WINTER IN
ALPE D'HUEZ
ALPE D'HUEZ
The high altitude resort of Alpe d’Huez is situated in the southern French Alps. It nestles on a mountain shelf at 1860m overlooking the Sarenne Valley, with stunning panoramic views of the Ecrins National Park mountain range. The sunny alpine area of the Grandes Rousses massif offers a wide variety of activities for all interests and abilities. Alpe d’Huez is renowned for its sunshine record but still boasts good snow conditions throughout the winter season with its high altitude ski area reaching 3330m.
Other activities and facilities in Alpe d'Huez
Off the pistes at 5pm and there is plenty on offer for all styles and tastes. Alpe d’Huez has many activities for skiers and non skiers alike. If you have energy to burn there is a heated outdoor swimming pool which is a great way to relax after a long day of skiing or walking. There is an ice skating rink with regular matches and competitions to watch if you don’t feel like participating.
The sports centre has an indoor pool and also tennis, squash, trampolining, table tennis, water aerobics, aerobics, climbing walls, football and a well-equipped gym.
If you still have energy to burn then there is always the floodlit night skiing offered two nights a week on the Signal de L’homme.
Après ski in Alpe d'Huez
This lively resort has plenty to offer in the small hours.
There are a wide selection of restaurants, bars and cafes and two nightclubs to cater for all tastes.
SKI AREA
The vast ski area offers something for everyone with 235km of pistes and an efficient lift system comprising 87 lifts. The satellite villages of Auris, Villard, Oz and Vaujany are all connected by the system and the Alpe d'Huez grand domaine ski pass allows access to all these ski areas. The network is constantly expanding with new lifts being built and old ones replaced.
Beginners
The lower lying pistes in the bowl surrounding the town are mainly red, blue and green runs that offer an easily accessible “playground” for beginners and children. An extensive network of snow cannons ensures that these runs at this altitude remain well covered throughout the season making it always possible to ski back to the resort.
Intermediates
By ascending further to 2700m there are a range of more technical red and black runs stretching over a couple of couloirs and valleys. Pic Blanc at 3330m gives everyone the opportunity to ski at this high altitude on the glacier. (The glacier lifts and runs are also open for the summer ski programme).
Advanced
The more adventurous can descend via some of the challenging black runs that lead you back to the town. The Tunnel offers a pure adrenaline rush; after you have skied through the mountain for 200m in a dark cold tunnel, you emerge to find yourself on a 40-degree slope with Alpe d’Huez in the distance and a tricky mogul field below you! There is also The Sarenne which at 16km is well known as the longest black run in Europe. These longer runs with a total height descent of over 2000m allow you the treat of skiing for approximately 1h30 without taking a lift. After all that’s what you are on holiday for! The Chateau Noir offers the true openness and solitude searched for by many on the other side of the ridge.
