 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi,
Just wondering if anyone has done both and has some advice on which would be better suited?
We're a group of late 30's lads, ski fairly well being confident on most pistes. It would be nice to have some nightlife.
Obviously Val thorens is a bigger combined ski area but is there enough to do in les deux alps for the week?
Cheers
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I have stayed in L2A and skied in VT, but not stayed there. I loved the 3V and was not particularly keen on L2A....so for me, it's VT all the way.
FWIW. I like Meribel Mottaret, as it's in the middle of the 3V and reasonably high.
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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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I've done both, albeit Val T on a uni trip pre chritmas, so very early season. Have done L2A 3 times, feb half term, middle of March and Easter so seen it at a few different times of the year.
I'd pick Val T every time. Bigger ski area, I find L2A while it has a decent number of slopes, it's all in a long line, so you don't get much of a variety or sense of travel, personally.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Out of the two I would go to Val thorns. It’s my favourite resort as the area is so big.
We went to Les deux alpes when we are fairly new to skiing, early 20s - 3rd week. It was good but found it fairly limited for a weeks skiing and we ended up getting a organised coach to serre c for the day. I think the pass allows a day skiing in other resorts.
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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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What time of year, both very high, both very bleak in bad weather but at VT at least you could schlepp over to Meribel if you take a 3V pass.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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My question is how did you end up with a shortlist of those two?
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Pretty sure that if you do a thread search, L2A frequently comes top of people's "Resorts I wouldn't go back to" lists. Tells you all you need to know.
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Been to both and enjoyed them for different reasons.
L2A is much cheaper and quieter. It takes longer to get there, the weekly ski pass could be used for a day in Alpe d'Huez. Many French and European budget conscious skiers, mostly blue pistes, especially at the top.
Black piste Valentin and the Diable area were more interesting and challenging albeit not for a full week.
In bad weather there are 2 nice options, the lower Vallee Blanche and the glorious red piste from Mont des Lans which failed to get bashed when it snowed, being a bit more remote.
On the higher side, the Pano Bar strives to give a Folie Douce like experience in good weather
Slower and smaller gondolas, I felt it took longer to reach the higher areas.
Could be nice for a beginner family with small kids, plenty of green pistes.
Or for keen skiers intending to do La Grave and Alpe d'Huez as well
VT will cost more but we are speaking of much bigger mileage, more challenging pistes that are easier to reach plus night life.
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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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insert any other ski resort v L2D & L2D will lose everytime.
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Yup L2D is the one resort I wouldn't return to. Also the only resort I have been threatened in while walking down the street at night
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Frosty the Snowman, where and how did that happen? 
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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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| drporat wrote: |
L2A is much cheaper and quieter. It takes longer to get there, |
Transfer time from Grenoble to L2A is no longer than Geneva to VT surely?
Google maps suggest 2.5hrs driving GVA to VT and 1.5hrs from Grenoble Airport to L2A.
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@swskier, i was comparing driving times from GVA, unfortunately there are no direct Grenoble flights from my neck of the woods. The 1 stop ones take too long and cost too much. Hence driving from GVA (through Italy) a few years ago 
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You know it makes sense.
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@drporat, makes sense. I guess most (emphasis on guess) people fly to Grenoble if they're going to L2A. Certainly I'd expect most package deals to go there via Grenoble.
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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 wrote: |
| @Frosty the Snowman, where and how did that happen? |
On a snowheads bash and in the evening, three of us walking around town and a group of French yobs tried to provoke us into a fight
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Poster: A snowHead
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L2D is a marmite resort for sure but just for a bit of balance there are people that really like it.
I've only been for one day and it was incredibly cold and I don't remember the terrain really working that great for me. Often it's described as an upside down resort with tougher runs near the valley and as above the "sense of travel" isn't there.
Still interested in why the OP got to this shortlist.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Thanks for the responses all!
Val thorens seems to be the clear winner.
Reason for the choice between the two is that I've seen two very good offers for the end of Feb and am thinking of booking in the next few weeks whilst the deals are still on.
We've also been to most other French resorts but not the two mentioned.
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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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@tomb, worth noting end of Feb is still French school holidays, so likely to be busy, if you can push back to 2nd week of March you'll find it much quieter
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Think L2A is getting a bit of an unfair rap here. Obviously the skiing isn't as vast as the 3V but there have been sHs who happily have done a season there. I'd argue that the dining and drinking options are more varied and better than VT and I'd be very surprised if the whole trip didn't come in a fair bit cheaper than VT all told if that matters.
I've only ever been to VT late season but have enough experience to know that high winds and indeed poor vis can impact skiing for a number of days.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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For me with L2A, would I go back there, yes. Would I go out of my way to book a holiday there again, no. I just prefer other places.
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I've been to both places - a lot. L2A is better when it comes to off-piste skiing. There are several great, remote but not crazily dangerous routes to take. And much fewer people to consume them. Unfortunately this advantage has been diminished by the ill-advised construnction of the Pierre Grosse gondola. The fact that the Signal chair isn't running this saison is another blow.
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| Tristero wrote: |
| I've been to both places - a lot. |
Define a lot.
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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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| Whitegoldsbrother wrote: |
| Tristero wrote: |
| I've been to both places - a lot. |
Define a lot. |
More than ten weeks each.
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Surely this is not a serious question ... VT wins hands (and everything else) down. But if you're set on the 3Vs I would definitely consider Mottaret as it allows you to access both the Belleville and the Courchevel valleys in a straightforward way.
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