Alpe d'Huez Grand Domaine is a vast, sun-soaked Isère ski area crowned by the 3,300-metre Pic Blanc glacier and home to La Sarenne, one of the longest black runs in the Alps. Nicknamed 'the island in the sun', it pairs huge, varied terrain with a lively, big-resort buzz.
- 1,124 m Base
- 3,306 m Top lift
- 2,182 m Vertical
- 132 Pistes mapped
- 82 Lifts
Best known for
Après & vibe
Alpe d'Huez has a proper big-resort après and nightlife scene, from sun-drenched piste terraces to busy bars in the town centre. It is one of the more sociable, energetic French resorts once the lifts close, though the outlying villages stay far quieter.
The resort
Alpe d'Huez sits on a broad, south-facing plateau high in the Isère, linking the main resort with the satellite villages of Auris, Oz, Vaujany and Villard-Reculas into a single expansive domain. Its trademark is sunshine — the resort markets itself as 'l'île au soleil', the island in the sun — and light floods the wide-open pistes for much of the season. Above it all rises the Pic Blanc at 3,330 metres, feeding an enormous vertical descent down to the Sarenne gorge. The terrain spans a huge, gentle beginner plateau in the resort centre, endless intermediate cruising and genuinely serious steep and off-piste options up top, giving it one of the widest ability ranges in the Alps.
Go for scale, sunshine and variety. Few resorts pack in such a spread of terrain — a beginner plateau the size of a small resort in its own right, motorway cruising for intermediates, and a high-alpine crown of couloirs and off-piste for the brave. Add reliable snow at altitude, a huge vertical drop and an animated resort scene, and Alpe d'Huez delivers a classic all-rounder week with an unmistakable big-mountain feel.
The season is shaped by that south-facing aspect and abundant sunshine: high pistes and the Pic Blanc glacier stay in excellent condition, while lower, sun-baked slopes can soften through the day and reward early starts. Bright, clear weather is the signature, and the sheer altitude range means there is almost always good snow somewhere on the mountain.
Snow & weather
Live conditions from the mountain, plus the average snow you can expect month by month.
- Feels like
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- Conditions
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- Wind
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- Fresh snow (3-day)
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Live data © Open-Meteo.com
High and dependable at altitude thanks to the Pic Blanc glacier and top-of-mountain elevation, though the strong sun on the south-facing lower slopes means those pistes soften quickly and are best skied early or with the help of extensive snowmaking.
Average monthly snowfall
Snowfall climatology unavailable.
Terrain & aspect
- Novice
- Easy
- Intermediate
- Advanced
- Flat / ungraded
Slopes mostly face SW — 42% on snow-holding, poleward-facing slopes.
Aspect derived from run bearings · OpenSkiStats / © OpenStreetMap (ODbL).
Skiing & terrain
Outstanding, with an enormous gentle plateau at resort level that is one of the largest and most reassuring beginner areas in the Alps.
Vast and generous, with long, sunny reds and blues fanning out across the whole domain and down to the satellite villages.
Excellent, from the top-to-bottom vertical off the Pic Blanc to the marathon La Sarenne and a wealth of demanding pistes.
Serious high-alpine terrain, with the Pic Blanc couloirs, the Combe du Loup and abundant lift-served off-piste for experienced skiers with the right conditions and, ideally, a guide.
La Sarenne
Dropping from the Pic Blanc down into the wild Sarenne gorge, La Sarenne is one of the longest black runs in the Alps, a sustained descent of several kilometres and well over a thousand metres of vertical. It is a rite of passage — long enough to test the legs of any strong skier, yet skiable by confident intermediates who take their time.
The Pic Blanc and its tunnel
The cable car to the 3,330-metre Pic Blanc opens up the glacier, a 360-degree summit panorama and access to the resort's most serious terrain. The famous pierced tunnel run threads through the rock ridge to reach the north-facing slopes and the top of La Sarenne.
The island in the sun
Alpe d'Huez trades on its sunshine, claiming some of the sunniest figures of any major French resort. The south-facing plateau and open pistes make for warm, bright ski days and long lunches on the terraces, a defining part of the resort's character.
On the map
Legend
Run difficulty
- Novice
- Easy
- Intermediate
- Advanced / Expert
- Freeride / Extreme
- Unknown
Run types
- Downhill — groomed
- Downhill — ungroomed
- Downhill — gladed
- Nordic (groomed)
- Ski tour
- ☾Lit (night)
- △Not patrolled
- →One-way
- ❄Snowmaking
Lifts
- Operating
- Operating (private)
- Non-operating
- Lift station
Slope-gradient grading
Downhill / ski tour
- Flat<3°
- Easy3–14°
- Intermediate14–22°
- Advanced / Expert22–45°
- Freeride / Extreme>45°
Nordic
- Easy<6°
- Intermediate6–9°
- Advanced>9°
Aspect (sun exposure)
- N — least sun
- E — morning
- S — most sun
- W — afternoon
Legend after OpenSkiMap
Stay in Alpe d'Huez Grand Domaine
The main resort of Alpe d'Huez offers the fullest range of lifts, ski-in ski-out and nightlife, and direct access to the beginner plateau. For a quieter, more traditional stay, the linked villages of Vaujany, Oz-en-Oisans, Auris and Villard-Reculas all give access to the same domain with far less bustle.
Lifts and pistes from the door — the point of a high, purpose-built resort.
Self-catering residences, the bulk of the beds and the flexible-budget option.
Catered and self-catered chalets for groups wanting the whole place.
From simple to high-end, with pools and spas to thaw out in.
How to get there
The nearest major gateway is Grenoble (GNB), from which the road climbs into the Oisans and up the famous switchbacks to the resort plateau.
Grenoble is the useful railhead for the Oisans, with onward road transfer up to the resort.
The final approach is the celebrated series of 21 hairpin bends up from Bourg-d'Oisans — spectacular but slow in snow, so allow time and expect a winding climb.
Best time: January and February deliver the coldest snow and best conditions on the lower slopes, while the high altitude and sunshine make March and spring skiing particularly rewarding up top.
Nearby resorts & areas
Other resorts within reach.
Getting to Alpe d'Huez Grand Domaine
Book an airport transfer up to the resort, or pick up a car at Grenoble (GNB) — search and compare without leaving the page.
Ski data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), via OpenSkiMap & Skimap.org. Basemap © OpenFreeMap / OpenMapTiles. Editorial: mynext.holiday. Accommodation via Stay22; transfers via Kiwitaxi; car hire via Travelpayouts.