Sam Jackson
Oct, 28 2025- 9 mins
8 Reasons Les 2 Alpes is a Hidden Gem for Mixed-Ability Groups
Calling a resort with the reputation of Les 2 Alpes a 'hidden gem' feels a bit strange. However, as a slightly more under the radar ski destination than some of the other megaresorts, we jump into the reasons why Les 2 Alpes is the ultimate choice to satisfy every skier in your holiday planning whatsapp group. Les 2 Alpes has a phenomenal reputation with anyone who’s had the pleasure of skiing there. Reaching heights of 3600m, there’s so much piste that it’s impossible not to find something ideal for you! From perfect pistes to a brilliant lineup of off-slope activities, discover why this under-the-radar gem is the ideal all-rounder for every group.
© Pyrene Duffau - https://www.les2alpes.com/
Mixed Terrain
If you’ve ever skied with someone better or worse than you, you’ll know the feeling of being slightly bored by easy runs or you might have felt the embarrassment of side-slipping down a slope that is just too tough for your ability. Les 2 Alpes has 220km of skiable terrain. There’s so much to explore regardless of your ability level. The Snomad community (who we think really know their stuff) give the resort a 4.21/5.00 rating for Beginners. Unlike some resorts, beginners aren’t just shoehorned into an area right at the bottom of the mountain. At Les 2 Alpes, the mountain’s natural layout means beginner slopes are found higher up, at 2100m and 2600m, where the terrain is wide and gentle; this change is massive for those linking their first turns on the slopes. At these altitudes, the slopes can comfortably be considered ‘Snow Sure’. Being higher up the mountain it also makes it easier to link up as a group after lessons. This is a welcomed quality of life that reduces the chance of bottlenecks seen at many resorts across Europe. Les 2 Alpes is constantly looking for ways to bridge the gap of accessibility between newer and more-experienced skiers. One big problem at lots of resorts is the lack of top to bottom runs that can be skied as a full group of mixed abilities.
At Les 2 Alpes, it's possible to ski all the way down from the top of Europe's largest skiable High-altitude area, to the village while only taking blue runs. Intermediate skier Anthony commented “Great place for all levels of skier.” and it’s not hard to see why. The resort now hosts a staggering 46 blue runs which link the entire resort allowing novices to ski close to their expert friends. If you’re looking for technical slopes that are going to get your legs burning, don’t worry - Les 2 Alpes has 17 red runs and 10 black runs, whilst also having a substantial amount of lift served off-piste. This progressive range of slopes is great for whatever point of the skiing journey you’ve reached. If you’re keen to venture deep into the backcountry but want to get some safety practice first, head over to the DVA Park Bellecombe. This purpose-built area lets you practice searching for avalanche victims, helping you build the skills to act safely and effectively in real situations. It’s also a great way to introduce friends or family to avalanche safety procedures before they complete formal training. For those who like to stop and look at the scenery, La Balade du Jandri offers slow skiing at high altitudes. Between 2800m and 3200m there’s a new blue run that offers a peaceful and scenic descent. This means you can focus on the scenery instead of worrying about the slope you’re on.
Après Ski
French resorts know how to throw a party. Les 2 Alpes scored an impressive 4.36/5.00 rating for its après-ski, meaning it’s on par with the resorts that people associate with après-ski. Whilst some resorts are just turning on their lifts for the season, Les 2 Alpes is buzzing throwing Rise Festival. This incredible party on the slopes offers both fantastic vibes and prices. Rise Festival is a must for any après animal. The line-up revolves around massive names from all areas of dance music, if you enjoy grooving you’ll fit right in. Rise Festival isn’t the end of the party scene, Les 2 Alpes après palmarès are sensational. One of Snomad's snowboarders Craig shares “The Après Ski and nightlife were top notch, a very lively ski village.” If you read our community reviews, you won’t have to read far before you reach someone raving about the resort's raves. The town is vibrant, offering parties late into the night or early into the morning depending on whether you’re hoping to catch the first lift the next morning. The resort is home to 30 bars including Bar Umbrella just outside the bottom of their newest lift.
