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La Plagne for Skiing & Snowboarding
| Skiing & Boarding in La Plagne |
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La Plagne forms part of the fabulous Paradiski area; combining all the resorts of La Plagne Les Arcs and Peisey Vallandry into one giant heavenly playground, creating one of the largest ski areas in the world (over 425km of piste skiing!). Boarders and skiers are kept more than busy with over 425km of pisted slopes and a variety of snowparks, boarder crosses and half-pipes. |
| Ski Areas in La Plagne |
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La Plagne forms part of the fabulous Paradiski area; combining all the resorts of La Plagne Les Arcs and Peisey Vallandry into one giant heavenly playground. La Plagne itself consists of 6 high altitude resorts (linked by a free public transport service), with terrain to suit everyone, and 4 village resorts with access to the entire ski area. Snow conditions permitting, La Plagne usually opens around mid- December until the end of April and the whole Paradiski area opens from around December 23rd until April 20th (ish). ... see "La Plagne Skiing Revealed" for more |
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last updated 25-Mar-2008 |
| Insider's Guide to La Plagne |
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With such a big ski area to explore, it's sometimes good to have a little bit of inside information… For your pleasure, we’ve compiled a list of our favourite runs throughout the La Plagne ski area and suggested some itineries for you to try. There are also sections on where to find the best off piste, where you're most likely to find the quietest pistes, and where to find the nicest mountain restaurants for lunch. Happy exploring! ... see "Where To Go For......" for more |
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last updated 25-Mar-2008 |
| Snowparks in La Plagne |
La Plagne has a whopping 1km long snowpark known as the 7 Cube which caters for people of all abilities. The park is shaped with skiers in mind as La Plagne has a big freestyle ski scene but that’s not to stop the boarders having a go too. You will find different sized jumps graded in the same way as the pistes - The Green, The Blue, The Red and The Black. As you can imagine, these are named according to their level of difficulty and diversity of their obstacles with green being the easiest and black being the hardest - which is big! Once the jumps are out of the way the park splits in two and each branch has a selection of rails and boxes and one also has a wall ride. Unfortunately there is no drag lift for the park so you must use the Colorado chair lift from Plagne Centre. There are often small competitions in the park for everyone to join in and have a go, mostly on a Friday afternoon. There is also a picnic area where you can eat your lunch whilst watch people throw themselves off the jumps or you can just listen to the music in the sun.
Down in Plagne Bellcôte there is a half pipe which is also open to all. There is a drag lift called the Colosses right next to the pipe which can be used to access it.
For 20€ per day you can buy the "Pass Park" which will give you access to the ‘7 Cube’ , the boarder cross at Belle Plagne and the half pipe at Plagne Bellecôte. Between the three, you can expect to find a variety of rails, tables and jumps to keep you busy all day!
7 Cube Website
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last updated 25-Mar-2008 |
| Handiski (Skiing for the Disabled) in La Plagne |
La Plagne is one of the best resorts in the Alps for people with disabilities who wish to enjoy the thrills of the mountains. Time-honoured devices such as the Uniski are a frequent sight on the slopes and the Skicart offers a gentle introduction to skiing. La Plagne is also at the forefront of new technologies such as the Vertiski, a medical support that enables you to stand upright whilst ensuring good circulation, and the GMS which is the latest in chairs and can be used with the help of a guide or independently. For those who already have some experience of snowsports there is the Xbefree, which is a seated vehicle that can be used for completely independent skiing.
Extra training qualifications to enable ski instructors to understand the needs of disabled skiers are becoming increasingly common and accompanied skiing is now on offer in La Plagne. This is aimed at people who are physically able but may have a sight impairment, balance problem, mental illness, or something else which means that they require extra guidance to ensure their safety and enjoyment.
Association Antenne Handicap are a La Plagne based company that offer specialized services to people with disabilities. As well as being experts in adaptive skiing they also offer a range of summer activities such as parapenting, mountain biking and rafting – all specially equipped and guided by instructors that will ensure your enjoyment and safety.
ESF Belle Plagne have had a Handiski department since 1983 and they have been developing their expertise ever since. With specially trained instructors, adaptive equipment and easy lift access they offer a range of lessons to suit your needs – and you can even claim a 50% discount on your lift pass!
