La Plagne is one of the biggest ski resorts in France: 11 villages, about 225 km of pistes and 73 lifts, spread across a huge, sunny bowl above Aime in the Tarentaise valley. The slopes run from 1,250 m to 3,080 m, and the Vanoise Express cable car links La Plagne to Les Arcs to form Paradiski, with about 425 km of pistes in total.
It’s a resort built for easy, confidence-building skiing. Most runs are wide blues and greens, and many of the high villages put you right on the snow. It’s especially good for families, beginners and intermediates who want to ski a lot without worrying about the terrain.
La Plagne ski area: 11 villages and 225 km of pistes
La Plagne is not one village but a collection of them, built at different heights and in different styles:
- The high villages, all close to 2,000 m: Plagne Centre (1,970 m), the original 1960s hub; Plagne Aime 2000 (2,100 m), the highest; Plagne Villages (2,100 m); Plagne Soleil; Belle Plagne (2,050 m), a pedestrian village in Savoyard style; and Plagne Bellecôte (1,930 m).
- Plagne 1800, a quiet former mining village at 1,800 m.
- The lower villages: Montchavin (1,250 m) and Les Coches (1,450 m), next to the Vanoise Express; Champagny-en-Vanoise (1,250 m) on the sunny side; and Montalbert (1,350 m).
- La Plagne Vallée, the valley villages around Aime, which are open all year.
From the high villages, you can ski almost everywhere without taking off your skis. Plagne Centre is linked to Aime 2000 by the Télémétro, a cable car for pedestrians, and the Télébus links it to Plagne Villages and Plagne Soleil.
Skiing in La Plagne for beginners
La Plagne is one of the best big resorts in France for beginners. 16 beginner lifts are free for everyone, with no pass needed. Signed Coolski zones keep learners away from the red and black runs, and the cheaper CoolSki pass covers just the beginner zones. Several villages have a snow garden for children.
Skiing in La Plagne for intermediates
This is La Plagne’s sweet spot. The slopes are wide and mostly green and blue, so you can cruise from village to village all day. About 22% of the area is forested, and the tree-lined runs down to Montchavin, Les Coches, Montalbert and Champagny are the place to be on flat-light days. With a Paradiski pass, Les Arcs is one cable car ride away.
Skiing in La Plagne for experts
There are about 52 red and black runs, plus off-piste from the high peaks. The Roche de Mio gondola from Belle Plagne gives direct access to the Chiaupe glacier. For serious off-piste, hire a guide. Strong skiers with a Paradiski pass will also want to cross to Les Arcs.
The Vanoise Express and Paradiski: La Plagne’s link to Les Arcs
The Vanoise Express is the cable car across the valley between Montchavin-Les Coches and Plan Peisey on the Les Arcs side, and it has been running for more than 20 years. With a Paradiski pass, it opens up Les Arcs and Peisey-Vallandry: about 425 km, 258 runs and 129 lifts. About 70% of Paradiski is above 2,000 m.
For 2026/27, the Vanoise Express is scheduled to run from 12 December 2026 to 17 April 2027, a week before La Plagne’s own closing date. If you only have a La Plagne pass, you can buy a one-day Paradiski extension. The resort suggests using it in the middle of your stay.
Snow in La Plagne and the 2026/27 season
For 2026/27, the dates are:
- High-altitude area (Plagne Altitude): 12 December 2026 to 24 April 2027.
- Champagny-en-Vanoise, Montchavin-Les Coches and Montalbert: 12 December 2026 to 17 April 2027.
- About 70% of the area is open from mid-December, and all of it from the Christmas school holidays.
Most of the high villages are around 2,000 m, which is a big advantage: you’re usually skiing back to your door on decent snow, even when lower resorts are struggling. The lowest slopes, down to Montchavin and Champagny at about 1,250 m, are the first to suffer in a warm spell. The resort also lists the 1992 Olympic bobsleigh track as open from 12 December to 27 March.
Is La Plagne good for a last-minute ski trip?
Yes, especially if you’re travelling with family or beginners. The high villages give you a good chance of decent snow, the area is big enough that a small snowfall still gives plenty of skiing, and the trains to Aime-La Plagne and Landry connect with buses to the villages. Geneva and Grenoble are about 149 km away and Lyon about 196 km.
The resort also offers 15% off lift passes in the week before the Christmas holidays and the final week of April. Then find a place to stay in La Plagne.
La Plagne lift passes
- La Plagne pass: 73 lifts and 133 runs, about 225 km.
- Paradiski pass: adds Les Arcs and Peisey-Vallandry, for about 425 km, plus the Vanoise Express.
- CoolSki pass: the beginner zones only.
- Village passes: a smaller area around Champagny-en-Vanoise, Montalbert and Montchavin-Les Coches.
- Children ski free until the day before their 5th birthday. Ages 5 to 12 and 65 to 74 pay reduced rates.
- Pack Famille: a discount on 6- to 8-day passes for two adults and at least two children aged 5 to 12.
- 16 beginner lifts are free for everyone.
Après-ski and things to do in La Plagne
Plagne Centre is the liveliest village, with bars, restaurants, a cinema, bowling and an ice rink, and the Super Tyro zip line between Aime 2000 and Plagne Centre. Belle Plagne has a 1,500 m² Deep Nature spa, and Champagny has a swimming pool.
The headline activity is the bob-raft on the bobsleigh track built for the 1992 Winter Olympics, for anyone at least 1.30 m tall. There’s also the Colorado Park luge run above Plagne Centre, more than 1,500 m long, plus dog sledding, snowmobile outings and the Espace Glacialis glacier centre in Champagny.
Who La Plagne suits, and who it doesn’t
- Great for: families, beginners and intermediates, groups who want ski-in/ski-out apartments, and anyone who wants Paradiski on one pass.
- Think twice if: you want a traditional alpine village in the high resort (most of the high villages were purpose-built from the 1960s to the 1980s, though Belle Plagne is built in Savoyard style and Montchavin and Champagny are old villages), you want lots of steep pistes, or you want a big party scene.
Travelling with children? Read La Plagne with kids.
How to get to La Plagne
Driving to La Plagne
From Chambéry, take the A43 and A430 to Albertville, then the N90 towards Bourg-Saint-Maurice. For the high villages, Montalbert and Montchavin-Les Coches, take the D220 from Aime. For Champagny-en-Vanoise, follow the D915 then the D91B from Moûtiers. The resort advises turning off your GPS after Albertville, as it may suggest roads that are closed in winter.
From 1 November to 31 March, you must carry snow chains for at least two driven wheels or have four winter tyres. There are chain-fitting areas on the bends of the road up. Check conditions on savoie-route.fr before you set off.
By train and bus
- Aime-La Plagne station serves the high villages and Montalbert, with buses S71 to La Plagne and S70 to Montalbert.
- Landry station is the one for Montchavin-Les Coches, with bus S72.
- Moûtiers station serves Champagny-en-Vanoise, with bus S66.
The bus stations are next to the train stations, and you can book shuttles online.
Nearest airports
Geneva (about 149 km) and Lyon (about 196 km). From Lyon airport, the LYS’Express shuttle goes directly to La Plagne. From Geneva, the Alpskibus runs to Aime station, where you connect by bus or taxi.
