 Poster: A snowHead
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We are a family of good skiers and love doing mileage. We love Val Thorens, Les Arcs and have been to Tignes once which was fantastic. To spread the wings I am looking at an apartment in Deux Alpes as our destination in mid April for a sneaky week. What are the thoughts out there. I am assuming both resorts will have plenty of snow so I am looking for opinions on quality of skiing available and how DA compares to the three Tarentaise mega-resorts. Thanks in advance
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Seriously, go to Tignes. L2A does not compare and you will be disappointed. The only possible redemption would be taking up the free day at Serre Chevelier and AdH, but you can ski most of L2A in a 2 days.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Nothing wrong with L2A and nothing disappointing about it, 220 km of pistes should give you enough for a week, and it is perfect place to start venturing off piste. Just don't be worried your skiing has gone to pot if you suddenly start thinking that blue you just did was as hard as the Val T reds, that's the way it is in L2A. If you run out of miles to do plenty of other resorts are an easy day trip and included on your pass. Oh and if you like long runs you have the biggest lift served vertical drop anywhere available from the top of the glacier to the bottom of the village. Nearly 1 1/2 miles vertical!
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You do find yourself skiing the same runs a few times over in L2A but it’s still a great resort. Some fantastic runs, great Apres and a nice resort but possibly not the best for mileage.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Tignes
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Hard to imagine why you would want to spend a week in LDA. Is it much cheaper than Tignes?
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tignes hands down
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I've been to both this season, I'll also say Tignes.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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LDA not a spot on Tignes but if you haven’t been before there you could do worse.
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For me it's Tignes for every winter day unless it's snowing quite heavily. In those cases, in L2A you can still go on the red Mont de Lans piste and on the lower domain for its 2-3 pistes.
You're talking of April. If you go off piste in L2A you might still have La Grave which is amazing.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Tignes.
L2A is Ok but no trees runs and also you all go up the mountain on a morning and all come back on an evening, terrible way to start and end the day.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@davkt, 220km of pistes? Beware inflated resort figures. More like half that.
To the OP: I don't think Les 2 Alpes is big enough for a week unless you like repeating runs or going off piste.
The two free days in Alpe d'Huez is a big plus (and there's a cheap bus twice a week between the resorts). But I'd rather have 4 or 5 days in Alpe d'Huez and 2 days in Les Deux Alpes than the other way round.
Mid-April in France - you can't really do better than Tignes / Val d'Isere, though Val Thorens or Les Arcs are also good bets - as you know! I can't think of anywhere else equally suitable in France at that time of year (does it have to be France?).
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L2A is a good place, especially if you think about going off piste to La Grave. But you basically have one way to go up and one way to return to the village.
While Tignes is obviously bigger, more diverse and way more interesting.
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You know it makes sense.
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| davkt wrote: |
| Nothing wrong with L2A and nothing disappointing about it, 220 km of pistes should give you enough for a week, and it is perfect place to start venturing off piste. Just don't be worried your skiing has gone to pot if you suddenly start thinking that blue you just did was as hard as the Val T reds, that's the way it is in L2A. If you run out of miles to do plenty of other resorts are an easy day trip and included on your pass. Oh and if you like long runs you have the biggest lift served vertical drop anywhere available from the top of the glacier to the bottom of the village. Nearly 1 1/2 miles vertical! |
My criticisms with L2A are that its a limited resort for terrain. 1.5 mils of vertical? From the Galcier to the village via the Jhandi run is what you are referring to. I'd suggest that the run from the Grand Motte Glacier to Val Claret is better. I didn't find the runs in L2A overly more or less difficult than in TIgnes. What I did enjoy in Tignes were advanced runs like Sache, Trolles and Santons running into Val D'Isere. As a ski area i don't think they compare.
The OP says that they are a family of good skiers who like cover ground. I really think that they will get to L2A and find themselves saying......is that it?
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@GarryC, mid April?
Tignes. A no brainer. 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Thanks all for the feedback. I like the idea of a day in Alpe dHuez and the Serre Chevalier, as options with L2A but after the feedback - I think Tignes preferably Val Claret.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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L2A is ok if you can ignore the bus loads of English and eastern European students. The skiing is decent and there is a lot of decent off piste. Also depending on where you stay in L2A you can walk quite far to get to the lifts. If the kids are young it's a NIGHTMARE.
