uGOsnow
  • Home
  • Guides
    One of the great European Ski Resorts with Glaciers to explore

    7 Best European Ski Resorts with Glaciers

    A great view of the Schlick 2000 ski resort landscape

    Schlick 2000: A Great Little Ski Resort (Review)

    Fulpmes in Austria's Tyrol region

    Fulpmes, Austria: Your Perfect Ski Holiday Base?

    Tom enjoying Splitboarding in the French Alps

    4 Great Reasons to Try Splitboarding

  • Gear
    Should you buy the Magic Pass to ski in switzerland?

    The Magic Pass: The Best Value Ski Pass?

    Dare2B Baseplate ski jacket review

    Dare2B Baseplate Ski Jacket: Review

    Remember to pack these ski trip essential items

    12 Ski Trip Essentials You NEED To Pack

    Do you need to wear a ski helmet when skiing or snowboarding

    Should You Wear a Helmet Snowboarding or Skiing?

  • Reviews
  • About
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
uGOsnow
  • Home
  • Guides
    One of the great European Ski Resorts with Glaciers to explore

    7 Best European Ski Resorts with Glaciers

    A great view of the Schlick 2000 ski resort landscape

    Schlick 2000: A Great Little Ski Resort (Review)

    Fulpmes in Austria's Tyrol region

    Fulpmes, Austria: Your Perfect Ski Holiday Base?

    Tom enjoying Splitboarding in the French Alps

    4 Great Reasons to Try Splitboarding

  • Gear
    Should you buy the Magic Pass to ski in switzerland?

    The Magic Pass: The Best Value Ski Pass?

    Dare2B Baseplate ski jacket review

    Dare2B Baseplate Ski Jacket: Review

    Remember to pack these ski trip essential items

    12 Ski Trip Essentials You NEED To Pack

    Do you need to wear a ski helmet when skiing or snowboarding

    Should You Wear a Helmet Snowboarding or Skiing?

  • Reviews
  • About
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
uGOsnow
No Result
View All Result

Les Deux Alpes: A Snowboarding Review

Oli Lynch by Oli Lynch
February 8, 2024
les deux alpes ski resort view

Choosing a ski resort in France can be tricky. There are just so many top class resorts across the French Alps – but I ended up choosing an epic deal in Les Deux Alpes. 

I’d heard all about Les Deux Alpes, so I was stoked to go and check it out. I was also doubly stoked as this was going to be my first visit to the mountains since Covid, which was obviously very exciting.

So, how did I find the snowboarding on this French Alpine playground?

Ski holidays incl. lift pass

Well, lets dig in and find out whether it’s worth taking a trip to Les Deux Alpes this winter season!

Quick note: There are a few affiliate links in this article, which means I earn a small commission and you get a great deal at no extra cost 😉

Table of Contents

Toggle
  • Les Deux Alpes stats
  • Where is Les Deux Alpes
  • Getting onto the mountain in Les Deux Alpes
  • Epic runs from the glacier
  • What is the terrain like in Les Deux Alpes?
  • Is Les Deux Alpes family friendly?
  • What did I think of Les Deux Alpes?
  • Where to eat and drink in Les 2 Alpes
  • What’s the vibe/apres like?
  • Getting to grips with Les Deux Alpes
  • Rental ski or snowboard equipment in Les Deux Alpes
  • Booking your visit

Les Deux Alpes stats

  • Ski area: 200 kms
  • Highest point: 3600 metres
  • Resort height: 1600 metres
  • Longest run: 12-16kms
  • Easy 110 kms / intermediate 56 kms / advanced 34 kms

One of the big draws of Les Deux Alpes is the glacier skiing at Mont de Lans. From 3600 metres to 3200 metres, the glacier offers incredible snow sure terrain and can also be skied in the summer. Fun fact: it’s the largest skiable glacier in Europe.

Les 2 Alpes is also home to an excellent snow park, and is well known for her great apres. Sounds amazing, right? Lets get the details.