For more information on adaptive skiing and the British Disabled Ski Team please visit Disability Snowsport UK. |
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last updated 1-Apr-2008 |
| Cross Country Skiing (Ski de Fond) |
 | | 'Classic' Style |
Get back to nature and explore tranquil cross-country trails at your own pace. There are two different techniques – classic and skating. Classic is the easiest for beginners; you simply place your skis in two parallel groves, push off and glide around the trails. Skating is more energetic and a slightly harder skill to grasp; you push your feet out to either side as though you are ice skating and use your poles simultaneously to gain momentum.
You can hire the comfortable boots and lightweight skis and poles fairly inexpensively from most sports shops and book a group or private lesson to learn the basics from most ski schools or private instructors. For those used to downhill skis, at first you feel precariously balanced and downhill sections are definitely more exciting on narrow skis with no edges! The skis are lighter and slimmer than downhill skis and the boots are much softer and more comfortable.
The tranquility of cross country (also known as Nordic) skiing is perfect for anyone who enjoys peace and quiet, or finds the downhill pistes too crowded or too steep. It is a great form of aerobic exercise and one can be as energetic or slow as one likes, while the relaxed pace makes it a more tranquil way to enjoy the surroundings!.
 | | 'Skating' Style |
Once you have grasped the essentials, head off for the tranquil cross country trails that criss cross the Paradiski area. La Plagne is very popular with cross-country skiers as there is a variety of specialised tracks around the resort; the majority of the cross country pistes are free of charge unless you want to cheat and get the odd lift here and there! The only one that is not free is the Champagny track - the longest and hardest track in resort that runs around the mountain from Les Bauches in the Montchavin/Les Coches area to Plagne Bellecôte. It bypasses just above the village of Les Coches, deep in the forest, and is a beautiful and peaceful track. At an altitude of just over 2000 metres, good snow cover is guaranteed.
There is shorter circuit above Plagne Soleil which is right in the midst of the downhill ski area and is graded as easy. Also an ‘easy’ route is the longer, slightly more downhill track from La Roche, below Plagne 1800, to just above Montalbert. There are a couple more areas in Montalbert that are specifically for learner cross-country skiers and are just small circuits to practise on.
If you have a car whilst staying in La Plagne and wish to have a trip out for an afternoon’s cross-country skiing, then you can visit the beautiful Vallee de Bellecôte which separates La Plagne from Les Arcs. Drive as far as you can up the valley and right at the very end you come to the Nordic area of Peisey-Nancroix. Here, you will find 44kms of cross country ski trails, a club house and café where you can hire equipment. The area has been affected by a number of massive avalanches with snow falling from the North Face of the Bellecôte glacier and the villages up there are no longer inhabited all year round because of this. The destruction caused by the avalanches is very clear, with areas flattened trees stretching for several hundred metres. It is of course, well secured and is a very interesting and beautiful place to visit.
In the Nordic area, a pass is required in order to use the trails, the profit from which goes towards their daily upkeep. Prices are as follows:
- Half Day - €4.90 (€3.40 child)
- Full Day - €5.90 (€4.20 child)
- 2 Days - €9.20
- 6 Days - €23.00 (€10.50 child)
Cross Country Ski Map for La Plagne
Map of Ski de Fond Trails in Champagny
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last updated 2-Jul-2008 |
| Skiing Tips & Techniques |
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We have teamed up with one of our top ski school instuctors to produce guides on ski technique. The articles featured here include learning how to carve and how to conquer moguls. To ensure you get the most out of your time on the piste, check out our Ski & Snowboard School Listings and perfect your skills! ... see "Tips and Techniques - Skiing" for more |
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last updated 6-Feb-2008 |
| Snowboarding Tips & Techniques |
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Improve your snowboarding style with our helpful techniques tips section, brought to you courtesy of Keith McIntosh at Alpinelines. It's often the smallest thing that makes all the difference to your riding! ... see "Tips & Techniques - Snowboarding" for more |
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last updated 28-Apr-2008 |
| Equipment & Clothing Guide |
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Have you literally got 'all the gear' but have no idea what to do with it?? Unless you want to look like Posh Spice on the slopes, knowing a bit about your skis/snowboards/transceivers etc will help you avoid being any old Wannabe... Having the right equipment for your chosen sport/activity will help ensure that you get the best possible introduction to your sport (if you are a beginner), or speed you along in your learning curve if you are looking to improve. The easier and quicker you learn, the more pleasurable your experience will be! In this section, you will find guides to help you select the most appropriate gear for your sport and your ability. ... see "All the Gear But No Idea...?" for more |
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last updated 6-Feb-2008 |
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