Le Pic Blanc
L'Alpe-d'Huez - Quartier des Bergers
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Alpe d’Huez is a thriving year-round tourist resort, as popular in summer as in winter. The main town is located at 1869 m above sea level in the centre of the Oisans region in the French Alps. At its highest point, the town reaches 3300 m on the Pic Blanc glacier, which can be accessed in both winter and summer. Its reputation for having the most days of sunshine on the ski slopes in a year has given rise to its nickname l’Isle du Soleil or The Island of the Sun.
Alpe d’Huez is part of the fabulous Grand Domaine ski area, which unites the resorts of Alpe d’Huez, Auris-en-Oisans, Huez-en-Oisans, Oz-en-Oisans, Vaujany and Villard Reculas into one giant snow paradise. The resort offers attractions for every level and ability of skier or snowboarder, including large snowparks, and has been awarded the Famille Plus label by the French tourism organisation as particularly suitable for family holidays.
In the summer months, Alpe d’Huez turns into a paradise for cyclists, attracted to the area by the famous 21 hairpin bends that regularly represent a challenging stage of the Tour de France. Hikers and mountain bikers can also take advantage of the ski lifts in operation in July and August.
Whatever the season, Alpe d’Huez is the ideal place for mountain lovers.
Alpe d’Huez is actually composed of five smaller ski resorts and two alpine villages: you can choose which one to go to and where to stay according to your needs.
This area is characterised by great calm and tranquillity even at the height of the season: queues are a rarity.
A perfect place to retreat to if you love peace, tranquillity and an unspoilt environment accessible by chairlift.
If you choose to stay at Le Freney, you will find a peaceful village atmosphere about 20 minutes from La Grave and Alpe d’Huez.
A holiday village located at 1,350 metres in the heart of the estate:
This mountain village is located at 1,250 metres on a sunny plateau, facing the Grandes Rousses massif. It has an authentic alpine village atmosphere and is perfect for families and beginners.
This is a typical mountain village with a small ski area: it is an excellent south-facing resort with some of the most accessible off-piste runs in Alpe d’Huez.
In the following map you can see the location of the main places of interest mentioned in this article.
Alpe d’Huez is a south-facing French ski resort with an incredibly sunny exposure that has been welcoming skiers since the 1930s. It is part of the Isère department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and is one of the largest ski resorts in the world.
The highest point is the Pic Blanc glacier at 3,300 metres. From here, breathtaking views of the Ecrins National Park, La Grave, La Meije, Les Deux Alpes and Mont Blanc can be admired.
Alpe d’Huez is actually made up of five smaller ski resorts and two alpine villages: 250 km of ski slopes and 82 ski lifts await you, which will fascinate you thanks to the diversity of the levels on offer, including the famous Sarenne slope, the longest in the world at 16 km, which descends vertiginously from Pic Blanc, at 3350 metres, to 1510.
Snow conditions permitting, the skiing season at Alpe d’Huez usually lasts from the beginning of December to the end of April.
With more slopes for beginners than anywhere else in the Alps, Alpe d’Huez is the ideal place for beginners.
For those new to skiing, the gentle slopes on the outskirts of the ski resort are the perfect terrain to gain confidence. In addition, the Petit Rif Nel and Ecoles 2 ski lifts and the Grenouilles cable car are all free of charge.
When you are ready to explore and test your skills, you can purchase a beginner’s ski pass, which allows you to use all lifts and chairlifts, except for the Alpauris and Marmottes 1 chairlifts.
The gently undulating green slopes are located in Les Bergers, reached by the Romains chairlift. This is a low-speed zone. For the long, wide green runs, head to Les Jeux in the DMC, located at the end of the famous Lobster pot lift, where there are at least seven green runs, leading back to the centre of the resort.
Apart from Alpe d’Huez, all the villages have good beginner areas, especially Auris-en-Oisans and Vaujany. In Villard-Reculas, you can choose from seven green slopes.
If you are looking for something a little more challenging:
Alpe d’Huez offers numerous difficult black pistes, perfect for those in search of long, challenging trails with bumpy terrain.
The Troisieme Troncon at Pic Blanc starts at 2,700 metres and ascends to Pic Blanc (3,330 m), the highest point of the Alpe d’Huez lift system. From here, expect a breathtaking panorama over an area equal to one fifth of France.
It is located below the Pic Blanc cable car. This is a standard black slope, but it can be very hard and icy in the morning and extremely rough in the afternoon when the afternoon sun hits it. It is definitely not for the faint-hearted.
This is a legendary 16 km race with a breathtaking descent of around 2 km. It consists of two sections: a series of initially steep inclines, then a longer, flatter section down the valley. You can avoid the super steep section by skiing from Marmottes 3.
