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Les Deux Alpes Activities - Summer
| Summer Activities in Les Deux Alpes |
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The majority of things to do in Les Deux Alpes relate to being outdoors and, whilst there are many organised activities, getting out there is mainly what it is about - at a leisurely pace or at warp speed, it's up to you. Here are a few suggestions to get you started... |
| Archery |
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Practice your Robin of Sherwood skills in a tranquil alpine setting. Beginners can learn from scratch and those with more experience can put their skills to the test with a variety of courses.
Les Deux Alpes has an archery course at the bottom of the pistes. |
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last updated 28-Aug-2008 |
| Bunjee Jump |
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For anyone who doesn't think mountain sports provide enough of an adrenaline rush there is the Voltige Bungy - a cable car bungee jump 140m high. Falling at speeds of up to 180km/h you will plummet 120m, bouncing to a halt 20m above the valley floor. You can jump solo or, if you need a bit of moral support, in a group. |
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last updated 5-Mar-2008 |
| Canyoning |
A not-so-gentle but extremely refreshing summer activity is one way to describe canyoning! Plunge yourself into the mountain streams via a series of abseil descents, jumps and natural water slides – just make sure you choose a warm day! You will make your way along rivers and rapids, using the river bed as a natural obstacle course.
Not suitable for very young children, but anyone over the age of about 8 can take the (very cold) plunge and try canyoning. With the safety of a guide everyone can abseil down cascades, splash into pools and ride the river rapids. You can choose from short beginners’ routes or longer ones for the more adventurous.
Hydrospeed is an alternative to rafting where you shoot down the river on a kind of inflatable body-board. Half-in half-out of the water you are closer to the action and guaranteed a soaking!
Different companies will have their own policies on age limits but usually, unless they are booked onto a children's activity course, anyone under the age of about 14 years old will have to be accompanied by an adult. A basic level of swimming ability is required for safety reasons.
There are a number of local companies that offer guided descents down the Guisane River, Fournel Canyon, Veneon River, Venosc River and other nearby waterways. |
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last updated 8-Apr-2008 |
| Children's Entertainments |
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Les Deux Alpes offers a number of organised entertainments for children throughout the summer. Highlights include: the bouncy castle area that opens at the foot of the slopes every day from 10am-1pm and 2.30pm-7pm; the trampolines near the summer toboggan runs; children’s quad bikes on a safe circuit with helmets provided; street entertainment such as clowns and music; arts and crafts; board game evenings and teenage discos. There are also summer activity courses that offer a variety of activities such as ice skating, climbing, rafting and mountain biking. For festivals and other entertainments enquire at the Tourist Office for details or check our What’s On Calendar to see what is happening when. |
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last updated 9-Apr-2008 |
| Farm & Crafts |
At La Ferme aux Anes you can meet the donkeys, feed the goats and pet the friendly farm animals. Donkey treks can be arranged throughout the Les Deux Alps walking trails with a long-eared companion to carry your bags and small children.
The charming nearby town of Vénosc has a wonderful Handicraft Village where you can visit local artisans and see beautiful examples of silk painting, ceramics, wood work, sculpture, jewellery and other crafts. Vénosc holds frequent craft festivals and heritage tours.
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last updated 14-Aug-2008 |
| Fishing |
Les Deux Alpes is a beautiful location for trout fishing; the season runs from 1st June to 1st October and regular competitions are scheduled throughout the summer. Popular nearby lakes are Lac du Chambon and Lac du Plan.
You can also fish in Lac Lauvitel and Lac Muzelle, both of which require a fishing pass and a 'carnet de capture'.
You can purchase a fishing pass for a day or for the whole season from the Tourist Office. Remember to enquire about local fishing regulations at the time of purchase.
Angler's Society of Les Deux Alpes (French version only)
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last updated 14-Aug-2008 |
| Golf |
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The Les Deux Alpes Golf Course is open every day throughout July and August; it features a 9 hole course, 40 bay driving range and a variety of lessons for adults and children. The par 64 course follows the natural contours of the land and promises a challenging game with some spectacular views of the Oisans mountains. |
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last updated 21-Apr-2008 |
| Hiking & Walking |
Photo Credit: Mario Colonel
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Whether your idea of walking in the mountains is a gentle ramble or a three day hike, Les Deux Alpes has something for you. The valley has hundreds of kilometres of beautiful, marked walking trails covering all sorts of terrain. The Tourist Office sells a series of 6 booklets (Le Topo-Carte des Sentiers) that describe recommended walking circuits throughout the area. Each guide comes with a map that has the trails clearly marked and numbered. To reach the higher trails you can buy a Pedestrian Lift Pass; from a higher elevation you can see the most spectacular views. For the more adventurous, try longer hikes into the Ecrins National Park, perhaps staying overnight in a refuge. The local Mountain Guides offer guided group hikes, walks on a glacier, and private, longer trips.
