Alpe d'Huez

Alpe d’Huez Ski Resort

250km of varied, sun-drenched, high altitude slopes combined with a vibrant resort town are what make Alpe d’Huez one of the most popular French resorts.

The sunny bowl directly above the resort offers up some of the best beginner slopes in the French Alps and with over 300 days of sunshine each year, it is highly likely that you’ll catch them in great visibility. Above this a vast network of steeper reds and blacks can be found, including the mighty Sarenne – Europe’s longest – which plunges down almost 2000 vertical metres from the summit at Pic Blanc.

Alpe d’Huez is somewhat spread out, with the centre extending over quite a large area – but a recently constructed gondola linking it up has helped with access. Another hub can be found at Les Bergers, where there are some large apartment blocks and a secondary centre with its own shops, bars and restaurants. Alternatively you can base yourself in one of the smaller villages linked to the main area – including Vaujany, Oz en Oisans, Villard Reculas and Auris en Oisans.

What's New for 2019/20?

New for this season is a biathlon area, the Nordic Park, complete with a 10m shooting range. The Nordic Park can be found just after the Sagnes lift. In addition to this, there is a new ski cross called the Nordic Skiercross, which will add further variety to the area.

On top of the on snow additions, significant amounts of money has been spent upgrading the accommodation options in the resort. Club Med have spent over €85 million modernising their hotel in Alpe d'Huez and the Hotel Les Grandes Rousses has also doubled its capacity and now features both hotel rooms, apartments and four chalets. The Spa des Alpes has also received a facelift, enabling visitors to unwind in luxurious surroundings after a day on the slopes.

Our Alpe d’Huez Resort Ratings

• Beginner ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Intermediate ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Advanced ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
• Snow Reliability ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
• Fast Lifts ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
• Resort Activities ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Après ★ ★ ★ ☆☆
• Value ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Alpe d’Huez Skiing and Snowboarding

Immediately above the village lies one of the best learning areas in France. Gentle greens, served by a fleet of fast chairs and chondolas, as well as numerous drags and rolling carpets make this an excellent area for beginners. Intermediates will enjoy the long, cruisey blues down from Marmottes and the Alpette area above Vaujany is often quieter and holds on to better snow.

For more advanced skiers and boarders, there is a bit of a reliance on the top of the mountain being open. But when it is there are some great long reds for an on piste blast and of course the lengthy Sarenne is an epic groomed run. If there has been fresh snow head to the Tunnel run (it should hopefully have filled in the biggest of the bumps) or the Combe Charbonnière.

Exciting plans are also well underway to link the resort via a gondola to nearby Les Deux Alpes – creating a vast ski area – with a completion date of 2022/23 looking most likely.

• Total Pistes: 250km
• Green: 31%
• Blue: 28%
• Red: 25%
• Black: 16%
• Lifts: 62
• Altitude: 1125m – 3330m

Alpe d’Huez Piste Map

The local area map can be downloaded here.

Alpe d’Huez Resort

There are two resort centres in Alpe d’Huez. The main village is the bustling hub and is home to much of the accommodation, some seriously lively bars and a number of excellent restaurants specialising in local French food. Les Bergers is a good alternative, with its own centre and a great selection of great value, self catered accommodation.

If you’re looking for a quieter stay or to stay in a chalet, then Vaujany is perhaps a better option, as is the small village of Villard Reculas.

Off the slopes, the resort prides itself on offering a multitude of winter activities. The outdoor ice rink is possible, as are the cross country and winter walking trails. There is also a huge outdoor swimming pool that is open throughout the winter.

Season Dates

30th November 2019 - 25th April 2020

How to get to Alpe d’Huez

Grenoble and Chambery airports are both between an hour and a half and two hours away from the resort. Lyon is around two hours away, whilst the trip from Geneva takes two and a half hours. Shared transfers and public transport options are available too.

• Grenoble airport: 1.5 hours
• Chambery airport: 1.5 hours
• Lyon airport: 2 hours
• Geneva airport: 2.5 hours
• Calais: approximately 10 hours driving (578 miles)

Alpe d’Huez Contact Details

• Website: www.alpedhuez.com
• Email: info@alpedhuez.com
• Telephone: 04 76 11 44 44
• Facebook: @alpe.dheuz
• Instagram: @alpedhuez
• Twitter: @alpedhuez