Activity Reviews in La Plagne — 12 of Our Favourites

The Olympic track was constructed between 1988 and 1990 just below Plagne 1800 – a track that’s still in use to this day for competitions and by international teams training between events. The La Plagne course is unique to France and is one of only 16 fully functioning bobsleigh venues in the world.

As well as competitions and training sessions, the track now also hosts “Experience Rides” to give the general public a chance to taste the thrill and excitement of bobsleigh and luge. It’s the closest us mere mortals will ever get to experiencing these thoroughly ludicrous sports.

I remember the 92 Games well. I was in France on holiday, actually in the resort of La Plagne at the time. I remember watching the bobsleigh thinking it must be a special kind of person that willingly hurls himself down a track of sheer ice at speeds in excess of 130km/h. So it was with a sense of slight bewilderment that, almost 25 years to the day, I found myself atop the exact same track. Only this time, wearing a helmet, listening to a safety briefing while compacted into the back of a bullet-shaped coffin on rails, the sole purpose of which is to go from top to bottom in the shortest time possible.

In truth, I only had myself to blame. After all, these things don’t just “happen”. In my wisdom, I had bought my good lady a bobsleigh ticket for Christmas. It was one of those, “It’ll be funny, she’ll be terrified” type presents. Little did I know we possess the same sadistic streak and Eléa had reciprocated with the exact same gift.

And so it came to be I was now sat staring down the metaphorical barrel of a gun – a 1500m u-shaped tube of crushed ice lying between me and the finish line. The track features 19 snaking curves which rocket 125m down the yawning valley below Plagne 1800. Viewed in profile, it even looks sketchy.

We arrived half an hour early and were shepherded into a waiting area, told to empty our pockets, take off belts, remove jewellery, explore faith etc. There were a few pensive faces, not helped by the two screens showing live video of those going before us. I watched as the passengers’ heads jolted left and right in harmony with all the grace and fluidity of Thunderbirds puppets. See, as I would soon learn, when you’re in a bobsleigh you are in control of nothing. Not even yourself.

We were ushered to the start area – it would be our turn next. A stocky, experienced-looking gent dressed in official garb marched confidently towards us, an assured smile etched across his face. He introduced himself as Jacques Duc, our pilot for the ride. His confidence was reassuring. One man’s belief could surely counter the increasing disquiet of three assembled passengers.

Jacques went onto explain the intricacies of the track, in particular the significance of Turn 4. “By Turn 4, you need to be comfortable. If you’re not, you’re in for a bad ride. So get secure and make sure you’re braced and in a good position by this point. By turn 6, you’ll feel the first big G’s and after that you’re pretty much locked in.”

As the tallest passenger, I was directed to the back of the bob with another rider hunched in front of me and Eléa positioned closest to the front. The significance of being at the back did not elude me – the rider at the rear of a bobsleigh traditionally experiences the greatest G.

Jacques was last on board, climbing into the cockpit before the track staff eased us out gently onto the worn tramlines carved by countless descents before us. I was a tad disappointed, confused why didn’t they push us quicker. I had expected the full Olympic experience, a countdown, some runners launching us for speed, maybe some cowbells. Idiot.

Turns 1 and 2 were innocuous, gentle set-up turns. “This is going to be easy”, I thought as I poked my head out over the shoulder of the rider in front, quietly mocking the bob experience and questioning what all the fuss was about. At Turn 3 we gradually picked up speed before a noted acceleration toward the all-important Turn 4.

By now I felt in proper Bobsleigh Mode. We traversed up the wall, G-forces squeezing me back and down into my ‘seat’. This was good - this was my moment. I had conquered my fears and was King of the Track. I felt myself laughing – the kind of involuntary laugh that always seems to strike me at these moments – a laugh borne largely from adrenaline tinged with fear.

At the exit of Turn 4, things changed dramatically. For a start, I noticed I’d stopped laughing. We accelerated hugely as the berm spat us out, sending us hurtling back into the middle of the track, bouncing into the well-worn grooves before sinking sharply down to the next turn. Turn 5 was a quick shunt to the right before the track dropped away and we accelerated further. I was conscious of a force pushing onto my chest, making it harder and harder to breathe.

