See La Plagne in a day
Arriving in any ski resort for the first time can be quite overwhelming – but arriving in one the size of La Plagne can seem positively daunting. Taken together with Les Arcs, La Plagne forms the massive Paradiski – the third-largest ski resort in the world. Getting to know an area this size takes time. Below is a route that will let you see La Plagne in a day – and all previewed in just seven minutes. Click here to download the Best of La Plagne in a day map to your mobile.
See the best of La Plagne in seven minutes
If you don’t feel like reading, we’ve included the full uninterrupted video above. You may also want to watch the longer version of the See the best of La Plagne in a day which features a list of pistes and lifts in order. We’ve also included links to the detailed piste and lift breakdowns. Note, these videos are featured on the iRide YouTube channel which has even more quality La Plagne video edits.
How big is La Plagne’s ski area?
La Plagne has 225km of pistes spread across 11 different satellite villages, ranging from 1250m in the valleys up to the glacier at over 3000m. By riding the resort, you will undoubtedly find your own favourite areas to do laps – but first, you need to know where to go to find the best runs in La Plagne.
What are the best pistes in La Plagne?
Taking this route around La Plagne will show you the entire area – apart from the glacier (which is often closed anyway). In truth, the runs on the Bellecôte glacier aren’t that great anyway – plus it’s a hassle getting back – although access has now improved greatly with the construction of the new Bellecôte glacier gondola. However, sticking to this route, you’ll take in all the other main sectors letting you see the whole resort in a day.
Note, we’ve also got detailed guides, videos and maps to see the best blue runs in Plagne Bellecôte, best blue pistes in Plagne Centre (Grande Rochette), best blue runs in Aime 2000 (Biolley) and best blue pistes in Champagny.
When is the best time to visit La Plagne?
If you’re wondering when to visit La Plagne, we’ve put together comprehensive month-by-month guides detailing everything from typical queues to snow, weather, conditions, road congestion and prices. To get a better idea of what to expect from your La Plagne ski holiday, have a look at: La Plagne in December, La Plagne in January, La Plagne in February, La Plagne in March and La Plagne in April.
Recommended best runs in La Plagne
So, without further ado, here’s how to see La Plagne in a day and how to work out the best runs in La Plagne for you. This route will give you the chance to ride all the main areas of the resort, then choose the pistes and areas in La Plagne that you enjoy most. The runs are mostly blue – with a couple of short reds thrown in – but nothing that should cause any problems for early intermediate riders and above. Each run and lift is detailed in full below.
Start at the Funiplagne
Start by taking the Funiplagne out of Plagne Centre up to the summit of Grande Rochette. We have to start somewhere and Centre is probably the best for most. That said, if you’re staying in Plagne Bellecôte or Belle Plagne already, skip forward to the Arpette text below. Likewise, if you’re in Plagne Villages or Plagne Soleil, you should just take the Bergerie chair to access the Trieuse piste (click to skip to that section). The practicality of the start and end points of this route is very much dependent on where you’re staying. Bearing this in mind, you should join and leave the route, based on your holiday accommodation location.
SEE: La Plagne Funiplagne full guide, stats and route
Take the Mira piste off Grande Rochette
Take the Funiplagne up Grande Rochette and head left out of the top station to go down the Mira run. Stay generally on the left side of this piste to avoid dropping onto Petite Rochette in the direction of Champagny. The run steepens for a little bit (it’s more like a red than a blue in this section so less experienced riders might want to sideslip). At the end of the steep, go straight on roughly in the direction of the two chairs in the distance (Bergerie and Colosses). There are various turn-offs to the left but continue on until you pass under the Bergerie. NOTE – in the video below, you should drop to the right in the direction of Bellecôte at 0.54 seconds (this is well signposted).
SEE: La Plagne Mira piste full guide, stats and route
Follow the Trieuse piste to Plagne Bellecôte
After you pass under Bergerie, there are multiple routes down – the quickest being the long Trieuse blue which will take you all the way down to Plagne Bellecôte. Just above the station, there is a hub of lifts – you should head to the right, towards the Arpette chair.
SEE: La Plagne Trieuse piste full guide, stats and route
Take the Arpette chair out of Bellecôte
Take the fast Arpette up to the ridge that separates the Bellecôte bowl from the Montchavin sector. The Arpette is one of the fastest chairs in La Plagne – but is also one of the busiest. Ideally, you’ll want to get here early to avoid the inevitable queues that form after 10am.
