Due to the scattered location of La Plagne’s villages and its family-friendly reputation, dancing until dawn isn’t as commonplace as in some other resort towns. However, there are bars, clubs and nightspots for every après-ski type; You just need to know where to look. Belle Plagne is the liveliest holiday village and the gondola that connects it to Plagne Bellecôte runs until midnight.
Away from the bars there’s a world of adventure, including the mile-long Olympic bobsleigh track, the relaxing Belle Plagne Deep Nature Baths and Spa and La Voie Blanche, perfect for snowshoeing.
For more La Plagne inspiration, check out our guides to the resort’s best accommodation and restaurants.
Find après-ski by type
Bars in La Plagne
La Mine
Before La Plagne was a ski resort in 1800, it was a mining village, which explains why the interior of this British pub looks like an old mineshaft. There are mining carts as tables, pickaxes on the walls, and lanterns hanging from the ceiling.
La Mine is one of La Plagne’s most popular bars for a drink or two after skiing, offering a rotation of 16 draft beers, cider and stout. Live sports are shown on large screens, bands perform regularly during the winter season and DJs keep you partying until 2am.
Price: £-££
Contact: bar-lamine.fr
Spit feathers
The cheerful Spitting Feathers bar has become something of an institution in La Plagne since it served its first pint in 2007. Modeled after a traditional British pub, this is the place to swap ski stories, watch live sporting events and take part in the popular bilingual trivia and karaoke night in the bar on Thursdays.
As well as a good selection of drinks – from Meantime London Prime Ale on tap and local wines to a wide range of cocktails, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic – Spitting Feathers serves delicious pub grub. Happy hour takes place daily from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Price: £-££
contact: spitting-feathers.com
Igloo Igloo
Bar Igloo Igloo has a special look: a group of penguins, a lone polar bear and worn sheepskin throws cover sculpted ice-white benches beneath a mounted, fluffy moose head. Why there’s a tree growing in the middle of this quirky bar is anyone’s guess, but regardless, the vibe at this popular hangout is non-stop après-ski fun. Happy hours are held daily, and when there are no bands playing, a DJ spins upbeat music until the early hours of the morning.
Price: £-££
Contact: 0033 61566 4384; facebook.com/iglooigloobar
Le Holidays Bowling Club
If you’re looking for a goal then head to Le Holidays Bowling Club and see if you can score a lucky strike. This popular bowling alley in the Plagne Center may be best known for its four 10-pin bowling lanes, but it also offers a lively evening. There’s a games area with a pool table, dart board and arcade games, as well as large screens showing live sports (from football to ski racing). Regular themed party nights start at 10pm with guest DJs keeping the party going until the early hours of the morning.
Price: £
contact: 0033 62083 1246; facebook.com/leholidaysbowling
La Bodega
As soon as the lifts close, La Bodega opens and serves hungry skiers and snowboarders a selection of Spanish tapas, with a mix of traditional small plates (think bite-sized croquettes de jamon) and international shareable dishes (falafel and guacamole are both represented). the menu). However, this is no ordinary post-ski fuel stop. La Bodega is also a lively bar and club with regular live music and DJ sets that last until the early hours of the morning (4am to be precise). When you leave, the lifts are almost operational again.
Price: £-££
contact: labodegabelleplagne.com
Le Bonnet
Most of the day, Le Bonnet serves quick, hillside fare where you can enjoy hot dogs, burgers, chicken fillets, and oversized portions of fries without wasting much time on the slopes.
However, when it’s 4pm, the kitchen closes and the bar staff get to work. This is one of the best après-ski scenes on the slopes of La Plagne, where you can drink, dance and be merry under the disco ball on the oversized terrace. It’s a guaranteed good time on any winter afternoon, but it’s the regular DJ spots that really get the crowd in the mood.
Price: ££
contact: 0033 68328 6629; facebook.com/LeBonnetLaPlagne
Bar Le 5 to 7 Siete
If you like your après a little more relaxed, head to Bar Le 5 à 7 Siete, a cozy wine bar with leather armchairs and an open fireplace. During the day the bar is open for quick snacks, either on the terrace or indoors (worth mentioning the Croque Reblochon Maison). After skiing, tapas platters are available to share to accompany the many cocktails, beers and wines on the menu.
