 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello All
I am in the process of sorting out a holiday for a group of friends and have suggested we go to L2A, but having read reviews on here it seems the resort might be a bit pants.
Can anyone give me some helpful advice on the place and whether its worth a visit (the group is a mix of skiers and boarders from beginner to advanced).
I don't want to end up in a poor resort for our hols, and also have the added problem of having recommended we go there in the first place!
Ta
As ever, slightly confused. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hi confused, welcome to snowHeads! 
I think u might find L2A has a few devoted fans around here too.
What aspects of the resort did u get the impression were pants?
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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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Hello
I read the posts contained in the thread titled 'Les Deux Alpes' posted a while back and many of them appeared negative (piste preparation and lift q's seemed to be singled out) so that's made me worried that the resort is not up to scratch.
We have been to Tignes the last few years and thought a change of scenery may be in order, and considering the mix of our group L2A appeared to be a good bet. But those posts have made me worried now, especially as I'm the one suggesting that a group of us (about 10) go there!
Any comments gratefully received.
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confused, I've only spent a day there last Summer. Easiski is our expert. I'm sure she'll have some comments.
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brian
brian
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Confused. I've recently bought an appt there and skied it for 3 weeks. Like you I have read the posts slagging it off and also seen many posts contradicting those. In my opinion it has something for everyone. Vast ski area with a good mix of easy and challenging slopes. There are some "free" nursery slopes at resort level also which might be useful for one or two of you in a large group. As regarding lift queues:- Yes there is often a long queue at the main Jandri lift just after it opens. BUT, it only takes about 10 minutes to reach the actual car and be whisked up the mountain as the cars are so huge and fast. That's the only time you'll have to queue in my experience. You can avoid this by careful planning as well by using chair lifts or smaller bubbles if this puts you off at all. Plenty of choice for everything: Restaurants, Ski schools, Ski hire etc etc. The only drawback I can say is what's already been mentioned here:- The last run down is either a steep black or an easy, but very narrow and busy green, which may not always be skiable depending on snow cover. I usually take the lift back down as I'm knackered from the day anyway!. If you want more specific info then drop me a line.
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Confused:
Like Pollyperks I've got a place in LDA, and would echo everything she says. Don't be fazed by the lift queue thing - It's a bit of a red herring. Go anywhere in the alps at half term or Easter and see if you can avoid queueing. LDA's lift system is modern and efficient and can move huge numbers quickly, and even if you do have to queue for the main gondola, there's plenty other lifts to get you up the hill which people don't seem to use. A strange thing, but there it is. The skiing is challenging and varied, and the off piste is limitless. Have a look at www.alpine-hideout.co.uk if you want to see a few pictures, or send an email or something. I'm sure you'd like it - there's lots of something for everyone, both skiing and apres. 
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Thanks peeps! Your comments have all been really helpful.
I had always heard that L2A was a good place to go but those posts worried me a tad and I got a bit panicky but I think I will deffo still stick with it.
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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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confused, when are you planning to ski?
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confused, We've taken a mixed group to L2A a couple of years on the trot and had a great time! I'd echo brian's comments regarding the run home best for the less experienced to take the gondola down. Go for it, I'm sure you'll all have fun.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Confused:
I went to Les Deux Alpes with my partner, this year, at the end of Jan/beginning of Feb. I was really apprehensive about going as, like you, I had read quite a lot of negative things about the resort; the main one being massive queues and not a very good ski area. It put me off quite a bit; so much so, that I was even thinking of changing resort and going elsewhere. However, I went and had a fantastic time and would recommend it to anyone. I want to go back next year, but my other half would like to try somewhere new- watch this space!!!!
Go, you will have a fantastic time!!
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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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Ive never been but have 2 sets of friends who have been. Each couple have stated their wish to try other places rather than return.
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I worked there for a season (around 93/94 I think) but I never really warmed to the place. The skiing was OK, particularly when the front face had good snow, but as an area I felt it lacked something. If I was heading for that region I would always choose Serre Che or Alpe d'Huez.
My wife (girlfriend at the time) disliked it so much she'd often go for a snooze instead of go skiing. Looking back neither of us can believe it since she's pretty fanatical about skiing.
It's been over 10 years though so it's probably changed a lot.
Sorry easiski 
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You know it makes sense.
