Skiing really is sensational, it’s unlike any other trip I have ever been on. From the incredible scenery to brilliant bars, exhilarating sport to calm surroundings it is definitely something I will do for the rest of my life. I went skiing in La Plagne, France with 9 friends, all of which had been skiing before! This was my first skiing experience and I left begging to go back!
We stayed with Inghams in a beautiful chalet in the mountains of La Plagne in the French Alpes. Inghams organised all the travel, transfers and the catered chalet, making it a totally fuss-free week.
We went for a chalet rather than the hotel option as we were a small group and wanted somewhere we could chill out in the evenings together. With the catered chalet option we got a full English breakfast, tea and cake in the afternoon and then a 3-course dinner with wine in the evening, all included in our package.
Our chalet was not what they call ‘ski-in, ski-out’ which meant a short, free bus ride to the chairlifts to go up the mountains. This was fine, however, I can totally see the appeal of being able to ski down the mountain and straight into the chalet without taking equipment on and off.
The skiing itself was the strangest sensation… once you wrap your head around going feet first down the mountain, and leave all your nervous energy on the ski lift, it really is fun!
I had a couple of lessons when I got out there. As I had never stepped foot on a mountain before, I felt it might be a good idea to avoid unnecessary bruises and learn the basics! After a few days, I really got into the swing of things and picked it up quite quickly!
La Plagne is fantastic for beginners. It has plenty of blue runs which are great for those just starting out. It also has some much tougher red and black runs with some beautiful off-piste beauties for those that are more experienced, making it a great place for a mixed ability group as well.
La Plagne, and skiing holidays in general offer such a mixture of things do. There is so much more to it than just the skiing part. For those that are looking to do things other than ski, it’s great. There are plenty of bars to have a little mountaintop tipple, there are great traditional restaurants, glorious hiking routes, and of course the stunning scenery which everyone can enjoy and appreciate. The scenery is truly spectacular! You look around and the view is like a postcard from every angle!
What can I say… the aprés ski… it’s basically the ski folk way of making day drinking acceptable! Hurray! After a morning of skiing, everyone heads to the bars which are dotted all over the mountainside, dust off their boots, hang up their helmets and order what I can only describe as heaven in a glass… it’s called a demi pêche. It’s a beer with peach syrup and it’s amazing! Even I loved it, and I’m not the biggest beer fan.
We went to a bar every afternoon called Chalet D’altitude La Bergerie! We danced on the tables, drank a lot of demi pêches and generally had an amazing time. As you can see from some of my pictures, we also decided on one day to all wear animal onesies. Safe to say we got a lot of funny looks all coming down the mountain dressed as unicorns, penguins, dragons and other members of Noah’s Ark.
I can’t recommend skiing enough! I know people say it is expensive, and it is. You have to buy a lot of gear initially but I am telling you… its worth every penny! For this trip, I borrowed as much equipment as possible to avoid having to spend a huge amount of stuff until I knew I would go multiple times. Skiing is unlike any other trip I have ever been on and is something I look forward to doing every year.
So go on… go and take on your own skiing adventure!
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Sophie – TFB
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