High altitude and snow sure, the Alpe d’Huez village itself is purpose built and lacks charm, but the resort makes up for that with the quality of the skiing. Huge wide pistes, massive vertical drop and Sarenne, billed as Europe’s longest black run, means there’s skiing here for all abilities.
Alpe d’Huez at a Glance
Take on La Sarenne, billed as Europe’s longest black run, with 16 km of pure downhill.
Unattractive resort above the treeline.
Key Facts
Top lift
Vertical
Lifts
Pistes
Ski area
Season 2026/27
Nearest airport
Transfer times are a typical private transfer in good conditions; allow extra time on winter Saturdays.
Pistes by Difficulty
Beginner (green)
Intermediate (blue)
Advanced (red)
Expert (black)
Plan Your Trip
Ski Holiday Deals
Ski Rental (-10%)
Airport Transfers
Where to Stay
Off-Piste Guiding
Travel Insurance
Where to stay in Alpe d’Huez
Alpe d’Huez is big and spread out, so where you stay decides how much of your week goes on ski buses. Pick your base first, then compare prices.
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Pick your base
- Les BergersBeginner area, an ESF meeting point and lifts to Oz and the glacier. Good for families.See places →
- Vieil Alpe and centreThe historic centre, with shops, bars and restaurants. Best for après within walking distance.See places →
- Oz-en-Oisans (Oz 3300)Quieter and usually cheaper, with gondolas into the ski area.See places →
- VaujanyQuieter, cheaper village with a large cable car up to the Alpette.See places →
Local tip: Booking lessons? ESF has meeting points at Les Bergers and Grandes Rousses, so check yours and stay close to it.
Self-catering? Browse apartments and chalets in Alpe d’Huez →
The Skiing
Freeriding
Start from the Pic Blanc run down the Clavans with wide slopes and beautiful terrain.
Freestyle
Ride the Alpe d’Huez 1800 snowpark and try the “Big Air” on the bottom section or hit the Montfrais snowpark.
Pistes
The ski area’s 250 km of pistes are served by 67 lifts. Fast lifts whisk you quickly up to the 3330 m Pic Blanc to admire the view.
Alpe d’Huez Ski & Snowboard Guide
Alpe d’Huez is where French freestyle skier Thomas Krief cut his teeth. And, testament to the quality of his home training ground, he took bronze at the 2013 FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships.
The Skiing and Snowboarding
The Alpe d’Huez Grand Domaine links 5 villages and a total of 250 km of pisted runs. The terrain lends itself well to improving your skiing over the course of your holiday. There’s a roughly equal split of beginner, intermediate and advanced runs and the higher you climb, the steeper and more technical the terrain becomes. The resort sits in the shadows of the imposing Pic Blanc, though the 3,330 m summit is not visible from the village. As a result, the sheer scale of the resort comes as a surprise as you work your way up to the top of the lift system. Conveniently for beginners, the green and blue runs are concentrated near the village where the gradient is shallower, whereas the reds and blacks are mainly higher up.
The best skiers will appreciate the black slopes taking the cable car to the Pic Blanc or Marmotte III. Don’t miss the 16 km Sarenne piste, billed by Alpe d’Huez as Europe’s longest black run. Sarenne offers something for everyone. The length itself offers an endurance trial while more advanced skiers can opt to hit up the mogul field. Many people consider Sarenne more of a red than a black, so intermediate skiers can get a good challenge here too. The views from the top are spectacular.
Le Tunnel is much steeper, more direct black run from the top of the resort. Emerging from a tight couloir that gives the run its name, you’re faced with one of the most challenging black runs in the Alps. Not for the faint hearted.
Beginners will be delighted to find some of the best nursery slopes in the Alps. There are 42 green runs across the Grand Domaine area and a concentration of 15 or so green runs accessible from 2 draglifts and a chair lift right at the snowline.
