La Plagne Family Holidays and Breaks

Overview

Facts at a glance
Ski area: Paradiski (linking to neighbouring Les Arcs)
Altitude range of ski area: 1,250–3,250m
Km of piste: 220
Blue/green/red/black runs: 74/9/33/18
Minimum age for ski lessons: 3 years

This is actually a group of purpose-built villages ranging from the plain (Plagne Centre) to the pretty (Belle Plagne, Plagne Soleil, Plagne Bellecôte) via the traditional (Plagne 1800), plus original villages including Montchavin (with the newer Les Coches), Montalbert and Champagny-en-Vanoise. There are plenty of beginner areas, and Plagne Centre is home to one of the original and best independent, English-speaking ski schools, Oxygène. Even moderate skiers can head all the way from the 3,250m glacier to 1,350m villages. In summer, an ever-growing range of fun outdoor activities make it a great alternative to the French seaside.

Things to do with kids in La Plagne

• Ski on fantastic nursery slopes, great wooded runs and good cross-country trails; highlights are the gorgeous routes through the forest to Montchavin, Champagny and Montalbert.

• Take the top chairlift from the Bellecôte glacier for excellent black runs and truly breathtaking views (if you don't want to ski down, go up for the ice grotto with its ice sculptures).

“As a place for youngsters to progress and families to ski together, La Plagne is second to none."
Nick Dalton, family ski expert

• For kids, check out the good selection of crèches and supervised snow- and ski clubs, plus several espaces luges for free-play.

• Brave the floodlit bobsleigh run (built for the 1992 Winter Olympics), with experiences for different age ranges, from bob rafts for those at least 1.3m in height with parental accompaniment to the Olympic Experience, taking adults hurtling along at up to 130km/h.

• Try snow mountain-biking, zip-lining, husky sleigh rides, ice-climbing, ice-diving, paragliding, ice-skating on an open-air rink, tobogganing, snowmobiling and even spending the night in an igloo or having dinner at La Grande Rochette (2,500m) before night-skiing back down.

• Enjoy farm visits, bowling, cinema trips and swimming at venues including the Magic Pool with its outdoor heated pool surrounded by snow and the Espace Paradisio in Montchavin.

• In summer choose from activities including archery, mountain-biking, via ferrata, glacier walking, outdoor swimming, canoe-rafting and hydro-speeding, canyoning, fishing, geocaching, horse-riding, treetop adventure, mini-golf, SUP paddleboarding, paintballing and paragliding.

Rhonda Carrier