Les 2 Alpes
Les 2 Alpes Ski Holidays
Les 2 Alpes is one of those resorts that just works, and it really suits for every kind of winter traveller. There's a proper glacier up top, so the snow's reliable even in a dodgy season, and the lift network reaches all the way up to 3,600m. The season runs long too, usually late November through to early May, which is perfect if you want to avoid peak travel dates, or combine with a longer Euro-itinerary.
Here's the bit that makes it different from most resorts: it's built upside down. The easy, wide-open runs are up near the glacier, and things get steeper the further down you go. So if you're a nervous beginner, you're actually skiing the same high bowls as the confident intermediates in your group, and everyone can meet for lunch. Meanwhile, the harder stuff, the couloirs and off-piste around Bellecombes, is lower down, along with easy access to La Grave next door if someone in your crew is chasing proper freeride terrain. Throw in a village with a decent bar scene and plenty to do off the snow, and it's genuinely a resort where a mixed group, beginners, experts, families, whoever, can all have a good week together.
Where is Les 2 Alpes?
Most Aussies get here by flying into Geneva, it's the main gateway for the French Alps and where most ski transfers run from. From there it's about a 3 hour drive through the mountains into the resort. If you'd rather cut the transfer time down, Lyon is a bit closer at around 2.5 hours, and Grenoble is the closest airport of all at roughly 1.5 hours out, though it has far fewer international flights, so it usually means an extra connection.
Where to Stay in Les 2 Alpes?
Don't come here expecting big glossy resort hotels, that's just not the vibe. Most places are smaller, family-run, and the kind where the owner actually knows your name by day three. That's honestly part of the charm.
Hotel Ibiza: A solid family pick, with an indoor pool, hot tub, sauna and hammam on-site, so there's somewhere to unwind after the kids have worn themselves out on the slopes. It's a short walk or free shuttle from the Super Venosc and Diable lifts.
MMV Les Clarines: A 4-star apartment residence built for families, with supervised kids' clubs for ages 18 months to 17 years, an indoor and outdoor pool, and ski-to-door access straight onto the Super Venosc chairlift. Great if you want your own space plus someone else entertaining the kids for a few hours.
Residence l'Alpeggio: The luxury option, modern apartments in stone and wood, ski-in from 50m away, and a proper wellness area with heated pool, sauna and hammam included. It's a quieter spot but still an easy walk into the village.
Base Camp Lodge: The value pick, with everything from dorm beds to private doubles and suites, right on the main street just a few minutes from the lifts. Funky decor, a restaurant and bar on-site, and a genuinely social vibe, good for groups, mates' trips or anyone travelling on a budget.
Where to Ski in Les 2 Alpes
The ski area runs from 1,300m all the way up to 3,600m, with 220km of pistes, 40 lifts, and a vertical drop of over 2,200m, one of the biggest continuous descents anywhere in the world when conditions play ball.
Just starting out? Les Crêtes, right by the village, has wide, gentle slopes and free lifts, with clear signage so you're never left guessing which way is down.
Solid intermediate? This is really where the resort shines. Most of the terrain is red runs, and the glacier and Toura sectors give you long, fast, well-groomed descents with snow that actually holds up thanks to the north-facing slopes.
Chasing something harder? Bellecombes and the black run off the Super Diable chairlift will keep you honest, and there's off-piste opening up from the top of the glacier too. If you really want to push it, La Grave next door is legendary freeride terrain, no marked runs at all, so you'll need a guide, but it's the real deal.
More into park? The snowpark on the glacier has two halfpipes, a boardercross course, and a solid run of jumps and rails, plus somewhere to hang out and watch everyone else send it.
Is Les 2 Alpes good for non-skiers?
Even keen skiers want a break from the boots every now and then, and if there's a non-skier in your group, they won't be twiddling their thumbs. Worth knowing about:
• Walk right onto the glacier at 3,400m by cable car, no skis needed
• Check out the ice cave, carved fresh into the glacier every season
• Go snowshoeing on marked trails, on your own or with a guide, including night walks that end with raclette by a fire
• Take a tandem paragliding flight over the whole ski area
• Hit the outdoor ice rink, heated pool, or spa for a slower day
• Try indoor climbing, book the sports hall for a game of something, or duck into the local history museum
• Take the kids husky sledding or find one of the other family activities dotted round the village
Non-skiers can also grab a pedestrian lift pass, which gets you up to the glacier, into the mountain restaurants, and between villages, so nobody's stuck waiting at the bottom while the rest of the group is up the mountain.
FAQ's Les 2 Alpes
Is Les 2 Alpes good for beginners? Yes. The nursery slopes at Les 2 Alpes are right by the village with free lifts, and thanks to the resort's upside-down layout, beginners can progress onto proper, scenic terrain up on the glacier without ever needing to touch the steeper runs lower down.
Is Les 2 Alpes good for families? Very much so. Les 2 Alpes is a "Famille Plus" resort, meaning the ski schools, kids' activities, and beginner terrain are all clustered close to the village centre, so nothing's a mission.
Is Les 2 Alpes good for advanced skiers? Yes. Les 2 Alpes is known for one of the longest continuous ski descents in the Alps, plenty of off-piste terrain, and guide-led access to La Grave, one of the best freeride zones in the region.
How long is the Les 2 Alpes ski season? Thanks to its glacier, Les 2 Alpes runs one of the longer ski seasons in the Alps, typically from late November through to early May.
Can non-skiers enjoy Les 2 Alpes? Yes. Between the glacier walk, the ice cave, the spa, paragliding and snowshoeing, Les 2 Alpes has plenty to offer non-skiers or anyone taking a rest day from the slopes.
How do you get to Les 2 Alpes from Australia? Most Australian travellers fly into Geneva, then take a road transfer of around 3 hours into Les 2 Alpes. Lyon is a slightly closer gateway at roughly 2.5 hours, and Grenoble is the nearest airport of all, though it has far fewer international flights.
TL;DR Les 2 Alps
Les 2 Alpes is a big, glacier-topped French Alps resort with reliable snow, a long season (late November to early May), and terrain for every level thanks to its upside-down layout: easy runs up high, harder stuff lower down. Fly into Geneva or Lyon, then it's a road transfer into the mountains. Good picks for where to stay include Hotel Ibiza and MMV Les Clarines for families, Residence l'Alpeggio for a bit of luxury, and Base Camp Lodge if you want a social, budget-friendly base. Rest days are well covered too, with a glacier walk, ice cave, spa and more.
