Doing it in Les Deux Alpes: king of the après ski scene

When it comes to altitude, snow fall and ski-able area, Les Deux Alpes rates as one of France's best ski resorts. With a interconnected system incorporating 51 different lifts (7 cableways, 23 chairs, 19 drags) which link it to the neighbouring areas of La Grave, Alpe D'Huez, The Milkyway, Puy-St-Vincent, and Serre Chevailer, there's more than enough to keep skiers and snowboarders happy for an entire winter season, let alone a week.

But it's not just the great skiing, snow-shoeing, tobogganing, moto-skiing, ice-climbing, ice skating, heli-skiing, ski-touring, and sleigh riding that makes Les Deux Alpes a popular destination for visitors from the UK; the resort is famed for having one of the most frenetic nightlife scenes in the Alps. Nicknamed Las Vegas of the Alpes, it's a big party town with over 500 staff working for UK tour operators, plus plenty of ski bums, tourists and locals. If you're looking for a quiet trip, then this probably isn't the place, but if you want to hit the town after a day of hitting the slopes, Les Deux Alpes is definitely the place to come.

If you're looking for a chilled out drink, Les Blues is worth a visit; for something more hectic, Smokey Joes holds regular fancy dress and 70s nights, and has guest DJs playing regularly. If you prefer to eat a full English breakfast rather than a croissant and a coffee - you'll find Smokey Joes serving up till 2pm and it's also known for its tex-mex dishes after dark.

'Le Grotte Du Yeti Bar' always draws a big crowd with a weekly lottery where punters can win free ski holidays, plus it regularly hosts R&B nights, live bands, wet T-shirt competitions and BBQ parties. Sun worshippers will love Smithy's - a bar and restaurant offering rocking band nights, massive parties and an impressive vodka and shot bar, plus TV coverage of all major sports events and a full snack menu. Smithy's huge panoramic sun terrace is also popular with sun worshippers and is always busy on a fine day.

Les Deux Alpes has a wide range of accommodation options, making it a viable option for both the budget traveller and the luxury chalet skiers. The nearest international airport to Les Deux Alpes is Grenoble which is just 1h30m transfer away, and flights to Lyon are also worth looking at, as the transfer time is just 2h30m. Several carriers offer flights to Lyon and Grenoble from airports across the UK.

So, if you like a good party with your powder snow - head to Les Deux Alpes - the Vegas of the Alps.

Disclaimer:
The information contained within this article is the opinion of the author and is intended purely for information and interest purposes only. It should not be used to make any decisions or take any actions. Any links are included for information purposes only.

About the Author

Matthew Pressman is a freelance writer and frequent flyer. When not travelling, he enjoys golf and fishing.