Les Deux Alpes lies between Grenoble and Briançon in a remote corner of the Dauphiné, just over an hour’s drive south-east of Grenoble. Les Deux Alpes is one of the largest and most snow-sure ski resorts in the Southern French Alps. Its biggest asset is its high altitude, which allows skiing to continue throughout much of the year.
Best known for having the largest skiable glacier in Europe, Les Deux Alpes also boasts one of the world’s greatest on-piste vertical drops: an exhilarating descent of 2268m, rideable non-stop all the way.
Combine Les Deux Alpes main assets – guaranteed snow cover, long cruisy runs – with 200km of pistes served by 44 lifts, and you should have a near perfect ski resort. Les Deux Alpes is a pleasing venue for any powder hound on a mission when the snow falls. Due to the sheer size of the place, intermediates will find more than enough to keep themselves occupied, but Les Deux Alpes is not the middle of the road paradise that exemplifies so many ski areas
The ski area
Les Deux Alpes’ skiing is characterised predominantly by well-groomed blue and red cruising pistes, mostly confined to a narrow backbone of glacial ridges high above the tree line. Despite this linear layout, it contains a good variety of terrain: ranging from sheltered powder-filled bowls to raw glacial summits, and from easily accessible beginners’ snowfields to seriously exposed off-piste routes.
The resort is suited to all levels of skier and rider. However, lower intermediates should note that on the main mountain the gradient is ‘reversed’. Some of the easiest skiing is higher up – both on and around the glacier. The benefit of this is that complete beginners can learn against the panoramic backdrop of the High Alps rather than on a shaded slope tucked away on the outskirts of a village.
From Les Deux Alpes village, a choice of lifts gives main mountain access. The most important of these is the Jandri Express gondola that ascends all the way up to the foot of the glacier. From the outset it’s important to realise that this is an unusually shaped mountain. Some of the most difficult runs are at the bottom, while the top is largely given over to easy blues.
There are two distinct ski areas, rising on opposite sides of the town: the compact Pied Moutet sector to the west was the original local ski hill, although it now feels remote from the now much larger main ski area over on the eastern side; there’s one chairlift linking the two areas from east to west, plus one piste linking from west to east.
Mont de Lans is the lowest part of the ski area, a short chairlift ride and a red run from the rest of the system and 5 km from the main resort by road.
On the eastern side, the wide and gentle slopes closest to the town centre house bustling beginners’ zones and children’s snow gardens, but rise very steeply to the ridges overlooking the resort, meaning that almost all of the home-run routes are graded black. These tend to get icy and moguled too, which adds to their masochistic appeal at the end of a long ski day.
The upper sectors are much more varied: here you’ll find further beginners’ zones, gentle inter-sector traverses, steep-sided coombes, plus Les Deux Alpes’ excellent snowpark and exciting in-bounds freeride features.
The iconic Glacier sector covers the uppermost reaches of the domain, yet its spacious dome-shaped summit slopes are as accessible to novices as they are to advanced ability visitors; it is also the starting point for a multitude of epic off-piste itineraries, and links into the -experts only- La Grave ski area.
The resort is home to plenty of good off-piste terrain and there’s more to be explored nearby in Saint Christophe and, of course, the freeride paradise next door that is La Grave.
Local highlights include the three short but testing Grand Couloir chutes, accessed from the Bellecombes chair, the Pic du Diable off the same chair, (plus an hour’s hike!), the Chalance bowl, the long descent from the Dome glacier, and several unpisted itineraries into the La Fee valley.
Snow sure
Les Deux Alpes is renowned for its snow sureness, making it a popular destination for skiers who want to be guaranteed snow throughout the season. The resort’s high altitude and advanced snowmaking system ensure that there is always enough snow to ski on, even when the natural snowfall is low. Les Deux Alpes has 225 snow cannons that are capable of covering 39 hectares of ski runs with artificial snow.
Additionally, the resort is located partly on a glacier, which guarantees snow coverage throughout the year. During the summer months, visitors can ski on the glacier, making Les Deux Alpes one of the few resorts in the world that offer year-round skiing.
Les Deux Alpes has some great terrain for a snow heavy season. The maintenance of the area is mainly good. But compared to other major French resorts like La Plagne, Tignes, 3V there is less snow-making particularly higher up. So, in seasons with less snowfall it will suffer far more quickly. Another point worth noting is the lack of variability in aspect of slopes. Almost everything is on a north facing valley, or north facing. This means a lot less sun, which is again fine on good snowfall seasons, but will make for lots of unrelenting ice if there is a warm spell and freezing thereafter. Also, because the area is on a north valley, you will find the dominant winds run directly uphill a lot of the time, particularly in the popular Toura area where their park is.
The resort has a wide range of accommodation options, from luxury hotels to budget-friendly apartments, ensuring that visitors can find the perfect place to stay.
Amenities
Apart from skiing, visitors can enjoy a variety of activities in Les Deux Alpes. The resort has an ice rink, a swimming pool, and a fitness center. Visitors can also try dog sledding, snowmobiling, and ice driving. The resort’s vibrant après-ski scene is another reason for its popularity. Les Deux Alpes has a variety of bars, restaurants, and nightclubs, offering a lively atmosphere for visitors to unwind after a day on the slopes. The local cuisine includes hearty mountain dishes such as fondue, raclette, and tartiflette.
In conclusion
Les Deux Alpes is a world-class ski resort that offers a wide range of skiing opportunities, including off-piste skiing and snow parks, as well as guaranteed snow throughout the season. The resort’s popularity is due to its extensive skiing opportunities, snow sureness, and lively après-ski scene, making it a top choice for skiers from all over the world. Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, Les Deux Alpes is a destination that offers something for everyone, making it an exciting and unforgettable experience.
Getting there
The easiest way to get to Les Deux Alpes is by flying into one of the nearby airports and then taking a bus or a shuttle to the resort.
By Air: The nearest airports to Les Deux Alpes are Grenoble-Isère Airport (GNB) and Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport (LYS). Both airports are well-connected to major European cities and have regular flights throughout the ski season. From either airport, you can take a bus or shuttle to Les Deux Alpes.
From Grenoble-Isère Airport, you can take a direct bus to Les Deux Alpes, which takes around 1.5 hours. You can check the bus schedules and book tickets on the airport website or on the website of the bus company, Transisère.
From Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport, you can take a train to Grenoble, and then take a bus or shuttle to Les Deux Alpes. The train journey from Lyon to Grenoble takes around 1 hour, and the bus journey from Grenoble to Les Deux Alpes takes around 2 hours.
By Train: The nearest railway station to Les Deux Alpes is in Grenoble, which is well-connected to major French cities and other European destinations. From Grenoble, you can take a bus or shuttle to Les Deux Alpes. The bus journey takes around 2 hours.
You can check train schedules and book tickets on the website of the French National Railways, SNCF (https://en.oui.sncf/en/).