The Ski Resort of Alpe DHuez

The Dauphin of the Oisans Valley a nudge east of Grenoble, Alpe d'Huez is a purpose-built sprawling village set on a wide open flank of mainly south-facing mountainside. An ugly duckling hastily constructed for the 1968 Grenoble Olympics, it may yet turn into a swan as efforts are being made to reclad the amorphous buildings in sympathetic timber, and attractive chalet suburbs are being created on different flanks of the mountain.

Though not as extensive as some of the other major French resorts, it is still one of the most popular because of the varied terrain, epic scenery, excellent lift system and suitability for all levels of skiers. We all like to ski in the sun and the self-proclaimed "island in the sunshine" boasts over 300 sunny days per year.

Apart from a few runs down to the satellite villages, most of the skiing is high altitude (above 1800m), so snow cover is always good. The south-facing area above the main village stretches all the way up to the Pic Blanc glacier (3330m) from where there are marvellous views over the Ecrins peaks. The sunny slopes are high, diverse and interesting, though the mid-level runs can be prone to crowds, morning ice and afternoon slush. Though this is a drawback, particularly later in the season, it is by no means terminal, as there is plenty of varied terrain and enough skiing on different expositions to counter the problem.

Alpe d Huez at a glance
 

Resort shortcuts

Alpe d'Huez facts

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