Alpe d'Huez

The challenging slopes around the glacier set this high-altitude ski resort on the 3,330 m Pic Blanc glacier apart from others. It is very popular for its variety of steep runs, up to 16 km long.

Alpe d'Huez offers a huge choice of pistes for skiers of all levels. There are wide ski and speed runs, gentle beginner pistes, valley runs through the forest and high Alpine glacier slopes. All the runs are very steep and spectacular. The Grandes Rousses massif gives experienced skiers the chance to ski 8,000 m above sea level. But only on four pistes.

Almost all pistes are accessible from nearly every village in the ski resort. You can even choose between an easy, intermediate or more difficult run. The only exception is the valley leading to Vaujany, where the village has just one black run, La Fare. For this reason, beginners are advised to take one of the gondola lifts from L'Alpette or Villette directly to the village.

Good to know

Total: 250 km

963 snow cannons produce artificial snow on 35% of the slo pes.

Longest runs

The longest descent here is La Sarenne (Pic Blanc - Auris En Oisans), 16 km long, with a vertical drop of 1,730 m. The black La Sarenne piste leads from the summit of Pic Blanc through the Sarenne gorges to the valley. Steep slopes alternate with gentle pistes and offer unique views of the magnificent mountain landscape.

Pic Blanc - Enversin d'Oz. Length: 17 km. Vertical drop: 2,205 m.

Most difficult run

Le Tunnel. Length: 3 km. Vertical drop: 800 m. Le Tunnel runs down the slopes on the front side of Pic Blanc to the valley station of the Lac Blanc chairlift. The piste and its branches are accessed through a 200 m tunnel. It runs from the glacier directly through the mountain ridge. This provides access to a vast area with especially steep, mogul-covered and ungroomed runs.

Routes around the resort

The ski resort recommends a combination of four particularly long runs that cross the entire ski area. Each run descends 2,000 m. Those who complete the final one will have skied more than 8,000 m. After completing the tour, you receive a certificate. All four runs start at Pic Blanc. One of them is Sarenne. The other three start from Le Tunnel. They lead via the mid-station of the Grandes Rousses gondola lift to Villette, Vaujany and Oz en Oisans. However, this tour is not recommended for beginners: most of the runs are marked black and are intended only for good skiers.

Snowparks

“Snowpark Alpe”: a beginner line, with a boardercross course nearby. According to the resort's official website.

Night skiing

Night skiing is available at the ski resort. Numerous gondola lifts and chairlifts transport skiers around the Alpe d'Huez ski area. Some are very modern, while others are older, but still in good condition and very comfortable.

Getting there

Alpe d'Huez ski resort can be reached from Lyon International Airport in 2 hours; the distance is 152 km. The most convenient option is to rent a car. The Cars-Scanner car rental broker website offers car hire in France with discounts of up to 70%.