Summer glacier wine tasting at 3,600m
Les 2 Alpes operates Europe's largest skiable glacier with summer skiing from June to August. The terrace at 3,600m serves wine with views across Écrins National Park. Summer morning skiing followed by afternoon wine on the glacier is a bucket-list experience.
How to Complete
4 steps to experience this fully
- 🍷 Log Memory
It's JUNE, JULY, or AUGUST. You're wearing a t-shirt at Le 3200 restaurant (3,200m), accessed via Jandri Express 2 cable car at the foot of the Girose/Mont de Lans glaciers. The valley below is in full summer—green meadows, hikers, mountain bikers. But here you're surrounded by SNOW and skiers. Order a glass of wine (€8-15) on the terrace and process this cognitive dissonance: summer skiing + wine + 3,200m elevation + glacier views. Les 2 Alpes has Europe's largest skiable glacier—you can ski June-August when every other resort is closed. Time it for afternoon (14:00-16:00) when morning skiing is done and the terrace is warmest. Order Savoie white (Jacquère or Chignin-Bergeron) to stay regional.
🔄 BACKUP: If summer glacier skiing not operating (weather-dependent), visit during winter season for the same 3,200m wine experience. Or drop to Le Diable au Coeur restaurant lower on mountain.
- 🍷 Log Memory
Le 3200 offers 'a magical alpine evening with a sunset aperitif at the restaurant, savoring a selection of sweet and savory treats while admiring the sun setting over the peaks.' You're at 3,200m watching alpenglow (sunset turning peaks pink-orange) with wine and nibbles as the Écrins National Park spreads before you—dozens of peaks catching light sequentially. Book the sunset aperitif experience, arrive 1 hour before sunset (around 21:00 in summer), position yourself on west-facing terrace. As sun drops, COUNT how many peaks you can identify. The highest visible is Barre des Écrins (4,102m). Ask staff: 'Which peak lights up LAST as the sun sets?' They know the sequence.
🔄 BACKUP: If sunset aperitif not available (seasonal offering), create your own: buy wine at valley supermarket, bring it up in backpack, find quiet spot near Le 3200 at sunset. Costs €10 vs €40+ for organized event, same views.
- 🍷 Log Memory
Les 2 Alpes has operated summer skiing on this glacier for decades, but like all Alpine glaciers, it's RETREATING due to climate change. At Le 3200 or speaking with ski patrol/lift operators, ask staff: 'How much has the glacier retreated since you started working here?' or 'Can you still ski the same routes as 20 years ago?' The answers are sobering. Best people to ask: older lift operators (50+) who've worked decades, ski patrol, or restaurant staff who've been here 10+ years. Phrase it with curiosity, not judgment: 'I'm interested in how the glacier has changed over time.' They'll point out specific features that have disappeared.
🔄 BACKUP: If staff too busy or you don't speak French, visit Les 2 Alpes tourist office in village and ask for glacier history documentation. Or search online for 'Les 2 Alpes glacier retreat' with photos comparing decades.
- 🍷 Log Memory
Buy a bottle of Savoie wine (Apremont or Chignin-Bergeron, €10-20) in Les 2 Alpes village (1,650m). DAY 1 - Taste at village level: Open bottle, pour small glass, write notes (flavor, acidity, body). DAY 2 - Taste at mid-mountain (~2,400m): Bring bottle + cup on lift, taste at mid-station restaurant. DAY 3 - Taste at Le 3200 (3,200m): Final tasting at glacier level. The wine is the SAME bottle, but atmospheric pressure, oxygen levels, and your palate's perception change at each elevation. At 3,200m, acidity will be PIERCING compared to village level. Take written notes at each elevation—you've just learned what sommeliers mean by 'altitude affects wine.'
🔄 BACKUP: If you don't want to carry a bottle, order the SAME wine by the glass at village restaurant (€8), mid-mountain (€10), and Le 3200 (€12). More expensive (€30 total) but same learning.