Nightlife Previews and reviews in Les Deux Alpes — 6 of Our Favourites

Read reviews of the best Les Deux Alpes nightlife

1. Valentine's Day in 2 Alpes 2016

If you are lucky enough to be in Les Deux Alpes this coming Valentine's Day, you might be wondering where to go for a romantic evening out. Here are a few of the best choices, and a couple of alternative ideas too!

Go Corsican

The Casa Nostra in the centre of town would be a great choice. This place has Corsican specialties on the menu as well as the mountain classics. There is a special sushi evening once a week, and the place is tasteful and stylish - enough wood to be a nod to the Alps, but a change from the usual ski lodge decor that can get a little bit overdone.

It's quite small, with a little bar in the front where you can also get a really great choice of tapas. You’ll probably need to book, and like many restaurants here, Alex and his team usually put on a special Valentines evening menu, which you can look out for on their electronic menu board outside. Popular on their evening menu is the Corsican delicatessen platter with wild boar terrine (13 euros) and the Panna Cotta with slated caramel butter (6 euros). There is a great choice of wine, and even the wine by the glass is very good as they are the only place I know of in town who have the fancy wine cooler that vacuum seals the bottles after each serving.

inside a restaurant in the alps

Go Kitsch

Crepes a GoGo always makes a huge effort for every special event in the calendar, and Valentine's night is no exception - you’ll spot it a mile away as the front terrace will be festooned with dangling hearts and ribbons! It’s the kind of place to put on your Christmas jumper and choose fondue, very cute and traditionally alpine themed inside; you really need to like Raclette, pierrade (hot rock where you cook your own meat at the table), fondue or, you guessed it - crepes - of every savoury or sweet variety imaginable! This L2A classic is very popular and normally has two sittings per evening, so definitely book ahead.

a raclette dinne in a retaurant

Go Classy

Le Raisin d’Ours is more at the ‘gourmet’ end of the spectrum, with a well respected chef, and is often chosen by the locals as the place to eat for a special occasion for it’s modern French cuisine (main courses between 18 and 28 euros) - scallops with chorizo and linguine's pasta, baked marrow, ham with truffles and burger with foie gras are on this years menu.

the outside of a restaurant in 2alpes in the snow

A Piste Side Picnic

As its really the thought that counts, how about a surprise piste picnic? Go to the boulangerie in the morning - they all sell ready made sandwiches, quiches, and tasty cakes, pack a rucksack and pop that bottle of champagne in the snow to chill! Weather permitting of course (and take two carrier bags or bin liners to sit on whilst you’re packing) head up just behind the Vallee Blanche chair onto the walking track if you are on foot, or if you are skiing then the areas in the Gours section are pretty and sheltered, or at the top of the la toura.

a piste in les deux alpes

Or.. Don't Go Out!

How about a romantic night in?? Le Fin Gourmet, the butchers/deli at the Venosc end of town, will give you everything you need - you buy the cheese from them for the raclette and they will give you the machine free of charge, and plate up the cold meats etc - virtually no prep or washing up!! They also have a great selection of deli style salads and starters, so there’s really no excuse even if its a small French apartment with a galley kitchen that you are staying in.

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an apres ski venue on the mountain in 2 alpes

2. Dancing til dawn in Deux Alpes

With around forty bars to choose from, après-ski parties from 2600m to the foot of the pistes, and nightclubbing until 5am, Les Deux Alpes is a deservedly popular destination for skiers and snowboarders who like to party.

Well known for its skiing, the town of Les Deux Alpes also has a pretty lively nightlife scene. This is one ski town where you will never have to look far to find a good bar or somewhere to party.

Although there are bars all over resort, many are clustered around a few key places, so you can sample a few venues in a night out without having to walk very far. By far the biggest concentration of nightlife is at the Venosc end of the resort, from the two roundabouts to the Place de Venosc. Standing at the roundabout on the main street there are nine bars within a minute’s walk. If you are planning to party hard you may want to bear this in mind when you book your accommodation.

