News of La Plagne in 2008

Monday, December 22, 2008 | Day 8      

New focus at day 8 of the season 2008/2009. As announced on January 4, the snowpark has been moved above Belle Plagne, opposite the area where it was 3 years ago, but on the other side of Col de Forcle drag lifts. For the moment, it is a little hasty, less impressive than the park of last last year, on the Capella slope, but that would change in few days. The 7 Cube's blog, the name of the snowpark in 2007, has been reopened, but not yet updated.

Even thought opening of the new hotels of Plagne Soleil was expected at Christmas, the works are far from finished. The hotels would open on February, by then tourists will stay in other residences. Also to see, some photos of the new half pipe of Plagne Bellecôte and of the Vanoise Express.

The new snowpark on December 21 

The hotels of Plagne Soleil on December 21   

The Vanoise Express on December 21 

The new half pipe on December 21   

Dos-Rond area on December 21   

View from the top of the Crozats chairlift on December 21   

Thank Agnès

Sunday, December 21, 2008 | The Vanoise Express reopens       

A year ago, the Vanoise Express was stopped, after that abnormalities had been revealed on the cables. That was a blow for Paradiski. But on January, the reopening was announced for December 20. The works have lasted 4 months. Yesterday, in France, the medias have evoked the reopening of the most important cable-car in the world. Here the report broadcasted on France 3 Alpes on december 17.

Thank Fabrice

Saturday, December 20, 2008 | Day 7       

The season has opened last week. Today 79 % of the slopes have opened (53 % last saturday). There is as much snow as 2007, an exceptionnal year. The Glacier has reopened this morning, after 5 days of closing. On december 14, the gondola of Bellecôte derailed because of the violent wind (80 km/h average).

Here some photos of some news of the season : the new slope of La Chiaupe and the Télébuffette of Les Côches. The slope of Mont Blanc, evoked here on December 8, is really the longest slope of La Plagne. There are 57 panels...three times more than the Mont de la Guerre slope !

The new slope of La Chiaupe on December 14  

The Télébuffette of Les Côches on December 20  

The new Mont Blanc slope on December 20    

Thank Agnès and Rodolphe

Monday, December 8, 2008 | Piste map 2008/2009      

The piste map 2008/2009 has just been published. We know that two slopes become black (Malatray and Crête-Côte), since November 16, and the map confirms it.

But there is a big surprise. The SAP continues to rationalize the ski area. Three years ago, the names of the slopes have been changed, bewildering many skiers. This year, it tackles length of the slopes. Because, contrary to other resorts, La Plagne has few of very long slopes and many slopes on one itinerary.

So, the SAP has just done some modifications. The creation of a new slope 7 km long in Montchavin's area is the most spectacular. From the top of Bijolin chairlift to the resort, going throught the Vanoise Express, this new blue slope is called Mont Blanc, and replaces Bijolin, Vanoise, Orgère and Fontaine slopes.

Same principle with creation of a blue slope Montalbert, from the top of Fornelet chairlift to the resort ans with extension of the Fornelet red slope as far as Montalbert (in replacement of the Grangette).

Finally, the last change (I saw !) : the Carella slope becomes Levasset, and that creates a new slope 8 km long between Roche de Mio and the Borseliers !

The new Mont Blanc slope 

The Montalbert and Fornelet slopes 

The Levasset slope from Roche de Mio to Champagny  

Thank Jean Charles

Sunday, December 7, 2008 | Snow conditions D -6       

The beginning of the season 2008/2009 season will be more exceptional than the last season ! From 1st to December 6, it fell 50 cm of more. The height of snow in Plagne Centre is now of 110 cm (115 on December 13, 2007) and new snowfalls are expected on Wednesday. This Sunday the weather was extraordinary, and Anne has gone up the Grande Rochette for us.

Jean-Luc Crétier stadium on December 7 

Montalbert on December 7 

Champagny on December 7 

Merci à Anne

Wednesday, November 26, 2008 | No free WiFi in La Plagne this winter       

The last winter, the Tourism office had a great idea : to offer free WiFi access in the Info points in all the resorts. Despite few of promotion, this idea was very-well received, and people sat indoor or outdoor, on the floor or on the stairs. This information circulated on the Internet or by word of mouth and the modern image of La Plagne, cultivated for years, grew. But the experience will not be repeated this winter. According to several sources, there is not technical or practical reasons. Even if nothing has been officially confirmed, La Plagne's great idea may displease the ones who wants to control this lucrative product. La Plagne offered free WiFi access, others invoices 18 € for 30 minuts ! Like many surfers, I regret this step back. The Forum of Paradiski will write to Tourism office's director about this.