By the time we reached Turn 6, we were tearing down and the G’s were enormous. We rode high up the bank, gravity compelling us down and out. I now understood why Jacques had warned us about this turn. By this point, you’re nearing three times the force of gravity ie your body mass is 3 times heavier than normal, pressing your innards down to the base of the sled. We shot out the other side at lightning speed, sled rails juddering back into the solid, icy ruts.

By turn 7 we’d truly become ragdolls, heads bouncing in unison side to side. If it hadn’t sunk in before, it was here I realised we were completely in Jacques’s hands with zero control over anything. A fleeting thought raced through my head – where are the brakes? There are no brakes on a bobsleigh. We were, as Jacques had so eloquently put it, “locked in”. Turns 7, 8 and 9 passed in a blur, sharp kinks that flipped our heads like burgers on a hotplate. We bounced off the sides of the track – a strict no-no in competition terms – but, at that moment, a welcome buffer to our ever-increasing speed.

Turn 10 was a seemingly endless arc, curving left to right. The G’s here were colossal. So much so in fact that sometime around this point, my nose exploded. I don’t use this term figuratively – or with any sense of pride. As we rounded the curve, high up the wall, my nose evacuated itself. It was my first G-induced sneeze. On the plus side, at least I could breathe easier.

Now, I’m no skilled mathematician but I would normally consider myself able to count past 10. Not so in a bobsleigh at 120km/h (75 mph approx.). The subsequent turns were a blur of white ice, scraping rails, vertical walls and the occasional ephemeral glare as floodlights shot past.  

Left, then right, then left, right, left again – I have no idea. All I know is we rode high and we rode fast as my body crashed side to side, the sled careering from one turn to the next. The last few bends were the most exhilarating. Turns 17, 18 and 19 are the fastest with the most extreme G. These corners are also the most flowing on the track. We arced from one to the next, riding high and smooth round the massive icy walls. We shot out of the last turn into a long uphill stretch, slowing gradually until we came to a halt in the bottom station. My arms and shoulders ached. My knuckles were literally white, still gripping the handrails either side of me. My neck felt like it had become part of the track.

Jacques was first out, taking off his helmet to reveal the same elated smile. Perhaps 30 years piloting at 120kmh does this to you. Whatever the reason, the man was calm personified. “You have a little, errrm . . . “, he flicked his finger down at my jacket. Aha – so that’s where my nose explosion went. “Don’t worry”, he laughed, “it happens”. It transpires that’s not all that happens. He casually commented that, prior taking up bobsleigh, he’d been 20cm taller. The force and compression of riding have shrunk his body. God only knows what shape his spine must be.

He glanced at our time: 58.15. “Respectable enough”, he commented. “The sleds and times are limited here for safety. We came down around 120km/h. The record is 139 km/h set by Bruno (Mingeon – the local ex-World Champion). At that speed the 3 ½ - 4 G’s you experienced become much, much more”. I could tell by his eyes this was understatement. 

So, bobsleigh? Worth trying? Worth the money? Let’s put it this way - unless you’re fortunate enough to be a pilot, a Formula One driver or – of course – the member of a bobsleigh team, there’s pretty much nothing else on earth that will let you experience comparable G force. Astronauts at take-off experience less.

In a bobsleigh, time stands still. 60 seconds becomes an eternity. You start and you end. That’s pretty much it. You pass a point of no return and, after that, everything else is down to the skill of your pilot and gravity. It is an unbelievable, entirely unique experience. In fact, my only potential complaint would be questioning whether anything else will compare – if other stuff I might try could now pale into insignificance. It is like nothing else I’ve ever experienced. A literal white-knuckle ride from start to finish.

If you have the opportunity, I thoroughly recommend doing it.  Just one word of advice though – definitely blow your nose first.

