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Alpe d'Huez Ski Holidays

Alpe d’Huez is a popular French ski destination in the Grandes Rousses massif — a standalone resort which can perhaps best be described as a solid all-rounder. The town centre is quite modern and lacks a certain charm compared to more traditional resorts, but its triangular layout with the two satellite areas of L’Eclose and Les Bergers does work well. At the base of the resort, the Old Town offers pretty streets, charming bars and an altogether different atmosphere. A bus service runs throughout the resort making access hassle-free, and a free ‘bucket lift’ starts near the Tourist Office and takes skiers up to the base of the main gondola easily. With terrain for all levels, good snowpark and a broad range of non-ski activities to enjoy, Alpe d’Huez deserves a place on any keen skier’s must-visit list — definitely worth ticking off.

The town itself sits at an altitude of 1860m and the pistes reach up as far as the Pic Blanc at 3320m. The majority of the advanced runs in the area are found here as well as Europe’s longest black run, Sarenne, at 12 kilometres long. Alpe d’Huez offers sunny slopes and an extensive lift network, and all abilities are well catered for here. The resort ranks alongside La Plagne and Tignes in terms of kilometres of piste, and offers wonderfully extensive slopes.

Alpe d’Huez boasts almost 250kms of piste to explore so there is plenty to enjoy here. Around sixty percent of the runs are marked as green or blue, which makes them ideal for beginner and intermediate level skiers. The largest piste area sits right above the village and the pistes run down from the steep Pic Blanc to more gentle gradient below; there is also a nice quiet area over towards Signal de l’Homme which is good for beginners. Alpe d’Huez offers a great deal of easily accessible off piste as well as a few classic Alpine itineraries like La Pyramide, which has a vertical drop of over 2000m.

With plenty of good learner terrain, a good range of off-slope activities to enjoy and excellent child-friendly accommodation options to choose from, Alpe d’Huez is an superb resort for parents with kids in tow to choose. True to form as an all-round resort, however, it also works well for après skiers in search of vibrant bars and big nightlife.

On the accommodation front, Alpe d’Huez is home to a very broad range of chalets, hotels and apartments. Visitors can choose from a good number of UK tour operator-run properties with flights, transfers and half-board catering included, or select instead from a large portfolio of independent properties where travel can be arranged separately. There is an impressive range of 3* and 4* chalets and hotels to consider and, at the upper end of the market, some very lovely and well-located 4* and 5* options as well.

Reaching Alpe d’Huez is relatively simple from the UK, with a number of key airports within easy reach. Chambery Airport is a 1.5- to 2-hour transfer away, Grenoble is a little over an hour, Geneva is just under 3 hours and Lyon is approximately 2 hours away.

The bars and restaurants in Alpe d’Huez generally offer good value for money compared to many other French resorts, and the diversity is impressive. For keen après skiers, the resort is home to a Folie Douce so that’s your piste-side partying sorted (other après ski venues are available!) and, down in town, a good range of further venues complete the picture.

Bars like the Underground Bar or Old School are popular amongst nightlife seekers, and the Igloo nightclub stays open until the early hours! Alternatively, you can check out venues such as Smithy's, Freeride Café or Igloo to chop and change it up a little.

Away from the pistes, park and powder, there’s plenty to do if you’re in need of a change of activity. For non-skiers, too, there’s enough to keep you entertained all week long. Visitors can enjoy a diverse range of sports and pursuits such as husky sledding, skidooing, ice skating, swimming, snowshoeing and parapente.

On top of that, there’s a very well-equipped sports centre with gymnasium, climbing wall plus racket sports including badminton and squash. You can even engage in table tennis, archery, indoor football, tennis and basketball.

There’s also an ice-cave you can visit via the Grandes Rousses DMC lift. It changes each winter and provides a wonderful adventure for kids and adults alike. Down in town, two cinemas show a broad range of cinematic releases — great if bad weather closes in.

Sports Centre

Avenue de Brandes

Alpe d'Huez

+33 4 76 11 21 41

Paragliding

Route des Lacs

Alpe d'Huez

+33 6 22 66 27 71

Dog Sledding

Rond Point des Pistes

Alpe d'Huez

+33 6 03 65 15 61

There’s no shortage of restaurants, cafes and eateries to choose from in Alpe d’Huez, and those favoured Savoyard specialities are as popular here as other French ski resorts. From traditional Alpine restaurants to pizza restaurants and family-friendly and pasta joints, Alpe d’Huez has something for all budgets and tastes.

Good for Couples

L'Altiport

Altiport, Henri Giraud

Alpe d'Huez

+33 4 76 80 41 15

Good for Couples

Au P'Tit Creux

Chemin des Bergers

Alpe d'Huez

+33 4 76 80 62 80

Good for Couples

Au Chamois d'Or

169 Rue de Fontbelle

Alpe d'Huez

+33 4 76 80 31 32

Good for Family

Lounge 21

Rue du Coulet

Alpe d'Huez

+33 4 76 11 02

Good for Family

Le Passe Montagne

Route de la Poste

Alpe d'Huez

+33 4 76 11 31 53

Good for Friends

Smithy's Tavern

Immeuble Igloo

Route du Coulet

Alpe d'Huez

+33 4 76 11 32 29

Good for Friends

Le XV

Chemin Des Bergers 26

Alpe d'Huez

+33 4 76 80 62 80

Good for Friends

La Pomme de Pin

Avenue des Jeux L'Ours Blanc

Alpe d'Huez

+33 4 76 80 42 34

Parents in search of childcare for their Alpe d’Huez visit can choose from an excellent range of UK tour operator-run properties which offer optional childcare and ski school services in the holiday package. With flights, transfers, lift passes, accommodation, half-board catering and childcare all rolled up into one holiday, this is — in most cases — the easiest option to go for.

Parents keen to explore alternatives can check out independent services such as Alpine Childcare, Magic Marmotte Park Childcare and the ESF’s range of childcare services.