Monday, November 24, 2008 | The first important snowfalls       

60 centimeters. Since Novembr 20, it fell 60 centimeters at 2000 meters - 30 centimeters last night : the first important snowfalls of the season (even if it fell 20 centimeters on November 11 and 12). A lot of snow cannons have been started. Météo France forecasts a little increase in the temperature but the freezing level will stay under 1500 meters, and new snowfalls are expected on Sunday.

Plagne Villages on November 23   

Plagne Bellecôte on November 23   

Belle Plagne on November 23   

Snow cannon above Belle Plagne on November 23   

Champagny-en-Vanoise on November 24, at 9am 

Champagny-en-Vanoise on November 23, at 4:30pm  

Le stade Jean-Luc Crétier de Plagne Centre le 23 Novembre à 13h00 

Merci à Anne

Saturday, November 22, 2008 | Macot-La Plagne's magazine       

Macot-La Plagne's municipal magazine was published 15 days ago. Click here to read it in PDF. It gives you few news, if you follow La Plagne's news throughout the year on www.PERSo-LAPLAGNE.fr, but it presents the new municipal team after the elections of March 2008.

Thank Agnès

Sunday, November 16, 2008 | The “new” black slopes (II)       

The last month, we talked about the two slopes which will be black this winter, bringing the number of “very difficult slopes” up to 18. The Malatray slope is actually concerned, but the second slope is not the Esseland...but Crête-Côte slope (the one under the 1800 chairlift) ! For the sceptics, Skiplan's page has been updated, so this information is almost certain. With Rochu and Crête-Cote, two slopes very diffrent (lenght, incline, isolation), the group of the black slopes is not coherent any more.

Thank Rodolphe

Saturday, November 15, 2008 | Works news n°12      

A month before the beginning of the season 2008/2009, here is some news about works in progress. Apart from the ones we have followed for months (the boiler, the chalands Edelweiss of Plagne 1800, Crête-Côte Village, the hotel Vancouver and the residence Sun Valley and Plagne Soleil), two other works began a few weeks ago.

At first, the creation of a second half pipe in Plagne Bellecôte, announced one year ago. La Plagne will host the final of world cups freestyle skiing (moguls skiing, cross skiing and half pipe) from March 18 to March 21, 2009. The new “pipe pro” will be reserved for the compandition, and the first also for the practice and qualifying stages.

The redrawing of Jean-Marie and Lovatière slopes after the removal of lovatière drag lift this summer, is also in progress. We don't know if the slopes will be merged or not. In 2009, an easy ski link will be created bandween Aime-La Plagne and Plagne 1800, and the bridge over the road may be renovated or rebuilt.

The works of the second half pipe on November 8    

The works on Lovatière and Jean-Marie slopes on November 8   

Les Chalands Edelweiss on November 8   

The hotel Vancouver and la residence Sun Valley of Plagne Soleil on November 8 

Crête-Côte Village on November 8     

The boiler of Plagne Centre on November 8    

Thank Agnès

Thursday, November 6, 2008 | The Télébuffandte is finished       

The construction of the Télébuffandte is now finished and tests have begun. That's a short gondola (276 manders) bandween the bottom and the top of Les Côches (more dandails). Surprising for many, this investment may was demanded by Les Chalands de Wengen's developper. But there were more urgent projects, as replacement of the Verdons Sud chairlift !

Thank Stéphan

Monday, November 3, 2008 | The projects 2008/2009 are confirmed       

www.PERSo-LAPLAGNE.fr told about SAP's investments for 2009/2010, on April 15, and with more dandails on August 3. Land's remind that SAP wants to restructure Plagne 1800 / Plagne Centre / Plagne Villages / Plagne Soleil area.

On October 6, after an animated debate, the Municipal council of Macot has accepted these investments by 16 votes to 3. The projects are confirmed with the two chairlifts announced. As expected, the Saint Esprit drag lift and the Vega chairlift will be removed. The Aollands and Chevrandte drag lifts will be removed too, but a new drag lift “shorter and easier” will be built. For months, Macot and the SAP have discussed a lot about removal of the drag lifts, because the convention bandween them plans that each resort may have a lift. The project have been modified, and there will be two new drag lifts : one for Plagne Villages and one bandween Plagne Soleil and the top of the Dou du Praz.

