Summer ski season shaping up in Les 2 Alpes

We have had a very successful season at village level, with skiing on the button lifts in resort right till the last week. The snow is quickly melting down here now. The ground has defrosted so even the fresh snow isn’t holding long. The golf course is coming into view and the tennis nets are being put back up ready for the summer season. Crocuses and primroses are starting to flower while the marmots have woken up. There is a real springlike interseason feel to the resort.

The Vallée Blanche has now been shut for 10 days but there is still snow here. The ski patrollers have taken down all the piste markers and there is little evidence of skiing in this area, barring a few hardy ski tourers enjoying the fresh snow. The bike patrollers start work on May 20th to prepare the mountain biking tracks and get everything ready for us to enjoy these superb rolling runs during the summer months. This side is my favourite for mountain biking.

You may have noticed the lifts running on Tuesday morning. Sadly this wasn’t a magical extra day of skiing for us but the “demontage” team of ski patrollers taking down all the piste markers and signs. Tuesday was the last day of their season, a final clear up and pack up of the winter 2018/19. There is still lots of snow up on the mountain so I’m sure they will be enjoying the odd turn as well, albeit, with a piste marker or two on their shoulders. These guys and girls work hard all winter to keep us safe. They get up at the crack of dawn to set off any potential avalanches in the domain. This allows us to ski on the pistes without having to worry about the quality of the snowpack above us. They come to help us if we are in trouble and provide us with all the information we need to make the most of the amazing ski area that Les Deux Alpes is. I think it only appropriate that we take a few words to thank them for their hard work and for keeping us safe all winter. The unsung héros of Les Deux Alpes!

Les Deux Alpes has given us a fantastic season again this year. The mountain has been fabulous even in periods of very little snowfall. The sun has shone and the temperatures have been cold allowing the pistes to stay in extraordinary condition. When it has snowed, it has snowed. Each time we have seen snow, we have seen significant amounts – over a meter in January and again nearly a meter in March, both falling in one go rather than bit by bit. Perhaps this is the new trend? And it's forecast to continue to snow into May!

February holidays were magnificent with sunshine and cold temperatures – perfect conditions for all the families on holiday here. The first-time skiers had great conditions in the village, while the more experienced skiers were able to enjoy near perfect piste conditions around the resort. Those venturing off the piste did so with caution and were able to find fresh snow most of the time.

The glacier is the gem of Les Deux Alpes – it allows us to be a snowsure resort int he winter and to offer fantastic summer skiing. The glacier is the largest skiable glacier in Europe and the scope of pistes up here is brilliant with blues and reds to be enjoyed by everyone. There is also a beginners' area in the summer months. The base of the glacier is at 3200m and the top at 3600m. The lift access is by funicular or by T-bar. The funicular runs between 3200m and 3400m and the final stretch can only be accessed by T-bar. The snow farming to each side of the runs is now in preparation for the summer when all of the lifts will be running run in the summer: two to access the snow park, two give access to the regular pistes and teo for the racers. The Lauze is for everyone with some piste and some areas cordoned off for racing.

If you haven’t skied in the summer on Les Deux Alpes glacier, it is certainly worth a go. What more could you ask for to ski in the mornings and mountain bike or hike in the afternoons during your summer holidays? Not to mention the luge, tennis, rafting, canoeing and many more activities that are available here during the summer. Even a man-made lake with a sandy beach for those of you looking for a little more of a gentle holiday.

Thank you all for reading and watching my snow reports over this winter. I look forward to sending you some more during the summer months and then again next winter. Have a great interseason!

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Les 2 Alpes dump alerts and snow reports are brought to you by Alex, from TipTop Ski Coaching. Read more from her on her website.