La Plagne is possibly the largest ski resort in the world - depending on how you do your sums. In fact it is made up of ten separate bases, a mixture of traditional villages and ultra-modern purpose-designed centres. There is pretty well everything here - a vast ski and snowboarding area, inter-linked by over 110 lifts. Indeed the resort has pioneered the installation of high capacity chairs and has more of the modern six seater high-speed detachable chairs (capacity 3000 skiers per hour each) than any other resort on earth!
There is a huge skiable vertical, again one of the biggest in the world, accessing some of the highest skiing that there is - with snowsure glacier skiing at the top. Oh and it was an Olympic venue in 1992. Not surprising then that the resort came top overall in a computer assessment of 3000 ski resorts world-wide, albeit by a French ski magazine!
The ten different bases are divided up in to six purpose - built and four traditional, offering the ubiquitous 'something for everyone'. The oldest resort, Plagne centre, is located high up at 1970 metres, but newer developments such as Aime la Plagne are still higher up at 2100m, it was constructed during the vogue for integrated 'third generation' resorts and is one of those currently being renovated in part, ready for the new millenium.
Plagne Villages and Plagne Soleil (counting s one of the 10 bases together), both at 2050 metres, are made of smaller, strategically placed buildings whilst Plagne Bellecôte has a sporty, fun emphasis, housing the resort's Freestyle stadium, a skating rink and outdoor pool. Belle Plagne is the newest and most attractive of the modern villages, its theme is 'elegance and tradition'. Finally Plagne 1800 has comfortable chalets and the peace and quiet of the neighbouring forest.
Below these six are four old villages which existed long before skiing, but have now come under the wing of La Plagne. Plagne Montalbert (1350m), Montchavin (1250m), Les Coches above it (1450m) and Champagny en Vanoise (1250m) consist of renovated farmhouses in the original hamlets and newer developments in keeping with the traditional architecture.
La Plagne is also famous for offering additional on-slope activities including the popular Olympic bob-sleigh run available for recreational use.