Where is Les Deux Alpes

Les Deux Alpes is in the Isere region of the French Alps. It’s about 68 kms from Grenoble, 178 kms from Lyon and 210 kms from Geneva, by car. There are also pretty quick autoroutes which take you to Grenoble, which is the nearest big town. You then whizz along the valley on a relatively fast road before you start the twisty zig-zag ascent to Les Deux Alpes.

The town of Les Deux Alpes itself sits on a kind of plateau at between 1800 and 1650 metres. Nestled between two mountains, probably hence the name. 

The mountain to the south is called Valle Blanche, and is a relatively simple three lift mountain topping out at 2100 metres.

But it’s the northern side, and the ride up to over 3600 metres where things get interesting.

Les Deux Alpes piste map ski area

Getting onto the mountain in Les Deux Alpes

I was staying at the Hotel Jam Session, which is a budget hotel right on the edge of the mountain. For all intents and purposes it was ski-in/ski-out, with the first run starting just up a small embankment behind the hotel.

There was also a 4 person lift a minutes walk up the hill, but I wanted to get onto the retro Les Oeufs Blanc lifts to get started on my exploration of L2A.

Now… The old gondola Les Oeufs Blancs are kinda quaint retro/vintage 2 person gondolas that whizz you up onto the first main station on the mountain. And in the morning, this is the quiet option. In fact, practically nobody uses this because…

Most people queue for the Jandri Express and then hop onto Jandri Express II which will take you right up onto the glacier. From here, you can do the epic run back down to the bottom – which I’ll come to shortly.

Anyways. Here I am, getting my snowboard legs on my first run of the trip from the first station back to town. I often like to do this to get my bearings on the first day so I don’t get caught out on the return to base later in the day.

In fact the return run down the mountain is relatively wide and wasn’t too busy even at the end of the day – although, being south facing slopes, it can get quite slushy.

Anyways, I spent some time getting my snow legs back on around the Cretes sector, which is the first area on top of the mountain, before venturing deeper into the ski area.

Epic runs from the glacier

Lets not mess about here. One of the best things – no – definitely the best thing is that epic run from the top of the glacier at Les Deux Alpes either back to town or down into the valley as part of the Pierre Gosse run.

Oh. My. Word!

I don’t know how many times I did the run from top to bottom, but that will never get old.

For starters it’s as fast as you want it to be. Want to bomb it down? Yeah, no sweat. It’s nice and wide with a choice of mostly red runs which are not overly challenging.

Coming down the glacier is fast, to be honest. There is a slight lip you need to cross to get past the drag lifts and onto the rest of the mountain, but the speed picks up again.

As a snowboarder, you will need to get some momentum going because there are a few sections where the terrain flattens out – all of it around the Jandri 4 sector. 

Not a problem if you’ve got some speed behind you, but you do tend to spot the odd snowboarder sheepishly walking along.

But once you’re flying then, whooo… Yeah, its a ton of fun.

One of the best things about this run is that there are also many ways to do it. From the glacier you can go left or right, take a different route, and follow the Jandri 4 or Glacier 1 or 3 routes to mix it up. 

There are also a lot of chances to do a bunch of side hits, kickers on the way down and even some limited off-piste (of the on-piste variety).

Talking of the glacier, Les Deux Alpes is actually one of the French ski resorts that is open all year round, thanks to the glacier. Yes, you can enjoy summer skiing in L2A.

Read more about when does ski season start.

The view of the glacier at Les Deux Alpes over my snowboard
The view of the glacier at Les Deux Alpes over my snowboard

What is the terrain like in Les Deux Alpes?

The run from the glacier to the town varies from speedy glacier descent to wide and open runs, to a more twisty route along the mountain back down to town. Most of the terrain is pretty fast, with a few sections mostly at the top of the mountain, as I mentioned, where it is a bit flat for snowboarders.

If you’re a skier, you’ll fly down all of it, no sweat.

As a snowboarder, make sure you have your speed legs on coming off the glacier. For the most part after this, it’s plain sailing.

