All of the centers, Champagny being the exception have gentle nursery areas on which beginners can find their feet. Although La Plagne does not have loads of green pistes it does have an unbelievable 79 blue pistes, many of which are pretty easy and could rightly be re-graded as green. Progression should be relatively easy especially if you hire a good instructor.

Intermediates! This is your resort. Even before La Plagne joined forces with Les Arcs to create the Paradiski it was an excellent destination for intermediate skiers and snowboarders with the overwhelming majority of its runs being graded blue and nearly a quarter graded red. That’s 113 intermediate runs in La Plagne alone and if you include the Paradiski as a whole you get a further 86 pistes to play on. Intermediates wishing to take the plunge and experience riding off-piste powder can do so in relative safety simply by popping off the edge of a multitude of pistes. Be sure you don’t stray too far from the pistes edge if there has been a lot of fresh snow as you might find swimming in powder snow isn’t too easy either. It’s definitely worth bagging an instructor for an hour or two and getting them to go over some of the basics with you. Riding in powder is relatively simple but you could flounder around for hours and get absolutely no where. Expert tuition can help avoid frustration.

La Plagne has one or two challenging pistes with some really nice and easily accessible off-piste routes too. You could spend a day or more between the back side of Roche De Mio and Bellecote and still not discover all the off-piste options leading down to the Chalet de Bellecote chair from either peak. Many other inspiring routes lead from Bellecote itself down to valleys on either side. This area is heavily glaciated so it is imperative that you hire a guide who knows these routes. En route to the Vanoise Express cable car occasional gaps in the forest beckon you to deviate from the main thoroughfare and often prove to be a more rewarding shortcut. Over on the Les Arcs side more black pistes are to found in abundance under the 3226 meter Aguille Rouge peak above Arc 2000. Here, especially after a fresh snowfall there is some good powder riding in the bowl above Arc 2000.