The Ultimate Guide to La Plagne Après Ski Bars & Nightlife
Look, I’ll level with you. When people think French ski resort nightlife, ski trips to La Plagne rarely get mentioned in the same breath as Val d’Isère. Which is exactly why the SNO team have spent the better part of many seasons discovering that this sprawling resort hides one of the Alps’ most varied après ski scenes.
Scattered across ten villages from Aime 2000 down to Champagny, La Plagne’s bars might not have the international reputation, but what they lack in fame they make up for in character, value, and crucially, free shuttle buses that run until stupid o’clock.
The lay of the land (because geography matters here)
Unlike those neat little resorts where everything’s on one street, La Plagne spreads its nightlife across multiple villages at different altitudes. Sounds like a pain, but actually, it works. You get completely different vibes in each spot, and those free buses mean you can explore without bankrupting yourself on taxis.
The altitude matters too. Mountain venues shut after the lifts close (from 5pm), village bars run until 2am-ish, and the proper clubs in Belle Plagne and Plagne Centre will see you through to breakfast if you’re that way inclined. Just remember – the Roche de Mio bubble everyone bangs on about is being rebuilt until December 2025, so don’t believe old guides telling you to use it for late-night village hopping.
Where the magic happens on the mountain
La Bergerie – absolutely mental, absolutely brilliant
If you do one thing in La Plagne, make it La Bergerie on a Wednesday afternoon. This place sits at 2,180m on the Mira piste above Plagne Villages, and from 2:30pm it transforms from nice mountain restaurant to complete bedlam. This apres ski mecca is La Plagne’s answer to the Folie Douce next door in Les Arcs.
Picture this: you’re in your ski boots, probably on your third vin chaud, dancing on tables to a live saxophonist while a DJ mixes 90s bangers with whatever’s currently annoying your teenagers. The terrace heaves with bodies, the music’s loud enough to hear three lifts away, and everyone – from gap year kids to retired bankers – is having it. Wednesday’s the big one because all the seasonaires have their day off, but honestly, any afternoon’s worth it.
Getting there’s easy enough – Bergerie lift from Plagne Centre, Colossus from Bellecôte, or if you’re feeling brave, that bloody Aollets drag from Villages. I’ve even seen non-skiers hike up from the village. That’s dedication.
Prices? Surprisingly decent. Two beers and nachos to share came to €18 last time I checked. The party dies promptly at 5pm when the lifts close, so don’t rock up at 4:30 thinking you’ll catch the best bit. You need the full experience.
Le Bonnet – where the party continues
Smart money slides straight from La Bergerie down to Le Bonnet near Bellecôte. They keep things going until 7pm with DJs from 3pm, and that covered terrace is a godsend when the weather’s being dramatic.
Happy hour 4:30-6:30pm brings pints down to €5, which for a slopeside spot is frankly ridiculous. The modern wooden chalet looks properly Alpine, and yes, there’s actually an outdoor jacuzzi if you’re brave/stupid enough. Burgers run €11-17, and they do this thing with loaded fries that’ll sort your life out after a heavy morning on the glacier.
Plagne Centre – four flavours of fun
Igloo Igloo Bar
This place could’ve been terrible – the whole Arctic theme with fake ice walls, dancing polar bears, and penguins hanging from the ceiling screams “tourist trap”. But somehow it works. Maybe it’s the 4-8pm happy hour, maybe it’s the surprisingly good live bands from 9pm, or maybe it’s just that after a few drinks, singing karaoke surrounded by polar bears seems perfectly reasonable.
Located in the Galerie du Pelvoux, you can’t miss it. Sunday karaoke nights are legendary – just don’t bring the kids despite the cuddly décor. It gets properly messy.
Luna Bar
Four themed rooms spread over two floors at Place de la Cheminée. More chilled than Igloo Igloo, with pool tables, arcade games, and a shooter menu that reads like a chemistry experiment. Happy hour 5-8pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The Polish speciality shots are… an experience. Let’s leave it at that.
Monica’s Pub (actually in Plagne Soleil, not Centre)
Here’s one that catches everyone out – Monica’s is actually over in Plagne Soleil, not Plagne Centre like half the internet claims. Doesn’t matter though, the shuttle takes five minutes.