As the evening progresses it can become more lively and there is music and dancing. Sports fans will be pleased to know that major tournaments will broadcast games.
Price: ££
contact: le5a7siete.com
Bar Fort Colorado
If you want to really get in the mood, head to Bar Fort Colorado, a Wild West-style fortress and one of the most unusual places to enjoy an afternoon beer or hot chocolate. The semicircle of wooden huts serves primarily as an outdoor bar, with a few sheltered wooden benches and chairs in case you need to take cover.
Located at the foot of the Pollux piste above Plagne Centre, it’s a lively place to end the day, with guest DJs playing throughout the week and a good selection of drinks. Hot dogs and paninis are available if you can’t wait for dinner.
Price: ££
contact: 0033 65096 1288; instagram.com/fort.colorado
Le Brix
Beer lovers unite. This stylish bar in the Plagne Center is the place to go for a post-ski beer. With more than 120 bottled beers and eight beers on tap, it offers the largest selection of lagers and ales in La Plagne.
Don’t worry if beer isn’t your thing, the staff at Bar Le Brix also make a great cocktail (the espresso martinis are particularly good). Sit back in one of the leather club chairs or perch on a stool at the bar and toast to another great day on the slopes.
Price: £-££
contact: la-plagne.com/going-out/bars-and-pubs/le-brix
La Tete Inn
You’ll have to squeeze into this popular bar in Belle Plagne, but who needs freedom of movement when you can have so much fun? A local favorite, this little alpine bar is tucked away in the Corail building. The friendly bar staff do a great job pouring pints, serving shots, and handing out free baguettes and pates during the daily happy hour (4-7 p.m.). A cheerful mix of bands perform live throughout the winter season, otherwise expect stirring sounds from the speakers and plenty of French party favorites.
Price: ££
Contact: 0033 47955 1982; instagram.com/barlateteinn
More activities in La Plagne
Olympic bobsleigh
Built for the 1992 Winter Olympics, the La Plagne bobsleigh track is the only one of its kind in France and one of only 18 tracks in the world. Located in La Roche, a former mining village, the track is now used for training national and international athletes as well as a novel après-ski activity for adventure seekers. There are three ways to experience the 19 winding curves: in a self-steering bobsleigh raft for four people, on the luge track or in a real bobsleigh. Children over 130 cm (4 ft 3 in) can ride in the bob raft, but toboggan and bobsleigh are only for those over 16 years old.
Price: ££ – £££
contact: la-plagne.com
Snowshoeing in La Voie Blanche
La Plagne is home to a unique topography: rolling gypsum hills that have eroded over time, creating a rolling landscape of ravines and peaks. In the winter months, these tranquil marshmallow hills – hidden between the busy ski slopes of La Plagne – are the perfect playground, especially for families. The reward for snowshoeing over the piles of snow is sitting down and sliding down the sometimes brisk slopes, ending up on the ground in piles of fresh, fluffy white goo. Book a guide so you know the best places.
Price: ££
contact: plagne-evasions.fr
Spa Deep Nature
Relax tired ski legs for an afternoon at Spa Deep Nature in Belle Plagne, a wellness area with a magnificent mountain backdrop. There’s an adults-only area, the Espace Spa Premium, with hot tubs, a swimming corridor, a salt cave, and dozens of treatment options. There’s also a family spa area with outdoor pools with water loungers and massage jets, as well as kid-friendly saunas. Best of all are the spa treatments for kids, including a “My First Spa” experience and dual treatment rooms where children ages six and up can enjoy a massage with a parent.
Price: ££-£££
contact: deepnature.fr
Dog sledding
Experience a dog sled ride across the snowy plateau of La Plagne. Hors Trace Aventure has been leading dog sledding expeditions for more than 20 years, guiding friends and families in sleds led by teams of up to 10 dogs. The puppies – packs of Samoyeds, Malamutes, Greenland Dogs and Huskies – are well cared for and are all types of dogs bred for dog sledding. Children aged two and over can take part (please dress warmly). The 30-minute dog sled rides take place every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday in Dou Du Praz and on Mondays in Longefoy and Montalbert.
Price: £££
contact: horstraceaventure.fr