Alpe d'Huez - village

Alpe d'Huez (1,860m)

The domain of Alpe d'Huez is a true ‘ski circus’, embracing several other villages, wonderful for those who are happier in a quieter environment.

Its eponymous main village has a lofty feel, perched at 1,860m on a huge ledge high above Bourg d’Oisans. Hence, the many sunny days here are long and bright. Although purpose-built, the resort has a lot more atmosphere than many high-altitude ski stations.

It helps that there are distinct areas – the quarters of Cognet, Vieil Alpe, Jeux, Eclose, Passeaux, Bergers and the lower Huez Village – with new buildings in the classic chalet style. Development is ongoing in Les Bergers ‘suburb’. Ski-lifts dot the main village, and the whole area is linked by free, regular shuttle buses – so it’s up to you whether you want to stay in the heart of the resort or not.

The main street is Avenue des Jeux, which is where you’ll find the chief concentration of shops, bars, and restaurants, as well as an indoor and outdoor swimming pool and ice rink.

Photo: Laurent Salino

Oz 3300 (1,350m)

Within the Alpe d'Huez domain, Oz 3300 (1,350m) is a purpose-built resort in its own right, with nursery slopes, home runs, and two telecabines up to the main area. It has an ice rink, bars, restaurants, and shops, including a SHERPA supermarket. Oz also has its own range of winter activities on offer, including ice climbing, Nordic walking, and snow yoga.

Auris-en-Oisans (1,600m)

Auris-en-Oisans is also purpose-built, but attractively so, with chalet-style timber-faced buildings, above the ancient village of Auris. Nestled at 1,600m in a spruce forest separated from the main area by a small valley, Auris caters best to families with its much quieter atmosphere, beginners ski area, and range of child-friendly activities. 

Villard-Reculas (1,500m)

Villard-Reculas (1,500m), meanwhile, is a more authentic mountain hamlet with foundations dating to the 12th century, and which looks west onto the Romanche Valley. Its small collection of stone-and-timber farmhouses offers a more tranquil experience than Alpe d'Huez's other villages, with a handful of local blues and a high-speed chairlift connecting it to the main domain at Signal (2,115m).

Vaujany (1,250m)

Finally, Alpe d'Huez's lowest village, Vaujany (1,250m), has developed extensively in recent years. In its pedestrianised centre, built in traditional style, there are shops, bars, and restaurants, as well as a sports centre with a pool, waterslides and spa. From Vaujany, a two-stage cable car takes you to the centre of Alpe d’Huez’s ski area, while a telecabine accesses the intermediate terrain at Montfrais (1,650m). The infrastructure at Vaujany is already substantial, and like Les Bergers in the main village, development is ongoing.

Accommodation

In the main village of Alpe d’Huez, the selection of hotels is impressive for a purpose-built resort. Around 20 hotels operate, mostly two- or three-star, but now with four four-stars: Le Pic Blanc, Club Med, the Royal Ours, and the recently opened Alpenrose – a welcome addition with good facilities including a gym and a hammam. For those with the budget, the resort also boasts three five-star hotels: Au Chamois d’Or, the Grandes Rousses, and Hôtel Daria-I Nor. Most of the hotels are in chalet style, heavily timbered and balconied – apart from Le Dôme, which resembles a giant liquorice all-sort.

Villard-Reculas has self-catering apartments and chalets, which can be booked through the English-run agency La Source.

Oz has a good selection of apartments and two hotels, as well as a hostel popular among young skiers, the Moontain Hostel. For groups of friends numbering between 4 and 10, this is probably your best budget option in-resort, thanks to the Moontain Hostel's reservable "Chambres Friends".

Auris-en-Oisans also has a hotel, the Le Beau Site, and down in the old village, the Auberge de la Forêt is popular with some British skiers who return there year after year.

Vaujany has a handful of hotels, one run by the British ski company Ski Peak, and a rapidly expanding selection of apartments. There are also quite a few catered chalets.

Photo: Laurent Salino

Ski/snowboard equipment hire

Alpe d’Huez boasts a huge choice of ski shops. Which one you pick will depend on where in the resort you’re staying. Each quarter of Alpe d’Huez has at least three rental shops, each vying with each other for custom, which is ultimately good for the client.

If you want to take advantage of SkiSet’s online ordering service so your gear is ready and waiting for you when you arrive, check out their website. They operate at various locations throughout the resort.

Non-ski activities

Alpe d’Huez is well set up for fun, non-ski activities – take your pick from dog-sledging (either driving a sledge yourself or sitting back as a passenger); ski joëring, where you’re pulled along on skis by a horse; snowshoe excursions, (including night-time torchlit walks); trips up the mountain in a piste-basher; a trip to the Ice Cave at 2,700m with a constantly changing exhibition of ice sculptures; and of course, non-skiers can take the cable car to the summit of Pic Blanc for one of the most stunning panoramas in the Alps.

There’s also an ice-driving school, go-karting on ice, paragliding, and helicopter sightseeing flights. Actual heli-skiing is not allowed in Alpe d'Huez, but you can get picked up at the end of some off-piste routes and brought back to base by helicopter if you fancy splashing out. You can tackle the resort’s indoor climbing wall at AgorAlp, try your hand at curling on the outdoor ice rink, or sign up for a game of tennis or squash at the Palais de Sports.

Photo: Laurent Salino

Childcare

Within the main village, the municipal crèche, Les Intrépides, takes children from six months to four years and is open from 8.45 am to 6.30 pm. Meals and snacks are provided. Make sure you have your child’s health records with you – they won’t be accepted without them. The ESF prides itself on being very child-friendly, with well-organised kindergarten services. The tourist office is happy to help you arrange babysitters.

Besides its local branch of the ESF, Vaujany has its own children's club, Pôle Enfance, for children aged 3 to 15, which also runs weekly family events.