It is one of the five largest ski resorts in France. It is located at the foot of the largest glacier in Europe suitable for skiing – Mont de Lance. Nearby is the La Grave glacier. From here you can go down to the village of La Grave – a favorite place for extreme sports enthusiasts.

Les Deux Alpes is a small village located at the bottom of a valley. It is stretched along the main street. There is no center as such, the resort has been growing haphazardly for many years, so it has merged many architectural styles: from old chalets to thoughtful buildings of recent years, in the neighborhood there are wooden or wood-finished buildings “for antiques” and modern hotels made of glass and concrete. Les Deux Alpes evokes conflicting feelings. The main peak and snow on most of the slopes above 2100 m make a very pleasant impression, and young people may like the bustling nightlife.

Nearest airports: Grenoble (75 km), Lyon (160 km), Geneva (220 km).

For snowboarders: a board park, a board cross track and two half pipes in the Thor sector. Every year, Les Deux Alpes hosts the Mondial du Snowboard competition.

Winter season from early November to early May.

Summer skiing on the largest glacier in Europe from June 21 to August 30.

The maximum height of the upper lift station is 3570 m. The fairly high slopes and northern slopes guarantee good snow even in winters with little snow, but the network of slopes here is insufficient for a large resort.

Business card

French Les-des-Alpes in numbers:

Altitude of the resort (m) 1650

Minimum altitude of the slopes (m) 1600

Maximum altitude of the slopes (m): 3566

Length of the slopes (km): 220

Number of slopes: 76

Green: 22

Blue: 25

Red: 21

Black: 8

Number of lifts: 43

Gondolas: 5

Chairs: 25

Towables: 16

Capacity (people / hour): 66800

Number of cross-country trails (km): 21

What to see, where to go

The most interesting sights in the vicinity of Les Deux Alpes are the ice grotto at an altitude of 3200 m, the Maison de la Montagne local history museum, an alpine farm that offers tourists fresh rural products, the traditional village of Venosc, the climb to which lies over a deep gorge, the Mountaineering Museum in the village of Saint-Christophe, etc.

The ice labyrinth of the Grotte de Glace is located at an altitude of 3400 meters above sea level. A regular lift will take you to the cave. Visitors here are presented with a 120-meter labyrinth with intricate figures carved from ice. Tourists visit this place even in the warm season, as the cave is located on a glacier and the temperatures are always below zero. The cave was dug many years ago by local mountain guides 30 meters below the surface of the glacier, and later figures appeared in it. Sculptors come to the labyrinth every year to update their creations.

Venosc is a mountain village 8 minutes by ski lift from the Les Deux Alpes resort. Here you will see the life of a mountain alpine village of past centuries: wooden mountain huts, narrow stone-paved streets and benches with local delicacies. Venosc has its own stone castle, but it looks a bit toy-like. Visit the village if you are tired of the noise and crowds of Les Deux Alpes during the peak tourist season.

Pistes, slopes, lifts

Those who prefer off-piste skiing go to the slopes of La Meije and Col des Ruillans, to the small village of La Grave: here is the famous “Valley of Extreme” with excellent snow and many wooded and rocky areas.

From the Fe chairlift, descents to the Combe de Thuy gorge are possible, the most famous descents are marked on the map. The steepest “black” run starts from the top station of the Super Diable lift, here you can also ski off-piste between the rocks. On the main northern slopes in the upper part of the region, there are very good opportunities for skiers who like high-speed descents. Less experienced fans just need to not accelerate, but you should definitely ski here – the snow is very good.

In the lower part of the slopes, the runs are steep, often icy, skiing here can be disappointing. Only the lower slopes, near the village, are perfect for beginners – they are wide, with soft snow. Beginner skiers are best suited to the wide slopes above the resort, as well as the slopes leading from the Mont de Lans glacier to the Cretes station at an altitude of 2100 m, below which hilly slopes for professionals begin. Of the difficult slopes, the Super Diable, Aymes or Le Grand Couloir slopes on the northern slope of the Tete Moute peak can be noted.

For lovers of flat skiing – 20 km of relatively short prepared slopes.

A special pride of Les-des-Alpes is 2 snow parks, which are considered almost the best in France. Both are located on a glacier, which allows them to work even in summer. 10 skiing areas, a half-pipe and other park figures are of interest to both “advanced” snowboarders and beginners.

Les-des-Alpes has 2 ski schools: Evolution 2 and European Ski and Snowboard School, where you can take group or individual lessons in snowboarding, skiing, freeride, slopestyle, etc.

Entertainment and active recreation

Les Des Alpes has a lively resort life. Many restaurants with good French cuisine, including inexpensive ones. For gourmets, restaurants located below are better than near the slopes. There are swimming pools, a central outdoor heated pool (free with a ski pass), and an outdoor ice rink on the main street. Many night bars, 4 discos.