Greatest thanks to our pilot Jacques and all the La Plagne Bobsleigh staff for the most incredible experience. Encore, encore SVP!

Key Facts

The Bob Experience is available in four versions:
Bob Raft – A self-driving, self-braking bobsleigh that travels up to 80km/h. Cost €45 per person.

Speed Luge – A specially constructed luge with protective cage for a solo descent up to 90km/h. Cost €109 per person.

Bob Racing – The ride featured in this article. A bobsleigh piloted by a professional driver at speeds up to 120km/h. Cost €122 per person.

Olympic Experience – Riders are dressed in professional overalls to ride in a bobsleigh piloted by Olympic medallist and World Champion Bruno Mingeon at speeds up to €130km/h. Cost €295 per person.

For safety reasons, video equipment is not permitted on the track however you can purchase a video of your ride for €25 (example video featured in this article). Note, those with back problems, heart conditions or other significant medical issues are not advised to do ride the Bob Experience. Check with the operators for full conditions.

The Bob Experience runs the full season in La Plagne til 7th April 2017. A shuttle bus runs from resort. The Bob Raft Experience and Speed Luge take place every day between 16.00 and 18.30. Bob Racing happens Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 17.00. The Olympic Experience is booking only. 

Track Stats

The La Plagne bobsleigh track is 1507.5m long and passes through 19 curves at an average gradient of 8.29. The track starts at 1684m and drops 125m to 1559m.

The Albertville Olympics were held between the 8th and 23rd February 1992.

There are only 16 bobsleigh tracks in use in the world. The La Plagne track is unique to France and is still used for competitions and training by teams from around the world ie it’s as real as it gets. 

Stuart Hamilton is the Creative Director of iRide Ski and Snowboard App  - a new skiing and snowboarding app, available now on Apple iOS and Android.

My journey began on a pedestrian track crunching through snow off piste towards an igloo. When asking local villagers if they knew where the igloo was, many looked confused and were not even aware an igloo existed just a mere fifteen minutes walk away.

As luck would have it, two kind strangers pointed me in the right direction. The lack of clear signposts at the beginning only added to the mystery and romance of this unusual place to dine out. Blacksheep’s igloo really feels like La Plagne’s best kept secret! Once I made it on to the right pedestrian track through the snow, small hand-painted glowing signs sporadically placed along the path lit the right way towards the igloo. When I finally reached my destination, it was well worth the walk.

Once inside the cold walls of the igloo, Vincent warmly welcomed me inside offering me snacks and a flowing supply of winter-warming mulled wine. While I waited for the fondue to be prepared, I kept warm by the fire just outside the igloo which was incredibly atmospheric hearing the fire crackle and spark amongst the still snowy soundscape.

Vincent also kindly gave me a tour of the man-made igloo which was far bigger than expected as it has capacity for up to 50 guests for a dining experience. Alongside the larger dining area, there are lots of beautiful little snug rooms to hang out in and soak up the amazing alpine atmosphere. If you so choose, there is also the opportunity for up to 27 guests to spend a full night in the igloo cosied up in your own private room in the igloo with luxurious fur blankets provided to stay warm throughout the night.

For dinner, fellow guests and I dined on a decadent five cheese fondue served with delicious bread and local meats. To end the night on a sweet note, we were served meringues and ice cream and a shot of homemade liquor made from locally grown herbs that is sure to put colour on your cheeks and keep you warm inside the igloo!

Conversation and music was free-flowing amongst happy guests all evening. When speaking to two lovely guests, I learned they travelled all the way from Marseilles for one night only so they could take part in this exciting igloo experience.

Whether you are staying locally in La Plagne or travelling from much further afield, it is absolutely worth the journey to the igloo because Blacksheep have really created something very special. Despite the igloo’s cold exterior, it provides the warmest, friendliest and most delicious unique dining experience on offer in La Plagne.

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A restaurant experience in the igloo costs 49 euros per person, less for children under 10 years. You can also opt to spend the night too. Contact Blacksheep directly to book your own igloo experience, click on the website link above.