Intermediates will enjoy striking out across the Domaine covering huge distances in a day. You could have lunch in a different resort every day of the week. For the best of the red runs, head across to Oz-en-Oisans and Vaujany, and when the snow is good low down, don’t miss the run down to Villard Reculas.
Off-Piste Skiing
Alpe d’Huez isn’t as renowned for its off-piste skiing as Chamonix, Sainte Foy or La Grave, but the steep, high terrain and huge vertical drop means there’s plenty for powder hounds to relish. Don’t miss the epic Grand Sablat from the Pic Blanc, the steep and technical Les Cheminées de Macle or La combe du Loup, an Alpe d’Huez classic. It goes without saying that you need experience off-piste and full avalanche kit when tackling these runs. To stay safe, the best thing to do is employ a qualified guide.
Alpe d’Huez Snowpark
For freestyle skiers and snowboarders, Alpe d’Huez has an excellent snow park that is split into a beginners and advanced section making it accessible to all. 21 hectares of hip jumps, spines, table tops and rails provide enough to keep even experts entertained for a full day.
Alpe d’Huez Gallery
Alpe d’Huez Skiing & Snowboarding Video
We’re watching: Skiing the famous Tunnel Piste in Alpe d’Huez!
Experience the legendary Tunnel Piste in Alpe d’Huez! This iconic black run begins with a thrilling 300m tunnel carved beneath the Pic Blanc at a breathtaking altitude of 3330m. Brace yourself for the adrenaline-pumping 70% gradient drop as you emerge onto the dramatic main face—an unforgettable challenge for expert skiers!
Practical Information
Opening dates
Lift passes
Nearest airports
Tourist office
Place Paganon
38750 ALPE D’HUEZ
France
Alpe d’Huez Skiing FAQ
No. Alpe d’Huez and Les 2 Alpes are separate ski areas with no lift link. You travel between them by road, at your own expense. You can ski both on one card, though. The AEON 3 Domaines pass covers Alpe d’Huez, Les 2 Alpes and La Grave, and you only pay for the days you actually ski.
An adult 6-day Alpe d’Huez Grand Domaine Ski pass costs €336.50 in 2026/27, and a day pass costs €68. That gets you 250 km of pistes across 5 linked villages. Prices are fixed by period, with reduced rates 5–12 Dec and 10–18 Apr. Check our ski deals for packages that include the pass.
Fly into Grenoble-Isère. It’s the nearest airport, 1 h 30 – 1 h 45 away by private transfer in good conditions. Lyon Saint-Exupéry is the main alternative, at 1 h 45 – 2 h 15. Allow extra time on winter Saturdays. By train, Grenoble is the nearest station, and the Transaltitude express bus runs from Grenoble to the resort in winter. You can also book airport transfers to Alpe d’Huez.
Yes. The green and blue runs are concentrated near the village, where the gradient is shallower. The reds and blacks are mainly higher up. In 2025/26, a free beginner pass covered the Grenouilles and Petit Rif Nel magic carpets and the École 1 drag. Once you’ve found your feet, 250 km of pistes gives you room to progress. Sort your ski and snowboard rental before you arrive.
The lifts open on 5 Dec 2026, and early-December cover is best at altitude. It depends on the first snowfalls. The season runs to 25 Apr 2027, and the lifts reach 3,330 m at Pic Blanc, so the high slopes hold snow longest. The resort backs this up with 1,053 snow guns. Passes are cheaper 5–12 Dec, before the French Christmas holidays start on 19 Dec.
The Sarenne is 16 km long, and Alpe d’Huez bills it as Europe’s longest black run. It drops about 2,000 m from Pic Blanc, the top lift at 3,330 m. Many people consider it more of a red than a black, so strong intermediates can take it on too. For more classics, see our pick of the best ski runs in France.
Please leave a comment below if you need specific advice for your ski holiday to Alpe d’Huez, or if you have any recommendations to help us improve this guide. Happy holidays!