Tignes has more variety and has a better atmosphere but that is just my opinion.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@davidof, I like the idea of trying new resorts and spreading the wings. The idea of doing the same resort every time is not appealing.With L2A and a car AdH and Serre Che are doable during a week and that is attractive. I Not La grave as we are not off-pisters. Have you any other suggestions for mid April?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@denfinella, We are flying into Lyon so France it is this time. If we were flexible where would you suggest.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Have you looked at Val Thorens. Pretty high so usually a good option for April
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If you exclude things you've done before, only L2A and AdH in the area for mid April.
Otherwise- Switzerland or Cervinia
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@GarryC, possibly somewhere like Ischgl or Solden / Obergurgl. Or Zermatt / Cervinia. But if you're flying into Lyon obviously stick with France.
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Tignes all the way.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Just got back from a week in LDA... Go to Tignes 
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| denfinella wrote: |
| @GarryC, possibly somewhere like Ischgl or Solden / Obergurgl. Or Zermatt / Cervinia. But if you're flying into Lyon obviously stick with France. |
I've been to Solden and Obergurgl in late November and mid December. A good choice but not for mileage lovers.
Can't imagine it in mid april. Way too warm and low for that. And blue
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| drporat wrote: |
| I've been to Solden and Obergurgl in late November and mid December. A good choice but not for mileage lovers. |
Why not for mileage lovers? Together they offer plenty more km than Les Deux Alpes does, and the bus between them is free and runs daily.
| drporat wrote: |
| Can't imagine it in mid april. Way too warm and low for that. |
Solden and Obergurgl should be good in mid April for exactly the same reason it's good in late November and mid December. It's really not too low, especially given the lower average temperatures in the eastern Alps. Solden has two glaciers and even the resort (which only has a couple of runs down to that level) is at a respectable 1400m, which is probably equivalent to 1700-1800m in the western Alps... i.e. higher than Les Deux Alpes. Obergurgl is even higher.
Have I missed something here? 
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Denfinella, I will gladly explain:
1. I previously wrote that L2A isn't the best choice for mileage aficionados, like the OP and myself. Hence I recommended EK.
Between L2A and Solden with Obergurgl/Hochgurgl, I personally enjoyed the later a lot more, for its diversity.
I only write about places I've been.
2. In middle april i will never choose it. Way too warm and few pistes available. Not fun enough. Compared to EK Paradiski etc.
In nov dec, early snow and low temp coupled with good coverage by man made snow allowed me to enjoy the glaciers albeit it was mostly on blue pistes.
3.I am an intermediate skier, bored on blue pistes. Enjoying the reds. OP presented themselves as good skiers. That's why a "bluish" site seems less interesting to me.
We need a SH who has been to Obergurgl/Solden in mid april to step up here. My ski instructor from SnowLines in Solden said in Dec 2017 that usually mid March is the limit for serious skiing
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I’m going to les deux alps in a couple of weeks - this thread is not filling me with excitement. It’s has snow right? It can’t be that bad can it??
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You know it makes sense.
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| laura1182 wrote: |
| I’m going to les deux alps in a couple of weeks - this thread is not filling me with excitement. It’s has snow right? It can’t be that bad can it?? |
It's a personal issue. I am sure you'll enjoy it. I know I did L2A isn't a bad place. I had fun and wished I was a better skier so I could do La Grave
Besides Valentin and Bellecombe, which were beautiful challenging black pistes, the red and blue pistes weren't smth to remember. But they were fun. It's just that EK was way more challenging. And expensive.
Will try AdH next year hopefully. With a day to L2A for the black pistes
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@drporat, fair enough. I agree that EK is probably the best choice for the OP, and I'm not keen on L2A either. I thought you'd accidentally ended your post early with the "and blue" bit!
