Les Deux Alpes Hiking & Walking Trails

2 Alpes 1650

There are two trails that go from one end of the resort to the other, taking you from Alpe de Venosc to Alpe de Mont de Lans (or vice-versa). The Sentier du Bas des Pistes runs along the foot of the pistes and is a fairly flat walk that passes the bottom of the lift stations. The Chemin des Sources is slightly higher up and affords views of the resort as well as of the mountains. A number of small streams cross the trail along the way.

Both walks should take 30-45 minutes one way and are fairly undemanding. Once you’ve reached Alpe de Mont de Lans you can hike up (or take the lift) to Les Crètes (2189m) or continue to the village of Mont de Lans (1282m), if you wish.

Wild Meadow Flowers

This walk leaves from the hamlet of Courtil in Venosc. Cutting through the forest as far as the ruins at Ferraret the walk then climbs quite steeply at first, then levels out in the meadows just below Le Sapey. It follows part of the trail of the GR50.

It is a moderate walk of around 5km that takes approximately 2h30 to ascend and 1h30 on the return descent. The south-west exposure of this walk means that during the height of summer it is best completed in the morning, before it gets too hot.

Lac Lauvitel

From the car park at La Danchère there is a choice of two footpaths that run either side of a stream up to Lac Lauvitel. The path on the right is more shaded, so probably a better choice in hot weather. In La Danchère is the chapel of St Louis and St Claude, and as you leave the hamlet you will pass near to the Oratory of St Croix. Once the path leaves La Danchère it continues quite steeply over stony ground and then through woodland. Along the way you will see many wildflowers, predominantly rhododendrons. Once you arrive at the lake keep your eyes open for grazing mountain goats and marmots!

This is a fairly easy walk that ascends 516m and will take about 1h30. It is 2.5km one way, or if you prefer to continue you can carry on to Col du Vallon or Lac de Plan Vianney.

View of St Christophe from Les 2 Alpes

This is a rambling walk that starts at Les Deux Alpes 1650 and ascends up to Les Perrons at 1800m. It then undulates down to 1409m before rising again to Le Puy at 1583m. The hamlet of Le Puy is a pretty place that is worth stopping for a refreshment break. Here you can see the Oratory of Notre Dame and enjoy some beautiful views of the valley. The trail then descends ever so slightly through Vierge du Collet down to St Christophe at 1460m.

This 8km walk should take around 2h30 to 3 hours each way; although if you wanted to extend it you could return to Les Deux Alpes via Lac Noir. There are some tricky sections along the route where you should take care and it is best not to attempt it after wet weather as some parts can be quite slippery.

Lac de la Muzelle

Those of you who like a walk to leave you feeling like you’ve had a good work out should try the hike up to Lac Muzelle along the Sentier l’Alleau! Starting in Bourg Arud, take the first path on the right after the bridge over the Vénéon. This path will take you out of the village and along part of the GR54, following a stream. After passing an oratory a long steep ascent takes you over some rocky ground to a footbridge; you then ascend by a series of steps before coming out onto a plateau. There is then a short descent to the refuge at the lake, where you will find a restaurant and the possibility of a bed for the night (check opening and availability before you set off). Views of the glacier, the lake and the peaks of the Ecrins National Park make this hike worth the effort!

The exposure of this trail means that it is much better to attempt it early in the day, before the suns rises too high. A fit walker will take about 3h30 to reach the top; bear in mind that although it is only 5km, the elevation of this walk is 1174m.

Trails criss-crossing Pied Moutet

Leaving from the foot of the Télésiège de la Vallée Blanche take the path up past La Moliére and round the back of the peak to Le Sapey. From here you can either continue down the trail to Venosc, or cut the journey short and take the Télésiège back down from Le Mais to Les Deux Alpes.

If you do the whole route is should take around 4 to 5 hours; it is not too strenuous as it only goes from resort level (1650m) up to 1560m and ascends quite gradually. If you want to go to the top of Pied Moutet you can cut across to La Mais at the top of the Telesiege de la Vallée Blanche (2106m), where you can follow the path as far as it goes up to 2339m.

Remember to take plenty of water and some high energy snacks when going on a long walk such as this.

A pretty trail along the GR54

One of the most challenging walks in the French Alps is the GR54 Tour de l’Oisans. Taking between 10 to 13 days to complete, this 176km circular hike usually starts and ends in Bourg d’Oisans, although you can pick up the trail at numerous points along the way. Although no technical climbing skills are necessary there are some steep ascents and some tough scrambles to negotiate. However, you are rewarded with beautiful scenery, untouched landscape, quaint hamlets and hopefully some local wildlife.

Although it is well signposted you are advised to take a good map and a guide book, as there are some ambiguous junctions along the way.

This should only be attempted in its entirety by people with a good level of physical fitness and plenty of hiking experience. Many shorter sections are quite do-able for the less experienced walker who may prefer more of a gentle ramble.