Family Activities in Les 2 Alpes

Les 2 Alpes sits high up in the Oisans region, with a ski area ranging from 1300m to 3600m in altitude where you'll find one of Europe's largest skiable glaciers. There are 225 kilometres of pistes here, covering an area of 425 hectares. The 47 ski lifts and a funicular on the glacier give you access to a total of 96 pistes of which 17 are green, 45 are blue, 22 are red and 12 are black. Les 2 Alpes also has a lot of great off-piste terrain.

If you thought skiing was reserved only for winter, think again! In Les 2 Alpes you can head out skiing on the glacier throughout the summer months. Located on the Girose and Mantel glaciers, there are 11 runs open in summer, so you can enjoy a morning of skiing and then an afternoon of hiking. Learn more about summer skiing in Les 2 Alpes.

There are several areas in Les 2 Alpes dedicated to children including 3 ski kindergartens, a kid's snowpark in the Cretes sector and the 'Petites Cretes' beginner area. There are 5 free runs on the lower section of the area while ski passes are free for under 5's and there are also special offers available for families.

The multisports court in the Palais des Sports is available for badminton games in Les 2 Alpes.

You can book the multisports court in the Palais des Sports for a game of basketball.

Beach volleyball in the heart of the French Alps may sound strange but in Les 2 Alpes you can hop on the sand and play a game of football or volleyball with your friends or family. Located at the entrance of the resort, the two beach volleyball courts can be used free of charge, and there are even beach volleyball tournaments arranged on a weekly basis. You can also try out beach football there! Balls are available on loan.

Canoe rafts are an unsinkable, stable type of inflatable canoe that allow you, without too much technique to profit fully from the joys and fun of whitewater river descent. The descents are taken on by groups of 4 to 5 boats, accompanied by a fully qualified guide. You are equipped with neoprene suits and shoes, a safety jacket and a helmet. The course which you take is chosen according to the water levels and experience of the participants.

Kayaking is a fun watersport that can be enjoyed as a team or on your own. Unlike canoeing, paddlers face forward and have a double bladed paddle. It is a versatile sport that you can enjoy on rivers, lakes and the sea. You can take your inflatable or plastic kayak and make your way down the water. Using the double-bladed paddle you can control the speed, direction and enjoy the experience and wonderful views in your own time. There are some watersports centres and adventure companies who can take you out for your kayaking experience. 

In the Ecrins National Park, there are several rivers you can descend on a kayak or canoe, including the Vénéon, the Rive, the Eau d'Olle or the Romanche, offering different levels for diverse experiences. There is even a course on calm waters for kids.

A not-so-gentle but extremely refreshing summer activity is one way to describe canyoning! Plunge yourself into the mountain streams via a series of abseil descents, jumps and natural water slides – just make sure you choose a warm day! You will make your way along rivers and rapids, using the riverbed as a natural obstacle course. Not suitable for very young children, but anyone over the age of about 8 can take the (very cold) plunge and try canyoning.

Depending on the age of your child there are a number of childcare options available in 2 Alpes. There are also numerous babysitting and nursery facilities available in the area. The main one is located at the 'Bonhomme de Beige' (Snowman) centre at the heart of resort which is home to 3 childcare facilities: a creche, a nursery and an activity centre. The creche welcomes children from the age of 6 months, the nursery takes care of kids between the ages of 2 and 6 years and older children will find plenty of things to do in the activity centre including snowshoeing hikes, swimming, skiing and group games.

The ski schools also offer a combination of tuition and childcare for children 3 years and older in the winter. You can book your child in for full or half day programmes and lunch can also be provided for an extra charge. You may find that the main sports centre of each town host a kids club during the summer holidays, normally from 1st July to 30th August, with activities such as swimming, climbing, tennis, basketball, ice-skating, etc. and organised hikes & picnics.

Catch the latest films and releases in Les 2 Alpes on your winter or summer holiday at the Cinema des 2 Alpes. It is open every day except Sundays and Mondays with 2 screenings at 18:00 and 20:30. Look out for VO or VOST for English speaking films. 