Yes, it would be good to hear from someone who's been to Solden / Obergurgl in April. Given the height, orientation and location within the Alps of the ski areas though, I'd be surprised if it wasn't one of the better bets.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I think the problem with L2A is that it doesn't "fan out" i.e. there's very little width to it, it's all vertical. I'm sure I experienced two seasons (meteorological I mean) skiing from the top to mid station (at Easter) although it was a tad windy up top when I was there.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| laura1182 wrote: |
| I’m going to les deux alps in a couple of weeks - this thread is not filling me with excitement. It’s has snow right? It can’t be that bad can it?? |
Nothing wrong with LDA. The question is whether the first poster would be better going to Tignes all things being equal.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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IMHO L2A is a great resort. Decent park, decent variety of runs, decent snow, great off piste, glacier access for those spring days.
Only minus points are the green back to resort is narrow & the black back to resort is steep and icy.
The long run from the top off the glacier down to mont de lans is a proper leg burner. 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I know very well les 2 Alpes from the times I was a student in Grenoble and a member of the Grenoble Université Club (long ago). I just spent a week with my kids 10 days ago.
I use to hate this resort and changed my mind over time. If the resort in itself is not great, not having the charm of some resorts in Savoie or Haute-Savoie, I think that the ski area is fantastic mainly for 3 main reasons :
It is one of the very few resorts I know where you can almost ski all day without standing in the line, including during the french holidays. It is well managed since "Compagnie des Alpes" has taken over.
There is a huge variety of slopes and exposition, and off-piste possibilities. I especially like the "La Fée" with its amazing off-piste slopes.
The ski area climbs up at 3200 m (actually 3600 if you take into account the "glacier" which is flat and not interesting) and the snow stays fresh. Actually, we lately enjoyed 6 sunny days with a perfect snow.
Tignes and Val-Thorens are also good choices.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| davidof wrote: |
| laura1182 wrote: |
| I’m going to les deux alps in a couple of weeks - this thread is not filling me with excitement. It’s has snow right? It can’t be that bad can it?? |
Nothing wrong with LDA. The question is whether the first poster would be better going to Tignes all things being equal. |
I'm a fan of L2A. Would choose Tignes over it (to answer the OP's question) simply because there are more piste miles and adventures to be had in Tignes / Val. But the night life in Tignes anywhere other than Val Claret is dire and even in Val Claret it's a bit iffy.
L2A is a great place to go for a week - always had snow in Easter week - a couple of great mountain restaurants (Le Diable au Coeur is fab) - some tricky blacks, good off piste stuff and lots of cruisey blues and a fair number of wide reds. The runs into town get a bit choppy at the end of the day but you can (and many do) download if you aren't on for taking the Diable run down which is often the least busy and probably less crowded than Valentin which is the other black. All depends where you are staying as to where it gets out at the bottom. AS others have said if you got bored (doubt it in week one) you can go to Serre Che if you can be bothered. Not sure Alpe D'huez has much different to L2A but I might be wrong. Frankly if you are looking at Tignes and L2A from the attractiveness POV, Tignes is more ugly than L2A. Until I had seen Plagne Bellecote a couple of weeks ago I might have said that Tignes was the ugliest place I had seen
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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L2A isn't the best resort in the French Alps. In fact it is not even the best resort in the Isere but that doesn't mean it is not worth a week's holiday.
It does have one of the biggest (if not the biggest) vertical drop in the world.
Real kms is 135 according to the Schrahe method, which is probably why it always seem smaller than claimed.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Wed 6-03-19 11:53; edited 1 time in total
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I should add that the best British ski instructor I have met (haven't met Rob...) lives and works in L2A. Her name is Charlotte Swift as many here know, website www.easiski.com
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While not really being the resort the OP's looking for, L2A isn't bad all for families cruising about, notably because of the area between the glacier and the Toura.
One big change over the last few years is the sculpting of the blue run back down to the station; something badly needed to reduce the carnage that was the Valentin at the end of the day!
We've been there several times in April, which IME is less of a gamble than going at Christmas.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| denfinella wrote: |
| Yes, it would be good to hear from someone who's been to Solden / Obergurgl in April. Given the height, orientation and location within the Alps of the ski areas though, I'd be surprised if it wasn't one of the better bets. |
I have skied Obergurgl five times in April (which in itself tells you a lot). Conditions are not going to be quite as good as mid-season, but it holds up pretty well. The top runs are usually good all day; the lowest runs might be a bit slushy in the afternoon, but still decent snow cover.
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| brovert wrote: |
| LDA not a spot on Tignes but if you haven’t been before there you could do worse. |
some validation might be helpful.
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