Michel Borland and Bernard Aubonnand, former and current Deputy major for Tourism inquired about low capacity of the chairlift bandween Plagne 1800 and Plagne Centre (the Melezes chairlift which will be moved) :

If the Lovatière slope is redrawn, to go to the others resorts, skiors would go down to Plagne 1800 to avoid [Plagne Centre 's] flat and the chairlift may be overloaded.

In 2001, Plagne 1800 had obtained a 4-seater fixed chairlift, inadequate for many people. So, the Municipal council asks to the SAP to build a new dandachable chairlift before 2011, if this one is overloaded.

The projects of the SAP for the next years have been evoked. The Mayor talked about the replacement of the Montalbert chairlift (and perhaps too the Forneland) by a gondola, and told that SAP still to think about the the Verdons Sud. The first project is very surprising, because it has never been evoked. And the SAP should remember the sandback of the Lac Noir gondola... The Verdons Sud chairlift, is now THE black spot of the ski area. Everybody wants it be replaced for 10 years, but the project has been postponed many times, and the SAP invests in some lifts less urgent as the Telebuffandte in Les Coches...

In orange, the lifts projected. Click here for more dandails 

Source : Municipal council of Macot-La Plagne of October 6, 2008 / Société d'Aménagement de La Plagne

Wednesday, October 29, 2008 | The Pass'Plagne will be usable this winter       

We talked about the Pass'Plagne on July 4, wishing that it would be usable during winter. This new payment card which gives advantages to regular visitors of La Plagne, has been very well-received this summer with 750 cards sold. The Pass'Plagne will change, with putting into place of a “loyalty program to reward our best customers”. This winter, the card can be used to pay activities and to obtain some reductions (by example for ski-rent). The SAP seems not ready to offer some advantages to regular visitors for ski passes. Land's hope that Pass'Plagne will last...

Monday, October 27, 2008 | Municipal magazine of Champagny       

It was published during the summer, but since September, priority has been given to the new version of the site. Waiting the new municipal site of Champagny-en-Vanoise be opened to follow news of the commune live, here is the municipal magazine in PDF. It is this year very complande and pleasing to read. Macot's magazine would be published in a few days.

Sunday, October 19, 2008 | The new Chiaupe slope       

Now, we can really use the adjective new. The high part of the Chiaupe slope has been redrawn last year, before it become a black slope. Important works have just been finished on the low part. Until now, the end of the slope was a path, often overloaded and where the snowplough was obligatory... An shameful end for a black slope, unless to go into a powder snowfield, always thick at 2.700 manders. So, a new end has been drawn this autumn : the slope will be 50 manders longer and the path at the end will be larger. As before, the slope will join the Combe slope.

The Bellecote from Roche de Mio today at 2:00pm 

In black the new slope, in grey the old  

Thank Anne

Wednesday, October 15, 2008 | The “new” black slopes      

The new La Plagne's press pack announces that there will be 18 black slopes this winter, two more than last year. In 2000, there was 6 black slopes. Since, each year, some red slopes have become black : Les Étroits, la Grande-Pente, la Mio, la Mercédès or La Chiaupe. This year, L'Esseland and the Malatray are concerned. Maybe, it is the compandition bandween french resorts (notably for foreign tourists) that explains this increase in the number of black slopes. But it is dangerous because all these slopes did not deserve to be black. What will be the reaction of the skiors, after skiing on the Esseland or Mio slopes, when they will turn into the Rochu slope ?

Thank Mickaël

Sunday, September 28, 2008 | Paradiski's new ad 2008/2009      

Thank Anne

Friday, September 12, 2008 | Works news n°10      

Here a report of France 3 Alpes about the Vanoise Express broadcasted last wednesday. Moreover, the official blog of the works, silent since July 4, has been updated.

Thank Rodolphe and Starskier

Thursday, September 11, 2008 | Works news n°9      

Here some photos of others works in progress : extension of the hôtel Carlina in Belle Plagne, the boiler and Crête-Côte Village, and of the Bob-track, whose works continue with partial-covering of the track.

