Les Deux Alpes Ski Resort Guide
Introduction
The Pied Moutet area is small while the main area goes up and up to the big glacier, making it one of the world's highest resorts. The downside is that the ski area is quite narrow and everyone funnels down the same way.
Mountain facts
Where in the world?
Hit the slopes
For beginners, the gentle slopes and drag lifts at the bottom work well, but the ski school meets at mid-mountain Les Crêtes, creating queues for the gondola, then gridlock on the easy slopes above. The trick is to get past this up to the Toura area, where you can hit the runs (and off-piste terrain) down towards La Fee, or head further up to the bottom of the glacier for some decent cruising.
The glacier itself (open for summer skiing) is, although spectacular, barely worth the crush in the underground funicular unless you're intending to do the fabled runs from the top down to La Grave.
There are 225km (141 miles) of piste here, so lots to ski, and there's an impressive amount of off-piste skiing, although it's sometimes hard to find. Less proficient skiers face another challenge at the end of the day with the only way down to the village (aside from a couple of scrappy blacks) a busy, snaking path. There is a big terrain park.
La Grave, Alpe d'Huez (twice weekly bus), Serre Chevalier and the 400km (250 miles) of the Milky Way lift pass which extends from Montgenevre in France to the 2006 Winter olympic resorts of Sestriere and Sauze d'Oulx over the border in Italyare all included on the same lift pass.
Beyond the slopes
Beyond the resort, take the gondola down to the pretty village of Venosc. Helicopter flights are available to Alpe d'Huez.
Family fun
Retail therapy
Après ski
Eating out
Getting around
Splashing out
Accommodation
Luxury
La FarandoleThis 4-star chalet-hotel in the centre of town and near the lifts has south-facing rooms and suites with views down the valley.
18 rue du Cairou
Tel: (04) 7680 5045.
Website: www.hotel-la-farandole.com
Moderate
Hotel AdretIn a quiet spot at the entrance to town, just 50m (165ft) from the nearest lift, with swimming pool, sun terrace and shuttle to ski school meeting point.
1 chemin de la Séa
Tel: (04) 7679 2430.
Website: www.adret-hotel.com
Budget
Hotel Cote BruneCharming little place in the centre of town near the bottom of the slopes.
6 rue des Côtes Brunes
Tel: (04) 7680 5489.
Website: www.hotel-cotebrune.com
Getting there
Distance sto resort: 120km (75 miles); 130km (80 miles); 160km (100 miles); 230km (143 miles).
Driving times: 2 hours; 2 hours; 3 hours 30 minutes; 4 hours.
Nearest railway station: Grenoble.
Distance to resort: 70km (44 miles).
Driving time: 1 hour 30 minutes (bus service).
Website
This resort is good for...
Fresh ideas are just one click away...
Travel Deals
-
Finland Family holidays There is something about the snow in Finland that makes you wonder if the locals sneak out at night and spray it with a coat of brilliant white paint – it
-
Finland Activity & adventure holidays Finnish Lapland has enormous areas of untouched wilderness and mile upon mile of wild rolling fells. This vast open countryside, sparkling in the winter sunshine, just begs to be explored by
-
Orlando Adrenaline Whether you’re enjoying the hair-raising delights of the world’s only flying rollercoaster called Manta at SeaWorld or racing through the Everglades on an airboat in search of alligators, one thing’s for
-
Cambodia Luxury holidays Today Cambodia is symbolised by awesome Angkor Wat, the largest man-made religious structure in the world. However, Cambodia is also home to some of the finest boutique hotels in the world
-
Laos Inspire Me When the French colonised Indochina they had a saying: "The Vietnamese grow the rice, the Cambodians watch the rice grow, and the Lao people listen to the rice grow." This is
-
Vietnam Cultural breaks Vietnam is a country with a rich and varied history that is now firmly focused on her bright future. This is why it has become one of the hottest destinations for
