that area is Matafan if you fancy an expensive treat otherwise the pizza restaurant by the entrance to the bubble is good (can’t remember the name). We have tried most of the others and all are ok but not exceptional.

We’re back there in January but now rent a private apartment in the Quartz building so are at the other end of the village.

Hope that helps

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Forgot to mention, the best place for lunch in the whole resort is Monica’s in Plagne Soleil. Well we like it anyway

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@rdsweb, Thanks that is absolutely awesome, exactly the information I was after.

As long as I know roughly where I'm going then I'll be able to work it out from there. I'll have 3 expectant faces looking at me in anticipation of where we go at every stage.. as Daddy always knows the way! (I'm sure that image will get shattered at some point!).

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@Handy Turnip, are you arriving by car? You could really impress the rest of the family by arriving at Belle Plagne, driving to the top of the village into the underground car park and going for what seems like miles in the dark before parking and bursting outside into the sunshine at the very entrance to your hotel. Tip:- the names of the hotels/buildings are written on the walls of the car park as you pass by

After all it is free

rdsweb, we've had a few other recommendations for Monica's - just off to the right soon after the Dou du Praz drag - but never been there yet. On the list for this season.

Agree with Pizza place recommendation in Belle Plagne. Excellent. Often busy. Can't book.

@Jonpim, yes that’s right. It’s not just the food though. Try interacting with the staff especially the owner David and you’ll see what I mean

Help!!

Belle Plagne village

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