SEE: La Plagne Arpette lift full guide, stats and route
Reaching the Montchavin sector via Replat
At the top of the Arpette chair, go straight on under the Salla chair in the direction of the Replat rope tow, on the left of a plateau in the distance. Make sure you hold your speed on the short steeper section at the top – you’ll need it to get over the flat without schussing/unclipping. In the video below, hold left towards the rope tow at around 0.35 seconds.
SEE: La Plagne Replat piste full guide, stats and route
Replat rope tow linking to the Montchavin sector
The Replat rope two is a simple rope lift that saves walking over the flat section between the Bellecôte and Montchavin sectors. Skiers will handle this lift very easily but snowboarders should remain clipped in if possible. Note – there is a quick transition between sections around the middle point.
SEE: La Plagne Replat tow full guide, stats and route
The Mont Blanc piste – the best blue piste in La Plagne?
After the Replat tow go straight on and a little left over the flat section to the top of the Mont Blanc piste. Whether you go left or right here makes little difference – both runs meet at the bottom near the restaurant. The right side is the main Mont Blanc piste – on the left is Dos Rond – but they both converge at the bottom near the cafe and base of the Dos Rond chair. For this route, we’re going to stick with the Mont Blanc piste – probably La Plagne’s best blue run.
When you reach the base of the Dos Rond chair on your right, go straight on past the cafe (also on your right) and, when the run naturally drops to your left, follow this piste. This is a continuation of the Mont Blanc which, if you follow it in its entirety, will take all you the way down to Montchavin – a full 1km drop in altitude and a thigh-burning 7km total distance. It’s one of the most fun runs in La Plagne with jaw-dropping views over the Isère valley towards Mont Blanc in the distance. You may end up straying onto other pistes by accident trying to follow Mont Blanc but, as a rule, the steeper runs here tend to criss-cross more vertically off the sides of the motorway through the trees. If in doubt, always stick to the more gentle traverses through the forest.
SEE: La Plagne Mont Blanc piste full guide, stats and route
Getting back out of Montchavin
The Mont Blanc blue naturally drops all the way down to Montchavin, with all the pistes converging in the same place. At the bottom look to your right for the Montchavin chair. Take this chair and, at the top, go slightly right in the direction of the Pierres Blanches chairlift. Remember to look behind you on both – they offer some of La Plagne’s best lift views.
SEE: La Plagne Montchavin lift full guide, stats and route
The Pierres Blanches chair – second step back towards La Plagne
At the top of the Montchavin chair, head right over the very short flat section to link onto the Pierres Blanches chair which will rise you out and over the tree-line, back in the direction of the main La Plagne runs.
SEE: La Plagne Pierres Blanches lift full guide, stats and route
Plan Leschaux – the last step towards La Plagne’s main sector
At the top of Pierres Blanches, you have two options – either the Plan Leschaux drag lift (left) or Dos Rond chair (right). Of the two, Plan Leschaux is way quicker – though, obviously, not everyone likes drag-lifts. Your call but the poma is by far the better option.
SEE: La Plagne Plan Leschaux lift full guide, stats and route
Dos Rond chair – option instead of Plan Leschaux poma
Dos Rond is a slow chair that gives access back to the summit of the Montchavin sector. SEE: La Plagne Dos Rond lift full guide, stats and route
Ride in the direction of the Crozats chair on the Carolley piste
Whichever option you choose, at the top you want to head in the direction of the chair ahead of you in the distance. Go straight ahead down the old Carrolley piste but continue past the first chair you meet (the Salla) until you reach the newer, faster Crozats chair.
Take the Crozats chair
Ride this up and at the top, take a minute to soak in the view across the Bellecôte and Plagne Centre bowls with Aime in the distance – one of the best views in La Plagne.
SEE: La Plagne Crozats lift full guide, stats and route
Take the Marmottes red piste
Next, go left in the direction of the Teppes blue piste. There is a short schuss/walk at the top to get over a flat until the run slowly starts to drop away. Hug the right side of the piste until you reach a T junction – then turn right onto the Marmottes red. This run isn’t particularly steep – though less experienced riders may want to sideslip in places. This short run lessens in gradient as it approaches the base of the Inversens chair.
SEE: La Plagne Marmottes piste full guide, stats and route
Inversens chair to Roche de Mio sector
Next, take the newly-renovated Inversens up to the top of the Roche de Mio. As you’re going up, remember to look left for incredible views over Les Arcs and the Isère valley with Mont Blanc far in the distance.
