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La Plagne / Advanced

The myth that La Plagne is an intermediate resort needs to be shattered. Many of the reds are left to develop bumps, there are some classic black runs and some of the best off-piste in the Alps. In many ways, it can be argued that the off-piste here is better than in areas like Chamonix because it is not tracked out as quickly.

The blacks in the high Montalbert valley, particularly Morbleu, are excellent runs and if you follow Emile Allais down through the trees it morphs into the bumpy black of Les Charmettes. Under the Colosses chair linking Plagne Bellecote and Plagne Villages is the moguls stadium, used for international competition and not marked on the piste map, but open to good skiers when competitions are not taking place.

The steepest runs are found on the Bellecote glacier. Both of the blacks are a stern test and the red of La Combe is also allowed to keep its bumps. The blacks bottom out at the base of the Chalet de Bellecote chair and although there is no marked piste, there are usually lots of tracks leading down to the Les Crozats piste.

But it is the off-piste that is the real draw. As well as the lift-accessed tree-skiing on the wings of the resort there are several great itineraries down to the village of Macot at 800m. The low altitude makes these routes possible only in exceptional conditions and leaves you beyond the confines of the lift system, needing a taxi back to the resort. More routinely, there is some gentle off-piste terrain in the Montalbert valley between the blacks, including the more challenging Coqs couloirs. There is piste-side powder off Mont de la Guerre towards Champagny and between the pistes on La Grande Rochette and Roche de Mio; another great introductory off-piste descent, called La Salla, takes you down from the top of L'Arpette to Plan Bois.

More testing terrain is found off the back of many of the peaks towards Champagny but the major routes are accessed from the Bellecote glacier. Either explore the terrain between the pistes or stay skier’s right from the top of the Bellecote run and a five-minute walk opens up the vast tracts of Friolin. The north face itself is formed by a 6km ridge line and there are over 20 recognised routes down, ranging in difficulty from the classic Petite Face Nord to the most beautiful Gros Glacier which involves abseiling, walking and a system of fantastically narrow couloirs. Do not even think about attempting this face without a guide. Most of the routes join in the middle of the valley and lead down to the village of Nancroix, where a short free bus ride gives you access to the Les Arcs lift network and a return to La Plagne via the Vanoise Express.

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