РусскийAlpe d’Huez is a thriving year-round resort, just as busy in summer as in winter. The main town sits at 1869m above sea level, at the centre of the Oisans region in the French Alps. At its highest point, the resort reaches up to 3300m on the Pic Blanc glacier which you have access to 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 a city in the French Alps. Besides being a winter ski resort, Alpe d’Huez is a popular resort for cycling fans as in many years one of the most important stages of the Tour de France ends at the ski station. The 21 hairpin turns are a challenge to any level of cyclist and some of the cycling greats of eras past have won or lost the Tour on this ascent.
Alpe d’Huez is one of Europe’s premier skiing venues, having gained popularity when it hosted the bobsled events of the 1968 Winter Olympics.
With 249 km of piste and 84 ski lifts, the resort is now one of the world’s largest. Extensive snowmaking facilities helped combat the ski area’s largely south-facing orientation and helped Alpe d’Huez appeal to beginner skiers, with very easy slopes. There are also good intermediate-grade slopes, but the resort is mostly known for freeskiing.
Aside from the Tunnel and Sarenne black runs, the latter the world’s longest at 16 km, many off-piste opportunities exist both from the summit of the 3330 m Pic Blanc and the 2808 m Dome des Petites Rousses. These include the 50-degree Cheminees du Mascle couloirs, the open powder field of Le Grand Sablat, the Couloir Fleur and the Perrins bowl. Up to 2200 m of vertical descent are available with heli drops back to the resort’s altiport. The proximity to the exclusively off-piste resort of La Grave as well as tree skiing at Serre Chevalier and the glacier and terrain parks of Les Deux Alpes have made Alpe d’Huez a popular base for skiers looking to explore the Oisans region.