The Alpe d'Huez ski area

I tested skiing at theAlpe d'HuezThe Alpe d'Huez ski area in Isère, in the French Alps, is world-renowned for its size, the quality of its snow cover and some of its legendary slopes such as those descending from Pic Blanc.

It is in the Grandes Rousses massif, which culminate at Pic Blanc at 3330 meters for the ski area, and especially at Pic Bayle at 3465 meters.

On a balcony, facing the peaks of Oisans, Alpe d'Huez is part of an extremely vast "Grand Domaine" ski area but centered around the resort's slopes.

Let's go quickly to visit this ski resort located in Isère, in the French Alps.

The Alpe d'Huez ski resort.

The word "alpe" means a mountain pasture. And often, mountain pastures were sunny plateaus that were easy to access. This is the case of theAlpe d'HuezThe resort grew up on a very sunny plateau (300 days a year according to tourist brochures), topped by the peaks of the Aiguilles Rousses and their glaciers and surrounded by the peaks of theOisans and the South of Savoie (in Maurienne). The road that climbs from Bourg d'Oisans is known by all cyclists, as its climb is a legendary stage in the Tour de France and other more local competitions.

It first leads to Huez, the small historic village above which the ski resort was built, before arriving at the Alpe d'Huez plateau. A small valley lift, in the form of a cable car train, the Televillage, allows you to go up from Huez to the entrance to the Alpe d'Huez ski resort.

La Alpe d'Huez ski resort developed from the furthest point that can be reached by road, on the snow front, the DMC district (acronym for Double Monocable des Grandes Rousses), at an altitude of 1850 meters. It then extended along the main road towards Huez, under the Grande Sure, to the edge of the cliff overlooking the Romanche valley. But its extension also followed the snow front towards the Shepherds' district, from which today we have access to the ski area ofAuris in Oisans.

Alpe d'Huez is a chic station, luxurious and sporty. It attracts wealthy tourism, but also very sporty. Its altitude of over 1800 meters ensures a quality snow cover even in the resort despite extraordinary sunshine, above the seas of clouds floating lower above the Romanche and Eau valleys. Tourist activities are thus divided between high-altitude skiing on often very sporty slopes, shopping in luxury boutiques, moments of well-being in starred establishments, and tables in refined restaurants. There is also a younger, more popular and international Alpe d'Huez that comes to enjoy the sunny slopes and the many opportunities for evening outings.

The other villages in the Alpe d'Huez ski area.

The Alpe d'Huez ski area is a very large area in Oisans. It is made up of many resorts.

• On the Huez plateau and Alpe d'Huez.
• In the Eau and Flumet valley, above the Allemont dam: Vaujany, Oz en Oisans and Villard Reculas.
• Auris en Oisans, a little off-beat, accessible from Lake Chambon.

The station ofAuris in Oisans (1600 meters above sea level) allows you to ski in the Signal de l'Homme area, thanks to the Auris Express, a chairlift. This sector is the gateway to the Alpe d'Huez sector, via the Bergers district (taking the Alpauris) a two-way chairlift that passes over a valley and even through a tunnel before arriving at the Alpe d'Huez. The slopes of the Human Signal peak at 2150 meters and offer real skiing sensations in complete tranquility, because they are away from the main ski routes of the Alpe d'Huez resort. I recommend spending a little time there in the middle or mid-day when the sun is shining on the red Fontfroide slope or its green and blue variants that run alongside it.

If you are staying at Villard-Reculas, at an altitude of 1500 metres, in a small resort that is essentially a snow front at the edge of the forest, the entry point to the Alpe d'Huez ski area is at Le Signal, which is reached by chairlift. This pretty hill at an altitude of 2100 metres dominates the Romanche valley, offers a spectacular view of the Ecrins and allows you to contemplate the entire Alpe d'Huez ski area, the main core of which is just below. Many red runs are marked out under the chairlift of Signal, including the tracks used by competitors who go to the Stadium. The slope below the summit of the Signal is therefore a sporting slope.

D’allemond, we can go directly to Oz in Oisans, by the Eau d'Olle Express gondola and then continue towards the Jeux de l'Alpe d'Huez sector, thanks to the Poutran gondola (1 and 2). In Oz en Oisans, at an altitude of 1350 meters, you can also aim directly for the Dome of the Rousses at 2800 meters its range of red slopes at the foot of the Pic Blanc. On the way, at Alpette, we come across the ski area of His wife whose village at 1250 meters is connected to the summit of the Alpette (2050 meters) by a cable car. The Vaujany area is closed by the Villette and Montfrais cable cars which delimit a sector of blue slopes with the Alpette.

It should be noted that the slopes that go back down towards La Villette, Vaujany and Oz en Oisans are black or red slopes, difficult and sometimes impassable due to lack of snow. The return is therefore often done by ski lift., in the downhill direction.

Now that the entry points to peripheral resorts are clearly identified: Bergers, Signal, Jeux and Dôme des Rousses, let's look at how the Alpe d'Huez ski area integrates them into its ski perimeter.

The Alpe d'Huez ski area near the resort

The ski area of ​​theAlpe d'Huez consists of a total of 250 kilometers of slopes , traced on 111 slopes made accessible by 67 ski lifts.