La Plagne’s Super Tyro opened in summer 2016, spanning the ravine below Plagne Centre on a line from Plagne Aime 2000, some 100 metres higher. The route runs between two innocuous-looking huts, roughly following the path of the cable car (the Telemetro) over a distance of around 600m. It is ranked third in Trip Advisor’s ‘best things to do’ in La Plagne and enjoys a consistently high rating and reviews.

Firstly, let’s clarify a small - but important - detail. When we say Tyro (or Tyrolienne to give its full name), we’re not referring to a resident of that Austro-Italian region, the Tyrol. Nor indeed, are we talking about a form of yodelling. No, in European parlance, Tyrolienne is another word for what we would more commonly call a zipline. If you’re not sure what that is either, a zipline is a length of wire rope spanning two points which users slide down, attached by a harness. To get a better idea, watch the video - it should hopefully clarify things a bit.

Our trip would involve a 20 minute flight from Les Arcs, over the Tarentaise valley, around the Mont Blanc massif before returning back to Arc 1950. Similar flights are available from most resorts in the area however the company we booked with, Helipass, operates from the Mont Blanc Helicopters base in Les Arcs.

The morning of our flight was similar to most mornings so far this season - cold, crisp and clear – not great from a snow perspective but perfect weather for flying. We arrived at Arc 1950 and joined a small group of fellow passengers already assembled, waiting at the base. A little disconcertingly there was, as yet, no sign of any helicopter.

After a few minutes shivering in the cold, I thought I heard a low droning noise slowly building somewhere behind us. Suddenly a helicopter burst into view, rising head-on impressively from a gorge to our right, before making a spectacular banked turn high above us. The aircraft slowed to a hover then gently touched down on a platform to our left. It was quite an entrance – something more suited to a Schwarzenegger film than a sightseeing trip. The pilot cut the engine, jumped out and strolled confidently toward us, hand extended.

It was at this point I realised – in my own head at least - this man would now forever be known simply as Airwolf. There followed a very short safety briefing in very quick French – the only part of which I understood was where to find the sick bags. Always handy. Briefing over, we boarded the heli, strapped in and donned noise-cancelling headsets. Slowly the blades began rotating above us, the noise and intensity increasing until, with a quick upwards judder, we lifted free from the ground. The aircraft inched gingerly across the helipad when the engine suddenly roared and we unexpectedly pitched down and forward, plunging into the ravine below.

Now, I’ve seen the Art of Flight movies, That’s It / That’s All etc and yes, on reviewing our footage, I would concede we didn’t exactly dive headlong from the sky but - at that moment, in that heli – I could have sworn we were near vertical.

We lurched down through the shade of the gorge before breaking out into the sunshine, the Tarentaise valley rolling out like a carpet below us. Having never been in a heli before, I found the speed of straight-line travel surprising. The journey by road from Arc 1950 to La Rosière would typically take an hour or so - yet we covered the distance in mere minutes. La Rosière is the last French outpost on the famous Col du Petit St Bernard – a mountain pass that links Bourg St Maurice and the Savoie in France with La Thuile and the Aosta valley on the Italian side. Typically the road opens May to October and would normally be under several metres of snow by now - yet today it looked to be almost passable with care. The effects of 5 weeks without significant snow in this region are really starting to show and the mountains this side starkly contrasted with the whiter Italian peaks further South and East.

Passing La Rosière, we flew in an arc, hugging the French side of Mt Blanc. We didn’t go as close as I’d imagined but no matter – the views were breathtaking nonetheless. Plunging down peaks and skimming over crevasse fields, we flew over some truly impressive, truly awe-inspiring scenery.

I’ve been coming to this part of the Alps for more years than I’d care to mention and I previously thought I knew this area quite well. A helicopter flight made me revise that view. The world appears a very different place from above - perspectives change, the mountain topography becomes clearer and distances shrink. It was quite humbling to see so many world-renowned resorts from the air – to appreciate just how close they are to one another. We flew onwards as the interconnected, sprawling hugeness of these Alpine resorts stretched out beneath us.

