High-end
La Carlina, Belle Plagne. Tel. + 33 (0)4 79 09 78 46
The Carlina is the only four-star hotel in the whole of La Plagne that is open to all comers, in the normal way. It is an excellent establishment in the village resort of Belle Plagne that has just achieved four stars by amongst other things providing tea for children at four o’clock and a better breakfast for adults. There is a spa, including a covered swimming pool, sauna, a Jacuzzi and hammam. The hotel is right by the ski run and you can put your skis on and go. There is an excellent restaurant and a terrace overlooking the ski runs.
Les Deux Domaines, Belle Plagne. Online contact form
Also in Belle Plagne is the flagship ‘five diamond’ chalet hotel operated by Ski Esprit for family package holidays. The clientele is almost entirely British as are the staff. If you want French quality winter sports in a totally British environment, in a first class hotel, this is the place. There are certain restrictions compared with a normal hotel like no room service and no alcohol in the mini bar. All enquiries and bookings have to go through www.espritski.com. There is a pool and everything is geared to making a family holiday with children a success – and it succeeds.
Club Med, Aime La Plagne. Tel 0845 3670 670
For the French, the Club Med hotel at Aime La Plagne offers a similar package holiday in a four-star hotel with 243 rooms on eight floors, a fitness room, Turkish bath & sauna
Mid-level
Araucaria Hôtel Plagne Centre. Tel. +33(0)4 79 09 20 20
The Araucaria is an excellent three-star hotel in Plagne Centre and is privately owned and personally managed by Clément Pasquette. It is strategically placed at the foot of the Jena-Luc Crétier Slalom stadium and just by the ski runs. The hotel offers a beauty salon balnéotherapy, sauna jacuzzi and hammam as well as a 20% discount on lift prices. There is an excellent restaurant serving a buffet with a wide choice of dishes. Well behaved non residents are some times accepted but booking is essential. Late night revellers on a Friday, who have just discovered everywhere else is full, are not.
Budget
Hotel Mercure, Belle Plagne. Tel. +33(0)4 79 09 12 09
The Hotel Mercure is a good two-star hotel modernised in 2005 and part of the chain of hotels of the same name with a restaurant, sauna hammam and solarium. It is ski in ski out and has a fine view of the mountains.
Auberge Restaurant at Le Chalet du Friolin, Montchavin-Les Coches. Tel : +33 (0) 4 79 55 37 49
On another planet is the cosy old Megève style auberge the Chalet du Friolin. It certainly is ski in ski out, snow shoe or ski de fond but definitely not drive in. A great establishment with only five bedrooms and terrific traditionalSavoyfood amongst the wild life on the edge of the Park de la Vanoise. You can park at Coches Montchavin and mine host will come and fetch you on his snowmobile pulling a sledge for four people. Snow shoers and langlaufers follow the Les Bauches path (5 km), skiers take any of the ski lifts Plan Bois, Piste du Carolay or Malatray from Coches. The evening meal in front of the open fire and a big breakfast to set you up for the day in the morning. You can have lunch there too.
Condo/House rental
The resort runs an extremely comprehensive service for anybody looking for a hotel, apartment, chamber d’hôte or chalet - La service de reservation de La Plagne. http://www.la-plagne.com/fr/hiver/hebergements-plagne.html
In addition there are ten property agents in the resort the biggest of which is Immobilier La Plagne who have offices in Aime La Plagne, Belle Plagne and Belle Côte. Contact: locations@laplagne-immobilier.com/tél. : 04 79 09 00 77
