As the world’s 3rd-largest ski area, La Plagne Paradiski has a huge 225km of pistes locally in La Plagne itself with that number almost doubling to 425km when you include Les Arcs – the second half of Paradiski. As La Plagne’s terrain ranges from 1250m to over 3000m over a total of approximately 35,000 acres, there is something for everyone. However, despite these epic statistics, the resorts can get busy – particularly through the popular holiday seasons. So just where are the quietest areas in La Plagne?

While you would think queues and busy pistes wouldn’t happen in such a large resort, La Plagne is also the world’s most popular, most visited ski area so, despite the wealth of terrain and efficient lift system, things can get cramped from time to time.

Also, click this link for tips on how to make the best of La Plagne when it’s busy.

The unavoidable hub lifts

All ski resorts around the world have hub lifts that are guaranteed to suffer from queues – especially during the morning rush. Unfortunately, there’s little you can do to avoid these lifts (although there are some alternative options detailed in our La Plagne lifts to avoid article). However, as a rule, the best thing to minimise queue times in these areas is to get out and up early.

In La Plagne, the majority of these key lifts are located at the base of Plagne Centre, Plagne Villages, Plagne Soleil (all served by the Grande Rochette sector lifts) and especially Plagne Bellecôte. It should go without saying that busy lifts translate directly into busy runs so these are all areas to avoid when the resort is rammed.

Note – if you’re doing a season in La Plagne this information should prove useful. It is and is based on multiple years spent in the resort. Also, while it’s only sensible to have La Plagne holiday insurance, having cover becomes even more important in the busier periods. Check the best ski / snowboard insurance at great prices.

Where are La Plagne’s quietest areas?

As a general rule, the resorts on the ‘front’ of the mountain near the biggest villages are almost always the busiest. During the loaded holiday periods, this becomes all the more evident. As these runs tend to also be used by the ski schools, the situation can become even worse. If you’re new to La Plagne and a relative beginner, you should have a look at our newbie beginner guide to La Plagne. Also, if you have options on when you can holiday, it would be worth reading our tips for when La Plagne is busy feature and the best times to visit La Plagne article. If possible, you should also try to avoid the European school holiday dates – note, this applies to all European resorts.

La Plagne’s quietest areas – Champagny

The Champagny pistes in La Plagne tend to be some of the quietest across the whole area – partly because they’re so wide but also because many of La Plagne’s beginner / intermediate riders don’t think to venture over this side. The exception to this rule is the long Levasset blue run which can suffer from crowds as one of La Plagne’s best combination routes. It is also one of La Plagne’s longest runs and can be popular at any time of day. This route takes riders from Roche de Mio down to the upper station of Champagny. Riders return by taking the Borseliers chair, Rossa chair followed by the Carella chair, meaning these lifts can also get busy. Other than that though, you will always find Champagny is markedly quieter than sectors on the front of the mountain. You can see this route in our best blue runs in Champagny feature.

La Plagne’s quietest areas – the Glacier

Aside from the short Frêtes blue, the Glacier pistes in La Plagne are all red and black, so they tend to stay quiet. However, the Télécabine des Glaciers access lift can get busy with the number of pedestrians riding up for sightseeing.

La Plagne’s quietest areas – Plagne Aime 2000 (Biolley sector)

In general, the best way to avoid the crowds on the pistes around Aime 2000 is to head towards the much less popular red pistes like Emile Allais or André Martzolf. Runs around the Golf chair are frequently used by ski schools so will tend to be busier – as are the access lifts here. Of course, you can negate these worries completely by taking the much faster Envers or Roche chairs to get back to the top. You’ll also find the runs back to Plagne 1800 (Jean Marie and Lovatière) are frequently deserted.

La Plagne’s quietest areas – Plagne Bellecôte / Belle Plagne

As a hub to reach other areas of the resorts, both the lifts and pistes in the Bellecôte area can get very busy, particularly those off the Arpette chairlift and the other pistes that feed down to the resorts. If you have the skills, the quietest runs in this sector are the Bellecôte red pistes which are also higher up for better conditions. Note – the steep section towards the end of the Sources red run frequently has beginners struggling to get down so is worth slowing down for.

La Plagne’s quietest areas – Plagne Centre (Grande Rochette sector)

Similar to the Bellecôte sector, the Plagne Centre area can get extremely busy. Aside from the Frisbee black and Rochette black, all these runs can get rammed. This also isn’t helped by the fact that the lower pistes often get a lot narrower, making them feel even more cramped. As a general rule, when the resort is busy, it’s best to avoid most of this sector if you can.

La Plagne’s quietest areas – Plagne Montalbert

Along with Champagny, the Montalbert sector is usually the quietest area in La Plagne. Due to its rather remote location on the far right of the La Plagne piste map, only the lowest beginner runs near the resort and the Grenouilles pistes tend to get busy,

La Plagne’s quietest areas – Plagne Montchavin

Aside from early mornings and late afternoons, the runs in the Montchavin sector tend to be some of the quietest. With traffic caused by riders going to Les Arcs from La Plagne and back, there can be busy moments but this usually dissipates as the day progresses. Montchavin’s apparent remote location often dissuades the beginner / intermediate riders that are so common in La Plagne. The exception to this rule can be the Mont Blanc blue (La Plagne’s longest piste) which can be busy any time of day. If this run is a little cramped, consider taking the Myrtilles blue or Pierres Blanches blue which are always quieter. These are actually better runs. – although they eventually funnel into the lower section of the Mont Blanc piste. Montchavin sector is also one of the very best areas in La Plagne, featuring long pistes and extensive, easy off-piste La Plagne riding right next to the runs in the trees.

La Plagne’s best blue pistes

Because La Plagne attracts so many beginner and intermediate riders, the runs listed in the guides below can get a little cramped. While these pistes all offer great riding, many are possibly best avoided at the busiest times of the season.

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 video guides through the season

Visit the iRide YouTube channel for more great La Plagne videos produced La Plagne 360 showing all facets of the area filmed through the season over multiple years.