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confused, The thing about LDA is that it's a skiers resort. What we don't have is miles of flattering motorways. The main derogatory comments I've read were from someone who loved Brekenridge. Well they're so different that the same people are almost certain to dislike one or the other. I haven't been to Brekenridge, but all my friends who have were really bored (even my 70 year old friend).
What do we have here? We have the glacier which is easy and very pleasant, except in high winds. We have the second biggest verticle drop in the world (lift served and pisted), and we have the second biggest off piste domain in France after Chamonix. We also have La Grave to which we are partially linked. We have many more black runs than show on the piste map as most of them are too steep to piste and are therefore left natural. It's a big resort with around 70 bars and restaurants and several night clubs if that's your thing.
With regard to the piste preparation, I was totally astonished and shocked by the comment that it was poor. Most of the instructors that I know feel that it's all pisted much too flat every night - this allows people to go much too fast and cause accidents. There are some runs that are only pisted every other day or only occasionally, but these are not the easy blues and greens. I also often finish off by going down the chairlift rather than ski-ing down - by hey! if you can ski from 3,568m to 2,100 (a verticle drop of 1,468m or 4,771ft) then personally I don't see it as a problem.
The bad queues are during the February holidays, and are nearly all for the Jandri Express to take you to 2,600m or the white eggs to take you to the Cretes area at 2,100m. The 2 man chair on the Cretes can also be pretty ghastly as it's the main teaching slope so most of the ski schools are there. Everywhere else you'll get almost straight on to a lift, and if you choose an alternative way up you'll hardly queue at all. Out of high season the queue, even for the Jandri Express is unlikely to be more than 10 mins at 09.00 - 10.00.
Our 220Kms of pistes are very varied - some open like Tignes, many with gullies and some with trees. The lowest run to Mont de Lans is currently having cannons installed, and 2 new chairlifts are being built this summer. Many of our blues are quite stiff though, so be warned about that, and we don't have any "easy" blacks!
If you or many of your party need to be flattered then we're not for you, on the other hand if you want a complete holiday for a variety of levels, with something for everyone, in a friendly town (none of this rude lifty stuff here) with a real "community" feel then we should suit nicely.
Oh yes - and outside high season, you can get to a slope perfect for any level with 15 minutes of the town centre!
Of course I'm biased, I cam here nearly 16 years ago and loved it so much I've stayed ever since, but as a professional ski teacher I reckon it's just about perfect!! 
If you want more detailed info then you can PM me with specific questions
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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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easiski, I've skied often at La Grave and sometimes gone out on the ski train( to get the extra 2 days) and skied the first day at L2A.
I've done some of the more obvious bits of off-piste but didn't realise there was a lot. The La Grave holidays often do a day at Alp d'Huez or Serre C. for their off piste and usually a trip down the back to St Christoph, but never do we do a day at L2A. Why would that be I wonder
Where is it all? Can you ski down to the La Grave road? Are there other good ways to St Christoph?
I'll have to get you to show me some of it one day.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I'm not sure that L2A has the range of long descents that La Grave or Alpe d'Huez has. However, when I did a week in La Grave we went over the L2A a couple of times. Once we went down to St Christophe from the La Tourra chairlift. This is quite a sustained and complex descent. Our guide reckoned it was much more interesting than the one from the Col de Lauze. We also went down to a place called Cuculet which is just above the Chambon dam. This would have been a great descent in decent snow conditions. We did it in thigh deep slush which was nasty, and our guide was worried that the whole thing might avalanche 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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easiski, my memory of L2A off piste is that you get fantastic runs that end in a cliff drop down to the Venosc valley bottom, often with an old iron cross marking someones demise at the same point. Is access getting any easier thinking about it as a long weekend destination? And how stormproof is the skiing for those January white-out days? I went a long time ago in March so don't really remember any tree skiing, but we had a great holiday. Is Mark Rafter still in the resort?
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Tue 19-07-05 9:57; edited 1 time in total
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thanks easiski, et al.
I'll have to look out a map and remind myself of the area names.
Mostly I've skied La Grave with SCGB holidays. I'd have to persuade one or two others to do the same Saturday morning arrival to share a guide or it would be too expensive. Or does Damian make-up groups like some off-piste guides do?
No I have some off-piste books but I don't have the book for your area.
