La Plagne ski guide: Paradiski turns 65 with a new luxury chalet

In 1961, the French Alps were in crisis: the traditional industries of agriculture and mining were shrinking and villages were depopulating as the young moved to find work in the cities. Dr Pierre Borrione, a former French Resistance fighter and the mayor of Aime, took a gamble, building two drag lifts in his town. Not only did he manage to reverse the Tarentaise Valley’s decline, but he set in motion the creation of what has become one of the largest and most popular ski areas in the world: Paradiski. VIP Ski is marking this 65th anniversary season in style, opening Graciosa, a brand new ski-in, ski-out chalet development in La Plagne, Paradiski’s biggest resort. Set at a snow-sure 2,003m on the Mont St Sauveur piste, Stephanie Adams was among the first guests to check-in. What to do in La Plagne There are 225 km of runs at La Plagne, with another 200 km in connected resorts within the Paradiski area. 70% of these are at altitudes above 2,000 m so the powder is pretty much gu