SEE: La Plagne Inversens lift full guide, stats and route
Levasset piste (haut) – one of La Plagne’s best pistes
At the top of the Inversens chair, double-back on yourself and head down on the run under the chair. After a short left turn, the gradient drops away to the left – and the Levasset piste – near the cafe. This is well sign-posted. Going straight on would take you towards Bellecôte on either the Tunnel blue piste or Sources red piste. Instead, be sure to go left near the cafe (also called Inversens). Follow this gloriously wide run down until the hill starts to go uphill slightly. Ride to the right side of the piste and look for the rope tow (Télécorde) to save walking.
SEE: La Plagne Levasset haut piste full guide, stats and route
The Plateau de Carella télécorde towards Champagny sector
Levasset mid-section accessing Champagny-en-Vanoise sector
At the end of the Carella télécorde, you have only one option to go right towards another short plateau section. Hold as much speed as you can to avoid unclipping/schussing – although this can be difficult as the pisteurs frequently put up banners across the bottom of the run to deliberately slow you down. Three pistes converge here (the Tome and Quillis) so keep your eyes open left and right to avoid potential accidents.
SEE: La Plagne Levasset mid piste full guide, stats and route
Levasset piste (bas) in the Champagny sector
Go past the restaurant on your right and then follow the long wide run which drops away to the left. Levasset starts with a short steep section at the top but you should try and keep your speed to get over the flat that soon follows, curving first left then right. This massively long run then continues down for multiple kilometres in the direction of Champagny with incredible views over the 3 Vallées – some of the best piste views in La Plagne. As you reach the treeline, stay left along the pathway until you reach another short, steep-ish section. There’s a cafe at the bottom of this run if you want to stop, just to the right. Alternatively, head towards the Borseliers chair on your left. NOTE: if you’re below early intermediate stage, you may want to avoid the Les Bois down to Champagny and just take the chair here (skip the next four sections if this applies to you).
SEE: La Plagne Levasset bas piste full guide, stats and route
Ride Les Bois to Champagny
If the runs down to Champagny are open, a great option here is to go past the base of the Borseliers chair and head onto the Les Bois red run which drops away to the right. The top of this piste has banks everywhere – making it a joy to ride – before it slowly steepens and narrows into a pathway down to the village. Again, there are only three or four steep-ish sections on this piste so most riders of most levels will handle it just fine (even if you revert to side-slipping a couple of times). At the bottom, there’s a long mellow slope towards the gondola on your left.
SEE: La Plagne Les Bois piste full guide, stats and route
The Champagny gondola
The Les Bois piste naturally terminates at the Champagny gondola. Take this lift back up. The gondola cabins have been replaced since this video was filmed but the line remains the same.
SEE: La Plagne Champagny gondola full guide, stats and route
Take the short Rossa red piste
At the top of the Champagny gondola make the short walk over the flat until a piste drops to your left towards the Borseliers chair – this is the base of the Rossa Bas red piste (it’s not particularly steep).
SEE: La Plagne Rossa bas piste full guide, stats and route
Borseliers chair and run to Liaison Verdons
The Rossa red mellows to a plateau next to the Borserliers lift on the right. Take the chair up and, at the top, go skiers left as you get off to double-back on yourself and ride the piste back down.
SEE: La Plagne Borseliers lift full guide, stats and route
Borseliers red piste (turn-off point at 1.04)
Take the Borseliers piste to your left as you get off the lift of the same name. Taking this chair saves making the walk to the Verdons Sud lift. At the end of the steepish section on this piste, the run flattens and you’ll see a pathway drop to your right (Liaison Verdons) through the trees. Follow this to arrive at the base of the Verdons Sud chair.
SEE: La Plagne Borseliers piste full guide, stats and route
Take the Liaison Verdons piste off Borseliers
The very short Liaison Verdons piste drops on a pathway through the trees, culminating at the base of the Verdons Sud which we’ll take to explore one of La Plagne’s best areas.
SEE: La Plagne Liaison Verdons piste full guide, stats and route
Take the Verdons Sud chair
Take the Verdons Sud chair back in the direction of the main area – even though we’re not going there quite yet. One of La Plagne’s most fun runs comes first . . . It’s worth noting, this whole area offers some of the very best La Plagne off-piste. Also, even though you’re going to do this chair twice, it’s one of La Plagne’s fastest lifts.