For an in-depth look at après-ski in Les 2 Alpes, check out the full resort guide and ratings page.
© Luka Leroy - https://www.les2alpes.com/
Reliable Snow
It’ll come as little surprise to anyone reading this but reliable snow cover can make or break your ski trip. Resorts with guaranteed snow are getting harder to find. Les 2 Alpes is the solution, with 75% of the skiable area being over 2000m in altitude. The resort reaches 3600m offering the highest lift-served skiing in France! They also have an army of 300 snowmakers that cover 19% of the ski resort, so even if the heavens haven’t opened you’ll still feel like you’re there.
The snow quality means that Les 2 Alpes is able to keep their pistes immaculate. They received a 4.30/5.00 rating for their groomed runs. Advanced skier Georgia says “My favourite resort in terms of range for ability, ski type with plenty of off piste and very well-kept runs.” During particularly good periods of weather, the snow can fall all the way down to the valley which means you can ski continuously with a vertical drop of 2300 m. This negates the need to get a (very speedy and efficient) lift down back to the village. The reliability of snow all makes the resort attractive for advanced (4.09/5.00) and experts (4.00) as it stops terrain being closed and gives you that true high-alpine experience. Les 2 Alpes is also home to an incredible freestyle area. This area contains two world-class snow parks. Here you’ll find features perfect for trying your first jumps or practising for the X-Games. As a self-proclaimed ‘park rat’, some of my favourite moments on the mountain are putting my friends or family through their paces on a beginner kicker or watching the joy (maybe a little bit of fear) on their faces as they ski over a box for the first time. Ama loved the park saying “Snow park is great, and the added touch of slalom and boardercross means you can't get bored easily!”. Many of these features can be enjoyed as a beginner which is a testament to the mixed ability offerings at Les 2 Alpes.
One thing that definitely sets Les 2 Alpes apart is the length of the season. Skiing in Europe's largest High-altitude area offers skiing from the end of November until the end of May. Due to the amount of snowsure terrain there’s something for everyone. There’s something incredibly fun about cruising through a world-class park without the need for a big ski jacket.
© Les 2 Alpes - https://www.les2alpes.com/
The Flow of the Mountain
Getting around the mountain in an effective manner doesn’t just boil down to whether or not you can get your hips on the floor carving. The layout and structure of a mountain makes a key difference. Whilst obviously a resort can’t change the gradient of a mountain, they can make improvements to improve flow depending on the difficulty of an area. Les 2 Alpes has mixed abilities in mind, they want every member of your group to be able to work their way down the mountain. Keeping beginner areas near high-speed lifts with big capacities can effectively form a highway avoiding pistes becoming unbearably busy. Les 2 Alpes have invested heavily in their lift infrastructure. With 43 lifts in the resort, the pride and joy has to be the Jandri. This newly installed lift can move 3000 people/hour. Beginner skier Ben praised the lifts as “Excellent and quick”. The wider Snomad community agrees rating lift efficiency at 4.33/5.00. This enables you to ski quick laps of your favourite runs or means you can hit those powder stashes even earlier!
© Pyrene Duffau - https://www.les2alpes.com/
The Village and Accommodation Options
Les 2 Alpes is a charming resort. Our community loves a proper ski town and this resort offers you that. As Les 2 Alpes offers summer activities, the village maintains less of a tourist shell and has the soul of a place that is well-lived in. This is evident in the bars and restaurants found in the resort. With 80 restaurants and bars in town, you’ll never go hungry. Regardless of what kind of vibe you fancy, you’ll find it here! One of our community reviewers loves the vibes here. He wrote “Great resort with a nice village feel.” Les 2 Alpes offers some great shopping opportunities for anyone looking to spend an afternoon off the slopes but still enjoy the local amenities.
The resort offers a great range of accommodations based on your group's needs. Many of the Snomad reviews recommend booking close to the lifts to enjoy a stress-free morning reaching the slopes. If you have a range of abilities in your group, here’s a top tip: Booking ski-in ski-out accommodation that reduces the time taken to go from your accommodation to the slopes, is a great way to allow tired beginners to nip home when they need to recharge.
