[The trip is fully booked!]
La Plagne - the world's most popular ski resort
The ski slopes of the Alps need no introduction - excellent trails, off-piste powder and the excitement that surrounds it. This time we are targeting one of the most popular resorts in France: La Plagne. The Paradiski resort, which consists of three centers (La Plagne, Les Arcs and Peisey-Vallandry), has trails for all levels and a total of 425 km of pure riding fun! Suitable for both beginners - the entire resort can be covered with blue trails - and experienced riders. In addition to the wonderful ski slopes, there are plenty of bars and restaurants where you can take a refreshing break between skiing or unwind with a glass of beer after a long day of skiing. après-ski.'l.
March is a great time for downhill skiing - the temperatures are pleasantly warm and the sun is shining, but there is still plenty of snow on the slopes. Also, time your trip right after the school holidays to avoid the big crowds. Although the focus is on downhill skiing, we spend our evenings chilling in a cozy mountain cabin or, if we still have time, doing various exciting activities in the surrounding area. For example, partying, bobsledding, dog sledding, visiting a spa or something similar.
So, shine your skis or snowboard and come extend your Estonian winter in a true ski paradise!
To whet your appetite, here's a video from last year's ski trip to Mayrhofen (Austrian Alps).
Overview - short & sweet
Destination: La Plagne ski resort, France
Dates: 12.-20.03.2022
Activity: Ski/snowboard trip
Accommodation: mountain cabin
Transport: minibuses (also available by plane)
Group size: 14
Adventure guides: Allan Tobi and Madis Bachmann
Early bird (until 30.11.2021) — 1390€*
Less dizzy chicken (from 01.12.2021) — €1530*
*When booking a seat on an additional bus, the price is €70 cheaper.
*For community members discount of -5% applies.
[If Covid-19 restrictions make it impossible to travel (e.g. closing of national borders), we will refund the advance payment in full.]
Travel cost
Price includes
Two minibuses (9 seats)
Transportation to evening group activities*
Trailer for ski equipment and suitcases
Fuel, customs and road taxes, parking fees, etc.
Accommodation in a mountain hut
Bed linen and towels
Mountain passes for 5 days (entire resort)
Ski and snowboard lessons from instructors
Travel arrangements
(Optional airport transfer)
*For example, trips to dinner together, to the grocery store, to a party, etc., which we agree on during the trip.
Price does not include
Flight tickets (if you don't want to take the bus)
Insurance (travel and sports insurance)
Ski and snowboard equipment
Food and drink
Extra activities and personal transportation for them
Registration for the trip
Before registering, please familiarize yourself with travel conditions ja with an information sheet. To secure your place on the trip, a deposit (3%) must be paid within 20 business days of receiving the confirmation and invoice by email; if there are less than 30 days left until the trip, the total cost (100%) must be paid. Read more: frequently asked questions.
The trip is fully booked! You can register for the waiting list.
Ski resort and accommodation
Paradiski
As mentioned in the introduction, it is one of the largest and most diverse ski resorts in the world. The Paradiski region, which connects three resorts, has 264 ski runs, which provide a total of 425 km of discovery - more than enough! For beginners, the resort has 18 green and 129 blue runs, and for more advanced skiers, there are 77 red and 44 black runs. However, if the groomed runs are not enough of a challenge, there are also numerous off-piste (off-piste) opportunities and also snow parks.
Click on the image to see a larger interactive map.
The altitudes of the trails range from 1250-3250 m, with 70% of the trails being above 2000 m, meaning there is no need to worry about a lack of snow. You can also test yourself on one of the longest ski trails in Europe, starting at 3225 m and ending 7 km later at 1200 m, with wonderful views.
In addition, there is one of the world's fastest gondolas (45 km/h), which covers a distance of 4 m in 1800 minutes and can accommodate up to 200 people on two floors. All three centers are very well connected by elevators and gondolas.
Accommodation
During the trip, we will have at our disposal a cozy renovated mountain chalet (350 m2), with 9 bedrooms and 9 bathrooms. The bedrooms have 2 or 3 beds. In addition to a well-equipped kitchen and a living room with a fireplace, there is also a sauna next to the house, which will definitely be needed after a tiring day of skiing. In good weather, you can also enjoy the terrace and, as a bonus, we will have a view of the highest peak in the Alps, Mont Blanc.
