Les Deux Alpes
A leading ski resort in France’s Isère department, Les 2 Alpes dates back to the 1940s and owes its international reputation to its high-altitude ski area – the highest in France at 3,600m.
The high summits guarantee natural snow in any season, and skiers can enjoy a continuous vertical drop of 2,300m from 3,600m to 1,300m (including 10km on a blue run). Then there’s Vallée Blanche, between 2,100m and 1,650m, where beginners can enjoy the new Vallée Blanche green run (since winter 2024). Not only will this area be accessible to all, but it will allow a for a better distribution of snowsports enthusiasts across the entire Les 2 Alpes ski area. And it is on the Vallée Blanche green run that night skiing sessions will be held, with a fun evening at La Troïka slopeside restaurant followed by a night- time ski descent back to the resort (or take the lift if you prefer).
For those interested in glacier hiking, from March onwards the mountain guides office will be running guided sessions at altitudes of more than 3,400m. It’s a chance to get up close to the majestic summits and try your hand at mountaineering. It’s a one-of-a-kind experience. If you prefer a slower pace, enjoy a stroll at 3,400m and stop in at the Écrins viewing platform, suspended over a void, and marvel at the panoramic views over the Écrins national Park.
Don your snowshoes and go in search of the chamois mountain goats, try mountain biking in the snow or spend an afternoon with the piste groomer drivers. Then there’s paragliding, ski touring, trail running on snow, ice climbing horse-drawn sleighs and cani-rando hikes (snowshoes + husky dogs). Visit a local market in Mont de Lans or Venosc, the blacksmith or watch a wool spinning demo.
Eat
Le restaurant Le P’tit Polyte (at the 4-star Hôtel Chalet Mounier), is the highest starred restaurant in Isère and is helmed by chef Guillaume Barengo. Since 1999, Chalet Mounier has maintained its Michelin star over 25 years and 10 chefs.
Le Yonder Café is perfect for health-conscious diners. Its menu is inspired by Chef Arthur’s experiences in the four corners of the globe.
Le Grain de Sel offers French cuisine using local and seasonal products, as featured in the France 3 TV programme Météo à la Carte.
Le Raisin d’Ours is the home of the perfectly-prepared smoked burger served with a homemade brioche bun.
Le Cours de la Vie au village de Venosc, in the hands of Mathilde and Stéphan, offers refined, local and authentic cuisine.
Douces Gourmandises au village de Venosc is run by Bruno, Meilleur Ouvrier de France. Expect local, fresh products, served on a terrace overlooking the Vénéon valley and the Aiguille de Venosc.
Le Bistrot des Lutins, which first opened its doors in 1959, is known by locals for its friendliness and quality cuisine, courtesy of master of the house is Louison (Loulou). Don’t miss the homemade ice creams!
Les Copain’s is a newcomer on the culinary scene. Born from the friendship of four locals with diverse backgrounds, it offers gourmet and generous cuisine.
New this winter, Monsieur K is an ambitious project by a group of friends who already run several establishments in the resort. Maximising on the new public service offered by the ski lifts, SATA 2 Alpes, they aim to offer an upmarket, hybrid concept whereby refined cuisine is served in a flamboyant and rock’n’roll atmosphere. Open from 5pm to 2am, it promises to be a unique experience.
La Pizzeria serves up a slice of Italian authenticity with fresh, quality ingredients directly imported from Italy. With a varied and affordable menu, La Pizzeria offers excellent value for money, making this place an address of choice for all gourmets in search of the true Italy.
Sleep
Base Camp lodge: a very Instagrammable hostel and excellent value for money
Côte brune: 4-star accommodation in superb location at the foot of the slopes, very cosy, ideal for families, plus a superb spa.
Chalet Mounier: this must-see 4-star hotel is the premium address of Les 2 Alpes with its starred restaurant, the highest in Isère.
Relax
Motown Café is a nice bar to sip cocktails with homemade tapas to the sound of Motown.
Le Saloon is a one-of-a-kind bar (and restaurant) with an open mic for musicians.
L’Épicerie des Alpes is a delicatessen where you can taste quality wines with platters of local products, comfortably seated around wine barrels.
The Smithy’s tavern is a chalet with a restaurant and a bar where guests from all over the world rub shoulders, but mainly British people. It is the place to practice the language of Shakespeare, discover craft beers and taste their famous homemade Génépi fusion cocktail.
Boris Bistro is an unusual bistro run by the maestro of the 2 Alpes wild evenings: Boris. Dance all night long to the hits of the 80s.
BC7 is a cosy, gourmet and Instaworthy restaurant as well as a bar where cocktails are accompanied by tapas and delicious pizzas.
Chamois Lodge is an unmissable address for its bistronomic cuisine but also for its setting, where you can enjoy, around a brazier, cocktails and gourmet platters.
Chez Nous 2 is run by sisters Ophélie and Sophie, whose good humour and generosity are found in the tapas and platters of local products (as well as those from the southwest, where they come from) as well as the house cocktails.
Ginette is the trendy place to go in Les 2 Alpes. A neat, stylish, flowery décor and a hushed, cosy, warm atmosphere accompanies the explosive cocktails made by Jimmy, the host of this “so Frenchie-British” lounge.
Ski lift innovations
The company SATA Group, which has managed the ski lifts at Les 2 Alpes since 2020, aims to modernise and transform the ski resort into an even more accessible destination for all seasons and for all kinds of activities, both sporting and non-sporting (cycling, mountain biking, hiking, trail running, walking, ski touring, accessibility for people with reduced mobility, etc.).
