What’s New This Winter, in La Plagne, France?

Andrea Thompson

ByAndrea Thompson

September 2, 2025

This winter season sees a revival for some of La Plagne’s iconic landmarks, including the Roche de Mio gondola, the old Christina Hotel and the bobsleigh track.

La Plagne is spotlighting new developments which are part of a meaningful refurbishment with huge structural renovations to significantly improve the skier’s holiday. This considers the future needs of climate and tourism change which since the resorts birth 65 years ago is more prevalent than before. The season runs from 13 December 2025 to 25 April 2026. Please find the press pack here.

New: Winter 25-26 will see the inauguration of a completely refurbished lift link, via a succession of two gondolas, from Plagne Bellecôte to the top of La Plagne (Live 3000 at 3,080 m). The New Roche de Mio Gondola  is the centrepiece, it’s the backbone of the ski area, several kilometres long ready for this ski season. Think faster connections from the main resorts of Plagne Centre and Plagne Bellecôte to Live 3000 summit. The base station will remain in much the same place but will lift riders directly up to a new mid station at Col de Forcle. This will offer access directly over to Champagny-en-Vanoise, back to Plagne Bellecôte or to the summit of Roche de Mio without the faff. Combined with the high-altitude area redevelopment (Live 3000) over the past two years, La Plagne is building a futureproof, skier first network. Video of the ski area development The key features of the Roche de Mio gondola is, it is opening December 2025, will have 10 places, take seven to nine minutes to reach Roche de Mio from Plagne Bellecôte and can carry 3,140 people / hour.

New: ‘Guardian Angel’ avalanche detection and rescue

La Plagne’s ski lift company has recruited a high-tech new team member, a DJI drone, embracing technology to enhance safety at the same time as being agile with a rapid deployment time. Light, fast and armed with thermal cameras and AI, it can spot avalanches, scan danger zones and guide rescue teams in minutes. Four ski patrollers trained for a year to fly it, and it’s already proving invaluable on and off the slopes, from avalanche safety to year-round lift maintenance.

New: Guided off-piste sessions are launched to target teens and young adults

La Plagne’s ESF is making powder adventures more accessible with guided off-piste sessions. From strong intermediates to experts, skiers can explore beyond the marked pistes with expert instructors, kit included. Teens and young adults get their own tailored courses, mixing progression with avalanche awareness in one of the world’s largest off-piste areas. Prices from €80.

New: PopAlp hotel 4*, the rebirth of an iconic building

It’s been decades in the making, the complete renovation of Le Christina, La Plagne’s oldest hotel (1961), perfectly located in Plagne Centre snow front, in the heart of the resort and just a few metres from the ski lifts. If Andy Warhol designed a ski hotel, it might look something like the stylish PopAlp. Following its cult success in Alpe d’Huez, this bold new arrival from Cîmehotel group in La Plagne is turning heads with balconies decked out in a rainbow of retro skis and a pop art twist on the resort’s logo. Inside, it’s part boutique hotel, part contemporary gallery: a riot of colour, creativity and mid-century nostalgia. Expect 1960s inspired murals, bespoke sculptures, and a few original artworks commissioned just for the space by Fabrice Peltier. Each of the 50 rooms and 7 apartments (including penthouse) is one of a kind, with a retro restaurant/ brasserie “The Pop” making PopAlp not just a place to stay, but part of the story of your trip. From 250€/night on B&B per room.

But that’s not all that’s new – La Plagne has a few more surprises on offer; read on to find out more…

NEW: Paradiski Comedy Club, the world’s first aerial stand-up show

From 14–28 February 2026, comedy quite literally takes off in La Plagne. In partnership with Paris’s Métro Comedy Club, the Vanoise Express cable car (suspended 380m above the valley) transforms into a stage. Each 4-minute crossing becomes an intimate comedy set, in both French and English, surely the highest stand-up show in the world.