We were really very lucky with the weather and the sky was so clear we could see the mountains of Flaine, Sestriere, the Ecrins National Park (Les Deux Alpes, Alpe d’Huez etc), La Clusaz, Avoriaz and even Cervinia’s Matterhorn. At one point we could actually see as far as Geneva and Grenoble. 

Closer to home we had an unrivalled panorama over more familiar peaks – Mt du Vallon and the Aiguille de Péclet (Trois Vallees), Aiguille Rouge (Les Arcs), Bellecôte (La Plagne), Grande Casse and the Grande Motte (Tignes). And of course in the centre of things, dominating proceedings, was Europe’s highest peak - the mighty Mont Blanc itself. Obviously there’s debate as to whether Mt Blanc (4808m) or Russia’s Mt Elbrus (5642m) is Europe’s highest mountain. I guess it depends what you consider the borders of ‘Europe’ to be. For me anyway, Russia is a different landmass and Mt Blanc remains King of Kings.

We flew on, skirting foothills and glacial tides, passing impossibly close to a massive rocky outcrop before heading back over the valley to Les Arcs. We drifted teasingly low over the summit of Col des Frettes and the Carrelley chair before pitching steeply down the other side towards Arc 1950.

By now, our pilot had clearly worked out this particular group of passengers had an appetite for more aerobatic-type flying so he unleashed full Airwolf mode and set us into a series of spiraling descents. The G forces were incredible, squeezing us into our seats as we corkscrewed down into the valley. The closest I could compare it to is a spiral dive in paragliding – controlled, fast and full of stomach churning sensations. 

And then, all too soon, it was over - the quickest 20 minutes I can remember. We floated slowly over the landing pad before touching down gently - whereupon everyone spontaneously broke into applause for Airwolf’s skills.

So, in conclusion, is a helitrip worth the money? Well, for me anyway, it was a huge tick off the bucket list and a lifelong ambition achieved but let’s be frank - this is not a cheap thing to do. In fact it would tip the budget of most holidaymakers never mind that of a lowly saisonnaire.

That said, if you’re looking for a one-off experience that will stick with you the rest of your days – then yes, go for it. I’d particularly recommend it if, like me, you’re already fairly familiar with the area as it will give you a completely different perspective on the mountains and resorts you think you know so well.

We flew with Helipass, paying €300 each for a twenty minute flight. Yes, that’s not cheap but, then again, you get what you pay for and I can genuinely think of no better way to see the Alps, the Tarentaise resorts and their peaks.

There are a multitude of sites offering similar flights but many appear to be re-sellers for the same core providers – so it’s likely you may find fluctuations in price depending on the commission each individual company charges. It’s also worth noting prices seem to vary depending on the time of year and, particularly, the company you book through, so shop around for the best deal on the flight that’s right for you. 

Stuart is Creative Director of iRide Ski and Snowboard App, available now for iOS and Android.

I’m at the fourth stage, and only French round of the Ice Climbing World Cup that took place this weekend in La Plagne. The 24 metre-high ice tower in Champagny-en-Vanoise, designed by Stephane Husson, is an impressive structure with both ice, (hooky at the bottom and flaky near the top which you have to smash through to get to the firmer stuff)  and dry tooling sections. There’s a steep overhanging dry tooling bridge for the male competitors to battle with, and for the ladies, an overhanging dry tooling wall at the top of the route.  The tower is now open for the general public to climb on and I had a go –albeit on an easier section- after the qualifiers.

Over 100 athletes from 25 countries descended on Champagny-en-Vanoise to take part in either of the sports two disciplines: “difficulty/lead” and “speed.” Competitors taking part in the “lead” event have to wait in isolation, then have a few moments to study the route, then climb as high as they can on the increasingly difficult wall -in a limited time. The ranking is determined by the height they reach. In the “speed” event two competitors race each other and try to climb route in the fastest time, then they swap routes- it really is just a matter of seconds for them to reach the top, with their lightweight boots and axes.

