Skiing in Les 2 Alpes

Les 2 Alpes is a dream for skiers and snowboarders with its high-altitude glacier skiing, wide-open pistes and excellent snowparks. The resort is known for its long, scenic runs and varied terrain that suits everyone from complete beginners to seasoned pros. You’ll find gentle nursery slopes near the village, long cruisy blues and reds higher up and challenging blacks and off-piste for more advanced riders. The glacier means snow cover is usually great, and you can even ski here in summer. With fast lifts and plenty of space to explore, it’s easy to spend all day on the mountain.

Summer skiing

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 a number of runs open in summer. Enjoy a morning of skiing and then an afternoon of hiking. Learn more about summer skiing in Les 2 Alpes.

There are cross-country tracks available in Les 2 Alpes. You can access them at the bottom of the Vallée Blanche chairlift; they are only suitable for skating style as they are shared with walkers so do not have classic tracks in place. The good news is they are free! 

However be aware, they are not prepared as well as dedicated cross-country tracks so are not suitable for novices. 

You can hire the comfortable boots and lightweight skis and poles fairly inexpensively from most sports shops and book a group or private lesson to learn the basics from most ski schools or private instructors. A number of adventure companies also offer cross-country skiing guiding, tours and lessons.

The best cross-country skiing in the area is a half-hour drive away, in the picturesque village of Villar d’Arene. Situated on the edge of the national park, with a variety of well-maintained tracks and views to die for. There is a 3km, 7km and 10km loop to explore - you can get day tickets. Equipment hire and instruction are available in the village. There is also a ‘refuge’ by the car park and you can get a great lunch here by the wood-burning stove.

Heli-skiing is not permitted in France but there are a couple of companies in Les 2 Alpes offering panoramic helicopter rides that include heliskiing. They pick you up in resort and take you over the border into Italy or Switzerland from where you will ski down accompanied by a mountain guide. It's expensive, but definitely a once in a lifetime experience!

Les 2 Alpes is popular for ski touring, whether it's going up the pistes that most people normally ski down, or tackling more of a backcountry route. A number of ski schools, private instructors and companies can show you around, or if you've got all the necessary equipment you can head out in your own group. 

There are marked ski touring routes in resort: one close to Les Vallons du Diable, one starting from the Super Venoc chairlift and another one starting from the Vallée Blanche chairlift. 

The mountain guides also organise evening touring sessions for beginners. 

For those more experienced, some of the most popular ski touring areas in Les 2 Alpes are the mountains of Les Cerces, the Ecrins National Park and Le Queyras.

Les Deux Alpes is home to one of the best snowparks in France, shaped and maintained by a top team who know exactly what freestyle riders are looking for. Set at 2,600 metres in the Toura area, it’s a proper playground for skiers and snowboarders who want to try jumps, rails and features in a dedicated space.

The park is split into themed zones based on ability, with everything from intermediate areas to big air and slopestyle lines rated difficult to extremely difficult. There’s also a boardercross course and a more accessible section for those building confidence. Even if you’re not heading into the park, the Cool Zone is a great spot to stop for lunch and watch others in action.

Télémarking is a form of downhill skiing where you are only attached to the binding at the toe, so to turn, you have to lunge and bring your heel upwards. Talk to one of the ski schools or private instructors who can teach you how to télémark and take you out on excursions using this technique.

If this whets your appetite for more ski talk, check out our recommendations of the best pistes in Les 2 Alpes. Take a look at this year's ski pass prices or, if you're not sure which pass to buy.