The hotel Carlina 

The boiler  

Crête-Côte Village 

  Works of the Bob track    

Thank Agnès

Friday, September 5, 2008 | Works news n°8      

The laying of the first cable of the Vanoise Express is finished and the cabin has been put up for tests of two months (click to see a photo). The laying of the second cable would be done in early October.

Thank Rodolphe and Starskier

Monday, September 1, 2008 | Works news n°7      

Here some photos of the works in progress : the Chalands Edelweiss and the boiler in Plagne 1800, the Vanoise Express, whose works are early and the Télébus in Les Côches, whose we now know the official name : Télébuffandte (like La Buffandte slope).

  The Chalands Edelweiss on August 28    

The boiler on August 28  

  The works of the Vanoise Express on September 1    

  The works of the Télébuffandte on September 1     

Thank Agnès, Anne, David and Starskier

Tuesday, August 19, 2008 | Works news n°6      

Like each years, works are in progress on La Plagne's slopes, like last year on les Sources, la Carina or la Chiaupe (See news on August 25, 2007). This summer, le Tunnel slope is in works to make packing snow and access to the tunnel easier. Works are also announced for next weeks : on les Bois and la Chiaupe (ending of the works 2007) slopes. Next summer, works would begin on great Mont de la Guerre slope. Studies have been done to make packing snow easier.

  The works on the Tunnel slope on August 16     

Source : Municipal magazine of Champagny-en-Vanoise - Summer 2008 | Thank Anne

Friday, August 8, 2008 | About environmental impact (II)      

We told on last February 23 about environmental impact of property development in La Plagne. It was during, the construction of the hôtel des Deux Domaines (Belle Plagne) which has necessitated the slaughter of more than one hundred arolles (pines) sometimes centennial. But to tell nothing about the efforts for environment of La Plagne (all actors together) would be unfair. The removal of the Bouclets drag lifts in 2006 created a gaping wound in the forest. The commune of Mâcot had decided to replant all this area, refusing to create a new slope there. This reforestation, which dates from last fall, is very serious : 600 trees have been replanted : softwood (arolles, spruce and larch) AND hardwood (maple and sorbus). Skiing there will be of course strictly forbidden. But, hope that the protection of this area would be better this winter to protects the trees for irresponsible skiers, for example with nets accross the corridor...

Another example of these efforts : the grass replanting on the slopes after works. André Martzolf had been the first to impose it, and it's now routine. Nothing really new then, since this practice through, the landscapes in La Plagne are as beautiful in summer as in winter for two decades. But this summer, in Plagne Soleil, for the réengazonnement of the area around the Granges du Soleil (MGM), the field has been enriched by a topsoil.

The new trees of Bouclets's area  

Grasse replanting in Plagne Soleil  

Thank Anne, Agnès and M. Ramin (ONF)

Wednesday, August 6, 2008 | Removal of Lovatière drag lift       

As announced, the removal of Lovatière drag lift (Plagne 1800) has begun today with the cable and a pylon. Three reasons : its departure was where the future chairlift to Plagne Centre would begin, its arrival was where an hotel-club 3* will be built for 2010 and it was few used (only 7600 skiers last year, ten times less than the Dromadaire drag lift in Aime 2000). The UCPA who often used this drag lift and the slope for its competitions will use the Jean-Luc Crétier stadium.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008 | Works news n°5      

The works of the new gondola of Les Côches, today    

The works of the Vanoise Express, today  

Monday, August 4, 2008 | Works news n°4      

New focus : the Chalets Edelweiss in Plagne 1800, the two new hotels in Plagne Soleil and Crête-Côte Village. Two things important for Belle Plagne : the Carlina hotel built two years ago is in works to be expanded and the works for the new hotel Montalys are for next year.

  The Chalands Edelweiss 

The two hotels of Plagne Soleil   

The Granges du Soleil   

  Crête-Côte Village 

Thank Agnès

Sunday, August 3, 2008 | The projects for 2009/2010 are confirmed       

The project evoked here on April 15 to build two chailrlifs between Plagne 1800 and the top of Plagne Villages for 2009/2010 is confirmed : many pickets mark their itineraries. The first will begin from Plagne 1800 and will have 6 pylons. It will cross the road just at left of the skiers bridge to arrive in front of the Mélèzes chairlift (1952 m). The second will begin at left and have 15 pylons. It will cross the bridge between Plagne Village and Plagne Soleil and the road in Plagne Village twice and will arrive above the resort, 80 meters under the Colosses chairlift (2182 m). The Mélèzes chairlift will be removed and would be reused to build the first. The Lovatière drag lift will be removed soon. The Saint Esprit drag lift should be removed, but the Aollets drag lift should be stay.

