Champagny piste Mont de la Guerre

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Champagny piste Mont de la Guerre

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For many people, Mont de la Guerre is La Plagne’s best red run – if not the best run full stop – and, in many ways, it’s easy to see why. This run literally has everything – narrow tracks, wide-open motorway sections, tree riding, limitless off-piste and, of course, jaw-dropping scenery. The views across Trois Vallées, Pralognan-la-Vanoise and Grande Casse as you ride down this run must be some of the best in any ski resort, anywhere in the world.

Accessing Mont de la Guerre

Mont de la Guerre is accessed from the summit of Les Verdons on the Bozelet blue (be sure to stick right as you’re riding down or you’ll miss it). Starting on Bozelet, you’ll soon reach a small snack hut on the right – after which you’ll see a sign for Mont de la Guerre directing you right.

The worst part of this run is the top as it features a long, winding traverse along the ridgeline of the summit and you really need to hold your speed to avoid poling/unclipping. After an impossibly long left turn (some of which seems uphill), you’ll veer right and suddenly the mountain opens before you – as does the view. You’ll likely want to stop here for the obligatory holiday selfie. This is one of La Plagne’s most scenic pistes.

Riding Mont de la Guerre

The run starts on a pretty mellow gradient before gradually becoming steeper towards the bottom. For more timid riders, along the way, there are various drop-off points to join a winding track through the trees. This run would be more accurately graded blue but isn’t noted on the piste map for some reason. Anyway, you have that as an option if the red becomes a bit much.

If it’s open, Mont de la Guerre is most definitely worth doing. The best, most reliable times to catch it are normally mid-January to the start of March. Being South-facing and having a relatively low base of 1250m at Champagny village, it is often one of the first runs to close in La Plagne. However, in fresh snow, this has some of La Plagne’s best off-piste – although you will need to hire a La Plagne guide to enjoy it safely.

Pros