OUR TRAVEL : 4 days, from February 5th to 8th 2023
WHERE : in La Plagne in the Tarentaise valley
HOW TO GET THERE: To get to La Plagne, it is possible to stop in Moutiers but you can also go to Aime La Plagne (only served during winter). It is not indicated accessible on the SNCF website so I advise you to contact Accès Plus at 3635 for more information. From bus connect the Aime bus station to the various sites in La Plagne. We advise you to contact the tourist office which will be able to inform you about the best means of transport to reach your accommodation.
WHEN TO GO ? In winter, it is the opportunity to try unusual activities for people with reduced mobility. The sliding is made possible in multiple machines all the most incredible!
WHAT TO PUT IN YOUR SUITCASE ? Going skiing when you are in a wheelchair is all about equipment. We recommend that you bring the following items:
- Ski clothes: it is easier to regulate your temperature when you have several layers that you can easily put on or take off.
- Gloves: remember to bring reinforced gloves to prevent them from getting damaged while riding. Don't forget the undergloves and the warmers to have a little more heat at the end of the fingers.
- Wheelbaldes and cross wheels: skates to be fixed on your front wheels to move more easily on the snow, especially if you don't have a third wheel. The cross wheels will grip the snow better than the city wheels.
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WHY GO THERE ? The mountain in winter has a taste for adventure and discovery of all kinds. The two resorts are very well equipped so that everyone can find their happiness and (re)connect with the sensations of skiing!
ACCESSIBILITY : Find all our addresses on our map Mapstr !
La Plagne, welcome to Paradise(ki)
In the Tarentaise massif, after 21 hairpin bends, we discover the site of Plagne Centre (map of the resort) at an altitude of 1 970 meters. Its strength: to offer accommodation with ski access!
What surprises us when we arrive is the totalaccessibility of the snow front infrastructures. Once installed in your accommodation, you can move around absolutely everywhere in a wheelchair without having to take your car! Elevators connect the galleries on several levels without having to put your nose outside... Very practical when it's -15 degrees! Arrangements have also been made for several wheelchair-accessible toilets, both in the restaurants and in the common areas of the galleries.
All that's left to do is stroll past the stores and why not make your way to the Refuge for a traditional raclette or to the Vache Rouge for a drink on the terrace with a view of the slopes!
La Plagne is also a multitude of possible activities and when you know that they are accessible for people with reduced mobility, you can't resist trying them out! Shall we take you along?
Autonomy in dual-ski
Snow sports are a real source of pleasure when you have a disability and skiing is obviously one of them!
After a session in Samoens in 2019 and one in Megève in 2022 with the ESF, it's time to get back into a sit-ski shell to continue my learning! This year, we decide to change school to discover a new learning method. It is with Oxygène on the snow front of Plagne Centre that we team up. The real plus of their shop: it offers both the sale of ski lessons and equipment rental (editor's note: this is not the case for all their stores). They have developed an offer for the able-bodied but also for the disabled with a large choice of adapted equipment: uni-ski, dual-ski, tandem.
Julien, the director of the school, launched the handi section more than 20 years ago and every year new instructors are trained to accompany seated skiers on the slopes. You feel confident as soon as you try on the equipment with skimans who know what they are doing and only want your comfort to be the best!
To install me in the hull, Julien takes all the necessary precautions to make sure that I don't have any support that could hurt me during the session. After the last adjustments, we go to the first green slope to start again gently. This time, I chose the dual-ski to have more stability and grip in the turns. At last, before launching out, we take again the bases: to raise the eyes, to control the opening of the skates to turn and especially to slacken the top of the body not to contract too much the shoulders.
Julien takes us very quickly to discover the Paradiski area. With more than 400 kilometers of slopes, we don't know where to turn! The real plus: I can get my bearings and work on my turns on wide blue runs. I rediscovered for the first time the feeling of sliding that I had validated ... It's exhilarating!
Paradiski, a ski area accessible by ski pass
La Plagne is one of the most advanced resorts in terms of accessibility! The ski lifts that can be used for sit-skiing (chairlifts and some skips) are all equipped with a priority lane marked with red flags. The agents are there to slow down the arrival of the seat and help you to settle down if needed. Once on the slopes, you can also enjoy the terraces of the mountain restaurants like everyone else! Most of them are now equipped with wheelchairs provided by Oxygène and the association Magic Bastosassociation, founded by Bastien Perret, former sit-ski and sit-wake champion. All over the domain, there are accessible toilets accessible to people with reduced mobility have also been installed in recent years. Bastien has listed them on his blog.
Nota Bene : another equipment has been created by Marc Gostoli, the Gotoski. It allows able-bodied people, with a certain apprehension of skiing, or in situation of handicap (being able to stand up at least 30 seconds) to be able to ski upright! You can ask at the different ESF offices if this option is for you.
In the footsteps of the Rasta Rocket
10 minutes by car from the city center, the former mining village of La Roche is home to the only bobsleigh track in France! At the beginning of the 20th century, the miners were the first to test this practice coming from Scotland on the road leading to the valley. The Albertville 92 Games Committee did not hesitate to select this area ideally oriented to the north to build the Olympic track. With a length of 1,500 meters and 19 turns, the professional pilots hurtle down the slope at over 100 km/h!