Après-ski

In ski resorts, nightlife can start early with après-ski parties, and Les Deux Alpes is no exception. At 2600m near the Jandri mid-station, things kick off at 3pm. The Pano Bar has resident DJ Alan Po Ca, guest DJs and varied entertainment including a sax player, amazing balloon sculptor and dancers. It does get rather loud though, so if you prefer something a little calmer the Diable au Coeur also has DJs on the mountain and a heated bar on the terrace, but without the same volume of music.

Down in the village, the liveliest places for après-ski are the Umbrella bar which is open until 7pm, and Smokey Joes. The Umbrella Bar at the foot of the Coolidge slope by the Côte Brune hotel has a mix of DJ nights and has been completely rebuilt and extended for this winter. It hosts events for most of the festivals and student parties that visit the resort through the season. The umbrella roof is opened in good weather and dancing on the bar is encouraged. This is a great place to dance while the sun is setting. Over in the main square Smokey Joes has live music six days a week and a selection of craft beers from their microbrewery in Bourg, plus a pool table and free WiFi. There is no terrace but much more space indoors than the other popular après-ski spots so this is a good choice on bad weather days.

If you would rather enjoy a couple of quiet drinks than dance the afternoon away, there are plenty of pubs and bars to choose from, often with live acoustic music. Popular bars along the main street include the Windsor Pub, Secret Bar, Polar Bear Pub and Red Frog catering to British tastes, whilst the Motown Café, Mezzanine Bar, Lutins Bar and Boardroom are more French in style.

At Night

From 8pm until 10pm there is a bit if a lull before the nighttime side of 2 Alpes' nightlife really gets going. Rue des Vikings turns into a lively little street with several bars worth stopping in at. The Jukeboxx serves up a selection of music themed nights from house to 80's to prohibition-era Jazz whilst across the road, Melt-In-Art combines the roles of bar and art gallery. The K-re shooter bar at the top of the street has the biggest selection of cocktails in town and the Polar Bear Pub by the roundabout is always popular. Just around the corner, The Spot has regular live music and DJ nights.

Any bar with a pirate flag flying outside is going to be dangerous and the legendary Rhumerie on the main street is no exception, specialising in home-flavoured rums and rum based cocktails all set to a pirate theme.

After midnight, popular dancing spots include Smithy's, the next-door Minibar and the Grotte du Yeti on the Place de Venosc. These don’t open any later than the rest of the bars, but they do attract the crowds later on with live DJs and a good party reputation.

After the bars close, the Avalanche nightclub beside Smithies and the Café Bresilien by the cinema are the destinations of choice for those not ready to head home. Both are busy until 4 or 5am with a mixture of resident and guest DJs pumping out the tunes. Up in the Village 1800 area, O’Brian’s bar also keeps the party going into the small hours of the morning.

a festival in les 2 alpe

Throughout the season there is a full programme of events, kicking off with the Rise Festival from 10th-17th December 2016. Back for the third year running, this year's event is bigger and better than ever with a line-up headlined by Seth Troxler and Kano.

Whatever your taste in nightlife, from après-ski to all-nighters, Les Deux Alpes has something for you. Whether it’s partying at 2600m or dancing until dawn, we’ve got it covered.

3. Where to find the Best English Pubs in Les 2 Alpes

There so many places to go after your day on the slopes, restaurants, bars and clubs.
This week I'm going to tell you all about the best English pubs in the resort for a wild night out or for a nice quiet pint.

The Secret Bar: This is one of my favourite bars in the resort if you just want to chill out after a long day on the slopes. The friendly atmosphere is great to enjoy your drink, play some board games they have on offer, a game of pool or to stay tuned in with all the English football matches. The Secret Bar is located on the main street, close to other livelier bars if you decide to spice up your night.

