Make the most of La Plagne opening day 2018

Here’s an uncomfortable truth – you are not as fit, as able or as skilled as you believe you are. Most certainly, you are definitely not as fit, able or skilled as you were last season. The last time you were riding was likely months ago. You never forget how to ski or snowboard but you do get rusty. Give your mind and body time to get used to riding again. Take those first turns slowly, find your feet, avoid the park first thing and be patient as your body slowly relearns skills, balance and body awareness. No-one wants a first-day tumble ruining the rest of their week or, worse yet, their season.

Last year’s exceptional snow started very early at the end of November but winters don’t normally go this way. We’ll obviously have to wait and see what storm patterns develop but, in recent years, cover in La Plagne has been a little erratic in the early weeks. Be aware that the snow cover this time of year isn’t what you’d expect in, say, January or February. Moreover, there’s going to be a significantly shallower base than you’d expect later in the season. Also worth bearing in mind – with so much early windblown snow, that enticing cornice drop is likely more unstable right now than it will be at any other point in the year. Without wanting to dampen enthusiasm, the cover and stability of the snowpack in the early days of the year can be sketchy. There’s also a tendency for windblown snow to accumulate in areas that look great but are often just a shallow cover hiding rocks. Ride the hill, explore, enjoy – but be aware.

You’re here, there’s snow, you’re riding before anyone else. Your friends are likely chained to desks listening to endless repeats of 'Last Christmas' on the radio, dreaming of being exactly where you are right now. It’s almost de rigeur you’re going to feel the need to selfie this moment. Get that phone or camera charged the night before to ensure you can post your first-day epicness. Social media is an evil yet lovely beast in equal measure. On Opening Day, you’re the one getting the goods. It’s inevitable you will want to share this.

The full Paradiski area doesn’t open until December 22nd but even a cursory look at the piste map lets you see you still have a massive area to play around in on Opening Day. Everything above Plagne 1800 will be open – that’s a lot of terrain and a lot of runs. Queues won’t be a problem and it’s quite likely you’ll ride many runs alone. Even with the smaller than normal terrain open, it’s still worth acclimatizing yourself with the piste map and having an idea where you want to be and where you want to ride. And should the weather happen to close in, it’s good to have at least a rough idea where you are and how to get back.

At the moment, the forecast is for further snow coming and going most days in the run-up to the weekend. Most predictions seem to be suggesting we could then be in for more fairly significant snow for the first day. The first week of the season really is a pleasure, so get out there and enjoy the hill before anyone else arrives. You’ll also find there’s a far more convivial atmosphere than at any other point during the year.

A handful of bars and clubs are already open in La Plagne but that will all change this weekend with a glut of opening parties. So far, there aren’t even that many saisonniers kicking about but again, over the coming days, things in resort will really start to kick into gear as the resort comes back to life again. Hunt out the opening parties across the resort to make sure you don’t miss out on the once a year excitement.

As a result of the recent storms, there’s currently around 150cm on the glacier with 50cm at main resort level and around 10cm down in the villages (remember these lower runs won’t be open until the 22nd anyway). Conditions are only going to improve with the forecasted snow so we should be looking at some really great riding on Opening Day. Our advice? Stay high and find your legs on blue runs like Levasset or Tunnel. Alternatively, if you’re looking for something slightly more challenging, why not try the red Sources run back into Belle Plagne. It’s also worth remembering the new high-speed Inversens chair is scheduled to turn on Saturday, greatly improving access to a vastly underused area of the mountain and red run of the same name.