Following the completion of the Super Venosc gondola, the three telemix lifts (Diable, Vallée Blanche, and Belle Étoile), the redevelopment of the beginner’s area at the base of the slopes, and the renovation of the Vallée Blanche sector, a new chapter is unfolding with the replacement of the Jandri Express gondola, the backbone of Les 2 Alpes, by the Jandri 3S. This new lift is the most significant development at Les 2 Alpes and the largest project in the French Alps over the past 10 years. It stands out for its technical prowess, excellence, customer experience, undeniable access to guaranteed snow, and exemplary construction. It has been designed to promote local employment, involving the use of local firms, and protect the environment.
Jandri 3S
This winter, the Jandri 3S replaces the Jandri Express lift, which has been in service since 1985. The new lift will double the capacity (from 1,700 to 3,000 people per hour) and enhance customer comfort. It will allow skiers, pedestrians, mountain bikers, and others to be transported from the station at 1,650m to 3,200m, in all seasons, in a record time of 17 minutes instead of the current 40 minutes. This new gondola will also be more reliable in adverse weather conditions such as wind. It will consist of 7 pylons instead of the current 17, resulting in less visual pollution. Again, the project focused on respecting and protecting the environment and the new lift means Les 2 Alpes, and the broader region, can live sustainably now and for future generations.
Other environmental successes have included Alp’ Etudes managed water conservation to prevent contamination, and FAMY’s work on earthworks and re-grassing which has ensured original soil is reused instead of being transported hundreds of kilometers, thus limiting the environmental impact of developments and preserving the already rich soil. And last but not least, the electricity in Les 2 Alpes is 100% decarbonised, sourced partly from EDF hydropower, with new projects, when possible, equipped with photovoltaic panels. Notably, any surplus electricity produced is sold to the Enedis group.
Events in 2024/2025
October 28 – November 29: Avalanche Rescuer Training
ANENA (National Association for the Study of Snow and Avalanches) is organising four sessions for the shooting certificate, with options for mountain shooting and slow fuse at Les 2 Alpes. One hundred avalanche rescuers will be trained at Les 2 Alpes for the sixth consecutive year.
December 2 – 13: Avalanche Rescue Dog Handler Training
ANENA will train avalanche rescue dog handlers, which will see about 20 pairs undergo 88 hours of practical and theoretical training over 11 days, including practical exercises in real conditions. Successful participants will earn the National Avalanche Rescue Dog Handler Certificate.
December 7 – 14: Rise Festival (UK)
Some 8,000 Brits will gather at Les 2 Alpes for an electro music festival and mountain activities. The week includes snowshoeing, electric mountain biking, dog sledding, yoga, spa treatments… plus a 100% electro festival, festive lights and plenty of Christmas spirit.
Christmas, New Year’s & February holidays
During every winter break and February holiday, magic happens on the peaks of Les 2 Alpes. Expect torchlit descents, fireworks, ski shows, performances at the Palais des Sports, hot chocolate, and the enchanting and musical Magic Avenue parades, a colorful procession of artists on the main avenue of Les 2 Alpes, with giant puppets and illuminated, fairy-tale characters on stilts.
January 11, 2025: Les Lumiéres de la Muzelle (snow trail)
Les 2 Alpes Trail Association, with the support of the Les 2 Alpes Tourist Office, the municipality of Les 2 Alpes, and the SATA ski area company, organizes a unique snow trail each year. The event takes place with sneakers on the snow, on groomed slopes and trails, after the ski lifts close, and at night. The starting point is in the Vallée Blanche sector at 2,100 meters. From there, participants can choose between a 10km, 21km, or 42km, and new for 2025, there will be an 8km option. Many experts will be present, such as Mathieu Blanchard and Yannick Noël, trail ambassadors for Les 2 Alpes. Last year, nearly 1,400 people participated—three times more than in previous years!
January 17, 2025: Inauguration of the New Jandri (3S)
To celebrate the new Jandri 3S lift at Les 2 Alpes, the ski resort operator SATA Group-AEON is organising festivities, including an official ceremony late in the morning at the base station (Station 1) and a nighttime drone show at the bottom of the slopes.
February 7-8: Public Protection Careers Fair Featuring Alexandre Richard
Les 2 Alpes aims to highlight the distinguished career of Alexandre Richard, bi-alpine athlete and future leader of the Patrouille de France. The municipality will follow him throughout the year and organise several events, including this first-ever careers fair for the military and public protection professions. Meetings, discussions, conferences, and activities will take place at the Palais des Sports of Les 2 Alpes.
March 22: Trophée des Choucas Kids
The Les 2 Alpes ski club is organizing an FFS-sanctioned competition for young skiers aged six to ten (U8-U10).
April 11-13: Micro Kids
This is the largest snowboarding competition in France dedicated to micro riders, ie. children aged five to 11. A spectacular event at 2,600m on the Les 2 Alpes snowpark.
April 12-13: Black Garden Party (Mountain Biking)
A mid-April tradition, mountain bikers return to the downhill trails of Les 2 Alpes, including the legendary red Venosc trail and the brand-new Black Garden trail, an elite double black trail. It’s a celebration, a reunion, and the start of the downhill mountain biking season.
At a glance
Ski until May 4
200km of runs at altitudes up to 3,600m