Les Deux Alpes

One of the best ski resorts in France - Les Deux Alpes - is best for less experienced intermediates who are happiest on blues, not reds - and anyone who likes their après-ski unpretentious.

A ski resort that is turned upside down is Les Deux Alpes. Most of the easy terrain is towards the top, where the couloirs and cliff jumps should be, while the sharpest slopes are near the bottom of the ski area, where you'd expect to find the mild blues.

Skiers who are experienced and skilled tend to avoid it because of this. But you'll like sailing its long, icy glacier if you're still getting the hang of parallel spins. The vistas of Mont Blanc are breathtaking up there at 3,500 meters, where the snow is usually always smooth, grippy, and confidence-boosting. Additionally, if you continue skiing, you can descend nearly 2,000 meters to the resort (by taking a shortcut around the challenging black runs near the bottom).

One of the French Alps' top terrain parks will be passed by as you travel. You might also come upon some alluring off-piste runs that experts would appreciate if they had the time to look. But what really sets Les Deux Alpes apart is the plunge from top to bottom. Early intermediates rarely get the opportunity to compare themselves to an entire mountain like this. So it makes sense that when they congregate at Smithy's Tavern and La Grotte du Yeti at the end of the day, they're in a festive mood.

Location: Isère, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

Website: https://www.les2alpes.com/winter/