L'Alpe d'Huez was once a rather small ski resort where the jetset met up to do some skiing. This good value for money ski resort has now developed into one of the largest and most popular ski resorts in the French Alps attracting a very varied, international crowd who come here to enjoy skiing and snowboarding on the wonderful, varied ski slopes of the Alpe d'Huez Grand Domaine ski area. The Alpe d'Huez ski area gives access to around 250km of ski slopes, with plenty of challenges available for all levels.
The Alpe d'Huez ski area is proud to state that it is the fifth-largest ski area in France, linking the smaller ski resorts of of Vaujany, Oz-en-Oisans, Villard-Reculas and Auris En Oisans. The Alpe d'Huez Grand Domaine ski area is divided into four sections, with the largest part directly above the resort of Alpe d'Huez itself. The skiing in Alpe d’Huez is particularly well-suited for beginners, with some wonderful wide gentle slopes which are often reserved for beginners only. The ski schools here have an excellent reputation for getting beginners off to a good start on the slopes. Advanced skiers can practice their skills and stamina on the longest black run in Europe, La Sarenne, which measures a whopping 16km! For powder hounds, the area surrounding the Pic Blanc offers tons of possibilities for off-piste skiing. L'Alpe d'Huez enjoys 300 days of sunshine a year but nevertheless boasts reliable snow cover thanks to its altitude and snow cannons. Lift queues in L'Alpe d'Huez are pretty rare as the lift system is extremely efficient, making ski holidays very stress-free!
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Mountain: 50 cm
Valley: 26 cm
Take the Pic Blanc gondola, veer right and you'll find yourself at the entrance to a tunnel carved right through the mountainside. Go through it and be prepared to tackle one of the steepest mogul fields you've ever seen. The aptly named "Le Tunnel" is known for being L'Alpe d'Huez's most challenging piste, and you'll see plenty of skiers and snowboarders haltingly making their way down, trying not to lose their footing and go plunging 100m down the mountainside! This area is also home to some incredible steep freeriding terrain, perfect for going off-piste on powder days (just remember that off-piste is done at your own risk).
In the 2017/18 winter season, L'Alpe d'Huez inaugurated several more funslopes, bringing the total to 3. At Marcel's Farm, Chez Roger and Jacques le Bûcheron, fun obstacles and silly mascots help the kids learn to ski in total confidence. Beginner skiers and snowboarders in general will feel completely at ease on the green and blue slopes located lower down in the Alpe d'Huez ski area, and budding freestylers can try out the very approachable jumps in the snow park.
If you're looking for a change of scenery, head into one of the other ski resorts that share a linked ski area with L'Alpe d'Huez. Vaujany and Oz-en-Oisans offer skiing below the tree line, while Auris En Oisans boasts some challenging red and black runs in the typical lunar landscapes of the high-altitude Alps. Be warned: the chairlift ride to Auris en Oisans is not for those with a fear of heights, as it takes a dizzying dip into the valley below before working its way back up into the ski area!
La Sarenne is the longest black piste in the Alps, measuring 16km with no way out after you get started! Throughout your journey along La Sarenne you'll find yourself appreciating breathtaking views from the Pic Blanc, skiing through the valley run in the beautiful Gorges de Sarenne and perhaps stopping for a bite to eat or a drink at the handily placed mountain restaurant near the bottom! That is, if you make it past the top, which sometimes turns into a very steep, dicey mogul field!