I mentioned the Pierre Gosse run. That was an undeniably epic run, which segues off into a fast descent down into the valley, with a lift taking you back to the glacier after.

If you could do glacier to Pierre Gosse in any other resort, it would be one of the best runs. 

In Les Deux Alpes, it’s just another of the epic runs you can do.

A view of the Pierre Gosse valley in Les Deux Alpes
A view of the Pierre Gosse valley in Les Deux Alpes

Is Les Deux Alpes family friendly?

One of the great things about Les Deux Alpes is that there are different levels, depending how far up the mountain you go. In the resort, at the base station, you’ll find all the ski schools and the learner slopes, which all look well run and accessible. Head up onto the mountain and the first area you come to is a nice wide area for learners to practice their turns and enjoy actual skiing or snowboarding.

And then again, head further into the mountain for a deeper challenge.

Even up on the glacier, the terrain is pretty accessible to novices and beginners, with nice wide runs, stunning views and obviously guaranteed natural snow.

I thought Les Deux Alpes looked very family friendly, and I would happily bring my crew here to enjoy the terrain, scenery and great town atmosphere.

To add to this, I did notice a few playgrounds in the town that would be suitable for the kids. Read our list of the best family friendly French resorts.

What did I think of Les Deux Alpes?

As you might have gathered, I had a shit ton of fun. I’m a kinda sketchy snowboarder, I prefer to just cruise and practice my turns, pop some simple jumps etc. But by day two I was bombing past skiers, hitting little jumps and basically having the time of my life.

I was like an eager kid at the end of every run, back up the lift… Do it again. And again…

It helped that I was on my own so I could pretty much do what I wanted.

Honestly, if I could, I would head back to L2A every season.

Where to eat and drink in Les 2 Alpes

There are several good bars on mountain, where you can grab a drink or a snack with an incredible panoramic view. One of the best ones is just across from the funicular, next to the glacier, La Refuge de Glacier at 3200 m. Of course, this isn’t a cheap option, but is lovely when you want to make the most of the terrain.

The Pano Bar is also a popular stop on the mountain, as is the smaller bar next to La Cretes lift, which serves cheap snacks, beers etc.

On most days, I made the trip back to base and would dine in town as there is lots of options which aren’t mountain prices. I ate at La Sherpa one day, and had an excellent veggie tartiflette as part of the prix fixe menu. And on another day I grabbed a bite from a pizza shack in the town, which was a bargain.

Generally speaking, you’re not trapped by the mountain restaurant prices, so it’s pretty easy to eat and drink for a decent price.

What’s the vibe/apres like?

There are several on-mountain bars which definitely get bumping from lunch time. One of them, the Pano Bar is at the intersection between the Jandri lifts and was vibing pretty hard from around midday

There is another bar down on Cretes, on the run back to town, which also seemed to get lively at the end of the day.

At the bottom of the mountain, back in resort, Umbrella Bar is where it’s at for post ski apres.

Back in town, there is very much a buzzing vibe well into the evening. Let’s go have a look…

Getting to grips with Les Deux Alpes

The town of Les Deux Alpes stretches along this valley plateau for around 2 kms, with the main street, Avenue de la Muzelle, basically being the main artery. From here, you can see the main gondolas and lifts whizzing skiers up onto the mountain. 

There are clusters of hotels and apartment blocks everywhere, with most of them looking quite modern. This isn’t a chocolate box resort by any means, but very much a buzzing ski-tropolis with teeming groups of youngsters on the lookout for apres ski drinks, or families resting up on the terraces with pizzas and tartiflette.

Getting around the resort is simple. You basically walk along the main road until you get where you want to. But there is also a shuttle bus/navette that whizzes people to the main areas.

I was staying kinda far up the hill in the Hotel Jam Session – an almost ski-in/ski-out hotel. The area here was kind of it’s own little ecosphere, with a couple of little shops, cafes, plenty of ski rental places and even the odd bar. 

Read my full review of Hotel Jam Session.

