Alpe d'Huez at a glance
Located about 60 kilometers from Grenoble, the mountain resort of Alpe d'Huez is known as the Island in the Sun. Its plateau sits at 1860 meters with a south-facing orientation, providing prime weather conditions for alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, and snowboarding. This resort, which has been operating since 1920, has a long history of innovation. It hosted the first ski lift in 1936, and its comedy film festival, established in 1997, is a major national event. Most notably, it is home to the longest black run in the world, the Sarenne.
Spanning 10,000 hectares with 250 km of runs, Alpe d'Huez is the 9th largest ski area in France. It connects the five resorts of Auris-en-Oisans, La Garde, Oz-en-Oisans, Vaujany, and Villard-Reculas, offering a total of 135 alpine ski runs for all skill levels. Beginners usually stick to the lower slopes, while experts head for the Sarenne to tackle its 16 km descent from the glacier, which takes about 1.5 hours of continuous skiing. The area is supported by 81 ski lifts, 2 snowparks, and off-piste zones for advanced riders. Cross-country skiers have 50 km of dedicated trails.
To manage variable snowfall, the resort has installed over 100 snow cannons to maintain about 50 runs. The region is the 3rd most popular mountain destination in France. If your schedule allows, aim for January or March to avoid the crowds, as the Christmas and February school breaks are the busiest times. During peak season, hotel occupancy rates often hover between 75 and 90 percent.
In the summer, the resort remains active with a full calendar of events and occasional visits from the Tour de France. Hiking and outdoor sports are the primary draws for visitors during the warmer months.
Alpe d'Huez is a mountain resort that looks like many others in the winter. In the summer, there is something that makes it unique for cycling enthusiasts: the climb from Bourg d'Oisans, 21 switchbacks stretching over almost 14 km, with sections at 13% where it is already quite a feat just to keep moving.
Made famous by the Tour de France, there is a real sense of satisfaction in completing the climb.