© Pyrene Duffau - https://www.les2alpes.com/
Les 2 Alpes for Families
Families are probably the most obvious mixed-ability group around. Finding a resort that is right for your family is a crucial first step in booking your holiday. Despite the fact that Les 2 Alpes is a great après-ski destination, it also excels for families. Take one of our community members' words for it “L2A is the ultimate family resort. Loads of great hotels and apartments. Restaurants to last a week with loads of après ski, bowling, swimming, ice skating all sorts. Loads of high-speed ski lifts and a great selection of top-quality ski schools.” On the slopes you’ll find all the wonderful runs that I’ve talked about previously plus a few little slopes in the actual resort, some of which don’t even require a pass to access. Les 2 Alpes received a strong 4.28/5.00 for family-friendliness which is higher than a lot of the large resorts. Ski schools are incredibly important when it comes to deciding where to book. The Snomad community scored Les 2 Alpes 4.30/5.00 for ski schools. Ben describes the resort as “Very family friendly and full of great ski schools”. This means that you know your kids will be in safe hands. France has a reputation for great ski schools, you can put your children in lessons in the morning and then ski with them all afternoon. This way you both get a chance to improve independently whilst having the afternoons to ski together as a family.
Off the slopes Les 2 Alpes excels for families, Lydia explains “Great for going with friends as there is a buzzing night life with a lot of clubs but also family friendly. Lots of cute shops and restaurants, and a good diversity of slopes.” The structure of the town is just one main road; this makes it very easy to navigate. If you’ve booked accommodation a little further out then you can take advantage of free bus service around the resort. This is a great way to get around the resort when little ones might have some tired legs from a hard day's skiing. Les 2 Alpes makes it accessible to bring children of any age on your trip. Lessons are available for children aged 6+ but the resort recommends highly-rated and certified childcare options for children below that. They make sure that there are events for all ages in the resort!
© Les 2 Alpes - https://www.les2alpes.com/
Value for Money
Les 2 Alpes is a great resort for those on a budget! Scoring a 4.17/5.00 for value is no easy task. With ski trips becoming pricier, getting a good bang for your buck is right up there with the most important areas that Snomad reviews. Les 2 Alpes being snowsure means that you run less risk of run closures impacting your KMs skied. The bustling après-ski scene can be expensive regardless of resorts but with so many options available, you’ll find the perfect option. The resort offers incredibly affordable packages for many events like the Rise Festival. Your lift pass can essentially be free when booking your festival ticket and accommodation through the official site.
© Pyrene Duffau - https://www.les2alpes.com/
Non-skiing activities
Having a good range of non-skiing activities is a great way to manage the gaps in ability. If you feel like you need an afternoon or day off the slopes, you won’t be bored in Les 2 Alpes. The resort has a great range of activities to do. These include: hiking, bowling, sledging, ice skating, and a cinema. These activities are perfect for you to relax and recover after a few days of hard skiing. The non-skiing activities are perfect for families. There is a large emphasis on enjoying the outdoors even if you’re not on the slopes. The explorers hike is aimed for ‘little explorers’ and offers a guided 1.8km route where you’ll be tasked with spotting the local wildlife. Your guide will ask your kids some questions based on what they have learned, these are rated green or blue depending on the age of the children. If you’re visiting around Christmas time, then you definitely need to hop on a horse drawn sleigh ride. They are a truly magical experience, and a great way to enjoy the mountain scenery peacefully.
Les 2 Alpes is also working hard to ensure that many of these activities are accessible for people with additional needs. They offer discounts for people accompanying people with different needs. They can discuss tailored needs with you to work out the best way to get you up and down the mountain as well.
© Les 2 Alpes - https://www.les2alpes.com/
Les 2 Alpes is perfect for any age, ability, or vibe but if you still need more information, check out the full Les 2 Alpes resort profile and read what the Snomad community loves about the resort.