Les Deux Alpes: Skiing in France
Growing up, I only skied a handful of times. There was the odd family trip but it was far from a normal winter activity. Once I got older, I fell out of skiing completely and it never crossed my mind as something to do. Kasia, on the other hand, spent winters skiing with her family. It’s thanks to her that after a nearly 15-year hiatus from skiing, in 2021, I made my return in the Polish mountains. I was excited and nervous about that trip - could I still ski? Fortunately, the Polish mountains are well-suited for beginners so it was a great place to get reinitiated. After a couple of runs, the movements came back to me and I realized skiing is awesome. Why did I stop doing this for so long?!
In 2022, we organized a trip to Les Deux Alpes in France and this significantly upped the ante. At times, I felt out of my depth because in the Alpes you are skiing on big mountains. If you make a mistake because you suck at skiing, you can find yourself going off a cliff. I’m writing this post so I survived the trip. But more than survived, I thrived! It turns out that I love skiing and as I write this, I’m dreaming of going back.
Les Deux Alpes is the perfect resort for all skill levels. There are plenty of easy, intermediate and hard runs. There are also runs for people who like to walk the edge of life and death. After five days of skiing, my legs were exhausted but my heart was full. It was great to spend each day being active under the shining sun in the majestic Alpes. I hope to return.
Piotrek and Szymek celebrating this magnificent view.
Standing on the glacier at the top of the Les Deux Alpes (3600m).
La Toura sector of Les Deux Alpes.
A route to change sectors at Les Deux Alpes. While flat, there was a steep cliff on the side with no rope or netting.
Fondue night at Le Trappeur.
View from our hotel, Résidence Club mmv Les Clarines.
We saw a few helicopters take injured skiers off the mountain - a huge confidence booster!
L’Original, a French Canadian restaurant in Les Deux Alpes where we had an authentic poutine with squeaky cheese from Quebec!
A few Brits enjoying a run in their under garments.
We spent one day at Alpe d'Huez, 30km from Les Deux Alpes.