The Windsor Pub: Located on the main street, this pub is great if you want a drink and a chat. It has a lovely authentic look of an old English pub. With friendly staff, this is a great place to chill out and talk about your day on the slopes!

Polar Bear Pub: Located on the main street this pub is perfect is if you want a more livelier night but don't want to go to a nightclub. The pub has a more international clientele, which is great and adds to the atmosphere. With live music most nights and open fire stoves, this place is definitely worth a visit some time during your stay.
Smithy's: If you want a night of music and dancing, Smithy's is the place to be. It is just off the main street and is situated beside L'Avalanche Discotheque. A DJ plays most nights and don't be surprised to see people dancing on tables!!

Mini Bar: The Mini Bar is situated beside Smithy's and is actually part of the same building as L'Avalanche Discotheque. This is the place for the party animals. Don't be fooled by the name, this place plays the best of music and always attracts a big crowd.

Find more bars & nightclubs in Les Deux Alpes

A piste basher in the early evening in 2 alpes

4. Family evening things to do in Les 2 Alpes

After a day on the hill there is still plenty to do in Les Deux Alpes.

When the sun starts to go down in Les 2 Alpes, the piste bashers come out and spend the evening making sure the piste is in pristine condition for you for the next day. But what are you going to do?

With a cinema, arcade, bowling, ice rink and swimming pool, there is never a dull moment.

5. Christmas & New Year Highlights from Les 2 Alpes 2016/17

Location: Les Deux Alpes

With a busy festive fortnight coming to an end, we bring you a rundown of the highlights of the last two weeks.

The Christmas forest officially opened on Wednesday 23rd December in the main square, with a circle of Christmas trees, two cabins and a marquee around an illuminated white Christmas tree in the centre. Ice sculptures, decorations and an open fireplace were dotted around inside the forest, adding to the magical atmosphere, and Santa was soon installed in his cabin to listen to the children's requests.

christmas lights in 2 alpes

Santa was a busy man around the resort. When he wasn’t at home in his cabin in the square he was travelling up and down the town in an open horse drawn carriage, giving children rides or dishing out sweets. He also had a few photo opportunities to pose for as well as a couple of Christmas parades. Crafts, festive activities, fireside storytelling and teatime snacks were all on offer at various times in the forest as well as the chance to see Santa.

More spectacles took place on the appropriately named Lutins piste ('Lutins' being French for elves). There was a fancy dress parallel slalom as well as an ESF demonstration and torchlit descents on three separate days. There were several fireworks displays, each more spectacular than the last, with the biggest and loudest coming on New Year’s Eve, and of course there were plenty of opportunities to sample hot wine and hot chocolate in the square after each event. The Amphibia theatre got involved as well, hosting two Christmas themed shows on the Wednesdays before and after Christmas.

ice sculptures in les 2 alpes

New Year’s Eve is always the night to go out and party, and Les Deux Alpes did not disappoint. Virtually every restaurant in the resort had laid on a special menu, with multiple courses. Typically, they started with a few fish dishes, followed by a main meat or poultry course and desserts, plus a lot of Champagne, wine, music and possibly dancing. Hotels laid on a special night for their guests, saving them the trouble of trying to book a meal out on one of the busiest nights of the year. This would have been appreciated by the many visitors who had only arrived in the resort a few hours earlier, with Saturday being the most popular travel day.

Of course, the many bars in town were competing to celebrate in as much style as possible. Most had put on entertainment in the form of live music or DJs, and late licences were plentiful. Before we get to the late-night entertainment, the party really began in the afternoon with the Pano Bar’s New Year party. DJs Allan Po Ca and Joris Barston provided the tunes, a lot of fancy dress was in evidence and free face masks were being given out. After the ski lifts closed, the party moved to the newly revamped Umbrella Bar, which opened as late as 8pm instead of its usual 7 o’clock curfew.

people dancing in a bar

For the later evening, there was a choice of venues and entertainment on offer. Smokey Joes had a live band, the Spot had both their resident guitarists playing together, with Jamie also dashing to the Polar Bear for a set there, Smithies and Minibar had DJ lineups and every bar in the town had put on something special in one way or another. The most stylish event of the night was probably the Gold Party at the Jukeboxx, with gold themed fancy dress and glitter aplenty.

