La Plagne Apres Ski Report: 2nd January 2013

The New year’s Eve festivities began as soon as it got dark and at about 17:30 – 18:00 Plagne Centre started to fill up with swarms of red jacketed ESF instructors. They gathered at La Grolle, Croque Neige, and every restaurant where they could have a swift half or hot chocolate overlooking the Becoin lift whilst they waited for the signal to begin their ascent. The ESF torchlight descent is an annual event in La Plagne, always a hit and mesmerising to watch as so many instructors weave their way down the runs in perfect formation carrying their torches aloft as fireworks explode around them. Visible from Aime 2000, Plagne Centre and Plagne 1800 the descent drew big crowds who were kept warm with plenty of hot chocolate and entertained by the compare and music blasting out of the loudspeakers. Short and sweet the display was over by 18:30 and the crowds dispersed to various places for New Years Eve dinners and drinks or to prepare for the celebrations later.

The biggest event of course was La Nuit Du Pompon Rouge the massive piste party held in Bellecotte every year. They set up a stage at the bottom of the piste and a festival atmosphere took over for the night. There were live DJ’s – Big Ali, Jay Style and Phil Torres, playing a range of music from remixed chart hits to French electro and drum and bass, performance artists and fancy dressed revellers worked their way around entertaining and amusing the crowds and the edges of the area were populated by food stalls, vin chaud stands and an ice bar all catering to the needs of approximately 10,000 New Years revellers! The drinks on site were pretty expensive and many party goers took their own alcohol along but there were checks being done at the entrance to ensure that no glass was taken onto the snow for obvious safety reasons (although I definitely saw a fair few contraband champagne bottles being passed around at 12!) 

Midnight came and went in a manic haze of leaping and dancing crowds, plastic cup beer, hip flask jaeger, a countdown roared out by thousands and much, much screaming, hugging and cheering under a firework streaked sky. 
The music went on until two and then came the hardest part of the evening, the decision of where to go next? The shuttle buses were running between the villages but a chaotic queue system and 10,000 people led to a long cold wait for some trying to leave. Some lingered in Bellecotte enjoying the atmosphere, some populated the bars nearby, Spitting Feathers especially had planned for a frantic night, keeping strict control of their numbers in and out and charging a ten euro entrance fee to maintain order (and weed out those freeloading toilet users). They also promised via Faceboook to be open until the last one was standing, but I will never know what time that actually was!

La Mine Bar in 1800 had its own party as did the Bobsleigh bar at the Rhododendrons and Le Switch Bar threw an after party. Saloon Bar kept the night going until 06:00 and although Mouth was empty at midnight, the crew there made up for it by powering through until 08:00 - what a bunch of die hards! Scotty’s Bar topped the lot with a midnight proposal when Simon Gallagher (who used to work in Scotty’s in 2007/8) went down on one knee to propose to Kate Frame (also a Scotty’s alum) at midnight. The story goes that they met working in the bar and first got together in there on New Years Eve 2007. Poetic, I hope they have the reception there too to continue the tradition, and lets face it Jaegerbomb wedding toasts are just classy.

That’s it for this week, I’m currently still in recovery from Monday’s antics but not for long I assure you - there is plenty of après action on the cards for 2013!