The departure of the first chairlift    

The arrival of the first, and the departure of the second chairlift    

The second chairlift    

The second chairlift near Plagne Villages and Saint Esprit drag lift    

The second chairlift above Plagne Villages   

The arrival of the second chairlift under Colosses chairlift    

Saturday, July 12, 2008 | The new biomass boiler of Plagne Centre      

Last saturday, the first stone ceremony for the new boiler took place in La Plagne. These works have just begun and would be finished on September 2009. For 8 years, the Union des Syndicats de Copropriétaires et Propriétaires de Plagne Centre and its chairman Jean Robino bring the project to replace the old boiler (in the center of Plagne Centre) which is out the standards. The new will be built between Plagne Centre and Plagne 1800, under the road (click here to see the localization). The future boiler, which will supply 47 buildings with heat, will work with the biomass energy (in this case wastes of wood) and fuel if need be (that's the "bi-energy"). So, it should avoid to discharge 4000 tons of CO² a year. At the same time, for many years, works of renovation and insulation are in progress to reduce useless energy spending : these flats of 60' were built before the first surveys about climate change and when the energy was abundant and inexpensive. It's a step in the right direction to preserve the environement, even if the ski and its thousands of tourists is less compatible with a sustainable development... For more informations, read the Dauphiné Libéré. To follow the works, visit this site.

Thank Anne and Mick

Saturday, July 5, 2008 | 2008/2009 skipasses's price      

Once again this winter, the La Plagne's skipass for a day will cost 1€ more at 42€, even if the increase is less important than the last season.

Thank Rodolphe

Friday, July 4, 2008 | The Tourism office creates the Pass' Plagne       

The summer season begins today. For those who will be in La Plagne this year, the Tourism office creates the Pass' Plagne. It works like a phone card : you buy units and then you pay for your activities during your stay. If the principle is the same as the old Carte Loisirs (tickets to pay for the activities), this new card has a chip and is transferable.

Many activities are concerned. The card does not reduce the price of the activities : one entrance at the swimming-pool for an adult costs 12 units, that is to say 6€, exactly the price displayed. But it gives many advantages, like some reductions (from 10 to 20% in some restaurants, some hairdressers...) and special offers (like a free aperitif...). Moreover, this card will be valid in winter, a real novelty. For example, this winter the card will give a reduction of 38€ for the bob-raft (the others reductions are not known yet, but there will be many others...). At last, and that is why I talk about this card here, because that is close to my heart, the Pass' Plagne will reward the loyalty. The card will be valid many years, and give reductions on next crediting from 10% to 20% once used 150 units (75€ of activities). That is the first time, since the Carte Plagne Plus (2000-2002) that La Plagne gives advantages to its loyal customers.

Of course this building of customer loyalty is timid, but exists. We have two wishes : the first is that the card should give real advantages on winter, especially on the skipasses, and the second is that the advantages for the most loyal customers be even more interesting.

Thank Anne

Thursday, June 26, 2008 | Works news n°3      

The two hotels of Plagne Soleil on June 25    

Thank Anne

Wednesday, June 25, 2008 | Works news n°2      

Announced for "beginning of June", the first of the new Vanoise Express's cables is arrived. The replacement of damaged cables would take three months. The works of Les Côches's "Télébus" have begun this month, and earthworks are now near to be finished. It will be a gondola, like the Télébus between Plagne Centre and Plagne Village, to link the bottom of Les Coches (Plan Bois chairlift) and the top (Lac Noir gondola).

The works of Vanoise Express on June 25  

The works of Les Côches's "Télébus" on June 25  

Thank Anne and Starskier

Saturday, May 24, 2008 | Works news n°1       

Many property buildings are in construction in Plagne Soleil, in Plagne 1800, in Crête-Côte (between La Roche and Plagne 1800) and soon in Belle Plagne. In Plagne Soleil the last part of the Granges du Soleil (the 4 stars hotel of MGM begun in 2006) is in progress, and the building of two 3 and 4 stars hotels has resumed. In Plagne 1800, the building of the Chalets Edelweiss begun last year has resumed too. The project the more impressive is the Crête Côte Village between La Roche and Plagne 1800 (even if the property developer speaks about "the entrance of Plagne 1800"...), exactly next to the Chalet Penarroya. A complex of 16 chalets, rather isolated and without direct access to a ski lift... In Belle Plagne, the works of a new 2 stars hotel (a 4 stars without restaurant) called Montalys will start in a few weeks to be completed in December 2009.

