 Poster: A snowHead
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@chopkins13, That's the one. In top form today. Mostly a nice steady cruisy run all the way from the top.
Managed to time the rope perfectly so I didn't need to pop out of my bindings as well so winning all round on that today.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@paulhinch, Yes it’s a great run, one of my favourites as it’s so long and generally in good condition, and you have the option of bailing out half way down at the Quillis or Carella chairs. The rope section is a bit of a pain, but perfectly possible in the right conditions for a skier to straight line and not need the rope, even a nervy intermediate like me.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| Layne wrote: |
| @Warnergb7, have you been up the glacier and over the Champagny side? |
we were there yesterday. Some was ok but some patchy and you could see a bit of mud coming through the snow.
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| chopkins13 wrote: |
| @paulhinch, Yes it’s a great run, one of my favourites as it’s so long and generally in good condition, and you have the option of bailing out half way down at the Quillis or Carella chairs. The rope section is a bit of a pain, but perfectly possible in the right conditions for a skier to straight line and not need the rope, even a nervy intermediate like me. |
I’ll give that a try. The burnout quilis was quite dicey yesterday but will try. Hopefully Thursday and Friday with some snow will end the week nicely
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I'm pretty certain at least one of them will be a write off. Dumping hard and VERY windy. Between lift closures and not being able to see, might be time to catch up on a book or something.
Hopefully it's just snowing enough to keep it fun.
We're leaving Friday night and I'm not fancying the drive down the hill, even with chains
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@chopkins13, oh, is there a rope there now? Admittedly I haven't been to La Plagne for 20+ years but returning in 11 days for my 40th 
We used to affectionately call.that run the 'rock schuss' as there was a big massive rock in the middle of it, and on a good day you could make it all the way past and up the rise on the other side of you got a bit of speed. Followed by a rickety old t-bar
Can't wait to go back and see what's changed and what's the same!
Appreciate all the real time updates folks!
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Yeah. Rope for the last 150 yards if you don't think you'll make it. New Roche De Mio bubble is v good at shifting people up there and the mid station offers options back.
If you've not been for 20 years I suspect it's all changed
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@paulhinch, There's definitely a few replacements and name changes but having a look at the piste map looks familiar enough that hopefully distant memories can be accessed to get us home in the event of a whiteout! I've sold the choice of La Plagne to my intermediate level friends based partly on me knowing my way around and where to go skiing for different conditions so here's hoping!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Staying in plagne centre with a 3yo (almost 4) who hasnt skied before and a 5yo (almost 6) who has done a week in avoriaz and progressed to pizza skiing on the bigger green runs there but that was last year. Ive heard there are some free lifts to get them started which might save 1 or 2 days lift pass ticket for the older one (younger one is free regardless i understand) but not quite sure where they are. Any tips?
Also does anyone know any hotels with pools in plagne center which have swimming pools open to non residents? Something for the kids to do when not skiing as our hotel doesnt have any.
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@gazkane, Plagne Centre best served for free beginners lifts so good choice!
There’s the boulevard chair lift and green run from top to bottom of that which goes under the big ‘Le France’ building, then there’s a magic carpet near the Grand Rochette lift and then I think there’s still a tow rope just where you get off the Boulevard chairlift. And for the grown ups they can take turns doing any of the lifts out of Plagne Centre which all have blue pistes back to Plagne Centre. Can’t help on the swimming pools I’m afraid but I’m sure someone else will be able to.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Thanks all. One more question… struggling to find shared transfers from Geneva (bens bus has some but first bus is full) or chambery (can find any). Is Geneva bens bus the only option for shared?
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@gazkane, for the pool, another option could be the free shuttle bus to Bellecote (20mins, very frequent) and then the outdoor heated ‘Magic pool’, which shows children under 5 go free. Also probably Speedos only for men if you are taking to the water.
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You know it makes sense.
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On La Plagne free lifts: Boulevard in Centre is NOT free. Neither (surprisingly) is the small drag in the beginner area. (Got caught out on this last month but the lifty let us off and allowed us one free ride.)
The only free lift in Centre is the magic carpet (Indiens).
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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On getting to La Plagne from Geneva.
If Ben's Bus in full (apols I'm on it this Saturday, first bus) you want really cheap you could use public transport and get train to Geneva main station and a 2nd train to Chambery. Then bus up. (A friend did this just last week.)
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Yes, sure. I know La Plagne really well; my daughter is a chalet host there.
I was challenging a post upthread saying that Boulevard and the small drag are free.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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It's snowing. Best of luck for the next few days
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@Blast, Thanks for the correction! I was convinced when I first started going to La Plagne 15 years ago they were free!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@gazkane, the Telebus goes from Centre to Plagne Villages (it's a pedestrian lift primarily, I suppose, but free and you could use it) and from Villages you can ski down the bottom of blue Ecartee, past the bottom of Bergerie lift and down to Plagne 1800 all for free. BUT the blue to 1800 is not easy for a beginner.
You could take the Telemetro up to Aime 2000 (as @boredsurfin says) but, again, the run down to 1800 is tricky towards the bottom.
The other thing worth pointing out is if you buy a Paradiski pass rather than La Plagne only you will get a free afternoon lift pass for the whole of the area on the afternoon of your arrival.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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La Plagne Apres Ski. Better than you think!
