Pistes in Les Deux Alpes to gain confidence back

A snowHead

I have been skiing for many years and used to be reasonably ok, but for the last couple of years I've been less confident, especially on reds.

Towards the end of our last holiday I swapped back to shorter skis, stuck to blues and got my confidence back, and could have done with a couple more days to consolidate that.

This year we are going to Les 2 Alpes. I last went there nearly 30 years ago, and will be honest didn't like it much - didn't like the long green back to the resort as although I could ski reds at the time I'm scared of heights/edges so I was snowploughing it, and wasn't particularly fond of the metal bridge when you get off the funicular Laughing

So my plan is to find some nice wide blues where I can just take it easy and regain my confidence.

Are there any particular lift/runs that you would recommend that would be less crowded (fast skiers and snowboarders scraping down behind me really freak me out - I have 2 new hips and I don't trust the speed merchants not to run into me - even though I know this is irrational as they are probably much better skiers/boarders).

A snowHead

@skimummk, I haven’t been there for 17 years, but I do remember a few nice blues around the mid station area. I also hated the greens back to the village due to other skiers not being in control, so I decided it was best to download from mid station, I ski on piste inc blacks and don’t feel any shame in downloading.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

The Cretes is probably as good an area as any to start off. Normally, I would have recommended moving on to the Signal run from the top of the Jandri Express - but for some reason the piste is not open this year. Quite a few of the LDA runs have a short but steep (for a blue) drop within them. I have been there many times, but cannot be sure that my memory is rock solid on which runs are clear of the odd surprise. Easiski is an instructor there, but has stopped posting on snowheads. She or Claude B is probably the best person to advise you. I'll drop Easiski a line for her advice and let you know what she says, if no one else offers advice.

Meantime, I endorse the advice that @geoffknight, offered. The long green home run is best avoided.

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Stay on Jandri run?

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OP go over to the other side, away from the Jandri etc. The blues over there are lovely and you're in the sun.

Vallee Blanche they call it

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I think hubby said “the other side” was closed - but maybe there’ll be some more snow and it will open by 21st.

I would be useful to know which blues have steep bits, although if they aren’t icy and are wide I should be ok as used to ski reds. The other option is to go to a cafe day 1 and send hubby and friend on a recce snowHead

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I will definitely be downloading - I often do this anyway because even when the run to resort is an easy blue that last run is normally busy, with lots of people just pointing straight down to get home and that combined with my old legs being tired is not a great combo - I have to remind myself that whilst my hips are new the rest of my body is 59!

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I think hubby said “the other side” was closed - but maybe there’ll be some more snow and it will open by 21st.

I would be useful to know which blues have steep bits, although if they aren’t icy and are wide I should be ok as used to ski reds. The other option is to go to a cafe day 1 and send hubby and friend on a recce snowHead

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I found the Grande Couloir to be pretty un-crowded the last time I was there. Toofy Grin

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difficult to define steep isn't it - if they are wide enough and the snow is ok I've skied blacks before and I'm guessing there shouldn't be anything on a blue that would be more than "red-steep"

my friend loves drags, hubby not so much, but we'll give it go

You know it makes sense.

@skimummk,

alcohol helps Laughing

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Maybe I need to change from my hot choc stops to mulled wine stops!

A snowHead

A snowHead

Hi, Achilles asked me to offer advice (I live in LDA). The glacier itself has nice blues, very wide, and providing there's not too much wind would be fine. The blue from the glacier to 2600m is good if taken on the right and using Glacier1 piste, only the very last bit is a little more steep (but still wide). The 3 blues at Toura at 2600 are lovely, especially the Toura itself, to the right of the chairlift. From 2600 to the Cretes the Jandri run has a couple of narrower parts, but is easy. Bellecombe 3 is nice and hardly ever skied and you can cross over to the Jandri avoiding the first narrower part. The 2nd narrower part has an 'escape route' to avoid it. Cretes is in lovely condition at the moment. Thuit is a long blue - lovely, and was in super condition on Weds.
I would avoid at all costs the Jandri run from Cretes to the village, (blue) unless at a very quiet time - just too many people on it. Agreed the Demoiselles (green) is not pleasant. So downloading from Cretes to the village at the end of the day is the best bet if you're nervous.
We are expecting the Vallee Blanche to open shortly, but the blues there tend to be a bit steeper than normal. However, that side is almost always quiet.
There are new lifts this year - Diable is a telemix, and downloading only in the bubbles. Vallee Blanche is also a telemix and now goes all the way up to the little restaurant at the top. There is also a gondola at Super Venosc going to the same point.
Cretes and Toura are now 8 person chairs so very fast.
I'm sure you'll have a lovely time, and when you get more confidence Bellcombe 2 and then red Bellecome 4 are very doable. Ditto, if snow permits the red Vallons run down to the village - a 'proper' red, but long and with handy resting places. Again, relatively quiet - all the idiots are on the blue!!

