La Plagne in summer

In La Plagne, we imagine summer as the arrival of a mouthwatering poke bowl on our picnic table: colorful, full of flavor, packed with vitamins, refreshing, and good for you. That’s all there is to it.

In summer, the mountains are a giant playground with a side of fresh air. Here, activities take place in the heart of nature, with Mont Blanc in plain sight. Between you and us, La Plagne owes this energy to its exceptional setting. Come experience the great outdoors in all its splendor: #unlimited hiking in the Vanoise National Park, zip-lining, yoga with a view of the peaks, or simply an impromptu gourmet picnic with friends…

It’s summer in La Plagne!

Via ferrata and climbing

Canopy Trails

Paragliding & Hang Gliding

Mountain Cart

Leisure park

Summer rates - Ski lift

Equestrian activities

Orienteering

La Plagne Sport Académie

A sporty and playful summer

Sports fields and stadiums

Nature activities

Summer riding thrills

We've got you covered

The mountains in summer? Under the snowflakes, the mountain pastures!

If you've only seen the mountains in winter, you'd be hard-pressed to imagine the richness that lies beneath the white cloak they don't shed until well into spring! As summer approaches, the snowflakes give way to wild grasses, the larches put out their soft green needles and the marmots emerge from their burrows. From flower-filled valleys to rocky peaks, winter's blank page is transformed into a colorful fresco. Lots of green(s), of course; yellow, pink or violet spots to whet the appetites of the herds returning to the mountain pastures; bluish grays in the scree slopes flirting with the sky... The mountains in summer offer a spectacle of contrasts that has nothing to envy of winter!

Hiking trails wind their way through alpine floors: coniferous forests, lush green meadows, mineral ridges... The descent is no longer made on skis, but on mountain bikes, on trails that are both playful and technical. The water changes from solid to liquid, feeding the Isère below to the delight of white-water sports enthusiasts. A summer vacation in the mountains means allowing yourself a break of pace: running from one activity to the next in the euphoria of the moment, then sitting facing a lake and watching for fish gobbling up unwary midges while listening to the stridulations of crickets in full concerto.

In short, a summer vacation in the mountains invites you to cultivate the present moment, far from the hustle and bustle of the city (and the crowded beaches of the South of France...).

Vacations in France: where to go in the mountains in summer?

Breathtaking landscapes, mythical peaks (to be contemplated... or conquered!), protected national parks, world-class sporting events, deep-rooted gourmet traditions... The French Alps (and Savoie in particular) have everything to please fans of active summer vacations.

Do you like to walk for miles and miles away from the city and noisy roads? Champagny-en-Vanoise is the perfect place to explore the 400 km of marked trails in the Vanoise National Park (home to France's largest colony of ibex).

Do you prefer thrills to the peace and quiet of a mountain hike? Do the words " downhill mountain biking ", " rafting " or " zip-line " send your heart racing? Book accommodation in La Plagne and the surrounding villages for easy access from one activity site to the next, so you can get your adrenaline flowing in no time.

Summer vacations in the mountains are also a great opportunity to grab a trail bib (on the trails of the legendary 6000D, for example, starting from Plagne Centre, Plagne Bellecôte or Aime-la-Plagne), or a bike (the SUPER8 mountain bike, ATV and road bike race could be of interest to you, also starting from Plagne Centre, Plagne Bellecôte and Aime-la-Plagne).

Would you rather race against the clock on the asphalt... against yourself? Forget your race number, and try to break your Strava stats in the wheel of the Tour de France pros(the Col de l'Iseranthe col du Petit Saint Bernard and the Cormet de Roselend make great targets for cycling enthusiasts - check out the full map of Haute Tarentaise cycling itineraries for even more cycling ideas for your summer vacations in the mountains).

La Plagne, Montalbert, Montchavin-les-Coches, Champagny-en-Vanoise... Which destination should you choose for your summer family vacation in the mountains?

To choose the right destination for your summer mountain vacations, ask yourself these two questions:

What do you need or want as parents?
What do your children need or want in order to come back from their vacations grown up (but not too much!)?

As parents, you might (for example) need to rest, but want to pass on to your offspring your love of the mountains in summer, or the values you hold dear (such as environmental protection or a taste for hard work).

As for your children and teenagers, they may also need a rest (even if they'd never put it like that), but above all they want to play, run, explore, try out new activities, see animals... In short: have fun.

It's by taking everyone's needs and desires into account that you'll be able to put together the ideal mountain vacation program. The one that allows everyone to feel good, to affirm their tastes, to discover new ones, to get out of their comfort zone "just enough".

The right idea? Plan your summer mountain vacation together. List all the activities available at La Plagne, Montalbert, Montchavin-les-Coches and Champagny-en-Vanoise, and watch for your children's enthusiastic (or disillusioned) reactions.

Hiking ? You can hike from any of the villages, but it's best to book accommodation in Champagny-en-Vanoise if you want to explore the Vanoise National Park. Mountain biking? You'll find mountain biking in every village, but if you want to try your hand at downhill (DH) biking, it's best to book accommodation close to the Bike Park lifts (i.e. in Plagne Centre or Plagne Bellecôte). White-water sports? They're practiced in the Isère, below La Plagne and its villages (Montalbert, Montchavin-les-Coches...), which means you'll have a bit (too) much driving to do if you choose a vacation rental in the Champagny valley.

