ChrisC
Well-known member
Again, numerous Les Deux Alpes lodging deals were available for one night, including half-board (breakfast and dinner) and free parking, for 100-130 Euros. I stayed at Le Chamois lodge within a 5-minute walk to either the new Jandri S3 Gondola or the Diable lift.
Les Deux Alpes Piste Map
Les Deux Alpes extends on a narrow East-West axis with most lifts facing due north. (A bit like Aspen Highlands) This makes it difficult to ski the full vertical, but results in great snow conditions, as the mountain is glaciated, most sectors are north-facing, and it boasts the highest lift-served piste skiing in France (only the off-piste Aguille du Midi top station is higher). This setup used to annoy me, but once you leave the resort and head up the mountain, the skiing drastically improves. Experts and Beginners/Low Intermediates are well-served, but there is not much skiing for Intermediate skiers (red pistes).
Additionally, the Lift Company of Aeon, which operates Alpe d'Huez, Les Deux Alpes, and La Grave, has made significant investments in lift infrastructure recently. Every lift out of the base areas in both areas is a new S3 Gondola, Chondola, or covered 8/6-pack with heated seats, and similar lifts at higher elevations. It's on par with any of the resorts in Austria. There is a plan to connect Alpe d'Huez to Les Deux Alpes and create a massive complex similar to Paradiski (Les Acs-La Plagne), and it would likely be in the Top 10 Largest European Resorts.
Again, the Southern Alps resorts of Les Deux Alpes and Alpe d'Huez have some of the highest base and summit elevations in France, offering great late-season skiing. Many don't realize this.
Les 2 Alpes Map from Trailforks (LINK) with selected. Essentially, they are now the best for topo maps with pistes layered (yellow denotes off-piste itineraries) - downhill skiing selected. Up is north.
Les Deux Alpes is also linked to La Grave at the summit. You can easily hire a guide to spend the day skiing the freeride paradise of La Grave if you're skiing with resort-oriented skiers or friends who prefer to spend the day on the pistes of Les Deux Alpes. If the link is closed (which is often the case), La Grave is only a quick 25-30 minute drive away.
It snowed about 4-8 Inches overnight with greater accumulations up high, especially in wind-loaded areas.
Here are the slopes immediately above the resort of Les Deux Alpes (1650m). This is just below the current natural snowline of 1800-1900m for early April, so you can see the upper village slopes are well-covered, but narrow to snowmaking paths for the last one-third. In prior mid-winter visits in January and February (2006 and 2023), this area can ski well, especially if the upper mountain lifts are closed due to heavy snow or wind. Les Deux Alpes, France - 2/2006
Note: Many evergreens were planted on the steeper village slopes, especially around dainages. Additionally, numerous avalanche barriers have been erected. For me, this somewhat ruins the alpine aesthetic, but allows for safe powder skiing on storm days. It is even more out of place when you consider the Larch tree is common on lower slopes in this region (i.e., La Grave, Serre Chevalier, Via Lattea areas).
Piste map of this zone. Note: All black terrain with only narrow catwalks for beginners/intermediates. It might be prudent to download for some skiers.
Super Diable Lift - upper mountain. Lots of untouched powder on the pistes.
Looking south to Encrins National Park (mountains). There are numerous avalanche barriers on the Village Slopes. To me, they somewhat ruin the aesthetic, but can be fun to ski around.
Riding the New Winter 24/25 S3 Gondola (30+ passenger cabins). To the right is the Bellecombe sector - lots of nice, steep freeride terrain. Left - Fee Sector summit.
Stom is starting to break up a bit.
Some of the Couloirs I skied in 2006.
Bellecombe Sector Overview. The Grand Couloir/Bellecombe 5 is pisted but ungroomed in the middle, with easy access to couloirs and bowls to the left and right.
Grand Couloir Freeride zone LINK
Lots of easy access powder in the Bellecombe Sector with more moderate pitches. Les Deux Alpes reveals its freeride areas a lot easier than Alpes d'Huez.
Lots of easy access powder in Bellecombe. The backside/southside of the Fee Sector in the background.
Lots of Couloirs and Open areas to skier's left of the chairlift.
These are all avalanche-controlled due to pistes directly below. One can see avalanche mitigation equipment.
Skier's right/Looker's left had a lot of nice routes as well.
Gate to Bellecombe off-piste/freeride.
View back to Bellecombe. Note: couloirs/chutes in the center and the open bowl Las Rachas (LINK) above them, sloping diagonally to the right.
After spending almost 1.5 to 2 hours in Bellecombe, I moved on. You can rack up the vertical by lapping this high-speed lift with easily accessible powder.
Taking the backside lift to the La Fée Sector. Great snow everywhere!
Le Fée summit (approximately 2,800 meters). Bellecombe in the background.
Again, lots of obvious and easily accessible off-piste in the La Fee sector. It's a little more mellow - fewer coulois and cliffs, and more open slopes. Lots of unskied terrain still. Spent time lapping Fee #2, 4, 5, and Pierre Grosse #2 and 4.
Fee #5
Fee #3 and Pierre Gross #2.
