There’s a particular moment on the first morning of a ski holiday when everyone suddenly realises they actually have to go skiing.
The excitement is there, certainly. But so is the slightly panicked look that says, “Hang on, how exactly do we get ourselves, our skis and all these layers of clothing onto the mountain?”
I’ve seen it many times, and I completely understand it. Skiing can seem complicated when you’re looking at it from the outside. There are lifts, pistes, ski passes, ski schools, equipment, maps, and signs in colours that don’t necessarily mean much to you yet.
Once you’re out there, though, it starts to make sense very quickly.
So, if you’re planning your first ski holiday in La Plagne, these are the five things I find myself telling guests before they head out for their first day.
1. Don’t try to conquer the mountain on your first morning
This is probably the most important one.
La Plagne is a big ski area. There is a huge amount to explore, and once you realise how much there is, it can be tempting to want to see it all immediately.
Don’t. Your first morning is about getting comfortable.
If you’ve never skied before, or you’re returning after many years away, there is absolutely nothing wrong with spending your first few hours on gentle slopes and getting used to how your skis feel.
La Plagne has dedicated beginner areas, including ones in Les Coches and Montchavin, and the resort’s CoolSki system uses pink signs to identify protected beginner areas, gentle slopes and recommended circuits.
The beginner area in Les Coches is at the Jardin des Neiges and has a green-level area with a cable lift and drag lift. That’s a much better place to begin than looking at a piste map and deciding that because a blue run doesn’t sound too frightening, you should head straight for it.
Give yourself time. The mountain will still be there tomorrow.
2. Get some lessons, even if you think you’ll be fine
I say this to adults as well as children.
There are very few people who teach themselves to ski particularly well. And even if you’ve skied before, a lesson can be a really good idea if it’s been a long time. Your body may remember more than you think, but it can take a little while for everything to come back.
La Plagne has ski schools across its different villages, including ESF Les Coches, ESF Montchavin and Evolution 2 in both Les Coches and Montchavin. The resort also offers both group and private lessons.
What I particularly like about having a lesson on the first day is that you don’t have to spend the morning wondering whether you’re doing something wrong. Instead, someone can simply tell you.
For complete beginners, Evolution 2 in Montchavin-Les Coches currently offers adult beginner lessons, including a programme specifically aimed at adults and teenagers aged 12 and over who are starting from scratch.
And there is something quite reassuring about having an instructor say, “Yes, that’s right. Now try this.” It takes some of the pressure away.
3. Don’t panic when you see a blue run
This one catches people out. The first time you look at a ski map, the colours can seem rather intimidating. Green, blue, red, black. And suddenly you’re wondering why you ever thought skiing sounded like a relaxing holiday.
But once you’ve mastered the beginner slopes, blue runs are where things start to become much more enjoyable for many skiers.
La Plagne currently has 78 blue pistes, spread across the ski area. The resort describes these as accessible runs for progressing beginners as well as more experienced skiers who simply want a relaxed ski.
That is one of the things I really like about the area, because you don’t have to be an adventurous skier to enjoy exploring. Once you’re comfortable, you can gradually move away from the beginner areas and start seeing more of the mountain. Just remember: don’t feel embarrassed about taking a run slowly. Everyone starts somewhere.
4. Learn to read the mountain, not just the map
This is something you naturally get better at as you spend more time skiing. Before your first day, you’ll probably spend quite a lot of time looking at the piste map. I understand why; you want to know where you’re going. But once you’re actually skiing, the map isn’t the only thing you need to pay attention to.
Look at the signs, the piste markers, pay attention to the weather, and if you’re skiing somewhere unfamiliar, check which lifts and pistes are actually open that day.
La Plagne’s official piste information is updated in real time during the ski season, showing current lift and piste openings and closures. The resort also recommends checking webcams and the current piste map before heading out.
That’s important because the route you planned over breakfast might not be the route you end up taking. Perhaps there’s poor visibility higher up, maybe a lift is temporarily closed, it could be that a lower run is looking particularly good. The mountains make the decisions sometimes, and you just have to adapt.
5. Don’t measure a good ski day by how much ground you cover
This might be my favourite piece of advice. There can be a strange pressure on a ski holiday to make every day count. You want to ski from the first lift until the last one, cover as much of the mountain as possible, and try that famous run someone recommended. But, before you know it, you’re exhausted.
A good ski day doesn’t have to look like that.
Maybe you ski for a couple of hours in the morning and then stop for a long lunch, perhaps you spend half the day improving your turns, you could find one lovely blue run and do it three times because you’re enjoying it, have a day when the weather isn’t perfect and you decide that a slower day is better.
That’s still skiing, and, in my experience, people often enjoy themselves much more when they stop trying to prove something to themselves.
One more thing: don’t worry if you feel overwhelmed
I know I said five things, but there is one final thing I’d add.
Don’t worry if the first morning feels slightly chaotic. It probably will.
You’ve got unfamiliar equipment, you’re wearing more clothes than you thought humanly possible, you’re trying to remember what the instructor told you and you’re looking at a mountain wondering how on earth you’re supposed to get from the bottom to the top.
Give it a little time. By the second or third day, things start to become much more familiar, and eventually you’ll find yourself standing at the top of a run thinking, “I know where I’m going.”
That’s a wonderful feeling.
Don’t worry about skiing like everyone else, and don’t worry about seeing the entire La Plagne ski area in one week. Just enjoy learning. Enjoy the snow, the views, and celebrate the little victories.
Johanna