At the end of the events, it took a year to find a viable project to keep this unique activity going. A machine, the Bob-Raft, was created specifically to allow everyone to discover this sport. It allows 4 people to reach 80 km/h without a pilot and in complete safety! The sensations are absolutely incredible and we only want to do it again! You also have the possibility to test two other machines:
- The Speed Luge: lying down, you go down alone at more than 90 km/h
- Bob Racing: climb aboard a competition bobsled with a professional pilot and take the turns at full speed!
Take the opportunity to discover the job of the icemen who maintain the trail every day. There are about 20 of them working every day to make sure that the ice stays smooth and to check its thickness in the key turns so that everyone can enjoy their descent!
Jacuzzi and sauna facing the slopes
We can never get enough of a relaxing moment and the one offered by the Deep Nature spa in Belle-Plagne is one of our favorites!
In addition to the two outdoor areas with pools and jacuzzi with a view of Paradiski, 3 saunas of different temperatures and a hammam await you! You can also try the Himalayan Pink Salt Grotto. Halotherapy is a practice used to restore the benefits of the sea air on the body by breathing the salt. An experience not to be missed!
For those who don't mind cold water, take a Norwegian shower after the sauna... you'll be awake in no time!
Hotel Araucaria : The hotel is located at the foot of the slopes, perfect for waking up and discovering the area. Rates: Rooms start at 250€ with half board. Accessibility: The common areas are all wheelchair accessible. There are 3 PMR rooms in the hotel but unfortunately they are not up to standard. Being framed by two walls, the access to the bed is only by its end. In the bathroom, the toilet is quite low and close to the wall. The bar is positioned under the towel dryer, which reduces its use. The shower is very narrow and it is not possible to enter with a wheelchair to transfer to a seat. Two bars have been installed but they can only be used by people who can stand.
La Vache Rouge : A very nice address at the foot of the slopes. The dishes are delicious and the atmosphere is great on the sunny terrace. Prices: from 13€ for the dishes. Accessibility: the entrance is easy from the snow front. There is a small step to enter the restaurant from the terrace or from the gallery. The toilets are accessible and adapted. It is not necessary to have a large wheelchair to enter the first airlock.
Croq'Neige: Just across from the Vache Rouge, a good spot to grab a beer after dropping off your skis. Prices: from 5€ for a local beer. Accessibility: from inside the gallery, the entrance is through an automatic sliding door. You can use the toilets of the Vache Rouge (there is a small step to enter the restaurant).
Le Refuge: Right next to the skating rink, at the foot of the telemetro, a great address to enjoy a fondue with boletus or a raclette that melts in your mouth! Prices: a minimum of 2 people is required to order the Savoyard dishes. Count between 20€ and 26€ per person. Accessibility: the entrance to the restaurant is on the same level and the toilets are accessible and equipped for people with reduced mobility.
Paradiski: The La Plagne area is 225 km long and the Paradiski area is over 400 km long. You can even ski in the high altitude sector, at more than 3,000 m! Here is the map of the slopes of La Plagne and the one of Paradiski. Prices : 345€ for a 6 days adult ski pass. There is a 50% discount for people with mobility problems and a companion. To buy them, you have to go to the lift office once you are there and show your proof of disability. Find here the price list. Accessibility: there are accessible toilets all over the area and most of the lifts can be used for sit-skiing.
Oxygène Ski : A team that listens to you and has over 20 years of experience in handiskiing. Rates : For the La Plagne agency, here is the list of ski lessons of ski lessons. It is also possible to rent your equipment directly from them, either in their store or directly at home for the same price. Very developed on the handiski, do not hesitate to contact them to have all the details. A specific price exists when you take a week of lessons and rent your sit-ski at the same time. Accessibility : the agency is located on level 2 of the Mercure - Nanda Devi gallery. The store is wheelchair accessible.
Bobsled track: The Olympic track is open this winter until April 2. Go down at more than 80 km/h in a bob raft following in the footsteps of the professional pilots! Rates: For each descent, per person: Bob Raft: 49€, Speed Luge: 119€, Bob Racing: 135€ Accessibility: access to the ice track is with the help of the team on site equipped with crampons to walk on. The interior of the bob raft is entirely made of cushions and they will help you to get in the front of the machine! Inside, there are handles for you to hold on to and the person riding behind you is really stuck to you so there is no risk of you falling backwards during the ride.
Deep Nature Spa: Enjoy a moment of relaxation facing the ski slopes... total bliss! Rates: 20€ for the Family area and 40€ for the Premium area with saunas and hammam. Accessibility: the common areas are fully wheelchair accessible as well as the sauna and hammam. To access the jacuzzi and the pools, you can count on the help of the lifeguards. All the soft areas are equipped with a seat for people with reduced mobility as well as support bars.
La Plagne was a hit for its wheelchair accessibility and the ease of access to the ski slopes for a person with reduced mobility. I rediscovered the feeling of speed and pleasure in an absolutely exceptional setting with a view of Mont Blanc! We have already made an appointment for next year!
Trip realized in collaboration with Auvergne-Rhône Alpes Tourism and the tourist office of La Plagne and the ski school Oxygène.
2 responses
Bravo for these initiatives...
Our son, suffering from a multiple sclerosis generating a balance deficit, practices the Gotoski (sometimes called TROTTISKI)...
He passed in the mag. of the health of France 5,last week(10/03),in company of Mr. GOSTOLI to present at best this "infernal machine"... 💪💪💪👍👍👍
Hello Michel!
This is a great invention to allow those who can stand to enjoy the pleasures of skiing!
We hope he enjoys the slopes!