The weather during this week at Plagne 1800 on January 13th started warm with some new snow. It then got warmer for a couple of days and then turned cold. It snowed every day apart from one day when it was so warm it just rained. The weather was more like what you would expect in the middle of February than January. The top lifts were closed due to avalanche risk but there was plenty of excellent skiing to be done on the middle and lower slopes. The best days skiing was the day after the rainy day, the pistes had frozen over night as the weather turned colder, the pistes were firm but not icy, smooth and fast.
I normally take a lot of photos of the pistes but the weather did not permit that this time, so there are only photos of Plagne 1800, Plagne 1970, Aime 2100 and Bellecote 1930 including a photo from my apartment window every day. Notice how the snow improves, this is snow as it should be.
If you want to see photos of the pistes then follow the link to my photos taken on a previous visit to Belle Plagne in 2000.
There is a Hi-Res piste map and also a selection of street maps that I have scanned in.

Strips of ten full size photos

Thumbs of twenty photos per page

The best place to stay in La Plagne is Belle Plagne. Plagne Bellecote is located in the best piste location. Aime La Plagne has fantastics views plus a gentle blue run right outside the door which is ideal for begginers and there's another fairly easy blue run to the side for improving begginers. Plagne 1800 is not as convenient as the other locations but is attractive and also quiet. Plagne 1800 is served by a free half hourly bus (which can be very busy late in the day) or you can use the local chair lift that takes you up to Aim. Apres Ski is very limited in Plagne 1800. There is a french company UCPA at the bottom of Plagne 1800 which does adventure holidays for french teenagers, so if you are of this age group and want to oportunity to meet a couple of hundred french boys and girls this could be your chance. If you are searching for peace and quiet then it's safer to stay in the middle or top of Plagne 1800.
There is now a new cable car called the Vanoise Express that links across from Les Coches to the Les Arcs pistes and you can include this on your piste pass at extra cost. The Telebus lift to Plagne Villages is not included in the standard lift pass and costs something like 1.90 Euro each use, so if you are resident in Plagne Villages and have non skiers in your party and the money is tight this could be a nuisance.