For info - Signal is closed due to a huge ice fall at the bottom, which is the moraine of the glacier. The funicular no longer uses the bridge to exit.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@EasiskiLDA, thank you for posting that very useful advice for @skimummk, which I'm sure she'll appreciate. Let me welcome you back to snowHeads even if you only choose to comment on LDA related matters. Very Happy

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@EasiskiLDA thank you for the fantastic advice - I shall be printing it off and giving it to hubby who is our navigator.

It was probably 30 years ago that I was on the funicular, but I am glad to hear that the metal bridge is no longer there - I cacked myself on it, took the heebie jeebies. Not my finest hour. Embarrassing when little kids were happily marching across it with skis over their shoulders lol Laughing

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We are also in LDA from the 21st for the week. Looks like it will be an amazing week if the snow arrives next week as forecasted (and then gets nice and sunny!). Glad to hear Vallee Blanche should be opening soon too.
@EasiskiLDA, What fantastic advise! My husband's requirements are similar to yours @skimummk, so we may bump into you on the routes which have been advised!

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@surferrosa, @skimummk,
Hi Surferrosa and Skimummk - we're also on our way to L2A on Saturday. I've been following your posts as sounds similar. What colours are you wearing so we can wave to you on the piste or in the Umbrella? I'm in orange/pink trousers and black jacket, he's in black and grey (so same as everyone else). They've had some new snow and its looking cold for the next few days so hope we're all in for a fab week.

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@skim, I'll be wearing a pink jacket and black trousers, hubby in a blue jacket and black trousers. Yes, it's looks like we'll have fab conditions! And the Vallee Blanche sector is opening for this first time this winter on Saturday. Very excited now Laughing

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@skimummk, it sounds to me like you’d have been better off picking a more suitable ski resort. If you like that region of France, Alpe d’Huez might have been a better bet.

Next time, I would recommend Seiser Alm in the Dolomites. It’s a huge alpine pasture with relatively gentle skiing, fewer crowds (it’s not on the Sella Ronda), stunning scenery, and fabulous food.

You know it makes sense.

@skim, @surferrosa,

Look out for us - there are three of us - I'd say "middle aged" but at 54-59 I guess we're "old" lol!

I'll be all in black, with white helmet and white boots
Husband has a bright blue jacket with yellow zips and wears bright green mirrored goggles
Friend will probably be in black jacket and dayglo orange trousers

Hopefully we'll spot each other

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@skimummk, @surferrosa,

That's not middle aged! we're the same vintage. I'll look out for you all. Skimummk your team sounds easy to spot. It looks like the sun has come out for us so I'm almost looking forward to our 5:50am flight. Hopefully see you on the slopes.

A snowHead

A snowHead

@skim, @surferrosa,

I have sent you a message, will look out for you both next week.

Safe trips

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I might have an odd opinion of L2A but I thought it was good all round, there's a blue run from the top of the glacier right to the bottom, it can get a bit busy at the end of the day but normally very managable.

Anyway, I'd recommend you check out Signal, it's high so some effort to get to. From memory; it's a wide blue which doesn't "go" anywhere (not like a throughfare) and has it's own lift so you can cycle it easily.

Enjoy!

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@Alastair Pink Ah, yes - doh, skim reading Sad

that's a shame about Signal - one hopes that it's only temporary!

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@EasiskiLDA,

Hope you don’t mind another question- how do you get to Jandri Express 1 to download can you get there from Toura?

After all it is free

@surferrosa, @skim

We’re here! hope you had good journeys!

Quick update - my pal has a new jacket - so it’s a blue jacket with dayglo orange trousers!

Ha will look out. We’re planning on a short day today so heading to umbrella about 3:15/30

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Ha will look out. We’re planning on a short day today so heading to umbrella about 3:15/30

Help!!

Pistes in Les Deux Alpes to gain confidence back

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