Les Deux Alpes

A long village at 1,650 m beneath one of Europe's biggest vertical drops, with a glacier for summer skiing.

Researched guide
Les Deux Alpes ski area seen from across the valley1,650 m village
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Forecast at 2200 m today: low / high, modelled snow depth, and new snow in the last 24 hours.

We skied Les Deux Alpes a long time ago and don't remember enough to review it. This is a factual guide, with no scores, until we go back.

Is Les Deux Alpes a good ski resort?

Les Deux Alpes, often written Les 2 Alpes, is a big, sporty resort in the Oisans, east of Grenoble. Its draw is height: the lifts climb from the village at about 1,650 m to a glacier at about 3,500 m, so the upper half of the mountain is snow-sure from December to May, and the glacier opens for summer skiing too. The total area is about 200 km of pistes, though the exact figure depends on who measures.

The skiing

The shape of the mountain is unusual: a wide, open upper section and glacier with easy, cruising runs, and a steeper, narrower lower section down to the village. That makes it great for intermediates up top, but beginners may need to ride lifts down at the end of the day. Experts head for the off-piste, and La Grave, one of the most famous freeride areas in the world, is next door on the same pass.

The village is long and lively, with a young crowd and plenty of bars.

Nearest airports

The nearest airport is Grenoble Alpes-Isere, about 1 h 45 by road. Lyon Saint-Exupery is about 2 hours away and has the most flights. Turin and Geneva are other options, at about 2 h 30 and 3 h. The closest train station is Grenoble, with buses up to the resort.