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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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Martin Nicholas, Firstly, no, Mark Rafter left several years ago. Their old chalet is now run by Skiworld. I agree there are ome pretty scary places down that end of the town! Personally I've never skied the Vallons du Super Diable for that very reason - vertigo city! In bad visibility some of the higher off piste descents can be dodgy, as there aren't enough reference points. In good snow though, staying lower, using the Pied Moutet/Les Travers/Bons area and the Mont de Lans (many different possibilities) can give you good visibility and excellent fun. Of course it all depends on luck with the weather and the snow!!
Access is dead easy, with Easyjet and Ryanair to Grenoble, regular flights to Chambery, (in addition to Lyon and Geneva - I don't recommend Turin in winter) and for a weekend a hire car is obviously the thing. Max 1½ hours from Grenoble and Chambery, 2½ Lyon and 3 Geneva.
snowball, Damian makes up groups like a regular ski school, but only takes good skiers. Most of his clients are French because most Brits either aren't good enough to go with him, or don't come here. The book I have is "L'Alpe d'Huez, Les 2 Alpes - La Grave Horspistes" by Francis Ginet and Facbrice Villaret, a Guide Vamos publication. It's in English and French with pix showing most the major off piste descents in the area. It's really excellent. Expensive at €23, and often sold out in resort.
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easiski, Me and some mates are plannig our annual weekend trip. This will happen (as it does every year) the first weekend of December. Do you know what is likely to be open at that time ? Make a nice change from Tignes ?
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ski, La Grave won't. However on the LDA side everything possible will be open. We officially open the last weekend of November this year, and so as long as there's snow they'll run every lift. What they do do if there aren't too many people is to use only one lift where there are 2 that serve more or less the same area. ie: run Lac Noire chairlift but not Toura as you can access both from LN but not from Toura. Normally we manage to get about 60% open at the beginning of December, but last year it was the glacier and the cannoned runs only at that time. As you know, there's no accounting for the vagaries of the weather! 
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Interesting. Perhaps I should make it the last day instead of the first. I have my SCGB gold badge if that means anything to you.
Yes, I think all the French off-piste books are Vamos. Some of them have rather ambiguous translations (eg "pass the rock on the left" - is the skier on the left or the rock?). If I could follow it on my 1:25,000 map and it wasn't very exposed I've sometimes risked it - or if i can see it before I start. But generally I prefer to go with a guide. Anyway he knows the history of the snow and where the dangers are much better than I could. I know my limitations with snowcraft and play safe.
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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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snowball, I don't have Damian's email to hand but he's a member of the Tourist Office, so he's on the Ski Schools list on the LDA website. You should be fine with SCGB gold.
ps: SCGB don't come here and don't have a rep here as they're not allowed to escort groups in their uniforms. They had a serious accident a few years back, and the ESF union now insists on the letter of the law. I've tried to explain that it would be good for the resort in the long run to have a rep here - but it always falls on deaf ears!! I suspect this is one reason why they wouldn't come over that often!
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Interesting: I didn't know about that.
I thought the guides decided day by day where the skiing would be best (the season before last when good snow was very hard to find we did an afternoon at a tiny place just up east towards the pass and also Montgenevre, which I don't think has a rep. However, they might have been told to avoid L2A. We do always go back from St Christoph through your system and back over.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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snowball, You may be right - I might just be too cynical! However, certain remarks from certain SCGB members have suggested a prejudice. BTW it's the only way back from St Christophe (and free on the LG liftpass) without driving about 50Kms.
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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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I was reading earlier posts and Martin Nicholas said something about a chalet that used to belong to Mark Rafter. I was wondering if you knew the name of the chalet. thanks 
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curiousabout1, they had 2 chalets, the original one and then they bought a very old building and renovated it. Are you asking about the actual name of the chalets or about the business name (they are not longer in business).
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You know it makes sense.
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Good morning Easiski. How's things in LDA?
I wonder if curiousabout1 has noticed this thread went to sleep in July 2005.
So not conifident there will be a reply from Martin Nicholas as he hasn't posted since October 2009.
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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curiousabout1, wow, another who remembers Mark Rafter - a L2A legend. Freestyle skier and bon viveur. My life would have been the duller for not staying at his pad and skiing with him. Also legendy for late nights - I wouldn't be able to keep up with him these days - I was a bit pushed then! I remember both chalets at the far end of the town beyond the Place de Venosc, not far from the red bubble. Each was known as Chalet Freestyle when under the control of Lucy (she of the cordon bleu cooking) and Mark. Happy days. Shame that wonderful partnership came to an end.
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FAQ
