New in La Plagne for Next Winter
11th September 2024
Last modified on September 13th, 2024
One of the most popular French resorts for UK skiers & snowboarders, La Plagne, has released details of all that is new for next season. Read on…
The season starts on 14th December 2024 and ends on 26th April 2025.
La Plagne is part of the Paradiski range in the Tarentaise Valley of France and is a group of 11 sites at altitudes between 650m and 2,000m.
It offers 425 km of pistes across seven peaks.
There’s more than 180 km of cross-country paths and 40 km of ski touring trails.
It is within a 90-minute drive from three main airports, Geneva, Grenoble, and Lyon.
Either hire a car from the airport, book one of the transfer companies or take the bus.
Alternatively, La Plagne is a ski resort that is reached easily by train.
PlanetSKI has visited in recent winters:
We’ll be back again this coming winter.
La Plagne, France. Image c/o PlanetSKI
So, what’s new for this coming winter?
ON THE SLOPES AND IN RESORT
NEW: Ride Aérolive: A Journey to the Peak of La Plagne:
This winter, La Plagne unveils a new experience – Aérolive.
It has two open-air cabins, newly added to the Glaciers gondola, which ascend to Live 3000, the highest point of the resort.
The minimalist design of these cabins is intentionally exposed to the elements, offering a 360-degree, unobstructed view of the majestic Alpine landscape—perfect for those who crave the thrill of raw nature.
With slatted floors and no glass barriers, passengers are in touch with their surroundings, experiencing the sensation of being suspended.
Once at the summit there’s a panoramic terrace, above the snowline in winter.
The terrace is not just a viewing platform; it’s a complete with the charming Sixième Ciel café for a quick bite before the descent.
Skiers can ski down via red or black pistes or take the gondola back down in a more traditional, enclosed cabin.
It’s a safe yet exhilarating experience, where the thrill of the void is never far from the surface.
Departure: Roche de Mio at 2,739 m, arriving at 3,080 m, duration: 30 minutes, capacity: six people.
Price is €49 per person Aerolive.
NEW: La Mega Bell Easter Event 14th – 19th April 2025
La Mega Bell Course is a race series combining fun, creativity, and challenge across five wacky races that will test the skills of even the most seasoned skiers.
Expect the unexpected, as the official times will only tell part of the story; competitors can also earn bonus points, face penalties, and take clever shortcuts to keep the suspense alive until the very end.
Competitors have two strategies to choose from
- Embrace the chaos with total improvisation on Saturday
- Take a more tactical approach by practicing on the timed courses available from Monday to Friday, each one unveiled day by day.
Bells play a starring role not just a nod to the Easter holiday timing but as a playful twist that adds a little extra jingle to the challenge.
NEW: Picnickers Welcome
At 2,800ms above sea level, perched atop Roche de Mio, La Plagne introduces Le Lounge, a new heated picnic room offering a bolthole for visitors, no matter the weather.
With bright, airy spaces and modern, comfortable furniture, the real treat is the panoramic view: towering mountain peaks surround this unique alpine hideaway.
ACCOMMODATION & RESTAURANTS
NEW: Eight Trapper Style Chalets for a Far North Ambiance
La Plagne’s Champagny-en-Vanoise is now home to eight new chalets that evoke the spirit of the Far North.
These Huttopia Chalet Montanas, with their oversized gable roofs and low, sloping side walls, are a nod to the rustic architecture of the Vanoise National Park.
They are integrated into the protected site of Champagny-le-Haut, these chalets are the latest addition to the Champagny-en-Vanoise campsite, a favourite summer destination now poised to welcome guests year-round.
It’s only 10 minutes by bus to the slopes and for those proficient at off piste, they can even ski back (snow dependent).
Designed as an “à la carte” creation by Huttopia’s planning team, these chalets offer a retreat amidst a forest of larch trees, with the sound of the Doron river completing the setting.