The Granges du Soleil   

  The two hotels of Plagne Soleil 

Crête-Côte Village   

The hotel Montalys of Belle Plagne 

Thank Anne

Tuesday, April 15, 2008 | The projects for 2009/2010      

When the season 2007/2008 is ending and when the works for the next winter will begin in few weeks, www.PERSo-LAPLAGNE.fr looks the year after, because the works for the season 2009/2010 are already decided, at least in part. We talked about that on January 5 and May 17, 2007 however we did not know all the details. All the area of Plagne 1800-Plagne Centre-Plagne Village-Plagne Soleil will be restructured.

The Mélèzes chairlift will be move down to link Plagne 1800 and its actual departure at Plagne Centre : it will cross the road near the bridge for skiers. A 6-seater detachable chairlift, which would be called the Aollets chairlift, will be built to reach the area between Plagne Village and the Colosses chairlift, and not the Dou du Praz like today. Two objectives : give to Plagne 1800 a second lift and create a direct link between Montalbert/Aime 2000 and Bellecôte/Montchavin/Les Arcs, without to go through Plagne Centre. Three lifts, become useless, will be removed : the Véga two-seater chairlift and the drag lifts of Saint-Esprit and Aollets, with a little uncertainty about this last.

Source SAP

Tuesday, March 25, 2008 | The municipal elections       

In two of four communes members of the SIGP (Syndicat Intercommunal de la Grande Plagne), there was only one list. In Aime (1882 electors), Jean-Pierre CHENU has been reelected. In Bellentre (832 electors), Michel GIROD has been replaced by Anthony FAVRE. There was a real stake in the two others communes. Mayor of Champagny-en-Vanoise (559 electors) since 1977, Régis RUFFIER DES AIMES was not candidate again, and the first of the three lists (and an independant candidate), driven by René RUFFIER LANCHE has obtained most of the votes. In Macôt-La Plagne, the campaign was very tense. The Mayor, Auguste PICOLLand was not candidate at the end of his first term. René ALLAMAND was candidate to pursue his action, but Richard BROCHE presented a second list, and finally there was a third list. The list called "Un Nouvel Élan pour Mâcot-La Plagne" ("A New Boost For Mâcot-La Plagne"), led by Richard Broche, has come in first, and he has been elected Mayor of Mâcot-La Plagne last saturday (See below a photo of the new municipal council of Mâcot-La Plagne, click to read the Dauphiné Libéré).

Thank Anne

Saturday, March 22, 2008 | News for next winter       

We already talked about this on May 17 and November 6, 2007, there will be just one new lift next winter in La Plagne : a backward and forward gondola in Les Côches linking departures of Plan Bois chairlift and Lac Noir gondola, separated by a difference in level of 65 meters. This will be a sort of Télébus, linking Plagne Centre and Plagne Village, but with only 2 x 2 10 persons cabins. Until 2006, we could take the Orgère drag lift to reach the hight-part of Les Côches but it was removed with contruction of Plan Bois 6-seater chairlift. Like this one, this gondola will be built by Leitner. This link apparently becomes necessary because of property development of low-part of the resort with 130 flats of the Chalets de Wengen. Moreover, many works on the slopes are announced, without more precison as this time, even if the transformation of the Chiaupe slope may be continued.

Source : Société d'Aménagement de La Plagne | Thank Anne

Saturday, February 23, 2008 | About environmental impact       

Saying that the development of ski resorts is not compatible with the protection of the environment is not new. But the consequences are not always visible. This is not the case of the new development in Belle Plagne. To build the Hotel des Deux Domaines, dozens (perhaps one hundred) of pins cembros or arolles were felled. The cembraie (forest of pins cembros) of La Plagne, was previously one of the best preserved in the Tarentaise. At the local council of Mâcot-La Plagne on February 13, 2006, the decision to allow the clearing of 6,000 square meters required for the construction of the hotel was taken. Six of 19 municipal councillors voted against the decision. The hotel certainly blends in well with the countryside and an agreement was signed between Mâcot-La Plagne, the ONF (administrator of french forests) and the developer to ensure an equivalent reforestation, but we can not lose the idea that the environment has in this case been directly sacrificed on the altar of tourism development. Decide for yourself.