The house is right next to the slope (50 m), which means we can put on our skis and go skiing in the morning and almost glide out of the house in the evening. The center of Les Coches is a 10-minute walk from the accommodation, where you can find shops, bars, restaurants, etc. We are located in the middle of the Paradiski resort, which means we are in the perfect place to explore all the slopes. At the same time, we are quiet and secluded enough to sleep well (or party undisturbed) at night.
If fewer than 14 people are participating in the trip, accommodation may be exchanged for a similar, but smaller house.
Catering
We take care of cooking ourselves or go out to eat. Depending on the group's preferences, we can have breakfast/dinner together. We can do larger shopping trips by bus, but shops and restaurants are only a 10-minute walk away. We spend the day on the mountain and lunch is available at the restaurants-bars located on the mountain. It should be noted that lunch in the restaurants located on the mountain can cost 15-20€. However, if you search a little, you can also find a burger for 10€.
Evening activities
In addition to hanging out in a cozy cabin, we can spend our evenings with various activities. La Plagne is known for its après-ski. in terms of places - you can go to them directly from the ski slope or by bus in the evening. If you don't care about partying, you can relax, for example, in various spas and saunas.
If you don't have enough adrenaline on the mountain, you can take a trip to the 1992 Olympic bobsleigh track in Albertville, where you can speed down the mountain at 1,5 km/h on a 110 km long track (a ride in a four-sled costs €40/person). Additional activities include ice climbing on a 24-meter artificial wall, sled dog riding, zipline aerial rides, sleigh racing and, after the lifts close, sledding on the ski slopes (tobogganing) go. In short, the choice of activities is wide and we can choose common activities together.
Transport
Minibus
NB! The VW Crafter bus is full - you can still register for a seat on the VW Caravelle bus.
We start our journey from Tartu with two 9-seater minibuses (Rental bus) and we'll take a stab at one of them too adventure trolley, so that there is no shortage of space. We can put larger suitcases and ski equipment in the trolley. The main bus is a VW Crafter, which is a bit more luxurious and more comfortable for longer trips than our additional bus, the VW Caravelle. The additional bus is primarily intended for those arriving by plane who spend less time on the bus, and therefore the price of the trip is 70€ cheaper when booking a seat on the additional bus. However, both are very decent minibuses. The choice of bus can be made at registration.
The drive from Tartu to the Alps (and back) takes about 30-35 hours. We drive without long stops, changing drivers as needed. Of course, we make stops for food and toilets along the way. Such a long drive seems daunting, but in reality it's not that bad - bring entertainment and a cozy fleece blanket. We also use buses for evening outings in La Plagne. Where, how and when - we will agree on this in more detail during the trip.
Alternative - flights
However, if you don't want to take the bus at all, we have also left another option: fly to Geneva (GVA) airport in Switzerland, from where we can pick you up by bus. In this case, you will have to buy your own flight tickets. If you wish, you can leave your larger luggage (and ski equipment) on the bus and fly with only hand luggage. Purchasing flight tickets is everyone's responsibility, but if you want a transfer to your accommodation (2,5 hours from the airport), you must take into account the following times:
Incoming flight: We will arrive at Geneva (GVA) airport on Sunday, March 13th at approximately 17.00:XNUMX PM.
Outgoing flight: We will arrive at Geneva (GVA) airport on Saturday, March 19th at 11.30:XNUMX AM.
So make sure that your flight times match the aforementioned times. If you have any doubts about the suitability of your flight times, please contact the adventure train. Allan (allan[ät]elamuspluss.ee).
At the moment (early October), the best deals seem to be on Swiss Airlines, for example on the following one-stop (Zurich) route:
13.03.2022: Tallinn (09:45) - Geneva (14:00)
19.03.2022: Geneva (15:20) - Tallinn (21:15).
The price was ~250€ on this flight schedule.
Guided ski and snowboard lessons
We offer a 1,5-hour training session every morning on the mountain. After the morning session, it's a good idea to go out on the mountain and try out what you've learned. This is a great opportunity to take your riding skills to the next level in a short period of time. The instructors will come with us from Estonia and will be with us throughout the trip.
