© Stuart Hamilton
It's cold in La Plagne & conditions are great
Impressive snow depths throughout resort
Conditions are mainly very good across La Plagne with top to bottom riding on offer and all but three runs open: the Derochoir black in the glacier sector as well as Montchavin’s Lac Noir red and the Jacottaz blue. The resort remains busy as we’re still in mid-term holiday period for some French regions but, thankfully, the amount of open terrain is helping spread the crowds.
As France staggers the mid-term break across the country’s various Departements (regions), the holiday period for some areas will last into next week, so you can expect a busier-than-normal resort for a wee while yet. Read our article for top tips to avoid the queues.
As for the snow, the early season base we were gifted way back in December endures reliably with incredible depths prevailing across the resort. 380cm on the glacier, 225cm in the main station and half a metre down lower in the satellite villages.
Somewhat incredibly, last week marked the halfway point of the season but, despite the fact we’re nearly into March, we are expecting bitterly cold temperatures through the next few days - down as low as -20ºC or even -30ºC at times. It’s expected to stay that way until at least Wednesday, so wrap up warm with plenty of extra layers when you’re heading out.
The same Siberian cold snap that is currently engulfing the UK has slipped its way down over the Alps and, while Austria seems to be bearing the brunt, France too is caught in its icy blast. It’s worth remembering the altitude of even the base stations in La Plagne is higher than the tallest UK summit, while at main resort level you’re almost double the height, so the effects of the cold are decidedly more profound.
We’re also expecting some blustery moments over the coming days, making frostbite a real concern at higher altitudes. The effect of windchill can make temperatures feel over 20 degrees lower, so play it safe and be sure to cover any exposed areas.
Looking further ahead, temperatures are expected to rise Thursday into Friday, returning to more seasonal norms. As seems to be the way this year, we’re expecting a little fresh snow just in time for transfer day. There likely won’t be much in the way of travel drama as it’s really just a smattering but we’ll keep you posted regardless since the roads are still busy at this time of year.
As we progress into March, the queues will slowly subside and the sun and warmer temperatures should return, making for some epic riding considering the deep and wide cover we’ve still got across the entire area. The snow can be quite slick and hard in places just now so be wary of the odd icy section here and there. A warming forecast for later in the week will help break these areas down, particularly in the lower sectors where we should see a return to more spring-like conditions.
There’s no video report today as I’m currently nursing a damaged knee but I hope to be up and out again soon. With more or less the full area open and great cover everywhere, La Plagne continues to serve up the goods through the 17/18 season.
Stuart Hamilton is Creative Director of iRide App (iOS / Android) and Editor of Ski-App and Snowboard-App (ski and snowboard video apps available exclusively on Android).