Les-des-Alpes in France offers its guests a full range of active entertainment: snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, glacier walks, snowmobiling, paragliding, swimming pools, saunas, an ice rink, tennis, bowling and much more. In the evenings, spectacular descents with burning torches are regularly organized, and during the winter season, quite extreme competitions are held: Mondial du Snowboard, Mondial du Ski, World Border Cross Games, etc.

In the summer months, mountain biking, kayaking or canoeing, skydiving, etc. are popular.

Ice karting is a rare winter activity that is not available at all ski resorts. In Les Deux Alpes, you can ride karts only 2 days a week: on Thursdays from 3:00 PM to 6:30 PM and on Fridays from 9:15 PM to 11:00 PM. A round trip takes 6 minutes and costs 3.80 euros.

Local cuisine and wines

The resort of Les Deux Alpes has more than 50 restaurants and bars: restaurants of Savoyard and French cuisine (Le Cellier, Brasserie L’entracte, le Raisin d’Ours, etc.), Italian restaurants and pizzerias (Pizza Cyan, La Vetrata), cozy taverns where you can have a great time with your company (Smithys Tavern, Smokey Joe’s, The Red Frog, etc.). The town is also famous for its vibrant nightlife: there are 4 clubs with discos and many pubs where young people have fun until the morning.

Family vacation

For children from six months to 2 years old, the resort has a nursery (near the Cretes station), from 2 to 6 years old – Le Bonhomme de Neige kindergarten, for those who are older (6-12 years old) – Centre de Loisirs leisure center. Ski schools accept children from 5 years old, and most hotels provide babysitting and animator services.

Where to stay

Les-des-Alpes in France has a significant number of hotels. It should be noted that multi-storey hotel complexes prevail here, and cozy chalets and apartments, familiar to the Alpine public, have begun to appear here relatively recently, but you can also choose something suitable from this category of accommodation.

Hotels are concentrated in the center of the resort, near the lifts, which makes it possible to ski right from the door. For maximum convenience of vacationers, a free ski bus runs through the streets.

It is better to stay in the north of the town, where there is less busy traffic, many hotels and shops, and the lower station of the Diabl gondola is nearby.

Hotel le Chalet

Le Chalet is located 150 metres from the ski lifts in Les Deux Alpes, just 20 km from Vénosc Amusement Park. It offers ski storage, free private parking and free Wi-Fi in public areas.

The rooms at Le Chalet are decorated in a mountain style and feature an LCD TV. All rooms have a bathroom and some have a balcony. Guests can also stay in fully equipped apartments with a terrace.

From autumn to spring, breakfast is served every morning in the breakfast room, which opens onto the garden for guests staying in the rooms.

The mini golf course in Les Deux Alpes is just a 10-minute walk from the hotel. You can also visit Lake Chambon, a 15-minute drive from the hotel.

Hôtel Club mmv Le Panorama *** 3-star hotel

This hotel is located in the heart of the Oise mountain range, at the entrance to the Les Deux Alpes ski resort, 100 metres from the ski lift. Guests have free access to the spa with a sauna, hammam, hot tub and hydromassage shower.

Each room at Club MMV Le Panorama features a flat-screen TV and a private bathroom. The rooms offer mountain views.

The hotel’s restaurant serves Savoyard cuisine once a week, with themed evenings. A continental breakfast is served daily. Guests can enjoy drinks in the hotel bar by the fireplace or on the terrace in warm weather.

Free Wi-Fi is available at reception. The hotel has a kids’ club. Massages are available for an additional fee.

Chalet Mounier 4-star hotel

Chalet Mounier is located in Les Deux Alpes, 150 metres from 2 ski lifts. It offers 3 restaurants, a spa with a heated indoor pool and a seasonal outdoor pool.

The rooms and suites feature a flat-screen TV with satellite channels and a private bathroom with a bath or shower, hairdryer and free toiletries. Some rooms open to a balcony or terrace.

A continental breakfast is served every morning in the dining area or in the guest rooms. The hotel features the Michelin-starred Le p’tit Polyte restaurant, the contemporary Chalet Mounier restaurant and Le Jardin du Chalet restaurant in summer. Drinks can be ordered at the bar with a fireplace.

The 5 Mondes spa offers facial and body treatments. Guests can relax in the sauna, Turkish bath or hot tub. A fitness room and heated ski storage are available.

Chalet Mounier is located near a golf course and a tour desk. The hotel overlooks the Écrenôme National Park.

Getting there

The nearest international airport is in Grenoble (75 km), where you can fly from Ukraine in the winter season by charter flight or with a connection in one of the European cities. The most convenient way to get from Grenoble to Les Alpes is by bus, which leaves directly from the airport, or by car along the A480, N85 and D1091 highways (about a third of the way is along a mountain serpentine).