Alpe d’Huez or Les Deux Alpes - which is best for families?

You’ll be travelling through some stunning scenery on your transfer, but children don’t always appreciate the majestic beauty of the mountains as much as grown-ups do.

Ski resorts are famously hard to get to and generally involve a few hours on a coach to get there. That doesn’t fly for most kids, so the less time spent on the coach the better.

The good news is that both Alpe d’Huez and Les Deux Alpes are around two hours from Grenoble airport. This gives you and the kids enough time to watch a movie and have a quick snooze before getting to resort.

Worth knowing: Tour de France fans will know that the road up to Alpe d’Huez is renowned for its 21 hairpin bends. You’ll get amazing views out across the valley, but it may be worth packing travel sickness tablets if your children get a bit queasy.

Winter holidays aren’t just about the skiing, particularly if you have smaller kids whose legs might need a bit of a break. It’s always good to have a choice of activities to do off the slopes and both resorts have plenty to offer.

These aren’t small mountain villages but thriving, working ski towns that attract tourists all year round. Each has a good selection of shops selling everything from mountain gear and souvenirs to chocolates and jewellery.

Both have a public swimming pool and an ice-rink and there are ski lifts that can be used by non-skiers, so everyone can enjoy the amazing mountain views. Alpe d’Huez (pictured) also has a dedicated toboggan track which is great fun for all the family.

Worth knowing: Les Deux Alpes is laid out across the valley floor so it’s pretty flat and Alpe d’Huez has been built on the foothills so isn’t so much. This makes Deux Alpes easier for families with pushchairs and younger children to get around.

Les Deux Alpes wins hands-down for childcare. There are three Neilson-run kids’ clubs catering for kids aged four months to 12 years old. They’re based in the Neilson Hotel Aalborg, but can be booked if you’re staying in Le Crêt or any of the Neilson-run Chalets in Les Deux Alpes.

Fun-loving and experienced nannies will make sure your children’s days are packed with plenty of indoor and outdoor play.

The Snowangels club is for babies aged four to 23 months. They’ll enjoy singing, dancing, arts, crafts and plenty more in a warm, safe environment.

The Snowman club is for two to four year olds and will keep even the liveliest of toddlers entertained with games, music, messy play, snowy fun and more.

Snowbusters is ideal for skiing kids aged five to 12 year olds. There’s a ski school drop-off and pick-up service for children who have pre-booked tuition through Neilson. This includes lunch and gives parents a chance to enjoy a morning on the slopes and a long lazy lunch themselves.

Worth knowing: If you’re staying in a Neilson Mountain Collection hotel, chalet hotel or chalet in El Tarter in Andorra, Les Menuires or Les Deux Alpes in France and you’d like an even more personal service, you could book your very own private nanny!

The Neilson Hotel Aalborg is our number one hotel for families in France. With a convenient slopeside location, large and interconnecting rooms, half board meals and an in-house, Neilson-run kids’ club, it’s easy to see why. It’s also right next to the beginner nursery slope so getting the little ones to ski school is a doddle!

The Neilson Chalet Hotel Le Crêt offers is a small hotel (or a large chalet) with a bar and a variety of room sizes. It’s located in the centre of the resort so is probably more suited to families with teenagers rather than younger children.

If you’re travelling as a group of friends or family, a catered chalet would be the perfect choice as you can make the place your own. Spread out and relax without worrying about toys being in anyone’s way! You’ll have a lounge to spend quality time together and even your own friendly chalet host who will cater to your needs. Choose your meal times and even your menus so everyone gets plenty of fuel for your days in the mountains.

Over in Alpe d’Huez you’ll find the Neilson Chalet Hotel Escapade which has rooms that sleep up to four people, ideal if you would like to share a room with your children. The hotel is right next to the slopes and just 70m from a lift so you can ski or board to and from the hotel (snow permitting).

There are three Neilson chalets to choose from in Alpe d’Huez, including possibly the most ideally situated chalets in France! The Lac Blanc I and II are in the middle of the piste next to the DMC gondola, one of the main lifts in the resort. You can’t get more convenient slope access than that!

If you’re looking for a hotel with a pool, check out the Hotel Pic. It’s has huge floor to ceiling windows so you can take a post-ski dip whilst admiring the incredible views at the same time.

Worth knowing: All Neilson hotels, chalet hotels and chalets in these resorts serve afternoon tea and cakes – a lovely treat for those with a sweet tooth!

Deux Alpes is ideal for beginners. There are nursery slopes right along one side of the valley and the glacier also has gentle slopes to help progression without being stuck on the same piste for days.

If your kids (or you) fancy yourself as the next Shaun White or Jenny Jones, Les Deux Alpes has one of the best snowparks around. There’s something for beginners to experts, the lifts are quick and the runs are long with plenty of different features to play on.

As for piste-skiing, Les Deux Alpes has 220km of well-groomed runs that make the most of the landscape. The blue Jandri piste means that everyone can ski back to resort, and even though it can get busy at the end of the day, it provides a welcome alternative to the black Valentin or having to take the lift.

Snowsure? Yes. The glacier in Les Deux Alpes is immense and whatever the snow conditions are like lower down, you can’t fail to find snow up there! A mix of blue and red runs mean that there is something for everyone.

Alpe d’Huez is a paradise for beginners and improvers thanks to its 17 green runs and 45 blues that help you progress with ease. Depending on where you stay, you may have a short walk or ski bus ride to get to the slopes, but once you’ve arrived it’s very easy to start covering some ground and developing new skills.

Something which is perfect for kids is Marcel’s Farm. It was opened in 2016/17 and has been a huge success. It’s a fun slope where you ski or board your way around the features on Marcel’s farm, including the ‘Ralf Pipe’ (Ralf is a freestyle pig with aspirations for the Winter Olympics); the ‘Brigitte Bridge’ (a special bridge that stops Brigitte the goat getting her hooves wet!) and the ‘Agathe Gate’ (where Agathe the sheep practices her slalom)! It has to be seen to be believed!

With 238km of pistes, it’s easy to wake up in the morning and set off on an adventure around Alpe d’Huez. Pick a village to have lunch in and then have a fun afternoon working your way back to resort. And with over 300 sunny days a year, you’ll have fewer chilly hands and noses to contend with!

It’s a tie! Both resorts are great for different reasons.

Les Deux Alpes is ideal if you’re looking for somewhere with easy access to the nursery slopes, fantastic Neilson-run childcare and a snow park suitable for all abilities. You’ll have plenty of non-ski activities to keep everyone happy off the mountain and the resort is easy to get around on foot.

Alpe d’Huez also has a great beginner area and it’s easy to build your confidence and improve your skills over the course of a week. Teens and adults will have a great time exploring the wider ski area while little ones can have fun on Marcel’s farm.

Our suggestion is to give them both a go! When you stay in Les Deux Alpes, you can ski in Alpe d’Huez for day on your lift pass, and vice versa. You can always book a holiday in the other resort next year!