Resort Review: L2A, France—”Two Alps, Two Seasons”

Les Deux Alpes, France: Seniors 72+ Ski Free.

Editor’s Note: This Resort Review was written by Val E., a reader who has an interesting background in the ski industry. Val used to work as a ski slalom course supervisor, snowboard technician, ski/snowboard clothing consultant, ski engineer, ski/snowboard writer and photographer in the U.S. and in Europe. He traveled to 25 countries, found snow in 11 of them, and he still searching. Val currently lives in Washington DC Metropolitan Area.

Les Deux Alpes (“le døz-alp”, aka L2A) is a big ski resort located 44 miles east of Grenoble. The name means “two alps”. It is the second oldest French ski resort which has the largest skiable glacier in Europe where people can ski from November to April and from June to August. Les 2 Alpes is one of the few places to offer summer skiing in the Alps. The Les 2 Alpes summer ski season is quite short, so check conditions and lift availability here.

Terrain

The resort has 102 runs, five of which are free. To get to the top of the hill you need to take one gondola, then another, et voila—you are at… the bottom of the glacier. You can go to the highest point (12,000 ft) by a t-bar or an underground railway—the

latter is convenient if you want to relax between the runs. Some people call L2A “reverse mountain” because the slopes on the top are relatively easy, while the ones in the middle and at the bottom are steeper. With a total 7500 ft vertical drop and 10-km in length, it has one of the longest ski runs in the world. A lack of snow is rare, but the army of 214 snow cannons is ready for action. A six-day pass may cost you 220€ in winter and 197€ in summer. Skiers from 65 to 71 years old can get 10 percent off; anybody older than 72 can ski for free!

Getting There

If you want fewer stops on your flight to Europe, fly to Geneva, Switzerland, then drive south 140 miles. Some people prefer to travel through French cities: Paris (400 mi), Lyon (100 mi) or Grenoble (75 mi). To minimize driving from Paris you can take a high speed train to Grenoble— three hours, and then take a bus—one hour. Traveling through Italy is another option—the drive from Milan is 210 miles.

Lodging

L2A village is relatively compact and walk-friendly. You can rent an apartment or chalet or stay at a hotel from budget to four-star. Those who want to save money and are ready to commute by a chairlift may prefer to stay at one of two villages: Venosc or Mont-de-Lans. Larger hotels provide transportation to the slopes, but otherwise you can take a free bus circulating around the village. Lodging is located below 5500 ft, so sleeping should not be a problem, while skiing above 10,000 ft may require some adaptation. Because of that, staying there for at least five-seven days could be a good idea.

Food and Culture

French people are passionate about food, and you will notice that in L2A. Six restaurants rated by Michelin in 2016 are proof of that. There are plenty of places to eat and drink on the slopes and in the village. Responsible skiers may try hot red wine right on the slopes. To avoid lines at the restaurants and enjoy less crowded slopes, don’t plan your lunch between 12 pm and 1:30 pm. As in many European places do not expect free water at the restaurants, free soda refills, or many free public restrooms, especially on the hill. The English language should be enough to communicate, though the locals would be pleased to hear simple phrases like “Bon Jour” and “Merci”.

TIP: Check the Ice Cave on the glacier, buy wine and cheese in the grocery stores, and visit Grenoble—a charming historic city.

Bottom Line

If you have free time, some money, and a desire to enjoy skiing and French culture, go to L2A in winter, spring or even summer.

Here’s a short animated video showing the “nouvelle piste” blue route down from the top.  It’s 10-km long!