À La Plagne, Some places go beyond their simple function to become landmarks, meeting points and pieces of our collective memory. Belle Plagne Sports by SKiSET, now celebrating its 40th anniversary, belongs to this rare category.
More than a shop, it's an open house, a place where generations of skiers, loyal employees, mountain enthusiasts and visiting families come together.
It's a story that began long before today's shop windows, driven by a vision: that of Edmond Blanchoz, a pioneer of winter sports in the Tarentaise.
The legacy of a visionary
Edmond Blanchoz was not only a businessman, he was also one of the people who shaped the modern face of Paris. La Plagne.
In 1985, he opened one of the first ski hire shops in the heart of the resort.
Others were to follow. A second outlet was opened for the Albertville Olympic Games in 1992, followed by a third in 1998.
As the resort grew, so did the family adventure. Pictures from the time bear witness to this. A close-knit team, a shop where gloves, boots and wetsuits formed a landscape as alive as the mountain itself.
Capucine Blanchoz, the energy of a new generation
Daughter of the founders, Capucine Blanchoz grew up between Paris and La Plagne, fascinated by the winter shop windows, the gloves piled up at child height, the smell of melted snow by the front door. In 2007, aged just 23, she took over the reins of Belle Plagne Sports.
With a master's degree in finance, she could have chosen a career in Paris. But she chose the mountains. And she chose the family heritage.
With her husband, entrepreneur Jean-Jacques Vaudey, she modernised the shops, rethought the layout, introduced digital technology, design and customer experience. A new era is beginning for Belle Plagne Sports, without ever abandoning the soul of the shop: a warm welcome, close contact and advice.
Today, their son Lucas, trained as a skimmer and in management, has joined the business. The third generation is naturally taking its place in the story.
40 years of evolution, 40 years of adaptation
In four decades, expectations have changed, with more connected customers, online bookings, demands for quality, sustainability and technical expertise. Where others would have seen constraints, Capucine and Jean-Jacques have seen opportunities.
The creation of a range of top-of-the-range technical products, the development of summer activities, concrete environmental commitments to reduce our carbon footprint... The shop has never stopped evolving to stay true to the times without losing its roots.
One of the first SKiSET-affiliated shops, Belle Plagne Sports perfectly embodies this marriage of family tradition and innovation. The brand is also deeply committed. In particular, Capucine supports the League Against Breast Cancer, a cause that has been close to her heart for many years.
Belle Plagne Sports is celebrating its 40th anniversary not just because of its skis, wetsuits and innovations. It's thanks to the people who make it happen. A loyal team, customers who have become friends, a family that has managed to combine passion, hard work and vision.
More than just a shop, it's a big family that pulls La Plagne up and accompanies each generation of skiers. And perhaps that's why this adventure continues to inspire, season after season.