NEW: Silent nights, electric rides

Local snow mobile company Elpro has swapped petrol for power with a new fleet of six brand-new electric snowmobiles. Sleek, silent and fume-free, they’re the cleanest way to rev up an evening in La Plagne. 150€ per snowmobile (up to two people), over 18’s or children eight and over with adult driver. www.elpro.fr

NEW: Head off on a gourmet snowshoe hike…

As dusk falls over Montchavin–Les Coches, swap skis for snowshoes and set out on a peaceful hour hike through the forest. At Chalet du Plan Bois, a hearty Savoyard dinner awaits then glide back down the slopes by the soft glow of headlamps. An evening that combines nature, adventure and tradition in true La Plagne style. € 110 pp, minimum 4 pax. Minimum age 11  www.evolution2.com

UPGRADE: Olympic track, Olympic future

La Plagne’s legendary bobsleigh track, built for the 1992 Winter Games, is set for a second Olympic chapter. It’s gearing up to host bobsleigh, luge and skeleton at the JOP Alpes 2030. Renovation plans focus on sustainability with cutting energy use and carbon emissions while preserving this iconic slice of sporting history.

Red Pompom Night (31 Dec 2025): La Plagne’s legendary New Year’s Eve party returns after five years, with sound, light and plenty of dancing.

La Plagne is continually highlighting ways to reach the resort by public transport. Picking these methods, instead of flying and/or driving, can use around 66-80 percent less carbon… Jump aboard the NEW train: for winter 2025-26, Travelski Express has chartered a sleeper train with 660 births and a bar-restaurant carriage running between Paris and Bourg-Saint-Maurice and taking skiers to La Plagne on Saturday’s. It’s the first sleeper service to run between Paris and Bourg-Saint-Maurice since 2016. There will be various kinds of accommodation, a dedicated space for women traveling alone and private cabins for those seeking extra privacy. There will be 14 rotations between 19 December 2025 and 20 March 2026. La Plagne’s very own online travel agency, La Plagne Resort, only proposes train or bus travel in its all-inclusive packages for long-distance journeys to the resort.

Nowadays, La Plagne comprises 11 sites, all with different personalities. Seven of these sit between 1,800-2,050 metres and were built from scratch between the 1960s and 1990s. Four of these are more traditional villages at an altitude of 1,250 metres, that existed before the ski area was created. Think wood-and-stone chalets, small residences, and farms surrounded by trees and clearings. Along with 225 km of pistes (60% of which are easy greens and cruisy blues) guests can also try the Olympic bobsleigh, luge and skeleton track, plus ice climbing tower. In addition, alight a horse-drawn sleigh, board a sled pulled by huskies, jump off the mountain in a tandem paraglide, sink into a hot tub at the spa, or give Nordic skiing a go. On a bigger scale, La Plagne is part of the renowned Paradiski area, home to 425 km of skiing with Les Arcs and Peisey-Vallandry.

A six-day lift pass for Paradiski costs €401 / £347 per adult or €321 / £277 per child (age 5-12 inclusive)

Getting to La Plagne could not be easier: it is within a 90-minute drive from three main airports, Geneva, Grenoble, and Lyon. Either hire a car from the airport, book one of the transfer companies or take the bus. Alternatively, La Plagne is one of the ski resorts you can reach easily on the train. Eurostar Snow train offers rail service from London St Pancras International to the Aime-la-Plagne (with a change at Lille). Trains will depart London St Pancras International on Saturdays and return to London on Sundays. Otherwise, snow enthusiasts can always jump in their car and drive to La Plagne using LeShuttle or one of the ferry companies to cross the English Channel. There are plenty of car parks once in resort too.

Book a ski holiday to La Plagne using La Plagne’s travel agency, La Plagne Resort: www.laplagneresort.com

Andrea Thompson

ByAndrea Thompson

Andrea can be found either in the Travelling For Business office or around the globe enjoying a city break, visiting new locations or sampling some of the best restaurants all work related of course!