The chalets complement the summer offerings of canvas and wooden tents, providing a warm, rustic option for winter visitors eager to explore the Nordic site with activities like ice climbing, Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, dog sledding, and ski joëring.
Each chalet is a haven of comfort with a wood stove, equipped kitchen, and a large, covered terrace with a picnic table and ski rack.
The essentials of the “Huttopia touch” are present, from freshly baked bread to raclette and fondue machine rentals.
Price: From €83 per night (minimum two nights), €490 per week in a two-bedroom cabin sleeping up to five.
For more information visit: www.europe.huttopia.com
NEW: Restaurant Chalet du Bresson
The Chalet du Bresson has been transformed into a haven for gourmet comfort food.
Renovated by the La Plagne Tarentaise commune, this mountain chalet is now under the care of three passionate friends who have breathed new life into its rustic ambiance.
Chalet du Bresson combines contemporary style with nostalgic charm.
Vintage objects and a wood stove fit into the modern decor, while large picture windows frame views of the surrounding forest.
The menu draws inspiration from the recipe book of Monique, the grandmother of one of the partners.
Here, traditional French cuisine is served up in generous, family-style platters—just like Granny would have made.
La Plagne, France. Image c/o PlanetSKI
THE ENVIRONMENT
NEW: Flocon Vert
La Plagne was awarded the Flocon Vert, a label promoting mountain tourist destinations committed to a cutting-edge sustainable development policy, in June 2024.
La Plagne’s Flocon Vert certification highlights its dedication to sustainability, accessibility, and community well-being.
This award underscores the resort’s commitment to creating a more sustainable and inclusive environment for all visitors and residents.
La Plagne has implemented several initiatives to earn the Flocon Vert:
- Energy-Efficient Infrastructure: La Plagne has invested in energy-efficient buildings and ski lifts to reduce carbon emissions.
- Waste Management: La Plagne has implemented robust recycling programmes and initiatives to minimise waste, including reducing single-use plastics.
- Water Conservation: Measures are in place to monitor and conserve water usage, crucial for maintaining snow quality and supporting local ecosystems.
- Protecting Local Wildlife: Efforts to protect local wildlife and natural habitats include designated conservation areas and educational programmes for visitors.
The Flocon Vert certification is not a one-time achievement but a call to continuous improvement.
By maintaining and advancing its eco-friendly practices, La Plagne will remain a model for sustainable tourism.
La Plagne, France. Image © PlanetSKI
La Plagne is continually highlighting ways to reach the resort by public transport.
Picking these methods, instead of flying and/or driving, can use around 66% -80% less carbon.
The Eurostar train, departs every Saturday from London St Pancras (and returning every Sunday from France) makes the journey to Aime-la-Plagne easy (with one change at Lille).
La Plagne’s own online travel agency, La Plagne Resort, only proposes train or bus travel in its all-inclusive packages for long-distance journeys to the resort.
And if that’s not enough incentive to travel by train, guests can now make the most of a Beaufort Cheese Vending Machine next to the platform at Aime.
By train to the mountains. Image © PlanetSKI
DON’T MISS OUT ON THIS EXPERIENCE
Learn how to pilot a bobsleigh
This experience includes a track walk (just like the pros when they study the best line down) two descents in a two-person bobsleigh (one as a pilot, and the other as a passenger) and a technical debriefing.
Throughout the day, guests will be supervised by a professional pilot, plus French bobsleigh federation-certified instructors.
This opportunity will run once only in English on 17th January 2025 (eight people maximum, minimum age 16).
Price is €590 / £505 pp, helmet, insurance and crampons included.
La Plagne, France. Image c/o PlanetSKI
For more information on La Plagne, please visit https://en.la-plagne.com or call 04 79 09 02 01.
A six-day lift pass for Paradiski costs €389 / £327 per adult or €312 / £294per child (age 5-12 inclusive).
Book a ski holiday to La Plagne using La Plagne’s travel agency, La Plagne Resort.
