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Alpe d’Huez Ski Area France

Alpe d’Huez Piste Map – Click on Map to Enlarge and launch a new browser

Alpe d’Huez is a big ski resort in the southern Alps of France, The Rhone Alps, across the valley from 2 Alpes – its sister ski resort – also owned by AEON. Alpe d’Huez motto is “the island in the sun” given its high plateau with mostly southern exposure. Its often sunny, part of France’s “Grand Domaine.” Alpe d’Huez has huge capacity lifts.

Alpe d’Huez has a long ski history, Poma installed their first surface lift here in the 1930s. Today many of the lifts at Alpe d’Huez are modern 6 and 8-passenger chairs with gondolas on the same cable – aka “telemixe”. Alpe d’Huez is also famed as part of the mountainous route of the Tour de France in summer. The steep twisty road up to Alpe d’Huez has 21 switchbacks which you can imagine is grueling for bikers and a challenge for drivers!

What we liked about Alpe D’Huez is the really long ski runs, and incredible Alps views.  The three-stage Pic Blanc gondolas to the summit Tram take you up to a scenic 3330-meters or 10,900’. Here you have an amazing view of nearby Les Sybelles ski area nearby.

Alpe d’Huez claims the longest black diamond slope in the world, the 16 km La Sarenne from the summit of Pic Blanc all the way down to the village at 1850-meters. But we skied La Sarenne, and only tracked 7.5 miles (including miles of run out), which would be 12 km. Still, it is a LONG run from the summit down to a very beautiful scenic canyon to the resort base connector lift after the long flat run out.  … it’s fun, not super challenging, and it can be VERY busy due to its popularity.

Experts should ski the Tunnel run when it’s open from Pic Blanc… it’s very dark skiing through a cave-like tunnel in the mountain and you emerge onto a very steep 70% grade run, not groomed, but exciting to ski below the Tram. There is some steep off-piste terrain here and on La Sarenne side, but its tricky, so hire a guide to explore this free-ride ski terrain.

You can ski to varying terrain and areas including Oz, Le Signal, and Fontfroide as part of your tour around the Alpe D’Huez valley, following the sun and softening snow via different aspects!

Alpe D’Huez has a Folie Douce at the top of the Marmottes lift at 2300 summit. A gimmicky but fun daily show, also at Megeve, Val D’Isere. The dining here is pricey, but the view is great and the daily “show” is entertaining, drawing an après ski crowd, you can ski down at 4pm or download the Telemixe gondola.

We loved more traditional, authentic on-mountain restaurants like La Cabane with its beautiful sun terrace nearer the base. Plage de Neige (which translates to snow beach) by the snow park area of Les Jeux is delightful, great food and views and prompt service. L’Aventure in the Alpette section is exceptional – worth finding (ask a local). Its cozy inside with an open wood fire hearth where they cook the steaks, and a lovely sun deck outside – they even provide chic hats for sun shade.

What we did not love about Alpe D’Huez:
Alpe D’Huez gets busy, hence all the high-capacity lifts, huge ski schools for learn-to-ski programs and hundreds of instructors with big ski groups swerving down the groomed trails.

Alpe D’Huez is an ugly purpose-built French resort at the 1850-meter base of the majority of slopes – lots of hotels, many high-rise apartment buildings in utilitarian architecture – akin to Tignes and Les Arc La Plagne. Alpe D’Huez has just one five-star hotel – Dariah-L-Nor and 4-stars Hotel Grand Rousses or Hotel Pic Blanc. Royal Ours Blanc, Chamois D’Or. There are many other basic apartments in this not-so-charming alpine village.

Alpe D’Huez has events, and fun things to do like Parapente tandem paragliding on skis, a Grotto de Glacier – ice cave tour, sledding, a Mercedes driving school. Tomorrowland, a popular event since 2019 is a massive outdoor music fest held in March with large live concerts.

Alpe D’Huez is 3 hours from Geneva, 90 minutes to Grenoble. You could include this sprawling ski resort on your French Alps ski tour visiting sister Les Deux Alpes, Les Sybelles, Serre Chevalier, even nearby Haute Maurienne valley with 5 ski areas including Bonneval sur Arc and Val Cenis.

Alpe d’Huez Ski Resort Ski Stats:
Elevation: 1125 – 3330M, 10,925′
Vertical Drop: 2250M – 7,234′
Lifts: 57
Trails: 138, over 250-kilometers