Alpe d'Huez

Alpe d'Huez is a large, modern resort on a high, open, sunny plateau east of Grenoble. It was developed for skiing, but consists mainly of large numbers of undistinguished small buildings rather than monolithic blocks. The resort spreads down a gentle slope in a triangular shape from the main lift station at the top corner. The main village is divided into three named 'quarters'; Vieil Alpe includes the original chalet-style part of the village, at the lower end. Outside the central triangle there are four satellite 'quarters'. The major one is Les Bergers, a second major lift base at the eastern corner of the resort; it has a chalet suburb spreading uphill. A blue piste descends from the west side of the resort to the original (but much expanded) village of Huez, where there is lodging (and a lift to the main resort). The lift pass gives days in some other resorts (including Les Deux-Alpes, Serre-Chevalier and Montgenevre). There are buses twice a week to Les Deux Alpes, but the proper thing to do is to go by helicopter. We agree with readers that this is 'fantastic fun' (70 euros last season; three days a week). There are plans for a cross-valley lift (which, subject to permissions being granted, they hope to open by 2020).