Ski lessons are conducted by Triin Tobi (26), who represented Estonia in slalom and giant slalom at the 2014 Sochi Olympics and has been skiing at a competitive level for 12 years. Triin is an 8-time Estonian champion and 14-time youth champion in alpine skiing. In addition to her impressive results, Triin is always cheerful and knows how to beautifully explain what can be done with “pizza and fries” in the context of skiing.
Snowboarding lessons are conducted by Madis Bachmann (31), who has been a member of the Estonian freestyle snowboard team and has over 10 years of experience as a snowboard coach and instructor. Madis is also passionate about wakeboarders, so he definitely has tips on how to feel very at home at the table.
Schedule and activities
Days 1-2
On Saturday, March 12th, we will depart from Tartu with two minibuses and a trolley at 9.00:30. The first few days will be spent driving, estimated at 35-XNUMX hours, and there will be a free schedule on the bus. It is recommended to wear comfortable clothes and take a pillow and fleece blanket for sleeping. Also entertainment when you can no longer talk to your fellow passengers. :)
On the second day, around 17.00:2,5 PM, we arrive at the Swiss airport, where we pick up our flight attendants (if there are any). We will probably also make a trip to the grocery store there to buy food for dinner and breakfast. From there, it is another XNUMX hours to drive to the accommodation, where we will settle in and sleep comfortably in bed.
Days 3-7
MOUNTAIN DAYS! We are here, settled in and hopefully rested from the trip. This means that for the next 5 days we will be romping on the slopes. In the mornings, our instructors Madis and Triin will conduct snowboard and ski lessons for those who wish, which will last approximately 1,5 hours. We will agree on the exact time with the participants during the trip. If you think that you do not need lessons, then just give them a light. The rest of the day is a free plan, the only goal is to enjoy! Who will apply the knowledge learned, who will look for powder, who will look for the most difficult trail, who will look for the most delicious beer.
Generally, the lifts start closing at 17.00:XNUMX PM, so by then we start quietly returning to the house. We wash, go to the sauna, eat, dry our equipment, etc. There is no set plan for the evenings - depending on the wishes of the group, you can play board games, cards, watch a movie or relax in another way, or go do various active activities - for example, bobsleighing, ice climbing, snow sledding, etc. There are plenty of exciting activities in the area. Generally, we check on a regular basis how we feel and what we want to do - we have two buses to use for getting around. If necessary, regular buses (including the ski shuttle, which is free) and taxis also run.
Days 8-9
Our legs are pleasantly stiff, we pack our things and get on the bus. We will set off back to Estonia on Saturday at 9.00:11.30 and will stop at Geneva Airport (if necessary) at 9:19.00. We will return the way we came and should arrive in Tartu the next day (Sunday, March XNUMX) at approximately XNUMX:XNUMX. With fresh emotions and a rested soul, we can return to everyday life.
Equipment
If you have all the necessary ski equipment, it can be conveniently placed in the trailer, regardless of whether you decide to come by bus or plane. However, if you don't have any equipment, that's okay. There are two options for renting equipment: from Estonia or locally at the ski resort. Renting the entire set from Estonia, for example from Hawaii Express, costs ~125€/10p, while in France it starts at ~90€/5p. It should be borne in mind that renting from Estonia requires 10 or 11 rental days, while renting locally requires 5.
When renting from Estonia, you can ask us about it, maybe we can get a discount from some places.
Travel documents and Covid-19
The participant is responsible for the validity and orderliness of their travel documents. The following documents are required for this trip:
ID card or passport;
travel insurance and sports insurance (or suitable additional protection).
It is also recommended to bring European Health Insurance Card.
Valid Covid-19 certificate*.
*Please note that travel conditions may change and we are currently following the current rules. We will of course keep travelers informed of any changes. In addition, we recommend full vaccination (not a negative test) in the case of Covid-19 proof, as this will make life much easier. Especially when returning, where testing may be difficult or inconvenient.
If we are forced to cancel the trip due to circumstances caused by the pandemic (e.g. closing of national borders), we will refund the advance payment in full.
More questions? See also our frequently asked questions or ask the adventure locomotive.
Contact
Gudauri, Georgia 2019