SEE: La Plagne Verdons Sud lift full guide, stats and route
Ride the Bozelet blue – another of La Plagne’s best pistes
At the top of the chair, head left onto the Bozelet blue. This run has probably the best views in all of La Plagne – and that’s saying something considering the area isn’t exactly short of great views. You get a vista right over onto Courchevel and the rest of Les Trois Vallées in the distance. A short way down on the right, there’s a small hut that serves snacks and cold/hot drinks if you want a quick stop. Alternatively, park up on the ridge on the right to take in the views. For reference, the Mont de la Guerre piste drops from this piste a little further down on the right but, in this case, just stick with the Bozelet blue which curves towards your left, back into the bowl. Ride this down in the direction of the bowl until the piste doubles back on itself just after a restaurant on your left. Ride this back down to the base of the Verdons Sud chair then catch the chair again in the direction of Plagne Centre.
SEE: La Plagne Bozelet piste full guide, stats and route
Verdons Sud > Banzai > Capella to Centre
Take Verdons Sud back up again but, this time, go right at the top. You want to drop onto the short top section of the Verdons Sud piste before joining the Banzai piste which will then lead you onto the Capella piste a little further down. The start of this run is quite steep but – again – sideslip if need be as it soon mellows. At the bottom, head right to join the Capella blue run down into Plagne Centre. Actually, there are multiple routes you can take down – none of them particularly difficult – but Capella is probably the most varied and enjoyable.
SEE: La Plagne Capella piste full guide, stats and route
Plagne Centre
When you reach the bottom, the terraces at the front of Plagne Centre are a great place to stop and tend to be cheaper than restaurants higher up the hill. La Vache Rouge does good snack food, beers etc. My personal recommendation? Sandwich Americaine ;).
Becoin chair to the Aime 2000 sector
When you’re done, walk to your right (as you look up the hill into the Centre bowl) towards the solitary Becoin high-speed chair in the direction of Aime. This is another of the fastest lifts in La Plagne.
SEE: La Plagne Becoin lift full guide, stats and route
Pavane blue towards Aime 2000 – go straight on at 0.26
At the top, take a right and head down the Pavane blue until you reach a steepish section above Aime 2000. Here, you should go left (it’s actually more like straight on) toward the meeting point of the top of two chairs (the Golf chair and Envers chair).
SEE: La Plagne Pavane piste full guide, stats and route
Golf blue – one of the best beginner areas in La Plagne
Once you’re past the Aime 2000 building, you should go slightly right to stick under the Golf chair on the Golf blue piste. The golf piste must be one of the best beginner runs in La Plagne with incredible views. Although it’s rated blue / intermediate, even novice riders achieve this piste quickly.
SEE: La Plagne Golf piste full guide, stats and route
Join the Edmond Blanchoz (formerly Cornegidouille) towards Adrets (stop at 0.19)
At the bottom of Golf, stay a little to the right and go round the back of the chair station before heading left onto the wide, flat Edmond Blanchoz (formerly Cornegidouille) motorway piste. Follow this until the run drops to the right (you can also go straight on if you want) where it comes to a natural flat section at the base of the Envers (on the right) and Adrets chair (on the left). The Edmond Blanchoz (formerly Cornegidouille) run continues down to La Roche – but that’s for later . . .
SEE: La Plagne Edmond Blanchoz (formerly Cornegidouille) piste full guide, stats and route
Take the Adrets chair to La Plagne’s Montalbert sector
Instead of sticking on the Edmond Blanchoz (formerly Cornegidouille) piste, stop at the lift hub and take the Adrets chair on your left to head in the direction of the Montalbert sector. At the top, ride straight ahead in the direction of the gondola then drop naturally with the piste down to the right.
SEE: La Plagne Adrets chair piste full guide, stats and route
Montalbert pistes – some of the best pistes La Plagne
There are a multitude of pistes you can take here down through the trees towards Montchavin – some of the best pistes La Plagne. Unfortunately, I don’t have video of a complete run here (yet). However, as a rule, the reds take the more direct route down while the blues snake across the hill. Some of the reds here have quite steep pitches so, if your skills aren’t up to it, always stick to the traversing runs. You can get a general idea of the route to Montalbert in the video below.
SEE: Montalbert piste guide
Montalbert gondola
Pretty much, you can’t go wrong in this sector as everything converges down at the base of Montalbert and there’s only one lift worth taking here. Jump in the gondola back up – around 8 minutes to the top.
SEE: La Plagne Montalbert lift full guide, stats and route
Adrets blue to Edmond Blanchoz (formerly Cornegidouille)
At the top of the Montchavin gondola, drop down the same start slope you took in the last run (to your left towards the village) but this time at the flattish section, be sure to head to the right into the trees (the Adrets piste). This naturally drops back down to the base of the Adrets and Envers chairs where you were before our little excursion into the Montalbert sector. NOTE – you have the option to take the slightly steeper (and quicker) Adret Murs.
