Alpe D'huez, Well Known Ski Resort In France

By Author: Boštjan Hozjan
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Today, plaques read the names of Coppi, Armstrong and other participants who have finished first here. The French and other ski enthusiasts know Alpe d'Huez today for more than a finish line, however. Based in the Central French Alps in Huez, Alpe d'Huez sits right at 1860 meters with a flat-topped crest and boast some of the coolest ski runs around.

In the later 1960s, Alpe d'Huez competed against other highbrow resorts, such as Courchevel, in the bid for France's best purpose built ski resort. In 1968, the Winter Olympics competed in the bobsled race here, too. However, the direct sunlight often caused hazardous thawing of the track. Everything from a more powerful cooling system to liquid nitrogen and walls built for shade were essential to make sure the games could go on. The track was later shut down four years later because of risk and operating costs. Supposedly the track still stands in Alpe d'Huez as a token (and perhaps scar) of its Olympic heyday.

The Alpe d'Huez ski resort sits proudly in the Grandes Rousses and is sometimes nicknamed "L'ile au Soleil," or Island in the Sun for its 300 or more days ...
... of sun per year. If you compare all the ski resorts in France up against the possible skiing area they provide, Alpe d'Huez would rank fifth as a bridge to Oz, Villard-Reculas, Aurls-en-Olsans and Vaujany villages with well over 200 km (236 km and counting) of runs and pistes to try over 10,000 hectares. When you get up to the 3,330 meter Pic Blanc (mountain), you can see the Meije, Mont Cervin and the unrivaled Mont Blanc.

If you've heard that certain resorts offer something for every level of skier, then this won't be new to you. Alpe d'Huez truly offers something for everyone—whether you need to join a beginner school or find the best black runs this side of the Alps, they've got it. If you're still not a believer, just read the breakdown of the type of skiing you'll find in Alpe d'Huez:

Though stats rarely agree, most suggest that there are 123 total ski runs in Alpe d'Huez alone. These are broken down to 36 beginner runs, 70 intermediate runs and 17 advanced runs—surely enough to keep the family all flying downhill faster than ever. Plus, you'll be able to coast down 16km from the highest 3,330 meter Pit Blanc. This ski resort can easily handle 95,000 skiers per hour up the 84 lifts. And, during the high season, you can rest assured that they do handle this many skiers, though you shouldn't have to wait in queue too long to get up to some of the best runs.

If you're into freeskiing, this is one of the central places to get up to altitude to do it. The snow making machines and cannons keep the south-facing slopes covered in cool powder that would usually melt and turn to ice come nightfall. With a 2,230-meter vertical drop and the long La Sarenne (one of Europe's longest black runs) to impress even the higher-level skiers, it's no wonder that all levels come to Alpe d'Huez to try their luck (and their lives!) at such fun in the sun and snow. You can reach most of these from the local accommodation.

You can buy a one-day or one-week (or more if necessary) ski pass that will connect you to all or some of the ski areas surrounding Alpe d'Huez ski resort. If you're wondering how to get here, it's a simple one to two hour drive by car or two hour bus ride from Grenoble; from Lyon, it may take about three hours by bus and only two by car; from Chambery, you can get here in less than two hours by car. Such accessibility assures that no matter where you book your flight, you'll have no excuse to try your hand at one of France's largest ski resort areas.

The resort area of Alpe d'Huez is used to seeing a fair number of tourist. As such, you can find hotels, chalets, cabins, apartments, houses and all sorts of other accommodation here. If you wait until high season, though, you'll be lucky to find anything within a budget price. The main quarters of Alpe d'Huez is Quartier des Jeux, Vieil Alpe and Bergers. Quartier des Jeux is where you'll find most of the hotels, shops, restaurants and nightlife. Quartier Bergers gives you a nice fifteen-minute walk to the center. If you're looking for self-catering accommodation, then