Champagny-en-Vanoise

• Part of the La Plagne ski area, with its high-altitude skiing and link to Les Arcs

• Brilliant for intermediates, with gentle learning areas for beginners

• Option of skiing back on a red or returning to the village by cable car

Beginners

If you’re new to skiing, Champagny is a lovely place to build confidence and beautiful village to be based too. The main beginner area sits at the top of the cable car, where you’ll find wide, sunny slopes and a relaxed atmosphere. It’s a great place to take those first turns, with space to practise and some of the best views in the area.

As part of the La Plagne ski area, you’ll have plenty of terrain to explore with dedicated beginner zones and nursery slopes at different altitudes. Whether it’s your first trip or you’re coming back after a break, you’ll find plenty of gentle terrain to ease you in.

One advantage is that after skiing at altitude all day, you can take a cable car back down to resort again. The runs back to Champagny are long reds, so beginners and early intermediates will usually take the cable car down. It’s quick, easy, and gives you a chance to take in the views.

Intermediates

If you enjoy long, confidence-building runs, you’ll feel right at home here. Around 80% of La Plagne’s slopes are blue or red, which makes this area a real favourite for intermediate skiers.

From Champagny, you can access a wide variety of terrain, from gentle cruising blues in the main La Plagne bowl to longer reds that bring you all the way back down to the village. The Mont de la Guerre run is a standout example – a long, flowing descent with over 1,200m of vertical back down to Champagny.

Lifts take you to runs over towards Plagne Centre and Plagne Bellecôte, while the skiing on the Champagny side is one of our team’s favourite spots in the La Plagne area. Wide open blues like Levasset, from the top of the Roche de Mio at 2739m, lead on to more challenging sections.

There’s also plenty of variety to keep things interesting. There are faster blue runs such as Laines and Arpette, and ungroomed red Natur’ runs like Lognan and Gavotte, in the wider ski area, which add a playful feel with natural rollers, and are perfect if you’re looking to push yourself a little more.

Advanced

For stronger skiers, Champagny opens the door to some of the most exciting terrain in the Paradiski area. The Bellecôte Glacier is the place to head for more of a challenge, with steep black runs including Rochu and Bellecôte, as well as a demanding mogul field.

If you’re keen to explore off-piste, there’s an incredible amount to discover. The Glacier de la Chiaupe is well known for its north-facing routes, including Petit Face Nord and the more technical Couloir Canadian. With steep terrain and avalanche risk, we’d always recommend heading out with a qualified guide – it’s the best (and safest) way to experience it properly.

Mountain fun zones

As well as ungroomed Natur’ runs on both the side of the ski area above Champagny and in the main La Plagne bowl, there are fun slopes and snowparks for those who like a different type of challenge.

The Riders Nation snowpark, which has four freestyle courses with different levels for all abilities, is easily accessed from Plagne Bellecôte via the Arpette chair. There’s also a fun slope (one of. Europe’s longest) from the top of Arpette back down to Plagne Bellecôte.

There are freestyle zones on the Champagny side too, with runs accessed via the Rossa and Borseliers chair lifts.

Nordic skiing

Champagny is possibly the best base in the La Plagne area for those who practice cross-country skiing. There are 85km of trails in La Plagne and more across Paradiski, and the most scenic of these are found above Champagny-en-Vanoise in the Champagny-le-Haut sector, the gateway to the Vanoise National Park. There are 23km of trails here with routes ranging from easy local circuits to longer scenic trails.

• Excellent for non-skiers and mixed-ability groups

• Gateway to the Vanoise National Park for nature lovers

• Unique activities including ice climbing

Nature experiences

If you enjoy quieter mountain moments, Champagny really comes into its own away from the pistes. There are plenty of opportunities for snowshoeing and winter walking, with marked routes through forests and open landscapes. You can even join a ranger to spot ibex in the Vanoise National Park, which adds something truly special to your time here. Lots of routes start in the stunning location of Champagny-le-Haut, the gateway to the National Park, which is accessible from the village by regular shuttle buses.

Something a little different

For a memorable experience, the ice climbing tower in Champagny-le-Haut is unlike anything you’ll find elsewhere. Suitable for beginners and experienced climbers alike, it’s a fun challenge and definitely something a bit different to try.

Over in La Plagne, the Olympic bobsleigh track adds a real adrenaline option to your stay. Whether you choose a guided ride or go solo, speeds can reach over 100km/h – it’s fast, exciting and completely unforgettable.

As part of your ski day, you can also add in the adrenaline rush of riding in an open-sided gondola cabin up to Live 3000 at the top of the ski area. The Aerolive experience is unique. The sensation of gliding in an open cabin, being able to lean out, safely attached by a harness, is incredible.

Family-friendly and relaxing options

There’s plenty to keep everyone entertained beyond skiing. Champagny-le-Haut is a hub for activities such as sledging, dog sledding, ski-joering (a Scandinavian discipline where you are towed on skis behind a horse) and winter walking. There is also a fascinating museum dedicated the glaciers, Espace Glacialis. There are shuttle buses running from the village to Champagny-le-Haut.

For something more relaxed, the village has a heated swimming pool and a cinema, and is a friendly place on wander in the evenings, popping into cosy shops and bars. The resort also has an active ceramics studio, which runs workshops throughout the year, if you want to add something creative into your week.

• Small but high-quality selection of restaurants

• Relaxed, low-key après-ski

• Wider choice available across the Paradiski area

Restaurants

Champagny may be small, but it offers a great choice of restaurants for its size. You’ll find everything from traditional Savoyard dishes to more varied menus, all served in a cosy, welcoming setting.

Up on the mountain, you’re spoilt for choice. Across the Paradiski area there are around 40 mountain restaurants, so you can easily mix things up throughout the week as you explore different sectors.

Bars and après-ski

Après-ski here is relaxed and friendly rather than lively. A handful of bars, plus a cinema and small disco, give you just enough to enjoy your evenings without it ever feeling busy or crowded.

For daytime après, there are lively slopeside bars in the ski area, such as the Bergerie above Plagne Villages, which hosts DJs in the afternoons.

Shops and essentials

The village has all the essentials covered, including a bakery, mini supermarket, speciality food shop and everyday services. For anything extra, Bozel is just a short drive away with a wider range of shops and facilities.

Overall, it’s the kind of place where everything feels easy – you’ve got what you need, without the distractions you don’t.