Vacances chill ou sportives : que faire à la montagne en été ?

En juillet/août, chacun son rythme ! Vous pouvez décider de courir sur les sentiers le matin (en préparation d’une course de trail, comme La 6000D par exemple), et revenir en mode chill quelques heures plus tard pour contempler un sommet ou guetter une marmotte et ses marmottons à proximité de leur terrier.

Pour le vélo ? C’est pareil ! Vous pouvez tout à fait jouer les pilotes sur les pistes de VTT de descente du Bike Park un jour, puis changer de monture le lendemain et explorer les sentiers VTTAE sans pression (et avec beaucoup de pauses photos).

Les longues journées d’été autorisent les ruptures de rythme, les matins énergiques en montagne et les après-midis paresseuses à bronzer au bord de la piscine. Ou l’inverse. Bref : la montagne en été est synonyme de vacances plurielles, tantôt sportives et tantôt relaxantes.

Hiking, mountain biking, swimming... What can you do in the mountains in summer?

When you think of the mountains in summer, the first activity that springs to mind is hiking. Yet it would be simplistic to associate summer vacations in the mountains with hiking alone.

Lovers of active vacations will find what they're looking for on the trails of the Vanoise National Park, as well as on mountain bike trails (downhill mountain biking at the Bike Park, enduro mountain biking and/or VTTAE on trails shared by pedestrians and mountain bikers), on asphalt roads (for intense cyclos climbs on the training ground of Yellow Jersey contenders), on mountainsides (rock climbing, via ferrata...) or in the rapids of the Isère (hydrospeed, white-water swimming...).

In addition to these great summer mountain classics, you can also add some of the favorite activities of energetic children, such asaccrobranche, swimming pool, soccer, tennis... For the most sociable (or competitive) among them, the activity leaders even organize contests every week, with goodies at the end! Take a look at the weekly entertainment program.

In summer, the mountains are also a place of contemplation, to be discovered from the air in a soft version (on a paragliding baptism, for example), or in a more sensational version (how about a speedy descent on a zip-line?).

Why go to the mountains in summer? The advantages of La Plagne and its villages in July and August

Summer in the mountains has it all:

Affordableaccommodation, accessible to all budgets; the perfect excuse to extend your vacation without breaking your budget.
Varied and affordable activities, even free (like hiking). Perfect for satisfying all holiday participants, whatever their age, physical condition, vision of the vacation, etc.; and for treating yourself to other items of expenditure (restaurants, sports equipment, etc.).
Space! The mountains in summer are the opposite of the beach in July/August... There's no need to step on each other's toes, no need to rush off to reserve a patch of grass for a picnic at lunchtime...
Freshness, welcome when the mercury soars in the big cities and the air becomes unbreathable because it's too hot and/or too polluted.
Easy access by train or by car, in pleasant contrast to the traditional traffic jams on the way to the Côte d'Azur.
Just the right amount of peace and quiet for a truly relaxing vacation.

3 lakes to discover on your summer mountain vacation

A lake for swimming: the lake at the Versants d'Aime leisure park. Located in the valley near the Isère river, it's a favorite with families on warm summer afternoons. Children especially love the small beach (with lifeguard surveillance), the mini-pedalos and giant transparent bubbles for "walking" on the water, the bungee trampolines and the three tree-climbing courses just around the corner.
A lake not too far from a viewpoint: the Lac d'altitude des Blanchets (2350 m). The best way to get there? Take the gondola up to the Live 3000 panoramic viewpoint at the top of La Roche de Mio, then take the "Boucle Roche de Mio" hiking trail down to the lake in the direction of Belle Plagne.
A wild lake in the heart of the Vanoise National Park: Lac de La Plagne (2143 m altitude). Don't let its misleading name fool you: Lac de La Plagne is a long way from the heart of the resort, and is much easier and quicker to reach from Champagny-en-Vanoise (park at the Laisonnay parking lot) than from Plagne Centre! See topo.

Simplify your vacations: opt for an all-inclusive summer holiday in the mountains!

Organizing a vacation takes time. Why not put your trust in La Plagne Resort's vacation advisors to find you the accommodation best suited to your tribe? These destination experts know the hotels and residences in La Plagne and its villages like the back of their hands, and can even book activities for you as part of themed holidays (mountain bike holidays, hiking holidays, white water sports holidays, 6000D holidays, SUPER8 holidays...).

Itinerant hiking: another way to explore the mountains in summer

Looking for a real break from the hustle and bustle of the city? How about a taste of micro-adventure on the 400 km of hiking trails in the Parc national de la Vanoise! For two or three days (or more if you feel up to it), hike from refuge to refuge, from viewpoint to watering hole, from mountain pass to inland valley. A change of scenery guaranteed... without having to travel to the other side of the planet!

It's possible to take a summer vacation in the mountains by train!

Trains run in the Tarentaise valley in summer too! To reach La Plagne by public transport, stop at the Aime-la-Plagne TGV station, then take a coach (or cab) to the high-altitude villages (Plagne Centre, Belle Plagne, Plagne Bellecôte etc.). Good news for those who don't like driving, or who are sensitive to the carbon footprint of their summer mountain vacations.