Open from breakfast through to 1am, with happy hour 4-7pm on draught beers. That sunny terrace is the best people-watching spot in the resort, and they’ve just added Paix Dieu on tap for 2024/25. Proper pub grub, Premier League on the screens, and a vibe that manages to be both family-friendly early on and properly lively later.
Le Cosy Club
The dark horse of Plagne Centre. Starts innocent enough at 5pm for conventional après, then morphs into the resort’s most serious nightclub from 10pm, often grinding on until 6am. Free minibus collections from all villages seal the deal. If you’re committing to a big one, this is where you’ll end up.
Belle Plagne – where it gets serious
Le Saloon – three floors of controlled chaos
This Wild West-themed monster could headline any Alpine resort. From 4pm it’s all live singers and happy vibes, then at midnight they flip the switch and it becomes a proper club with genuinely good DJs until 5am.
Three dance floors means you can find your vibe – cheesy pop, house, or just somewhere quieter to collapse. Word of warning though: drinks are pricey (think €10+ for a beer), and there’s definitely a two-tier pricing system. My French-speaking mate consistently gets charged less than me.
They often run a free shuttle to all villages, which means no more “how do we get home?” debates at 3am.
La Bodega – Spanish soul in the Alps
Operating since 1997, this place nails the tapas bar vibe like a proper Spanish venue. The wine cellar setting creates intimacy you don’t get in Le Saloon’s aircraft hangar spaces.
Open 4pm-4am, it cleverly evolves through the evening – relaxed tapas and wine early on, proper dinner service, then full club mode later. Monday salsa nights pull dancers from across the resort. Just don’t go mad on the cocktails unless you’re flush – this is Belle Plagne after all.
La Tête Inn – hidden historical gem
Tucked away in the Corail building (look for the unmarked doors), this 1830s building oozes character. You might think the cowhide sofas and milk-churn tables a bit cheesy, but the SNO team love happy hour (4-7pm) with pints for €5.
They serve complimentary bread with homemade pâté during happy hour, which is so great after an afternoon’s skiing. Live music every night ranges from jazz to rock covers. Small and intimate, so leave the pushchair at home.
The villages – where the La Plagne locals drink
La Mine Bar, Plagne 1800
Single-handedly makes Plagne 1800 worth visiting at night. The mining theme isn’t just painted on – you’re drinking at tables made from actual mining carts, surrounded by pickaxes and proper underground vibes.
Live bands 4-7pm, then DJs until 2am (3pm start on weekends). Check their Instagram for who’s playing – they get proper bands, not just someone’s mate with an acoustic guitar. Just avoid it when the seasonaires are out in force unless you’re under 25 and up for absolute carnage.
Spitting Feathers, Plagne Bellecôte
Tim and Anna have run this place for over a decade, turning it from standard British pub into genuine La Plagne institution. Three different happy hours daily (they keep changing times to keep you on your toes), curry night Wednesdays for €12, proper fish and chips Fridays for €14.
The Thursday quiz gets seriously competitive – book a table or you’re standing. Free minibus to high altitude villages seals the deal. Opens from 4pm normally, but 2pm when the weather’s grim and everyone needs somewhere warm.
The smaller villages
Aime 2000 has Vins & Un, a proper little wine bar where the owner actually knows the difference between Savoyarde vintages and just making it up. Burgers are brilliant and weirdly cheap at €8.
Montchavin’s Camp de Base Café at the bubble base serves Mont Blanc beer made with Génépi flowers. Tiny place, but where else are you drinking flower beer at €6 a pint?
Montalbert’s White Bear shapeshifts from family restaurant to the village’s only nightclub after 11pm. Happy hour until 6:30pm is apparently “very cheap” – make the most of it.
Champagny keeps it real with a handful of hotel bars. Not destination drinking, but solid when you can’t face the shuttle back from Bellecôte.
Late night options (for the committed)
When everywhere else gives up, three venues keep the dream alive:
Le Saloon – those three dancefloors keep pumping until 5am. Free shuttle home. Expensive but proper.
