Les Trois Dômes, Lyon

Advantages: Good for beginners, good nightlife, sunny, access to La Grave, free swimming/skating
Disadvantages: Limited skiing, not ideal resort layout, frustrating slope and lift layout at hometime

...Located in the southern French Alps, and close to Alpe D'Huez and Serre Chevalier, Les Deux Alpes might not be the first ski resort that springs to mind when you think of European skiing. It's a little unfair as, on an individual basis, the resort compares extremely well to just about any in France. It is the second oldest in resort in the country, after the world famous Chamonix and can boast more than 200km of runs to itself. However, while 2 Alpes may individually have a large ski-area, it lacks the collective might of areas such as the Trois Vallees or Espace Killy when it comes to a linked network of slopes. Essentially, with 2 Alpes what you see is what you get. For most this won't be a problem - almost 100 different pisted slopes plus good opportunities to drop into off-piste powder fields should keep all but the most... Read review

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Advantages: ease of access, huge ski area, good resorts, excellent apres ski
Disadvantages: poorly groomed pistes and very busy at weekends

...It is very easy to get to, about 7/8 hours easy driving from Calais, you can take the Eurostar from London straight to Bourg St Maurice (which is the town at the foot of the mountains, below the three resorts Arc Pierre Blanche, Arc 1800 and Arc 20000 which make up the resort of Les Arcs) or you can fly to either Lyon or Geneva which are both about 3 hours drive from the resorts. Arc Peirre Blanche is connected to Bourg St Maurice by Funicular Railway or there is a regular bus service to take you to the three high altitude ski resorts. Arc 1800 is the biggest and busiest and is great for all standards and abilities of skiers, and also families as there is a choice of several kindergartens and kid ski schools. Also, the resort is traffic free, all vehicles having to park on the outskirts. There are plenty of bars, restaurants... Read review

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Advantages: Wonderful city
Disadvantages: Pollution

...Introduction As some of you may or may not know, as part of my degree, I study an element of French language in preparation for the third year I will spend in France next year. My likely destination is Lyon and as such I decided it would be worth taking a trip to Lyon to explore what the city had to offer and get my bearings a little before I actually attended the university next year. Lyon is situated in the Rhone- Alpes region of France, which lies in the east close to the Swiss border. It is surrounded, unsurprisingly, by the Alps and is not very far away in fact from Europe's biggest mountain, Mont Blanc. It is in fact France's second biggest city residing close to St. Etienne and Geneva (in Switzerland). So I and my fiancée (who will also join me in Lyon next year) took a visit to the place. How to get... Read review

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