Resort of the week
LES DEUX ALPES, FRANCE
Many of the French destinations make themselves difficult to love. Too high, too new, too impersonal. In contrast to Austria or Switzerland, the French resorts appear designed to suck as much money from foreign tourists as possible. Les Deux Alpes is France’s second-oldest snow-sports resort, its buildings a not-unpleasant mix of different styles from the 1920s on.
- The resort’s accommodation, bars and restaurants line a two-kilometre strip that at night really comes alive.
- The sliding is best suited to the more adventurous, the younger and adrenalin junkies. Its snow parks, boarder-cross course and half-pipes are among the best in the Alps.
- The snowboard schools get good reviews. For skiers the area has numerous monster long runs to stretch the legs on and a few tough black and red pistes. During the summer the lifts on the glacier remain open, offering a series of easy runs.
- Resort height1,650m.
- Range1,300-3,600m.
- Lifts51.
- Total runs207km.
- Longest run12km.
- Best runExperts should head to the slopes of La Grave, where the best off-piste skiers test themselves.
- Snow parksTwo.
- Season lengthNovember to late April.
- Snow reliability *****
- Who goesYoung clientele from across Europe attracted by the phenomenal boarder and freestyle skier facilities and buzzing nightlife.
- ValueOne of the better-priced French resorts, with pleasantly surprising mountain restaurants and cheap fast-food options downtown. Accommodation can be poky, though.
- Insider tipsA cheaper and quieter option is to stay in the cute authentic mountain village of Mont de Lans. It's linked into the ski network via a fast chairlift.
- AirportsGrenoble, Geneva.
- Tour OperatorsCrystal.
- Onlineles2alpes.com.
Snow report
Milder spring weather and rain during the week tested the talents of the piste-bashers in Austria, Germany and eastern Italy. The low-lying resorts remain near 100 per cent open, but valley runs are getting thin. By contrast, the French Alpine resorts got dumped on, with a huge 85cm falling in Puy St Vincent. Deep-powder skiing is reported to be particularly good in France and western Switzerland. The outlook remains promising: Alpine temperatures are forecast to fall again, and snow is expected.
The east coast of the US and the Rockies retain their good coverage, and recent fresh falls have topped up the mountains of New England.
Snowforecast.com provides free forecasts for more than 2,200 resorts worldwide. Check the snow at 250 popular resorts on skiclub.co.uk or have a peek at your mountain of choice on snoweye.com.
Get your skates on
You could treat yourself to a few days’ pampering in the world’s largest ski region with a tailored holiday from the Irish chalet specialist Highlife. A three-day St Patrick’s week break, based in Méribel and with full access to all 600km of the Three Valley pistes, costs from €599. Price includes accommodation, airport transfers, full board, complimentary bar, packed lunches for the slopes and ski guiding – but not flights. See highlife.ie.
AOB
With the great snow staying around, there will be some superb-value holidays for the St Patrick’s weekend. Keep an eye on late deals from travel agents; alternatively, book a flight to Munich, Salzburg or Friedrichshafen. These airports all have easy- to-follow public-transport links to resorts, which will have plenty of spare accommodation in mid-March. Pick your resort, then check online with the local tourist board or resort web page for a bed.
Kitwatch
Afternoon spring skiing can be a warm enough affair, and wearing an Arctic-appropriate down parka will soon have you feeling uncomfortably hot and sweaty. There are new lightweight, water-resistant and windproof jackets on the market ideal for skiing on those sunny March and April days. One of the best is Spyder’s Patsch Hoody Softshell (right), a stylish year-round jacket “street” enough to wear at home. On sale at Snow + Rock in Dublin from €135. snowandrock.com.