Les 2 Alpes is a great place rock climbing. For beginners, there are a number of adventure companies or mountain guides who can take you out on your first climb and show you the 'ropes'. Popular climbing areas are located around the Vénéon Valley in Venosc, the Romanche Valley by Bourg d'Oisans or in Les Freaux. There is also an artificial 30m outdoor wall at the entrance of the resort with more than 45 routes ranging from 4a to 7c. To climb the south face you need to book at the Mountain Guides Office, while the other 2 are free to use.

The Les Deux Alpes ice caves are a magical grotto of glistening sculptures and fairytale figures. Dug out many years ago by two local guides they have become an annual feature; each winter expert ice sculptors arrive to create a new exhibition based on a different theme every year. At 30 metres below the glacier's surface and 3200m altitude the caves are accessible via a ski lift and a funicular. Open every day from 09:00 to 16:00, accessible via the Jandri Express lift.

Even if not as famous as the neighbouring resort of Alpe d'Huez, the cycling routes in Les 2 Alpes are quite challenging. Some of the most famous cycling climbs in the area are the Col du Jandri (3141m), the ascent from Les 2 Alpes to the Chambon lake as well as the road from Bourg d'Oisans to Les 2 Alpes. Have a look at our cycling guide for more information and explore the cycling routes that are in the area. If you are in Les 2 Alpes without your biking gear there are a number of cycle hire shops in who rent and sell bikes, gear and more.

The Ferme de la Molliere is on bend 1 of the road up to Les 2 Alpes. It's open for visits in summer and winter and is a great place to take the children, or to visit for cheese tasting. In winter the children can meet the animals in the farm and pet them, whilst in summer they roam their fields which you can visit on a walk to the farm and its restaurant. In winter they're closed on Saturdays but open every other day of the week from 10:00 to 18:00. The on site restaurant is open in both summer and winter and tasting sessions of their locally made produce are available by appointment (in French). Call to reserve on +33 (0)682409175.

There are small football pitches at the foot of the slopes. They also organise a friendly match one Thursday per month for anyone over 8 years old, free of charge, for which you can sign up by the pitch from 14:30. Balls are available on loan.

There are over 2.5 million people doing geocaching around the world and some of them (perhaps surprisingly) are right here in Les 2 Alpes! It’s a relatively new craze that started taking the world by storm in May 2000 after a computer geek decided that GPS could be “really exciting”. He hid some treasure at his home in Portland, America, for people to find, broadcast the GPS coordinates and said, “Come and get it”. His only rule: “Take some stuff, leave some stuff”. And that’s exactly what Geocaching is…you go in search of treasure by using the GPS system on your mobile device – once you’ve found it, you write your name in a logbook and replace the treasure you decide to take. It’s pretty simple really and means, as a family, you can be adventurers together. You won’t usually find anything quite as precious as gold, silver and diamonds but nevertheless it’s quite exciting!

There is a horse riding centre just down from the resort on the first bend in the road as you leave, or the last bend as you're coming up the hill. They're closed on Sundays but open every other day of the week in summer. 

One of the best ways to take the spectacular mountain scenery from a different point of view is on a hot-air balloon. From Les 2 Alpes you can fly around Lake Annecy, the Aravis mountain range and Mont Blanc. Anyone over 1.2m tall can take part, flights last for around 3-4 hours.

Be in charge of your own sled and team of excitable husky dogs, driving them along forest paths in winter around the area of La Molière, Venosc and the Vénéon river. After a brief explanation of how to make your team stop and start, you set off following the guide’s team. If this all sounds a bit much you can opt for a less physical outing where you sit in the sled and the guide does all the hard work! It's a very popular winter activity, so booking at least 48 hours in advance is a must. They run from early December to the end of April (snow-permitting), last for around 2 hours and there are even children-dedicated rides.

Ice Skating is the perfect activity to do with the family or in a group of you fancy something a little bit different for après ski. There is an artificial 1800m² ice rink located in the heart of the resort where you can enjoy ice skating every day except Thursdays throughout the winter season from 16:00 to 20:00. Free entry with a ski pass, you can rent skates there.

Fancy something a bit different to do with the kids? How about bumper cars on ice? The cars are powered by a battery and allow you to bump, slide and crash into the other cars on the rink. Open on Thursdays from 16:00 to 21:00 at the ice skating rink. Cars seat two people. 

