La Plagne was created in 1961, as with many resorts in the Alps, to save the valleys from becoming deserted. The agriculture and mining industries were in crisis, which led to young people leaving the valley in search of work. In 1960, four towns (Aime, Bellentre, Longefoy and Macôt) created an association to defend their interests, with an initiative of Dr. Pierre Borrione, mayor of Aime. On 24 December 1961, La Plagne opened, with its two drag lifts and its four slopes. Emile Allais, great ski-champion, has helped La Plagne to grow. Immediately, La Plagne generated a great deal of success, and in 1966, Guy Lux, a French TV host, presented “Interneiges”, a live competition between two French resorts.
La Plagne lies at altitudes between 3,250 metres (10,660 ft) (on the Glacier de la Chiaupe near the top of Bellecôte) and 1,250 m (4,100 ft) (in the village of Montchavin). La Plagne has 100 km² (39 sq mi) of ski area spread across four communes (Aime, Bellentre, Champagny-en-Vanoise and Mâcot-la-Plagne). La Plagne has 225 kilometres (140 mi) of slopes (134 slopes: 15 black/expert, 30 red/advanced, 72 blue/intermediate, and 10 green/beginner), and a large off piste skiing area including Bellecôte’s North Face. La Plagne is a modern ski resort with 2 cable-cars: the Telemetro, linking Plagne Centre and Aime-La Plagne and the Vanoise Express (which links La Plagne to Les Arcs, was opened in 2003, and travels at over 40 km/h (11 m/s; 25 mph), making it one of the fastest of its kind in the world, 8 gondolas, 36 chairlifts (2 8-seater, 11 6-seaters, 19 4-seaters, and 5 2-seaters) and 38 drag lifts. A bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track was built in La Plagne for the 1992 Winter Olympics held in nearby Albertville. At the end of the 2022/23 winter ski season, ski access to the Chiaupe Glacier will close. The glacier is being “rewilded” to preserve the snow conditions. There will be access to ski the Bellecôte glacier, which will still be above 3,000m, but the peak will not be as high as the Chiaupe Glacier.