I’m gonna say that I quite liked the vibe in Les Deux Alpes. It wasn’t too rowdy, it wasn’t too boring. It seemed to tread the right kind of middle ground between vibrant enough but chill if you want.

I didn’t actually party in the centre of town as I made a couple of buddies in the hotel and just drank there. But it definitely offers apres ski opportunities aplenty.

My neighbourhood near Hotel Jam Session in Les 2 Alpes
My neighbourhood near Hotel Jam Session in Les Deux Alpes (not as quiet as it looks)

Rental ski or snowboard equipment in Les Deux Alpes

As you might expect, there are several places to rent skis and snowboard equipment in Les Deux Alpes, and as the resort is quite long, there are shops dotted around different sections. There are big ski and snowboard rentals at the bases of all the big lifts, including a huge SkiSet and Intersport in the middle of town by the Jandri/Oeuf Blanc lifts.

If you’re looking for the best prices on the best equipment, it’s usually best to book equipment in advance online.

I always find that SkiSet offer consistently the best prices vs the competition, with some great discounts when booked in advance.

Use our link and get up to 50% off your SkiSet booking in Les Deux Alpes.

Booking your visit

Les Deux Alpes is open year round for glacier skiing, but it’s also one of the early open ski resorts in this high part of the Alps. So yes, you can usually start skiing or snowboareding Les Deux Alpes as early as November or December.

If my Les Deux Alpes review has inspired to head to this epic resort, there are several great options for holiday providers.

If you want the full package with flights, transfers and all the ski passes, make sure to check out SkiWorld. They offer great deals on fully comprehensive ski packages from the UK, with some lovely catered chalets in some of the best locations in Les Deux Alpes.

Check out SkiWorld Les Deux Alpes deals here.


Main image: Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

Share120Tweet75
Ski holidays incl. lift pass
Previous Post

The Best Ski Resorts in the Pyrenees

Next Post

The Best Snowboarding or Ski Holiday Beginner Packages

Oli Lynch

Oli Lynch

Oli loves snowboarding and aims to get on the slopes as often as possible. He writes for print and digital travel publications, including Fall Line, Snow Magazine and our sister publications Gone Travelling and Global Playboy. When not falling over on a mountainside, he also works as a freelance content manager.

Related Posts

One of the great European Ski Resorts with Glaciers to explore
Guides

7 Best European Ski Resorts with Glaciers

April 29, 2025

One thing about skiing is you can't always be sure of the weather, especially with climate change affecting seasonal snowfall. And while glaciers are retreating across the world, not least in Europe and the Alps, there are (still) some...

A great view of the Schlick 2000 ski resort landscape
Guides

Schlick 2000: A Great Little Ski Resort (Review)

April 10, 2025

Austria isn't short of amazing ski resorts, with what seems like an epic ski area down almost every valley. We were on the hunt for a quick late season trip at the tail end of the 2025 season and...

Fulpmes in Austria's Tyrol region
Guides

Fulpmes, Austria: Your Perfect Ski Holiday Base?

April 10, 2025

There is no shortage of great places to stay for a ski break in Austria. And while most head to the big resorts such as Mayrhofem, St Anton or Kitzbuhel, many people are looking for that less busy ski...

Should you buy the Magic Pass to ski in switzerland?
Gear

The Magic Pass: The Best Value Ski Pass?

March 19, 2025

Ski passes are all the rage - and some might even court a little controversy for driving up the cost of daily lift passes. But the Magic Pass seems to buck the trend, and might even win the gauntlet...

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Categories

  • Gear (24)
  • Guides (76)
  • News (14)
  • Reviews (23)

Sign up for our newsletter

Get exclusive ski package discounts, guides and more direct to your inbox. No spam guaranteed!

Ski holidays incl. lift pass
uGOsnow

© 2022 uGOamigo. All rights reserved.

Navigate Site

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Get Our Newsletter Special Ski Holiday Package Deals

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Guides
  • Gear
  • Reviews
  • About
  • Contact