La Cave (Bellecôte) – 6pm-6am makes it the latest option. Very French crowd, very French music. You’ve been warned.
Le Cosy Club – reliable until stupid o’clock with minibus collections from everywhere. No excuses.
Making it work – La Plagne nightlife logistics
Transport is everything
Screenshot the shuttle timetables as soon as you arrive. Seriously. Phone signal vanishes in half these bars and you do not want to miss the last bus. The main services:
- Red Line: Every 15 mins until 12:50am (Bellecôte-Centre-1800)
- Blue Line: Hourly until 12:30am (covers Aime 2000)
- Villages/Soleil Shuttle: Every 15-20 mins until 11:45pm
Download the Yuge App or Mov’in La Plagne App for real-time tracking. Keep taxi numbers saved (JB Taxi: 04 79 09 03 41 is reliable) because that last shuttle waits for no one.
Budget drinking tactics that do work
Save a small fortune by ‘happy hour hopping’ between bars:
- 4-7pm start at either La Tête Inn or Monica’s
- 5-8pm move to Luna Bar or Igloo Igloo for an extra hour of cheap drinks
- Where else? Check La Mine’s Instagram as their happy hour can change
To eat before going out clubbing, we think Spitting Feathers and Monica’s offer best value for proper meals. Several places serve food until midnight for emergencies.
In nightclubs, bottle service works out cheaper if you’re in a group. €120 vodka between eight people = €15 each. Just saying.
Different crowds, different strategies
Stag/hen groups: Wednesday La Bergerie is mandatory, work through Centre bars, finish at Le Saloon. Book restaurant tables and shuttles in advance.
Families: La Bergerie afternoons give kids their first taste of proper après culture. Monica’s and Spitting Feathers welcome families early evening. Everywhere chills out by 9pm in the villages.
Couples: La Bodega from Tuesday to Thursday is good for intimate vibes. Vins & Un for proper wine lovers and it’s chilled enough to chat. La Tête Inn’s jazz nights are good for a date in a more grown-up atmos’.
Solo travellers: Bar stools at Spitting Feathers or Monica’s are where to seek out conversation. Thursday quiz nights are also perfect for meeting people and making new friends.
The La Plagne après ski experience
Here’s what a proper La Plagne night looks like:
3:30pm: You’re at La Bergerie, boots still on, joining the table-dancing 5:15pm: Quick slide to Le Bonnet for sunset beers 7:00pm: Food at Monica’s or Spitting Feathers (book ahead) 10:00pm: Warm-up drinks at Igloo Igloo Midnight: Decision time – Le Saloon for international vibes, La Cave for French flavour, or Le Cosy for guaranteed late doors
Or mix it up by villages:
- Monday: Plagne Centre crawl
- Tuesday: Belle Plagne sophistication
- Wednesday: La Bergerie then 1800 carnage
- Thursday: Quiz night at Spitting Feathers
- Friday: Full Belle Plagne experience
Why it works
La Plagne’s après ski punches well above its weight. No, it doesn’t have St Anton‘s Mooserwirt or Verbier’s Farinet. What it does have is genuine variety, prices that won’t require a mortgage, and enough free transport to actually enjoy it all.
From La Bergerie’s glorious afternoon chaos to Le Saloon’s 5am dance floors, from proper British comfort at Spitting Feathers to wine education at Vins & Un, there’s something for every mood, budget and blood alcohol level.
The spread-out villages thing that seems like a weakness? It’s actually La Plagne’s secret weapon. Each area has its own personality, the free shuttles mean you can explore properly, and you’re never fighting through the same crowds every night.
Just remember the golden rules: shuttles stop eventually (screenshot those timetables), La Bergerie Wednesday is non-negotiable, and Monica’s is in Soleil not Centre despite what Google says.
After three seasons of “research”, I can honestly say La Plagne delivers 90% of the famous resorts’ experience at 70% of the price, with way more variety. You just need to know where to look.
Now you do.
For specific venue recommendations based on your group, dates or budget, call the SNO team. We’ve been sending clients on amazing La Plagne ski holidays for two decades, so call 020 7770 6888 for advice or browse our package deals.