SEE: La Plagne Adrets piste full guide, stats and route
Edmond Blanchoz (formerly Cornegidouille) lower section to La Roche
At the base here, you could take the Envers chair back up to Aime – but this is a tour of La Plagne after all so why not drop all the way down to La Roche? NOTE – if you’re in a low-snow year or conditions have already been icy in places, you may want to skip this part and just take Envers back up to higher, more reliable conditions. However, if the snow’s been sweet, it’s worth heading down to the base at La Roche.
Take the La Roche chair
When you reach La Roche base, and want to keep riding, you now have only one option to get back – the La Roche high-speed chair. Technically, I guess, you could take the bus but this is a tour of runs not roads. Also, the La Roche chair happens to be one of La Plagne’s quickest and most efficient chairs. Win / Win.
SEE: La Plagne La Roche lift full guide, stats and route
Take the lower section of Pavane
At the top of the La Roche chair, head straight on around the rear side of the Aime 2000 building. At the fork, head slightly left and follow the lower part of the Pavane track in the direction of Plagne Centre. Two pistes drop to your left off this run – take either of them to drop down towards Plagne 1800 on the Jean-Marie or Lovatière pistes (the latter is considerably steeper but also quicker). For this route, we’re going to take the easier Jean-Marie path which is closer to Plagne Centre.
SEE: La Plagne Pavane piste full guide, stats and route
Jean-Marie blue piste to access Plagne 1800
Aside from the top section, the Jean-Marie and Lovatière pistes are virtually indistinguishable from one another. They both follow more or less the same route but are split by trees towards the base. If you want to stop for a drink at Chauff Marcel (a good aprés bar), stick skier’s right. Both pistes converge at the same point at the base of the Mélèzes chair, the main lift out of Plagne 1800. If you’re staying in 1800, you might as well stop here and pop past one of the local bars.
SEE: La Plagne Jean-Marie piste full guide, stats and route
Take the Mélèzes chair
At the bottom of either of these runs, head right and take the Mélèzes chair back up in the direction of Plagne Centre. This aging, slow, fixed, two-main chair lift has the novelty of passing over the main La Plagne road. At the top, you’ll want to go left in the direction of the Bergerie chair. Alternatively, if you’re staying in Centre, you could take the Boulevard chair which will drop you just above the main Centre building. Top tip for snowboarders – tuck down your highbacks as the seats are very low at the entry/exit.
SEE: La Plagne Mélèzese lift full guide, stats and route
Bergerie chair for Plagne Soleil, Villages, Bellecôte and Belle Plagne
Again, taking this final lift will very much depend on where you’re staying in La Plagne, your ability and the time of day we’re at already. Given the majority of people tend to stay in Plagne Bellecôte, Belle Plagne, Plagne Villages, Plagne Soleil, Plagne 1800 and Plagne Centre, we’ll include this lift as the final stage. The Bergerie chair is another of La Plagne’s super high-speed lifts but it can still suffer from queues – so much so that we’ve included it in our La Plagne lifts to avoid. It’s also another lift with the novelty of passing over a road. All the above noted, it will also give you easy access to the finale of the day . . .
SEE: La Plagne Bergerie lift full guide, stats and route
The best après ski bar in La Plagne – The Bergerie
So long as you’re staying in any of the villages noted above, you’ll be able to take in the best aprés in La Plagne at the Bergerie bar until around 5/6pm (depends on the time of year) – it’s after the lifts shut anyway. Note: you should bear in mind where you’re staying as getting back to other areas (particularly the lower villages) can be tortuously expensive by taxi.
SEE: La Plagne best aprés ski guide
Other La Plagne blue piste guides
To see a selection of the best blue pistes in other areas of La Plagne, check the links below for more information and route videos.
Plagne Bellecôte best blue pistes
Grande Rochette (Plagne Centre, Plagne Soleil, Plagne Villages) best blue pistes
Biolley Aime 2000 best blue pistes (including La Roche)
La Plagne on social media – LP360 feeds
For more detailed La Plagne guides and video content, check our social media sites below which are regularly updated with new, human-edited content (no Chat-GPT here thanks).
FB: La Plagne Facebook guide
T/X: La Plagne Twitter guide
YT: La Plagne video guides
La Plagne accommodation deals
Full area piste map
