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Christmas and New Year in Les 2 Alpes: a family guide

Snow outside, a fire in the fireplace and the whole family around one table: Christmas and New Year are the most magical weeks in the mountains, and the busiest. Here's what to expect in Les 2 Alpes.

What's on in the resort

• Father Christmas's parade through the resort on Christmas Day, a highlight for young children.
• A torchlight descent and ski show on New Year's Eve, with instructors skiing down the slopes carrying torches.
• Fireworks at midnight to welcome the New Year.
• Mulled wine (vin chaud) to keep everyone warm during the festivities.

The programme changes a little each year, so check the events page on the official Les 2 Alpes website before you go.

What's open over the holidays

Everything stays open: the lifts, ski schools, supermarkets, shops and restaurants all keep running through Christmas and New Year. If you want to eat out on Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve, book your table early. For a special dinner, Le P'tit Polyte, the restaurant at Hôtel Chalet Mounier, is in the Michelin Guide.

Staying into January? Hôtel Chalet Mounier celebrates its anniversary every year with fireworks, usually on 15 January. They're on the other side of town from the chalet, so walk over to the hotel to watch them, where they usually offer a glass of champagne.

Celebrating at the chalet

• Watch the fireworks from the balcony. At Chalet Leslie Alpen 1 you can see the New Year's Eve fireworks from the balcony, so nobody has to stand in the cold with sleepy children.
• A fondue or raclette night. The cheese shops in the resort sell local cheese and rent out fondue and raclette sets, so you can have a proper Alpine feast at home.
• French pastries for dessert. The resort's pastry shops and bakeries have plenty to choose from. At Christmas, order a bûche de Noël, the traditional French Christmas log cake.
• Let someone else cook the festive meal. Several shops in the resort cater. We like the trays of small cocktail bites from the pâtisserie Les Petits Caprices for Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve, and full dinners from La Ferme, a butcher's and caterer since 1983. Order ahead over the holidays.
• Room for the whole family. A dining table for twelve, a living room with a fireplace, and a private sauna, hammam and jacuzzi for Christmas Eve.

Booking tips

• Book early. Christmas and New Year are the first weeks to fill up.
• Christmas and New Year usually fall in two different weeks. Stays run Saturday to Saturday, and you can book both weeks if they're available.
• Book ski lessons when you book the chalet. Children's lessons take place up the mountain, where the snow is reliable even early in the season.
• Leave early on Saturdays, and remember that winter tyres or chains are compulsory in the mountain areas of Isère from 1 November to 31 March.