If you want to take a break from the mountain activities, do something with the family or in a group, then bowling is a great option. On a bad weather day or if you just fancy doing something in the evening after a day on the mountain, head to Le Strike Bowling Alley watch live sport on the big screens and maybe find some arcade games and pool tables to keep you entertained.

If you don't fancy climbing outdoors, or you're new to climbing and want to give it a go in an indoor centre, then Les 2 Alpes has somewhere for you to go. The Palais des Sports offers an indoor climbing wall, although here climbing equipment is not provided.

Enjoy a few hours of fun in the summer months on the miniature golf course in Les 2 Alpes. Great for some gentle exercise on a sunny day, Les 2 Alpes also has "Pit-Pat" mini-golf, a cross between billiards and crazy golf.

Les Deux Alpes is one of the more recent ski resorts to develop its summer programme to include mountain biking. The bike park is one of the greatest in the Alps. With 4 sectors (Vallée Blanche, Jandri, Le Diable and Venosc), 100km of marked tracks, 26 descents, 5 cross country routes and 10 lifts that can transport bikes it is definitely worth checking out! There are various downhill tracks, enduro itineraries and touring courses, a paradise for mountain bikers!

If you're after a more cultural affair, you can visit the Chasal Lento Museum in Mont de Lans to learn about the region's history and customs, or to the Mémoires d'Alpinisme Museum to know more about mountaneering and how it came to be such an important discipline. You can also head to the Ice Cave, located at 3200m, an unique experience to enter inside a glacier and discover amazing ice sculptures.

The Ecrins National Park is one of the highlights of the Southern Alps region; a haven for all sorts of wildlife as well as a magnet for outdoor sports enthusiasts, it is well worth a visit at any time of year. The 750,000 people who visit the Ecrins National Park each year are a diverse bunch including families with children hoping to spot a marmot or two!

Floodlit skiing and snowboarding takes place on the Lutins piste behind the central Tourist Office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays through the winter season from 18:00 to 21:00. 

Challenge your friends to a game of paintball in Les Deux Alpes. You can take part in groups as a team or take on your rivals individually, For children, they organize a special game where their instructors hide in the woods and children are free to shoot at them at their will. No shots are ever fired at the kids. It’s great fun and children love it!

Boules are one of the most popular pastimes in France. There are petanque facilities by the Buissonière Lake.

Ski joering hails from Scandinavia, indeed the word ski joering itself means ski driving in Norwegian. In France, the preferred style is to use a rider-less horse which is controlled by the skier. A rig with reigns is connected to the horse’s bridle and the skier is towed along behind the horse on skis, holding onto the rig. The skier steers with vocal commands and by pulling on lines connected to the horse's bit. It is a sport that is suitable for all ages and rides can be tailored to suit any standard of skier, from a gentle hack to a gallop through the snow. 

In winter there are four areas where your children can enjoy sledging or tobogganing in Deux Alpes It's free to enter, and parents must stay with their children and supervise them. 

In French it's called the Espace Luge. The 4 zones are located:

• Sledge Zone 1 is behind the Bonhomme de Neige day nursery for children aged 2 to 6
• Sledge Zone 2 is below le Jandri 1 for children aged over 6
• The snow play zone is on the Petite Aiguille run near la Côte chairlift
• Sledge Zone 3 is behind the Diable chairlift

The different runs are mainly designed for children but adults can have a go on Tuesday and Thursday evenings when the slopes are flood-lit for night skiing.

For all those who have ever wondered what it is like to be inside a piste basher high on the mountain, you can find out for yourself. After the lifts close, you will be able to ride a piste basher from 2600m right up to the top of the glacier. You will be treated to champagne, cake and a 360-degree view of the sunset. Ask at the tourist office for details. 

Raquette à Neige or Snow-shoeing in and around Les 2 Alpes is a perfect activity for bad weather conditions or for non-skiers. Don't forget to wear comfortable and waterproof boots. Either set out on your own, or join a group led by a knowledgeable local guide and explore the hidden parts of the Oisans area. Snowshoes and ski poles are provided by most companies offering this as an experience, or you can hire snowshoes from most Sports Shops or Ski Hire Shops, grab a trail map from the Tourist Office and head off on your own adventure. Be sure to check the weather forecast before you go.