There are some really interesting black runs here such as:
There are two snowparks at Alpe d’Huez: a larger one next to the easy slopes above 1800, more easily accessible from the first DMC station, and a smaller one at Montfrais, more suitable for beginners.
Once you arrive at the Snowpark des Jeux, you will see a sign indicating four levels of difficulty: beginner (green), easy (blue), intermediate (red) and expert (black). Each course has three to four boxes or rails and four kickers (jumps). There is also an airbag jump, a half-pipe and a boardercross course.
With a couple of jumps and a few bumps, the Montfrais snowpark is an ideal place for beginners, perfect for those trying out for the first time or who want to hone their skills without being surrounded by experts whizzing down the slopes.
Alpe d’Huez offers absolutely spectacular off-piste skiing areas. In the Gorges de Sarenne and Glacier de Sarenne , you will find more than 20 off-piste trails at high altitude, with gullies and stretches of fresh, powdery snow. From Alpe d’Huez, you will also have the opportunity to visit the famous off-piste area of La Grave.
Built in the late 1970s, the Télépherique des Glaciers de la Meije takes you to the top of the high mountains in about 45 minutes. Once up there, you will meet freeriders from all over the world who come to La Grave to enjoy this special mountain in its natural state.
If you intend to explore the glaciers, we strongly recommend hiring a mountain guide from Alpe d’Huez: the risk of falling into a crevasse is real.
If you don’t like skiing on glaciers, the classic routes down from the télépherique are every powder lover’s dream, and start on the rocky ridge between the glacier and La Meije. Below you will find open snow fields, basins, gullies, natural half-pipes, couloirs, forest skiing, steep and soft terrain. The options are endless.
For true mountain lovers, the dream is to climb a fantastic frozen waterfall. The Oisans and the Ecrins National Park are renowned for their spectacular ice formations. The sunny walls of Vaujany are the ideal place to arm yourself with crampons and an ice axe and climb an icy waterfall, especially the Cascade de la Fare. Other famous spots can be found near the Chalet du Lac Besson in Alpe d’Huez and the Valon de la Selle above St Christophe.
The peak of the ice climbing season is between December and March.
In France, the preferred style of ski joering is to use a riderless horse that is controlled in turn by the skier. A harness with reins is attached to the horse’s bridle and the skier is pulled behind the horse on skis, holding on to the harness. The skier guides with voice commands and by pulling the lines connected to the horse’s bit.
It is not necessary to be an expert skier, you just need to know how to hold the skis parallel to each other to experience unforgettable sensations in an exceptional environment. The winter opening is from the beginning of December to the end of April each year.
The Alpe d’Huez is famous for ski mountaineering, whether it’s going up the slopes that most people normally ski, or tackling a more backcountry route.
Popular areas to explore include the Grandes Rousses massif, which has easy routes such as the Grandes Buffes or the Croix de Cassini and more challenging ones such as the Grand Sauvage couloir or the famous Traversée Integrale, which crosses 5 passes and 5 glaciers. Other areas to explore from Alpe d’Huez are the Belledonne massif with the famous Brèche de Roche Fendue through a forest, the Taillefer massif or the Ecrins peaks.
Discover tobogganing on rails, an exciting adventure that guarantees excitement all year round. Summer or winter, embark on an unforgettable descent.
Sitting comfortably on board the sledge, you can let your adrenaline flow: with tight curves, bumps and tunnels, this activity is perfect for everyone, young and old, providing moments of pure pleasure.
Alpe d’Huez’s reputation is largely based on being one of the world’s leading winter sports destinations: it is no coincidence that it has twice been voted Europe’s best ski resort.
But far from the cold, the snow and the hum of the lifts in winter, Alpe d’Huez is an equally wonderful summer destination, offering plenty of activities for all tastes and ages.
Alpe d’Huez is a great place for rock climbing for beginners and experts. You will find a multitude of routes in and around the resort, to be tackled alone or under the watchful eye of a guide.
The west-facing cliffs of Lac Besson (2200 m) boast 150 climbing routes of level 5-6 divided into 7 sectors. The cliffs are mainly slabs and rather steep walls, 30 to 120 metres high. The routes are all equipped with stainless steel anchor points for optimal safety.
The Oisans region boasts great climbs for those who want to see more of the area. Le Vernis (750 m) has 30 routes that are accessible all year round; Venosc (950 m) has 51 routes and the climbing season runs from May to October; La Bérarde (1500-2000 m) has 100 routes and is open during spring, summer and autumn; La Chalp (1000 m) has 37 routes and is also open during spring, summer and autumn.