Do NOT miss out on The Bergerie. Be there 3:30 latest, last orders are 4:30 (byelaw), and get up on those tables. Old school apres ski on the mountain in your ski boots.
The Bergerie is joint leader for me for the best apres ski bars of all time (joint with Schirmbar in Solden).
Any other suggestions for top apres ski would be gratefully received - a key part of the ski experience IMO.
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Hoping the lifts arent closed tomorrow due to incoming weather, if we visit la plagne from les arcs for the day is there a concensus on the best route up from the vanoise express to see some of la plagne (sticking to blues in my wimpy pants)
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I'd avoid leaving Les Arcs. No idea what will be affected but looking at the forecast there'll be some lifts closed I'm sure. Might be an expensive taxi back if the link gets cut.
In terms of routes though....... Head towards Lac Noir and then Bijolin. That'll bring you up towards Arpette. The Arpette run back down towards Bellecotte is a lovely blue cruise. The bit just as you get to Belle Plagne village has been a bit sketchy the last couple of days as it's just running out of snow (although early on it'll be fine and it might have an extra 10cm on it in the morning).
Once you're in Bellecotte - I'd be tempted to do Collossos then cruise into Plagne Centre. The ones off Colorado are all good and then you've a choice of Bergerie and back over or Grand Rochette with options up to Roche De Mio (on a good day, that loop all the way down the back off Roche De Mio then back up Quillis to head home would be great)
I'd imagine a fair chunk of that won't be open with the wind though.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@Alexis01, I'd second the comment about not leaving Les Arcs (or vice versa, La Plagne) if there is any question about lift closure.
Not sure what the Vanoise Expresses limits are, but very expensive taxi down and up again of you get stuck, or expensive emergency hotel.
At least in your 'home' resort there will be routes home and buses if things go wrong!
Enjoy the powder over the next few days!
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The VE is pretty low lying and IME of staying in Les Coches very rarely closes. When we were there at Christmas and lifts at the glacier, Ag Rouge, even Transarc were closed for wind, the VE stayed open.
And there are great tree lined runs either side of the VE when it is snowing and visibility is poor.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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The La Plagne webcams are blocked by the snow, must be a good sign 
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I reckon the chance of the Vanoise Express closing part way through the day for weather reasons is minimal. If there is ANY chance of that being necessary it just won't open at all, to avoid the problem of trapping people in the wrong resort.
It's the same as with links, between say Les Coches and Bellecote, or inter-valley links in other resorts.
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Anyone braving the pistes today? It’s not stopped snowing now for nearly a day and must be 50cm of snow and I can see maybe 200m out the window in Belle plagne.
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You know it makes sense.
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Hope everyone there gets to enjoy some skiing today! Appreciate the updates!
Slightly off topic favour to ask. We are in Belle Plagne self catering from Sunday 18th and due to timing won't be able to make it to a french supermarket on the drive up. So limited to picking up supplies in the supermarket at Geneva airport, a Carrefour Express somewhere like Albertville or sticking to the Spar in Belle Plagne.
Trying to work out which is the least worst option in terms of price.
Any chance if anyone is at the shops today could give a rough idea of Spar prices? I'll be honest, mostly interested in chicken breasts and packs of beer  thanks!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@Biscuits9, beer not horrendous in local spar in Belle Plagne but chicken is expensive. I would avoid buying anything from Geneva, a small bottle of water costs nearly £5!!
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Poster: A snowHead
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@chopkins13, Thanks! I looked up the Migros website to see the cost of chicken breasts for our curry and could not believe the price. New plan is to avoid Switzerland, try our best with small shops that are open on the way down, and suck up any resort costs for everything else. I'm betting that even resort prices can't be as bad as airport Migros
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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On my trip last month, the Spar in Belle Plagne seemed overall slightly cheaper for food items than the Geneva Airport Migros (or the Geneva Airport train station Migros, to be more accurate). Also, that Migros did not sell any alcohol at all - I couldn't find any except 0% bottles, asked shop staff and they confirmed it. Disclosure, I didn't buy any chicken but bought other meat and fresh produce from the Migros and then did a very quick price compare in the Spar in Belle Plagne.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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VE open and all pistes on both sides open. If you are there enjoy skiing in the trees.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Just arrived in Plagne centre self drive and with snow socks on managed to get up the hill from Aime. Few sketchy moments but there is a lot of snow!!! More tonight and tomorrow. Once it clears up the skiing will be epic
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@HerecomesCarol, Super useful thank you!
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Well done jirac18, it has certainly been quite a day.
According to la-plagne.com/meteo there has been 60cm of new snow today.
And then: snow tomorrow, snow the next day, snow the following day, and so on until the 14th! 
So it's winter tyres with chains and shovels at the ready . . .
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@Jonpim, snpw-forecast suggests snow through to end of Saturday, clear and cold on Sunday and then less cold and cloudy for the rest of the week.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@jirac18, The skiing has been epic today, lots of powder on piste in Champagny, most of the links closed so very quiet and most people had given up by lunchtime so deserted slopes. Took over an hour before the gondola started running this morning but not surprising as lots of blasting happening with an avalanche risk of 4.
There will be more stable snow on-piste as a lot of the snow off-piste has been pushed back on-piste in the last month to cover for the lack of natural snowfall. There were lots of rocks and bare patches of grass showing off-piste before the latest snowfall so be very careful if you do venture off-piste.
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FAQ