When you are in the station you can easily see the first level of tracks, the one which peaks around 2100 to 2300 meters.

Looking at the historic snow front, where the DMC departure station is located, we can see on the left the red slopes which descend from the Signal, very sunny especially in the morning, then by looking a little more to the right (on either side of the DMC) we recognize the low difference in altitude in which are traced practically all the green slopes of the resort and the easy blue ones, returning from the highest peaks. Finally on the right we see the sector of marmots which peaks at 2300 meters and whose slopes serve the center of the resort but also the district of Shepherds. In this sector there are slopes for all levels and it is connected with the Signal de l'Homme, on the ski area ofAuris in OisansThese are sunny slopes, very pleasant for spending a day of skiing with the family.

If the area stopped there, we could say that it is an area at a moderate altitude (like Avoriaz for example) for skiers of all levels but especially for average skiers.

But Alpe d'Huez has a very different reputation. The most experienced skiers are legion there. So where do they go?

The more sporty ski slopes of the Alpe d'Huez ski area

You have to go beyond the Jeux sector. Two options are available to skiers. The very experienced, who are not afraid of anything (not even the wait) will aim directly for the upper part of the area: via the DMC 2 they will reach the area and then take the Pic Blanc cable car which will take them to the top of the Alpe d'Huez ski area 3330 in meters. To get back down there are only black runs (or the cable car in the opposite direction).

La black track Tunnel, vertiginous, allows you to land – that's the word – at Lac Blanc. The tunnel is dug in a cave over a length of 200 meters. At the exit, there is a 35-degree slope waiting for you… without a parachute! The video below gives you an idea (at about 4 minutes).

La Sarenne black run, or its variants Cassini and Cristaux will take you along a wild, isolated, sunny and extremely long valley to the foot of the resort in the Bergers district. There is no escape. You have to be determined (and capable) to get to the bottom. But for great skiers it is pure happiness. There is something for everyone 16 kilometers and 30 minutes of descent (at least!). To try at all costs, as soon as you master the required level of skiing.

Let's get back to the experienced skiers who are not fans of the adrenaline required to descend the Pic Blanc. Since the Games they have two interesting sectors to explore.

The first is the Lac Blanc and Dôme des Rousses area. Once at Lac Blanc (climb with the DMC 2), you have to switch to Alpette (Oz and Vaujany) and ski on the red Rousses (towards Alpette and Vaujany) which crosses a little lower, Bartavelles which takes you to Oz. The start of the descent is in a channel between the cliffs: it is quite steep, but we have warned you, it is a red and it is for experienced skiers. The climb will therefore be via the Alpette which allows you to return to the foot of the Pic Blanc, on the Dôme des Rousses at 2800 meters, on the starting sector. We will then go back down towards the Lac Blanc by red runs, Dôme or Belvédère, the latter, very airy, living up to its name.

From Lac Blanc, experienced skiers can also choose to explore the area between Marmottes and the Clocher de Macle at 2800 meters. A cable car provides access to this summit from the Marmottes meeting point at 2300 meters. From Lac Blanc we will then have returned to Jeux, taken the Lièvre Blanc chairlift and taken advantage of the end of the Déversoir red run to reach Marmottes. But it is also possible to discover the red trails that surround the Lièvre Blanc chairlift.

In this area between Jeux, at the bottom, Lac Blanc, Marmottes and Clocher de Macle, at the top, there is a predominance of red runs, a few blue ones when you are tired and a few black ones to train at a higher level.

By the way, if you feel like it, you can climb to Pic Blanc directly from Clocher de Macle, by a cable car (it is also an option to avoid the cable car queue).

This entire ski area is an excellent playground for experienced skiers in a part of the area with good snow cover. The sun arrives quite early in the middle of the morning, or at the latest in the late morning at the beginning of the season and stays there until the end of the day.

Other activities in Alpe d'Huez.

This is an article about skiing in Alpe d'Huez and listing the countless activities possible in this resort deserves an entire article.

We will then mention the main and most differentiating ones, to enhance your stay, especially in case of bad weather which prevents you from enjoying skiing.

I remind you here that Pic Blanc is accessible to pedestrians. It is therefore an almost obligatory excursion, in good weather, during a stay at theAlpe d'Huez for all audiences. At the top, you just have to let yourself be amazed by the landscape of the Alps.

Here's a sneak peek of what awaits you up top: click here !

For thrill seekers, there is the possibility of ice driving, snowmobiling and paragliding.

For those who love sliding, tubing, sledding, rail sledding and mountain karting!

For the calmer ones, Snow Yoga, relaxation in the Spas, hiking and dog sledding.

But people also come to Alpe d'Huez to take part in major festive events in the cultural and musical panorama. Tomorrowland Winter, is a huge electronic music festival, open air until the end of the day and in indoor venues until 2am. The whole mountain vibrates. It happens in the second half of March.

In January there is a big comedy film festival.

Music, Cinema, Sport, events in Alpe d'Huez mark the calendar of a long winter season that runs from fin November to the third week of April.

Skiing in the Alpe d'Huez ski area is fascinating due to the beauty of the landscapes, the sunshine and the quality of the snow, the life and entertainment of the resort and above all the quality and layout of the slopes which allow all skiers, whatever their level, to enjoy their stay in winter.

Have a nice stay and good skiing!

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