La Plagne is known as a mega ski resort and is one of a few located in the Tarentaise valley in the French Alps. It is one of the world’s most popular ski resorts, with 2.5 million visitors every winter.
La Plagne is popular because it appeals to many groups, from families to partygoers. Its seemingly endless network of slopes is part of the Paradiski area, which also includes the neighbouring resort of Les Arcs.
The ski area links up several villages, all with their own personalities and styles. Therefore, you’ll be able to find a spot that suits your ability and preference.
La Plagne has a lot of terrain for you to cover during a visit. So you can take your time and explore the different areas and vertical drop throughout your stay. You’ll find many slopes suitable for beginners, and the lift system and facilities are child-friendly.
More experienced skiers and snowboarders will love the challenging off-piste terrain and the variety of slopes available. Most of the terrain is above 2,000 metres and faces North. Therefore, you can expect excellent snow conditions, high-altitude freeride areas, and lots of tree skiing lower down.
Plagne 1800 is the oldest part of the resort and has many traditional-style chalets, but Plagne Centre is great if you like to be close to restaurants and shops. Alternatively, you can stay in Belle Plagne, the resort’s newest part. Les Coches is an excellent location if you like to explore, as it’s close to the Vanoise Express ski lift.
La Plagne offers many other activities when you fancy a day off the slopes. One of the most unique activities La Plagne has to offer is its Olympic bobsled track, which is open to the public.
The Best La Plagne Accommodation
We have a great range of self-catered apartments and hotels, from 4 to 5-star luxury.
Residence Manaka
Ideally located in Plagne Centre, at an altitude of 1970m, the Manaka prestige residence opens the doors to a friendly resort and an exceptional ski area: Paradiski, one of the largest ski areas in the world. Ideally located at the foot of the slopes, the 44 apartments of the residence are entirely dédicated to your comfort; the nobility of the materials is combined with the decor and offer a view on La Grande Rochette to the south or the Mont...
Jun
CGH White Pearl Lodge & Spa
1 to 6 Bedroom apartments. Discover the superb White Pearl Lodge & Spa ***** residence in the most beautiful setting in La Plagne Soleil. It's the first 5-star residence of the CGH group ! You will be charmed by the refinement and the warm atmosphere of the decoration, which has been tastefully chosen. Composed of 8 buildings, it has a covered car park, a lounge bar, a pedestrian path with sharing spaces as well as spacious and nicely...
Aug
Hotel Carlina & Residences
The Hotel Le Levanna in Tignes is a warm and elegant hotel perfectly located on the ski slopes with a breathtaking view of the Lake and the historical glacier. The hotel is decorated with comforting, chic tones, tastefully selected materials and sophisticated decor making your stay a relaxing experience in the high mountain....
Apr
Araucaria Hotel & Spa
The 4 star Araucaria Hotel & Spa has been fully refurbished and provides guests with ski-in ski-out access ideally located at the heart of the vast Paradiski area in the sporty & family ski-resort of La Plagne-Centre (2000 m). Since December 2017, the hotel offers new facilities in a style blending raw materials and soft textures to create a warm, chic atmosphere, perfect for meeting up with friends or family, to have fun and relax!...
Sep
CGH Les Granges du Soleil
1 to 5 Bedroom apartments. CGH Residence Les Granges du Soleil. Opposite Mont Blanc and the massif du Beaufortain, snow is guaranteed and the atmosphere assured. A palette of activities for those who love riding and thrills. To go with the wealth of outdoor activities, the Granges du Soleil offers you the chance to recharge your batteries with the swimming pool, the spa and the fitness centre...
Mar
Le Chalet des Cimes
2 Bedroom + Cabin & 4 Bedroom apartments. Le Chalet des Cimes. Located at 2050 metres of altitude in the charming little pedestrian ski resort of Belle Plagne, our residence enjoys maximum sunshine. All the apartments face south and afford a splendid open view of the La Plagne massifs. With slate roofs and cladding, wooden balconies, stone and wet dash render walls, our residences also provide a relaxation area with spa and sauna....
Mar
Ski Information
Season
- December 14, 2024 – April 26, 2025
Ski area
Resorts altitude: 1,800m to 2,100m
La Plagne and the neighbouring resort of Les Arcs form the Paradiski ski area.
From the long, tree-lined runs in Montchavin to deep powder on the Bellecote glacier, La Plagne has 134 slopes stretching across 225 kilometres, including 10 green, 72 blue, 30 red and 15 black.
Linked ski area
Paradiski (3 resorts): Les Arcs, Peisey-Vallandry, La Plagne
The link between the 2 massifs is via the Vanoise Express, the world’s largest cable car.
- 425 km of runs
- 260 runs (12 greens, 135 blues, 77 reds, 36 blacks)
- 2 snow parks | 3 boarder cross | 2 boarder gliss | 1 half pipe |
4 toboggan runs | 1 waterslide & 2 airbags - 130 lifts
Transfer time to La Plagne
- Aime train station (closest): 25min*
- Chambéry airport: 1hr 30min*
- Geneva airport: 2hrs 15min*
- Lyon airport: 2hrs 20min*
*Transfer time is approximate, by private transfer vehicle and subject to traffic, weather and road conditions. Shared shuttle/bus transfers have set departure times, take much longer to travel and don’t offer door to door service which is why we recommend and only book private transfers.