NB Dogs are not allowed in the Ecrins National Park, due to the abundance of local wildlife and grazing cattle. Check before you set off whether your route will take you through parts of the park. ... see "Les Deux Alpes Hiking & Walking Trails" for more
Read more about the Ecrins National Park
Mountain Guides Office
Summer Lift Passes
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last updated 14-Aug-2008 |
| Horse Riding |
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What more pleasant way to enjoy the Alpine scenery than on horseback? All standards are catered for at Cheval 2 Alpes; with half-hour sessions for young children up to full day treks with a night spent camping out. You can take a few lessons to improve your horsemanship skills, go for a gentle hack in the mountains or take part in the Pony Games. |
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last updated 5-Mar-2008 |
| Miniature Golf |
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For some gentle exercise on a sunny day Les Deux Alpes has a mini-golf course on the Piste de Champamé. Open every day from 10am to midday and from 2pm to 7pm, entry costs 5€ for adults and 4€ for children under 12 years (a group rate of 3€ per person is available for groups of 10 or more). |
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last updated 22-Apr-2008 |
| Mountain Biking (MTB / VTT) |
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Les Deux Alpes is the latest ski resort to develop its summer programme to include mountain biking. With a new bike park, 100km of marked tracks, 26 descents, 5 cross country routes and 10 lifts that can transport bikes it is definitely worth checking out! The steep slopes, rugged terrain and stunning views make for a great day's riding and a number of races and competitions are scheduled for this season. ... see "Les Deux Alpes Mountain Biking" for more |
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last updated 12-May-2008 |
| Panoramic Helicopter Tours |
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Sit back and admire the mountains from even higher up! Daily panoramic helicopter flights are available (weather permitting) with a number of local flight companies or some mountain guide companies. Relax and enjoy the stunning views as you fly over the snowcapped mountain tops, glaciers and alpine forests of the Ecrins. |
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last updated 24-Apr-2008 |
| Paragliding ('Parapente') |
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From the heights of the Les Deux Alpes mountains you can fly above the pistes for an alternative view of the valley. Glide back to the bottom on a tandem paraglider controlled by the instructor (a vertical distance of approximately 1000m). They manoeuvre the parachute while you, the passenger, enjoy the ride and fantastic views. Taking off is the only scary moment: once equipped with a helmet and an instructor strapped behind you, in a rather intimate way, both of you simply point your skis (or board, or run on foot) downhill, and carry on getting faster and faster until the wing lifts you into the air. Peacefully ride above the pistes for ten to twenty minutes, aiming to catch thermals to keep you up for longer. Landing is very gentle and no more of an impact than jumping off a step. ... see "Les Deux Alpes for Paragliding" for more |
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last updated 7-Jul-2008 |
| Rock Climbing |
The climbing wall on Avenue de la Muzelle
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The Les Deux Alpes climbing wall on Avenue de la Muzelle is 30m high and features 45 different routes to suit all abilities. It is open every afternoon from Monday to Friday, sessions are supervised and 45 minutes will cost 10€ for an adult and 8€ for a child. There is also the option of having private or group lessons with an instructor.
Les Deux Alpes has so many fantastic climbing areas, being flanked by the Oisans massif to the west and the Ecrins National Park to the east; the area's highest summits can be reached from Bérard. The many rock faces can be tackled under your own steam, or under the watchful eye of a guide.
The Oisans region boasts great climbing for those who wish to see more of the area. Le Vernis (750m) has 30 routes that are accessible all year round; Venosc (950m) has 51 routes and the climbing season runs from May to October; La Bérarde (1500-2000m) has a whopping 100 routes and is open throughout spring, summer and autumn; La Chalp (1000 m) has 37 routes and is also open throughout spring, summer and autumn.
The Ecrins National Park offers a range of climbing routes amongst them; the south face of La Barre des Ecrins, a massive 2000m wall with moderate 5c climbing; La Meije, a huge south face with more than 20 pitches of bolted 6b routes; the granite slabs at Ailefroide. Maps and guides for the various routes can be bought from one of the park information centres. |
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last updated 23-Jun-2008 |
| Summer Activity Club |
There are so many things for kids to do in Les Deux Alpes throughout the summer that sometimes the only way to make the most of it is to enrol them in a summer club! The activity club Fun Stages has two groups; 'Les Pitchouns' for 4 to 7 year olds and 'Juniors' for 8 to 15 year olds.
In 'Les Pitchouns' your child will get to go hiking with friendly donkeys, ice skate, try their hand at archery and more in a week-long schedule of organised entertainments.
The 'Juniors' have a more advanced programme of rafting, climbing, mountain biking and other sports.
Both clubs run from Monday to Friday and offer full or half day options.
