ski chalets alpe d'huez

chalet ski holidays in alpe d'huez

One of the world's top resorts, Alpe d'Huez offers one of the greatest unbroken verticals in the world. Built above the original village of Huez, the resort has expanded in all directions over the past 20 years. There is a huge beginners area directly above the resort and those going on to the top of the lifts will be able to see a fifth of France, on a clear day, from the top station.

Established in 1923 the French ski resort Alpe d'Huez lies at 3330 metres altitude in the Dauphiné - Isère region of the French Alps / Alpes. With the highest lifts and ski slopes above 2500m Alpe d'Huez ski area is snow sure. Over 900 snow cannons ensure artificial Alpe d'Huez snow making covers 62km of ski trails, which equates to around 32 of the ski slopes. The nearest airport transfer to Alpe d'Huez (France) is Grenoble - Isére at a distance of 99km or approximately 90 minutes driving time. Alpe d'Huez ski season runs from December to April.

alpe d'huez resort and apres ski

The heavily promoted Visalp Pass not only gives access to all the resort's skiing so long as you're staying more than two days, but also provides discounts on many other activities including access to the swimming pools, ice rink and the Palais des Sports where 26 different activities are on offer. These include options like indoor golf, table tennis, dance, squash and many more. The pass also gives free access to the weekly classical music concerts and the museum in the area. The Guides Office can arrange a variety of outdoor activities for you including snow-shoeing, cross-country skiing and ice climbing. You can also visit one of the snowmaking plants if you wish. An unusual attraction is the ice cave, hollowed out at 2,700 metres up in 1996 by high mountain guides Bruno Gardent and Bernard Lambolez. Created from 410 cubic metres of ice the manmade cave in the glacier contains ice sculpture displays which are changed annually and illuminated by coloured lighting. Back in the resort there are also two cinemas. The resort offers a variety of air sports including hang-gliding and first flights. Panoramic tours are available by plane, helicopter or microlight.

skiing alpe d'huez

Alpe d'Huez ski resort, set in a huge sunny bowl has excellent skiing terrain for all abilities with a very high percentage of sunny days. The resort has predominantly south facing slopes, topped by the Pic Blanc Glacier, and have 800 snow cannons, to ensure good conditions. The wide open gentle slopes immediately above the resort are perfect for beginners and there is a free lift. Intermediates have endless terrain to choose from with a large network of red and blue runs, two of the best areas being the slopes of Le Signal d'Homme and the Plat des Marmottes. The blue run Signal is recommended, which runs from the top of signal to Villard-Reculas village below. Alpe d'Huez has a large number of black runs which are great for advanced skiers. The 2230m vertical from Pic Blanc/Sarenne can be accessed via the lifts and small cable-train. This ski area includes one of the longest black runs in the world, the Sarenne, which is nearly 17km long. Other popular choices are the Champagne and the infamous “tunnel” for experts! There are an abundance of off-piste possibilities in Alpe d'Huez, with some lovely deep snow descents. For more challenging off-piste action, make your way to La Grave, the off-piste mecca further up the valley. Weekly passes include limited access to the other resorts in the area, you can also get a joint pass which includes the ski domain of Les 2 Alpes.

Skiing Alpe d'Huez you'll enjoy 120 pistes and trails and that means approximately 240km of ski runs. Alpe d'Huez lifts number 84 with the capacity to uplift 102600 skiers up the mountain per hour. The longest ski run in the French ski resort of Alpe d'Huez is over 16km long. Ski Alpe d'Huez summer or winter as there is also glacier skiing in Alpe d'Huez.

Alpe d'Huez Ski Area

Alpe d'Huez ski area has 31% beginner ski runs or nursery slopes, 26% intermediate, 28% advanced ski slopes and 13% for expert skiers - the most difficult Alpe d'Huez piste is the 16km Tunnel run, with a steepness/slope angle of ?%. You can ski Alpe d'Huez after dark as there is night skiing on ?km of illuminated piste.

Alpe d'Huez for skiing gets 4 stars out of 5 overall

snowboarding alpe d'huez

Alpe d'Huez is an active snowboarding centre having hosted the World cup in the past and having their own Olympic champion, Isabelle Blanc. The pistes are broad slopes, excellent for boarding and there is powder to both sides of most runs. With good snow, there is a vast amount of off-piste terrain available and varied enough to entertain most die-hard snowboarders. Off-piste and glacier excursion should be undertaken with a guide. For beginners, unluckily, the nursery areas, directly above the resort, are mostly serviced drag lifts. There are two snow parks: the Nature Snowboard Space, next to the Rond Point des Pistes has slides, quarter pipes and a Rossignol poutlet. The newer 'Espace Freestyle snow park, aimed at expert ‘boarders and freeriders, extends over 1.5 kilometers and features 1 half-pipe, 1 quarter pipe, Hips, Boarder Cross, Quatters and Hoops, slide rails and a 12m table jump.

If you snowboard Alpe d'Huez you'll want to know that, of the 84 ski lifts in total, 40 are surface lifts or "drag lifts" - this gives a good indication of how modern the lift system is and well set up Alpe d'Huez snowboarding is - especially for beginners learning to snowboard. Alpe d'Huez snowboard facilities include 2 terrain parks and 1 half pipe (longest half pipe length is ? metres), 1 quarter pipe and 1 boardercross courses.

Alpe d'Huez for snowboarding gets 5 stars out of 5 overall