Oddly enough, the pistes were remarkably quiet on New Year’s morning. Those that did get up early were treated to sunshine, empty slopes and the first turns of 2017.

If you missed out on being here this year, there's always next year.. and don't forget to take a look at our events calendar to see what's coming up over the course of the season.

6. The Spot restaurant review

Location: Les Deux Alpes

One of the newest restaurants in the town, The Spot has quickly established itself as a great place to eat, popular with locals and visitors alike, and also hosting a lively bar and regular live music.

The restaurant was created in 2015 by a small team of Brits who, having worked in bars and restaurants in the resort for several years, decided to open one of their own. Taking over a local restaurant, they completely refitted it over May and June, working around the clock, in order to open in July.

Foodwise, The Spot is best known for the build-your-own-burger menu, but they also do great steaks, a selection of pizza, tapas, lobsters and a few vegetarian dishes. I should start with the burgers though, as this is something that kids and grown-up kids will love equally. You are presented with a 'Build-your-own-burger' form and a pen. Filling in the form is a case of ticking the right boxes (or all of them), and is well worth the work as you lovingly craft the perfect burger. There are all-important questions to answer – such as whether one, two or even three patties is enough, and whether it is okay to have pulled pork, bacon AND shredded duck toppings on your beef burger.

There is a choice of bun – plain, ciabatta, bagel, wrap or none; beef, lamb, chicken or veggie burgers (or a combination of up to three); and five types of cheese. The best burger of the week wins a free meal, so make sure you give it a good name and leave your phone number. For those who just want a burger without the effort of designing it there are a few suggestions on the menu. My personal recommendation is beef, hash brown, raclette cheese and pulled pork on ciabatta, although I usually get carried away and add a few extras to that. My burger usually ends up several stories high, and eating it is quite an exercise.

If you don’t fancy a burger, the steaks are great, and if there are four of you with an appetite the Spot Special Beef sharing steak should do the job (order 48 hours in advance). There is a tapas menu as well if you want a quick snack or a bit of everything. The tapas dishes can also come as starters if you prefer. Chef’s specials come and go, so take a look at the blackboards as well as the menus.

prawns and dips in 2 alpes

The pizza menu is imaginative but logical. Most of the usual favourites are there, but the names have been given a new twist – there are names like Lizzie for the ham and mushroom (Reina in Italian = queen = Elizabeth), and Linda for the vegetarian.

Chips and sides are sold separately, which some might not like as the prices are higher than first glance suggests, but you do get a very flexible menu. There are three types of chips – home-made regular, sweet potato and polenta. My surprise favourite is the polenta – I had never imagined a polenta chip before The Spot opened, but they work really well. If you can’t decide, a combo bowl offers you the chance to try all three.

meat dishes in a restaurant in les 2 alpes

Desserts are a mixture of English and French – apple crumble and cheesecake are on offer, as is the Spot’s take on a coffee gourmand (the French idea of several mini-desserts served with a coffee), a selection of ice creams and a separate sundae menu.

Live music starts at 10pm two or three nights a week, courtesy of Jamie or Capu, so if you want to stay for a drink or two after your meal you won’t go short on entertainment.

At lunchtime, there is an ‘Express’ menu of wraps and sandwiches, and for those struggling with a hangover there are cooked breakfasts until midday (extended to 2pm on Tuesdays after pub crawl night).

Overall, The Spot has proved to be a great addition to the town’s selection of restaurants and bars. It is well worth a visit if you are looking for a change from fondue and tartiflette.