Activities & Location
Non-ski activities and experiences
Often on a skiing holiday, you will want to experience the other things a ski resort has to offer. You also may want a day off your skis, or have non-skiers in your group. La Plagne has a huge range of activities that don’t just involve skiing.
Snowmobiling
Snowmobiles are a fantastic way of discovering different areas of the mountains. In La Plagne, you can take guided snowmobile trips after the lifts and slopes are closed. Your guides will give you all the information you need and tips for carving turns and riding up and down the mountains. Wrap up warm and prepare for a fantastic experience.
Bobsleigh track
La Plagne is the only French ski resort with an Olympic bobsleigh run. There are three different ways to experience this unique and thrilling winter sport. Bobsleighing is a must-do activity during your trip to La Plagne, allowing you to feel like an Olympian for a few exciting moments. You can give it a try any day of the week, except Mondays.
Location
La Plagne ski season STARTS in…
La Plagne Ski Resort Video
La Plagne is the most popular ski resort in the world withmore than 2.5 million visitors a season on average. It is part of the inredible Paradiski ski area which is linked to Les Ars via The Vanoise Express
Watch this video to find out more…
Watch Video NowLa Plagne Photo Gallery
Frequently Asked Questions
- Based on the sheer volume of accommodation available and number of ski passes sold each winter season, La Plagne ski resort takes the trophy of the most popular ski resort in THE WORLD!! This French Alps resort boasts an average of over 2.5 million visitors annually.
- With the volume of accommodation to choose from comes more options and more competition for stays with plenty of enticing ski deals and amazing-value ski packages. This makes La Plagne a great place for skiers on a budget or looking for the cheapest deals, while still experiencing a world class ski area.
- It is home to the only bobsleigh/luge/skeleton track in France (only 10 countries in the world currently have them).
- La Plagne has so many different styles of villages (11 villages in total including 7 at high altitude) and accommodation from big buildings that look like cruise ships stuck on a mountain to traditional savoyard hotels and chalets. There really is something to suit all tastes in La Plagne.
- The ski area of 452km of groomed runs all interlinked by slopes or lifts, including the world’s largest cable car system, the Vanoise Express, makes the Paradiski the 4th largest linked ski area in the world.
- Families, people looking for ski-in ski-out accommodation, beginners and intermediate skiers as well as people on a tight budget who want to ski a huge area with a great variety of slopes.
- The ski-in ski-out convenience, especially for families travelling with young kids, is such a treat and so convenient. There is nothing worse than carrying the little ones’ skis for a few hundred metres every day to and from the slopes .. or for anyone really for that matter.
- Thrill seekers wanting to have a go at bobsleigh or the many other adrenalin-pumping activities on offer.
- People wanting to ski multiple linked ski resorts from the one base. La Plagne itself has 11 villages to discover without even including the 4 purpose-built villages of Les Arcs or Peisey-Vallandry. We recommend staying at La Plagne for at least 2 weeks to discover it all properly (even that is not enough!).
Besides the incredible skiing in La Plagne, you can have a go at Bobsleigh rides, sledging , snow shoeing, snowmobiling, helicopter scenic rides, heli-skiing over in La Thuile (Italy), paragliding, ride a fatbike on snow, ice skating, snakegliss, airboard, snowscoot, ice climbing (the ice tower 24 m high) ski joering, biathlon, shooting.
For bad weather days, there are also plenty of non-skiing activities, such as fitness, squash, bowling, spas, swimming pools…
La Plagne is a 2 hour 15min drive by private transfer from either Lyon or Geneva Airport.
It’s a 25min drive from Aime train station, the closest train station in France to La Plagne.
A shared shuttle transfer from Geneva will take over 4hrs and will only drop you off at the village bus stop, not at your accommodation – not ideal if you are travelling with ski gear and luggage and don’t know your way around.
Next winter, La Plagne Ski Resort is scheduled to open from December 16th 2023 to April 27th 2024.
There are 3 ski resorts which are part of the Paradiski’s massive 425km of slopes (linked via the Vanoise Express, the world’s largest cable car system): La Plagne, Les Arcs and Peisey-Vallandry.
January 4th to Feb 8th 2025 is the cheapest and best time to go (low season), followed by 8th March until mid-April 2025 (the shoulder season).
For Australians travelling to France to ski during our January summer holidays, we benefit from the cheaper rates on offer in the French ski resorts’ low season. This happens to be when the French and Europeans go back to work and school after the 2 week Christmas and New Year holiday period.
Europeans and the Brits flock to the resorts through February into March (DO NOT TRAVEL from 8th Feb to 8th Mar 2025 as this is the French school holidays). The slopes are extremely busy, the queues at the lifts are long and the price for accommodation is very expensive during that time. Even all the restaurants are booked out!
Typically, in January, the snow is dry with the largest build up. It is also the coldest time, so you will need to make sure that you dress warmly. It is still wise to choose a high-altitude resort in case mother nature has not been kind earlier in the season. Bear in mind though, that snow-making is used to supplement natural snowfall in high traffic areas.
So, not only is January the cheapest time to go skiing in the French Alps, it is also the best time to go thanks to the weather conditions, the lack of queues, more availability and choice of accommodation and you get to breathe fresh air with your loved ones, rather than with thousands of other people!