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La Plagne Skiing Revealed
| 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 Area" for more |
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last updated 25-Mar-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 |
| 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 |
| Lift & Piste Maps for La Plagne |
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These maps are useful for printing off and taking up the mountain, allowing you to see how the resort is laid out and which lifts and pistes lead where - indispensable for organising where to stop for lunch! Alternatively paper copies can be found in resort at the Tourist Office, lift pass offices, hotel receptions, etc...
La Plagne Piste Map
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last updated 5-Feb-2008 |
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