Thank Fabien

Tuesday, February 20, 2008 | A new red slope in Montalbert (II)       

The new piste we talked about last Tuesday is now called Les Largettes. Nothing to do with the adjective large, because this is a narrow piste. In Savoie, the word large refers to the larch or to a larch forest. So, the name largettes refers to larch clumps along the piste.

Thank Agnès and Julien

Tuesday, February 12, 2008 | A new red slope in Montalbert      

We talked on January 1 about projects for the Montalbert sector. We then mentioned the possibility during this season of a new piste. As I pointed out on January 29, a new piste appeared on the route of the old Adrets drag lift. The line is bumpy but sympathic and is marked by red stakes, but for the moment has no sign and therefore no name. To be continued !

Thank Stéphane

Thursday, January 31, 2008 | The Vanoise Express to reopen in December       

This information dates back a dozen days... The Vanoise Express will be reopened for next season and that is very good news for Paradiski, as the most pessimistic imagined two years to change the largest cables in the World. Except any new problems, the cable cars will cross again Ponthurin valley on December 20, 2008. Paradiski issued this release :

The Vanoise Express cable-car, linking the Paradiski ski area, will open on December 20 next for the start of the 2008/2009 winter season. Since a routine check revealed abnormalities in the outer envelope of some cables of the cable car Vanoise Express, several laboratories have been commissioned to carry out in-depth analysis. These investigations were continued and extended from the administrative decision of December 22, 2007 to suspend the operation of the cable. They are expected to be completed by February 2008. In any case the cables of the two lanes of the Vanoise Express will be replaced. The new cable was ordered on January 15th this year by the manufacturer of the facility. The first cable should be shipped at the end of May 2008. The work of setting up the cables will continue into the summer, to make the cable operational again for the winter season from 2008 to 2009.

Thank Mike

Thursday, January 10, 2008 | La Plagne encourages car-pooling      

La Plagne proposes to french skiers of Rhône Alpes (a day for all skiers ?) to organize their car-pooling to La Plagne. The idea is not new, and many sites permit it already, but it's good that La Plagne does it itself. On official site, we can consult projected routes and contact the drivers. That is doubly advantageous. Mountain Riders, the environemental activist group, in its Green guide of ski resorts, hears us that 78% of emissions of CO² in link with ski resorts's activities are caused by transport. So, carpool is good for the planet. That is also good for skiers, because La Plagne offers a reduction of 15€ (- 27%) for a day skipass if there is three persons at least in the car.

Thank Natali

Fryday, January 4, 2008 | The snowpark will be moved       

According to some informations, the SnowPark which is, since the end of 2005, along Capella slope, above Plagne Centre, would be moved to Belle Plagne, its original place.

Thank Bruno

Tuesday, January 1, 2008 | Projects for Montalbert's ski area       

We begin this new year with informations about projects for Montalbert. Since the beginning of 1990's and modernization plan for 10 years, Montalbert has changed a lot, with the construction of three four-seater chairlifts (Adrets, Fornelet and Montalbert), the creation of a new red slope (la Bois Croizelin) and the developement of artificial snow. New changes are planned for the future, like the project of detachable chairlift of Fornelet. With 4 or 6 seats, the construction of this chairlift will permit to remove the Fornelet drag lift. The fastest changes will concern the slopes. It would planned to redraw and to enlarge Pravendue slope for security reasons (it's narrow and lined with trees, and we have to ski faster because of its low slope), and because this slope is groomed only by machines used for cross-country skiing. There will be many changes in colors of the slopes, with more of red. Adrets slope's low part is now a red called "Mur des Adrets", and an easy passage has been created (see on the right). Later in the season, there will be other changes, notably for Gentil slope. Many regulars will be sceptic. If we look the Piste map of 1991 , we can see then three or four green slopes in Montalbert... This is not an over-classification but an answer to ski's democratization. Sorting slopes without to take the level of majority of skiers (often not very good) into account is dangerous. Finally, Montalbert is a part of La Plagne's ski area where the SAP projected an extension ten years ago (notably on the massif of Jarset, above Fornelet).

Thank Agnès