Skied another freeride itinerary (Pierre Grosse #4) from La Fee zone summit to the Pierre Grosse gondola.
Continued.
Les Deux Alpes Piste Map
- 2000m vertical to the resort (6000 ft)
- 2300m vertical to the lowest point (7000 ft)
Les Deux Alpes extends on a narrow East-West axis with most lifts facing due north. (A bit like Aspen Highlands) This makes it difficult to ski the full vertical, but results in great snow conditions, as the mountain is glaciated, most sectors are north-facing, and it boasts the highest lift-served piste skiing in France (only the off-piste Aguille du Midi top station is higher). This setup used to annoy me, but once you leave the resort and head up the mountain, the skiing drastically improves. Experts and Beginners/Low Intermediates are well-served, but there is not much skiing for Intermediate skiers (red pistes).
Additionally, the Lift Company of Aeon, which operates Alpe d'Huez, Les Deux Alpes, and La Grave, has made significant investments in lift infrastructure recently. Every lift out of the base areas in both areas is a new S3 Gondola, Chondola, or covered 8/6-pack with heated seats, and similar lifts at higher elevations. It's on par with any of the resorts in Austria. There is a plan to connect Alpe d'Huez to Les Deux Alpes and create a massive complex similar to Paradiski (Les Acs-La Plagne), and it would likely be in the Top 10 Largest European Resorts.
Again, the Southern Alps resorts of Les Deux Alpes and Alpe d'Huez have some of the highest base and summit elevations in France, offering great late-season skiing. Many don't realize this.
Les 2 Alpes Map from Trailforks (LINK) with selected. Essentially, they are now the best for topo maps with pistes layered (yellow denotes off-piste itineraries) - downhill skiing selected. Up is north.
Les Deux Alpes is also linked to La Grave at the summit. You can easily hire a guide to spend the day skiing the freeride paradise of La Grave if you're skiing with resort-oriented skiers or friends who prefer to spend the day on the pistes of Les Deux Alpes. If the link is closed (which is often the case), La Grave is only a quick 25-30 minute drive away.
It snowed about 4-8 Inches overnight with greater accumulations up high, especially in wind-loaded areas.
Here are the slopes immediately above the resort of Les Deux Alpes (1650m). This is just below the current natural snowline of 1800-1900m for early April, so you can see the upper village slopes are well-covered, but narrow to snowmaking paths for the last one-third. In prior mid-winter visits in January and February (2006 and 2023), this area can ski well, especially if the upper mountain lifts are closed due to heavy snow or wind. Les Deux Alpes, France - 2/2006
Note: Many evergreens were planted on the steeper village slopes, especially around dainages. Additionally, numerous avalanche barriers have been erected. For me, this somewhat ruins the alpine aesthetic, but allows for safe powder skiing on storm days. It is even more out of place when you consider the Larch tree is common on lower slopes in this region (i.e., La Grave, Serre Chevalier, Via Lattea areas).
Piste map of this zone. Note: All black terrain with only narrow catwalks for beginners/intermediates. It might be prudent to download for some skiers.
Super Diable Lift - upper mountain. Lots of untouched powder on the pistes.
Looking south to Encrins National Park (mountains). There are numerous avalanche barriers on the Village Slopes. To me, they somewhat ruin the aesthetic, but can be fun to ski around.
Riding the New Winter 24/25 S3 Gondola (30+ passenger cabins). To the right is the Bellecombe sector - lots of nice, steep freeride terrain. Left - Fee Sector summit.
Stom is starting to break up a bit.
Some of the Couloirs I skied in 2006.
Bellecombe Sector Overview. The Grand Couloir/Bellecombe 5 is pisted but ungroomed in the middle, with easy access to couloirs and bowls to the left and right.
Grand Couloir Freeride zone LINK
Lots of easy access powder in the Bellecombe Sector with more moderate pitches. Les Deux Alpes reveals its freeride areas a lot easier than Alpes d'Huez.
Lots of easy access powder in Bellecombe. The backside/southside of the Fee Sector in the background.
Lots of Couloirs and Open areas to skier's left of the chairlift.
These are all avalanche-controlled due to pistes directly below. One can see avalanche mitigation equipment.
Skier's right/Looker's left had a lot of nice routes as well.
Gate to Bellecombe off-piste/freeride.
View back to Bellecombe. Note: couloirs/chutes in the center and the open bowl Las Rachas (LINK) above them, sloping diagonally to the right.
After spending almost 1.5 to 2 hours in Bellecombe, I moved on. You can rack up the vertical by lapping this high-speed lift with easily accessible powder.
Taking the backside lift to the La Fée Sector. Great snow everywhere!
Le Fée summit (approximately 2,800 meters). Bellecombe in the background.
Again, lots of obvious and easily accessible off-piste in the La Fee sector. It's a little more mellow - fewer coulois and cliffs, and more open slopes. Lots of unskied terrain still. Spent time lapping Fee #2, 4, 5, and Pierre Grosse #2 and 4.
Fee #5
Fee #3 and Pierre Gross #2.
Skied another freeride itinerary (Pierre Grosse #4) from La Fee zone summit to the Pierre Grosse gondola.
Continued.
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