Representing team GB at the event was Steve Johnstone, Matthew Pritchard, Malcolm Kent, Andy Turner and Katy Forrester- who only started competitive ice climbing 6 months ago and was the only GB competitor to get through to the semi-finals. Team coach Andy Turner is next off to Sochi to demonstrate ice climbing as a cultural event in the Olympic Village.

As usual it was the Russians and Koreans who dominated with Maria Tolokonina coming first, Maryam Filippova second and Angelika Rainer  from Italy coming third for the ladies lead competition, and  Alexey Tomilov from Russia coming first for the men, HeeYong  Park from Korea coming second and  Evgeniy Novoseltsev from Russia coming third.

There are 6 World Cup events: On the 7-9th February in Rabenstein, Italy, then on the 28 February - 2 March in Ufa, Russia. If you are in La Plagne then there is still time to catch the Youth World Championships on the 8th and 9th February 2014 in Champagny en Vanoise.

Full results can be found here and you can follow the UIAA on facebook here. 

Katy Dartford

La Plagne is less well known, however, for its mountain biking despite having around 35 different trails and a number of skills areas which they add to every year.

The number of trails is pretty extensive although the trail building & maintenance leaves a little to be desired in places, with the odd overgrown berm, corners that just don't quite flow, descents that involve climbing (?!) and slightly disjointed sections of track / north shore features that leave you sractching your head as to which way to go.

It's definitely a place to bring your enduro bike, as due to the nature of La Plagne's separated villages and the sporadic summer lift opening schedule, you might find you have to bike across resort to get access to some of the different trails, plus you might find yourself climbing a bit on some of the trails that you'd expect were all down hill. E.g. the blue trail from the top of the Roche de Mio gondola is more fire road than trail and has +150m on it's 11km route (not fun on a DH bike), or the descent to the valley floor from Bellecote (blue trail 8) which is a great 12km trail, with uphill sections.. although it's got some fantastic fast single track through the trees which you can't fail to enjoy! Maybe I've been doing too much downhill recently and not enough XC.....

Going back to the summer lift situation, don't expect all the lifts to be open all through the week. For example if you're staying in Montchavin or Les Coches the Plan Bois lift is open Monday to Friday but the Pierres Blanches lift is only open on Mondays & Thursdays. Or if you're staying in Montalbert, the Fornelet lift is open Mon, Wed, Thu & Friday and the Montalbert lift is open Mon, Wed & Friday. Getting access to the higher parts of resort would need to be done by car or the Echo Bus which you'd have to ride down to. The good news is from Montalbert you can ride a red trail down to the valley floor (with no climbing) and then pick up the Echo Bus in Macot to bring you back to resort. The Vanoise Express is also closed on weekends throughout summer, so if you did want to get across to go biking in neighbouring Les Arcs you'll have to drive there (about half an hour) or just go mid-week.

Given time, more trail maintenance and perhaps picking up some trail building tips from other resorts, La Plagne's mountain biking could be really good. It's just not quite there yet.

If you're new to mountain biking and you want to experience riding in the Alps with very few other mountain bikers on the trails, then La Plagne could be just what you're looking for.

My tips: Bring an enduro bike. Check and plan where you're staying against which lifts are open in advance. If you want, the Echo Bus will take you to other parts of resort that aren't on the timetable (e.g. Aime 2000), but you have to ring one day in advance to book this. And drop into La Mine Bar in 1800 for a drink and a game of miniature ping pong or pool :-)

And if you want to try biking for a day and then do other things, there's a lot to do and see here in summer from archery, white water rafting down the valley, hiking, parapenting, visiting the farm with your family, mini golf, trampolining.. and much more.

Check out our events calendar for even more things to see and do in La Plagne.

If you still want to come mountain biking, read our handy guide to Mountain Biking in La Plagne and look up the kind of trails on offer, plus you should check out the Summer lift timetable if you're thinking of heading this way.

Thanks to Tom Humpage for photos, and Maloja UK for the mountain bike clothing.