A guide to ski holidays at La Plagne

Thursday, 3 May 2012 12:16 PM

The French resort of La Plagne is a popular one for British travellers seeking the ideal short winter break. Read our guide to the ski facilities, accommodation and activities on offer here to find out why - and to see if you would like to go there in 2013!

About La Plagne

La Plagne is located near Aime, close to where the French border meets that of both Italy and Switzerland. The resort is renowned for its impressive ski area - which is big enough to attract skiers looking to avoid the crowds on their getaway - and for its ten villages, each of which offer a slightly different holiday experience.

The destination's relatively close proximity to the UK means it is ideal if you're looking to book a cheap ski holiday that also lasts for only a few days - the flight time from London to nearby Lyon is under two hours.

Skiing at La Plagne

The Paradiski Ski Area is one of the largest in Europe. Shared with the neighbouring resort of Les Arcs, Paradiski features two peaks with an altitude of more than 3,000 m, along with 153 km of cross-country trails and 236 slopes. Around 225 km of the pistes and 130 of the slopes belong to La Plagne, as does 80 km of the cross-country routes.

One of the most attractive features of the Paradiski Ski Area is the fact there are slopes to suit all skiers, regardless of your experience. With 65 red, 123 blue, 37 black and 11 green slopes to choose from, you can rest assured your abilities will be catered for.

Other sports

If you want to use your 2013 skiing holiday to try a variety of winter sports, La Plagne is well-equipped for this purpose. Snowboarding facilities are plentiful, as are those for more unusual pursuits such as ice pedal karting, bobsleighing and quad biking.

Other activities you might like to indulge in range from ice skating, snowshoeing and dog sledding to paragliding and having a go on the giant zip slide. Thrill-seekers shouldn't miss the opportunity to ascend La Plagne's impressive ice tower, which has both sloped and vertical faces to allow climbers of all abilities to make their way up the structure.

On days when you'd rather stay inside than brave the cold outside, you can take advantage of nearby facilities for swimming, indoor climbing and bowling, among other sports.

Accommodation

La Plagne boasts chalets of varying types and sizes that will suit any ski party heading to this part of France in 2013. Many of these are multi-storey wood-clad structures that can sleep up to 12 people, with most bedrooms featuring an ensuite bathroom.

All of the chalets have social spaces of a decent size, while certain buildings command excellent views of the mountain and surrounding slopes. If you want to take full advantage of La Plagne's entertainment, several chalets are ideally situated for this thanks to their handy location near the resort's apres-ski activities.

Booking La Plagne ski holidays

As with any 2013 ski holiday, it's a good idea to book your place at La Plagne sooner rather than later. Many providers are offering some great deals for early birds who plan their winter getaway well in advance, so consider taking advantage of these if cost is a concern.