Alpe d'Huez Holiday Guide

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Alpe-d'Huez Holiday Guide

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Alpe d'Huez, two hours from Chambéry airport has something for everyone in its vast sunny ski area of 240 km of pistes. It's a purpose-built French resort where convenience is everything.

There are few places to rival Alpe-d’Huez and its Massif des Grandes Rousses for extent and variety of terrain – in good wintery conditions it’s one of our favourites. But as the season progresses the effects of the strong southern sun become more and more of a problem. You can stay in the sprawling village of Alpe-d’Huez or in the smaller alternative bases of Vaujany, Villard-Reculas, Oz-en-Oisans or Auris-en-Oisans.

What's New

A six-pack with covers replaced the first stage of the Marmottes gondola. An escalator connects the arrival point to the second stage of the gondola. And a new blue slope from the arrival point now runs to the mid-station of the DMC.
The second stage of the Pic Blanc gondola was revamped.
The Chantebise 2100 mountain restaurant opened the Ice Shock ice bar.

  • Alpe d'Huez Plus Points

    • Extensive, high, sunny slopes, split interestingly into different sectors
    • Huge snowmaking installation
    • Vast, gentle, sunny nursery slopes
    • Efficient access lifts from villages
    • Some good mountain restaurants
    • Livelier than many French resorts
    • Pleasant alternative bases in outlying villages and satellites

  • Alpe d'Huez Minus Points

    • Some main intermediate runs get badly overcrowded in high season
    • Many of the tough runs are very high, and closed in bad weather
    • Practically no woodland runs to retreat to in bad weather
    • Lots of south-facing runs that can be icy early and slushy later
    • Sprawling resort

  • Alpe d'Huez Facts

    Country 
    France 

    Altitude 
    1860 (Min 1100 – max 3330)

    Lifts
    85

    Pistes 
    240 kms

    Easy 42%
    Medium 31%
    Difficult 27%

    Artificial snow 
    32% coverage 

  • Alpe d'Huez Ski Ratings

    Expert ski
    * * * * 

    Intermediate ski
    * * * * 

    Beginner ski
    * * * * * 

    Cross country ski 
    * * *

    Extent
    * * * *

    Queues
    * * * *

    Fast lifts
    * *

    Terrain parks
    * * * 

    Snow
    * * * * 

    Ski schools 
    * * * *

  • Alpe d'Huez Resort Ratings

    Restaurants 

    * * * *

    Families

    * * *

    Charm

    * *

    Convenience

    * * *

    Scenery
    * * * *

    Eating
    * * * *

    Apres ski
    * * * *

    Offslope
    * * * * 

Andros Trophy: Alpe d'Huez

Dec 2012 (annual) The Andros Trophy, France's most prestigious ice-racing series, stages one of its races of the season at the French ski resort of Alpe d'Huez. Attracting big name drivers and manufacturers, it is made up of seven races in mountain resorts.

Andros Trophy: Alpe d'Huez

Dec 2013 (annual) The Andros Trophy, France's most prestigious ice-racing series, stages one of its races of the season at the French ski resort of Alpe d'Huez. Attracting big name drivers and manufacturers, it is made up of seven races in mountain resorts.

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