For those of you who want to brush up your snowpark skills the renowned Kommunity Summer Camps take place in Les Deux Alpes every summer for 2 weeks, bringing together riders of all levels with coaching by some of the top names in British snowboarding. |
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last updated 24-Apr-2008 |
| Summer Skiing |
This year's summer skiing is open from 14th June to 30th August 2008, every day from 7.15am to 1.30pm. You will find 4 chairlifts open, along with 7 draglifts, 2 snow tows and 1 funicular. For details of lift passes prices please see our Les Deux Alpes Summer Lift Pass section.
The glacier offers 110 hectares of pisted skiing including 1 red run, 8 blue runs and 2 green runs, but the highlight of the summer is definitely the snowpark! At a height of 3200m you can play to your heart's content on the half-pipes, hips, quarters, modules and boardercross. If all that sounds a bit too much like hard work you can just hang out by the BBQ and DJ area. Competitions and events are due to be taking place all summer, so its certainly worth a look. You can find out what they've got lined up this summer with our What's On guide.
For those of you who want to brush up your park skills, the renowned Kommunity Summer Camps take place in Les Deux Alpes every summer for 2 weeks, bringing together riders of all levels with coaching by some of the top names in British snowboarding. |
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last updated 25-Apr-2008 |
| Summer Sledging (Luge) |
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The fun sport of sledging (or ‘luge’) isn’t just confined to the snowy winter slopes. There are 2 sledge runs open during the summer months, accessible by the Alpette lift. The 2 runs are different speeds, to suit speed demons and the more leisurely alike! |
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last updated 24-Apr-2008 |
| Swimming |
Les Deux Alpes has 4 pools to choose from; indoor and outdoor depending on the weather!
The indoor pool at the Aqua Centre des 2 Alpes on Avenue de la Muzelle is open daily from 3pm to 8pm and features a sauna, steam room and jacuzzi. It is part of the Tanking Centre in Galerie Lou Véno, where you can also have massages and other treatments.
Club Forme in Les Deux Alpes 1800 has a heated indoor pool that during the winter is open from 3pm to 7pm, but is closed on Saturdays. In summer the outdoor pool opens from 11am to 7pm every day except Saturday, when the opening hours are 2pm to 7pm. The Club Forme offers a variety of other fitness and leisure activities.
The Croisette on Rue de Sagnes houses the main open air swimming pool. It is heated year-round and even in winter is warm enough for a dip - just make sure you have a big fluffy towel ready for when you get out of the water! In the summer the children's pool opens next to it and the two pools are surrounded by large terraces with sun loungers. You can book aquagym and swimming lessons. Discounts are available on the entry fee to skipass holders and admission is free to children under 5 years old. In winter it is open from 2.30pm to 7pm, in summer it is open all day from 10am to 7pm.
Venosc Village has an outdoor pool with water flume that is only open during the summer months.
Please see our Water Sports page for addresses and contact details.
Many of the spas and hotels in Les Deux Alpes have private swimming pools that may be accessible to visitors on request - you may have to book a beauty treatment or a table for lunch. See our Spas & Salons section for details. |
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last updated 10-Jul-2008 |
| Tennis & Squash |
Les Deux Alpes has over 20 courts, 2 of them floodlit until midnight (reservation is advised for the floodlit courts). Courts can be reserved at the club house on Cours des Rivets, where you can also organise lessons and enter tournaments. The club is affiliated with the French Tennis Federation.
The 2 Alpes Tennis Academy also offers lessons for children, teens and adults. Courses run from Monday to Friday, they also offer a package where you can combine 2 hours of tennis with 2 hours of golf.
For those of you who like to build up a sweat the Club Forme 1800 has 2 squash courts; a 40 minute session will cost 14€ for 2 people, shoes and balls can be hired at extra cost.
There is also a weekly table tennis tournament at the Tourist Office! |
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last updated 24-Apr-2008 |
| Via Ferrata |
If climbing up sheer rock on the end of a piece of rope sounds a bit scary then Via Ferrata climbing offers an element of security that still allows beginners to enjoy the achievement of having scaled a mountain! This form of climbing was invented by Italian soldiers in the Dolomites who used it to enable them to scale vertiginous faces easily and quickly. These days it is a popular sport that makes the thrill of mountain climbing more accessible to children, beginners and those who want a bit more security when they climb.
Following marked routes through the mountains you are helped along by steps, bridges and ladders whilst being roped up for extra safety. Suitable for adults and children over the age of 8; guides can be arranged on request.
There are numerous maintained routes throughout the Oisans region on which to explore the mountains from another angle. Recommended sites are the Gorges de la Durance near Vénosc and alongside the river in St Christophe. |
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last updated 24-Apr-2008 |
| White Water Rafting |
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If you haven't experienced this before then this is a definite 'must try' on your list of activities to do! Les Deux Alpes has a number of trained guides who will let you experience some of the best white water rafting available in the Alps. From the middle of May until September, the mountain rivers flow furiously as they are fed from the melt waters running off the glaciers high above the town. There are various options available from a 3 hour adrenaline rush to a full days excursion - this activity is guaranteed not to disappoint. |
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last updated 25-Apr-2008 |
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