russian dolls you can poke your heads through on the pistes

a poster for a festival on the pistes in la plagne

Fun & games on the slopes of La Plagne this week

Lots of places to explore on the mountain this week

Featured in Snow Report Author Anita Gait, La Plagne Reporter Updated 5 April 2016

Regardless of what the weather is doing this week there is no longer any denying that spring is here, Sublicimes has returned to La Plagne and that can only mean one thing; the end of the season is upon us and it’s time to party it up spring fiesta style!

La Plagne introduced the first Sublicimes festival this time last year and it was such a success that is has now become an annual event involving 6 different stations of fun on all the major peaks in La Plagne, each with their own specific theme and schedule of games and events. It was great fun exploring all the different zones last year and there are some changes made to the line up this year two so don’t feel like you’ve seen it all before, you’ve got two weeks to get out and about and explore the Sublicimes!

Check out Transsiberia zone at the top of the Grande Rochette, a multicultural feast of Russian, Mongolian and Chinese sights and experiences including the great ice wall of China, speciality local teas and drinks, Russian dolls and Dragon Raffles, and of course the main attraction a giant and hairy Bactrian Camel (who in my head is named Cyril) a wise and gentle soul who will be chilling at the top of the Grande Rochette for a fortnight, letting anyone who wants to stroke him on the nose, definitely go visit Cyril, he’s my favourite.

Feeling a little stressed? Head up to the Zen zone at the top of the Arpette and indulge in some soothing yoga, tai chi, qi gong or sophrology, chill in a hot tub or sauna, stretch out in a hammock under the prayer flags and chill out tunes and round it all off with a massage, but good luck skiing back down after all that, you’ll be so chilled out your legs won’t work!

If you’re more of an extreme fiend than a chilled out soul it’s ok Sublicimes has got you covered. Head up to the top of the Roche de Mio and get that heart racing at the Adrenaline zone! Listen to live DJ’s pumping elecro tunes as you throw yourself off the freefall platform, fling yourself up into the air on the reverse bungee ‘ejector’, race across the waterslide on your skis or board and compete against your friends to be the last one standing on the 8 man ‘wild wiper’ this zone is not for the feint hearted.

For something a bit magical take the kids to Fairy zone at Le Fornelet, fight the dragon to free the princess from the castle, try and escape the fairy maze and put on your magic costume to be enchanted by the story tellers weaving their magic tales. On the way back from this magical land stop off at Yeti land at La Rossa and experience a Himalayan base camp complete with Yeti lair, candy floss and bouncy castle.

Last but not least is the Lovely and Sweet Zone at the top of the Becoin chair, get your hair and nails done at the world’s highest pop up beauty salon, eat fresh fruit ‘ice rolls’, get your temporary tattoo fix or if you’re feeling really frisky you can enter the ‘Burlesque corner’ get dressed up and photographed as a masked Burlesque performer and maybe even win a free La Plagne holiday!

Whatever your pleasure, La Plagne’s got you covered with the Sublicimes festival, running at 6 different spots across resort from the 5th-18th of April. It’s come at a great time as well, I can no longer deny that spring snow is upon us, although coverage is still goo we are experiencing some very slushy conditions and the areas surrounding the runs are starting to look very brown indeed.

The sunshine that usually comes at this time of the year has not appeared to soften the blow of the disintegrating snow and I for one am seriously over grey skies and high winds. There’s not long left of my season and I want to enjoy my last few weeks so since the snows not perfect and the weather’s not great what better way to spend my time than meeting camels and yetis and questing to fight dragons?

Hopefully we’re also in for a bit of a turnaround with the weather too, the forecast is looking a little more chipper this week with some actual sun forecast on Thursday and Saturday and even some fresh snow scattered across the week. I will happily accept either of those things so long as one way or another we an end to dreary grey skies and threats of rain, fingers crossed please!