2 Alpes has an amazing snowpark which is open in winter and summer, as it's high elevation allows good snow cover year round. There are several different areas inside the snowpark. For beginners, the Family Cross and Easy Park run alongside each other, close enough that you can easily hop from one to the other. For intermediates, the Progress Park is a slopestyle format course on the ridge between the chairlifts and the Lac Noir pistes with a mixture of kickers, boxes and a quarterpipe finishing on Lac Noir 1. Advanced freestylers have the Park Avenue and Slopestyle lines. Park Avenue has an urban theme, lined with lampposts and there are more box/rail type features here and a wall-ride. The slopestyle is a line of four tabletops on which they build kickers and rails. For experts, the big air next to the Slopestyle is huge.

If it is calm and relaxation you are after then head to a luxury day spa or book in for massage therapies and beauty treatments. A day spa is also the perfect activity when the weather turns. The Espace 1800 has a dedicated spa area for children open every day from 10:00 to 19:00 except Sundays with heated indoor pools and water games for kids as well as armbands and other inflatables.

At the Espace 1800 in the centre of Les 2 Alpes there are 2 squash courts available year round. You can also rent squash equipment.

Sledging or luge takes place on the hillside close to the Alpette gondola. Take the lift up and sledge down to the bottom. There are two trails of different lengths and difficulty levels. The lift runs from 14:00 to 20:00, non stop.

Most hotels, lots of chalets and apartments have their own swimming facilities. There are also several public swimming baths that you can visit in Les 2 Alpes. The outdoor Piscine de la Croisette has 2 semi-Olympic pools open from 10:00 to 19:00. At Espace 1800 there are indoor and outdoor heated pools, open also from 10:00 to 19:00. At the Buissonière you will find a pleasant lake open from June to September offering also petanque grounds and activities for children.

Tennis is a great way to get the legs moving and to enjoy the sunny summertime weather. You can play a friendly game or have a lesson, whatever you choose to do it is a great way to have fun with friends and family. Open during the summer season there are 4 artificial tennis courts in Les 2 Alpes which you can book ar the tennis club or in the tourist office. At the Palais des Sports you can also practise tennis indoors.

Enjoy the thrills of adventure courses created in the forest at the Aventure Parc in Venosc, by the Vénéon river. The ropes, swings, tunnels, trees and activities will be a great day for children and adults alike, with an area for children 3 to 5 years old and tree-top adventures accessible to those over 1m55 (arms stretched). With all the protective gear provided and safety information given you can head out and enjoy the trees and wilderness. Qualified guides will be around the course throughout to make sure you are safe and having as much fun as possible.

Via Ferrata climbing offers an element of security that still allows beginners to enjoy the achievement of having scaled a mountain! This form of climbing was invented by Italian soldiers in the Dolomites who used it to enable them to scale vertiginous faces easily and quickly. These days it is a popular sport that makes the thrill of mountain climbing more accessible to children, beginners and those who want a bit more security when they climb. Following marked routes through the mountains you are helped along by steps, bridges and ladders whilst being roped up for extra safety. Suitable for adults and children over the age of 8, guides can be arranged on request.

There are numerous maintained routes throughout the Oisans region on which to explore the mountains from another angle. Recommended sites are the Gorges de la Durance near Vénosc and alongside the river in St Christophe.

In the summer months Les 2 Alpes is a mecca for walking and hiking in the beautiful Alpine mountains. As the snow melts and the sun begins to shine the mountains make an excellent place to head out on a hike or walk. There are 200km of paths in the area and you can pick from a number of routes ranging in difficulty, including from easy child-friendly walks. Check out our walking and hiking guide for more details on hiking in Les 2 Alpes. 

If you haven't experienced white water rafting before then this is a definite 'must try' on your list of activities to do! There are a number of trained guides in resort who will let you experience some of the best white water rafting available in the Alps. From the middle of May until September, the Vénéon river flows furiously as they are fed from the meltwaters running off the glaciers high above the town. There are various options available from a three-hour adrenaline rush to a full days excursion - this activity is guaranteed not to disappoint.