The Ecrins National Park offers a number of climbing routes including: the south face of La Barre des Ecrins, a huge 2000 m wall with moderate 5c climbing; La Meije, a huge south face with more than 20 pitches of equipped 6b routes; the granite slabs of Ailefroide.
If climbing steep rocks at the end of a rope seems too scary for you, then Via Ferrata climbing offers an element of safety that still allows beginners to enjoy the achievement of having climbed a mountain.
There are two Via Ferrata routes on the Massif des Grandes Rousses, both facing south: an elementary route that can be completed in about 2 hours and a more challenging route that takes about 2.5 hours. The routes are accessible from Pierre Rond (via the Col de Sarenne) or Huez Village.
Following marked routes through the mountains, you will be aided by steps, bridges and ladders while being tied down for added safety. Suitable for adults and children over the age of 8, you will need a harness, helmet, carabiners and ropes/ropes to do the activity. The kit can be rented from most sports shops in town.
The roads around Alpe d’Huez are the setting for some of the most famous and gruelling sections of the Tour de France with its 21 bends, but can be tackled by enthusiasts and professionals alike.
To get the most out of cycling, it goes without saying that a reasonable level of fitness is recommended. Besides the famous 21 curves, there are other cycling routes in the area, most of which start in Bourg d’Oisans.
Alpe d’Huez and the Grandes Rousses are renowned for being an exceptional area for mountain biking. Breathtaking scenery, kilometres and kilometres of dedicated MTB trails and summer access to cable cars make this a fantastic place to test yourself.
You will find 333 km of signposted routes through 8 municipalities (Alpe d’Huez, Allemond, Auris, Bourg d’Oisans, Le Freney d’Oisans, Oz en Oisans, Vaujany and Villard-Reculas), 30 km of continuous descent on the Megavalanche trail, the longest in the world (departure on the snow of the glacier, arrival in the green of the valley), 36 FFC marked itineraries, with 27 cross country and enduro routes and 9 AE mountain bike with 16 DH 35.3 km routes.
There are several beautiful mountain lakes, rivers and streams where fishing is permitted in Alpe d’Huez. The lakes are Lac Besson, Lac des Bergers, Lac Blanc, Lac Noir, Lac de la Faucille and Lac de Milieu. Fishing is also permitted in the Sarenne, Rif Nel and Rif Brillant streams , in search of rainbow trout, brown trout, brook trout and Arctic char.
Lac de Bergers is a designated fishing area for children. Every August, a competition is held for all keen anglers up to the age of 13.
An Alpe d’Huez ‘Société de Pêche’ (fishing club) licence is required for all sites and can be purchased at the tourist office for a day, week, month or season. For some sites, an AAPPMA fishing licence is also required. There are also different regulations governing the number of fish you can catch, the size of the fish and the permitted fishing hours.
Alpe d’Huez is an ideal base camp for exploring exceptional panoramas, a dozen lakes and prestigious peaks of the Massif des Grandes Rousses and the Écrins National Park. The resort offers 250 km of marked trails, including numerous easy family walks, accessible to all.
The network of ski lifts allows for a variety of walks and hiking circuits. Mountain guides propose themed hikes for a better discovery of the site, the fauna, the flora and the life of the alpine pastures.
Best routes:
Situated at about 1,800 metres at the top of the famous Tour de France climb of 21 bends, Alpe d’Huez is a large south-facing resort with a fantastic record for both snow and sunshine. Often perched above the clouds, Alpe d’Huez is called Ile du Soleil or Island in the Sun by the locals.
Divided into several sectors or quarters, Alpe d’Huez is a thriving year-round resort with a stable community of 1,700 permanent residents.
The Quartier des Vieil Alpe is the oldest sector and is fairly quiet and residential. It is the most charming part of Alpe d’Huez, retaining many of its original buildings. It is worth taking a stroll through its narrow side streets and there are several traditional family-run restaurants.
The Quartier des Jeux is the town centre, the place to go for bars, shops and restaurants.
By contrast, the Quartier des Bergers is the more modern part of town, with many places to eat, drink and shop. Accommodation here is mainly self-catering flats.
About 90 minutes from Grenoble airport and with numerous transfer possibilities, Alpe d’Huez is an easily accessible resort.
Alternatively, you could land at Lyon airport. Once landed, dedicated shuttles depart daily from the city of Lyon: transport in 3h30 without changing shuttles. Or, after hiring a car at Lyon airport, you can continue on your own
Alpe d’Huez is not served by a railway line, but the SNCF station in Grenoble is only 1 hour and 15 minutes away and TGV (high-speed) trains from Paris and Lyon stop there.
What's the weather at Alpe d’Huez? Below are the temperatures and the weather forecast at Alpe d’Huez for the next few days.
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