Ski holidays in Alpe d'Huez, France

Alpe d'Huez is one of France's most famous ski resorts, known as the "island in the sun" thanks to its south-facing location, which gives it an average of 300 days of sunshine a year. The resort sits at 1,860 metres, with skiing up to 3,330 metres on Pic Blanc, and offers 250 km of pistes with enormous variety. Alpe d'Huez suits those who want sunshine, snow and challenging terrain.

The resort is also world-famous in cycling circles. The 21 hairpin bends up to Alpe d'Huez form one of the Tour de France's most iconic climbs, and in summer thousands of amateur cyclists ride up the legendary road. Each bend has a sign bearing the name of a stage winner from the Tour de France.

The ski area has one of France's longest descents: Sarenne, a 16 km black run that starts from Pic Blanc (3,330 m) and winds its way down the back of the mountain. It's the longest black piste in Europe and an unforgettable experience for advanced skiers. The tunnel through the mountain at the top provides a dramatic start to the descent.

The apres-ski scene in Alpe d'Huez is lively, with a range of bars and restaurants along the main street. The international atmosphere and sunny location make the outdoor terraces particularly popular. The resort also has a large swimming pool, a bowling alley and other activities off the slopes.

5 tips about Alpe d'Huez

1. Beginners in the Signal sector The Signal area offers quieter, family-friendly runs kept separate from the more challenging parts of the ski area.
2. Make the most of your lift pass With 71 lifts and 250 km of pistes, it pays to explore several sectors rather than staying close to the village all week.
3. Head high for better snow As the resort faces south and gets plenty of sun, the snow lower down can turn heavy in the afternoon, so aim for pistes closer to Pic Blanc at 3,330 m for better conditions.
4. Travel outside peak weeks Book weeks outside the school holidays for quieter pistes and better prices on accommodation with a lift pass included.
5. Take on the Sarenne Strong skiers should tackle the Sarenne, a 16 km black run from Pic Blanc and the longest black descent in Europe.

Pistes and lifts in Alpe d'Huez

Alpe d'Huez offers 250 km of pistes and 71 lifts, from the village at 1,860 m up to Pic Blanc at 3,330 m. The Sarenne piste (16 km) is Europe's longest black run. The piste distribution favours intermediate and advanced skiers, with plenty of red and black runs. The Signal sector offers family-friendly skiing. Off-piste skiing from Pic Blanc is excellent, with guided tours to otherwise inaccessible areas.

Piste map for Alpe d'Huez

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The map downloads as an image file. On your iPhone it lands in the Files app. Tap the icon at the bottom of the address bar to open the map straight away.On your iPad it lands in the Files app. Tap the icon at the top right of the address bar to open the map straight away.On your phone it lands in the Downloads folder. Tap the download notification that appears to open the map straight away.The file lands in the Downloads folder. You can also look for the icon at the top right of the screen and open the map from there.

Snow reliability in Alpe d'Huez

Alpe d'Huez stretches from 1,860 metres in the village up to 3,330 metres at Pic Blanc, which gives it good altitude and dependable snow cover across the upper slopes for much of the season.

That said, the sunny, south-facing setting that earned the resort its nickname of the "island in the sun" also means the lower pistes can be more affected by sunshine and warmth, so the best snow conditions are often found higher up towards 3,330 metres.

Best time to travel to Alpe d'Huez

December to April. The south-facing location provides plenty of sunshine, though this can also mean the snow melts faster on the lower slopes. January and February have the best snow conditions. March and April offer fantastic sunny skiing. The glacier on Pic Blanc provides snow security at altitude.

Will there be lift queues in Alpe d'Huez?

Alpe d'Huez is part of Alpe d'Huez, and the lift system there carries 110,052 people an hour across 68 lifts. 32 of the 68 lifts belong to the faster class. The fastest lifts carry up to 3,900 people an hour, for example Les Jeux. That is roughly the same capacity per kilometre of piste as an average resort on this site, so queues only build when it is really busy. The queue you actually notice is almost always down in the valley between eight and half past nine. If you are on the lift before eight you avoid it.

When is Alpe d'Huez busiest?

How busy the slopes get is not decided by the English half term but by when the local families and the neighbouring countries are on holiday. These are the weeks that fill Alpe d'Huez in the 2026/2027 season.

• France: The French winter holidays roll through three zones and together cover 6 February to 8 March. All three zones head for the same valleys, so the whole period is busy.
  6 to 22 February: zone C, including Paris and Toulouse
  13 February to 1 March: zone A, including Lyon and Bordeaux
  20 February to 8 March: zone B, including Marseille and Strasbourg
• England: The English February half term is 15 to 19 February 2027 for most councils, with a few areas breaking up a week earlier. The Easter holidays run from 26 March to 9 April.
  8 to 12 February: half term in a few council areas, for example Hull
  15 to 19 February: half term in most of England, including London, the Midlands and the North
  26 March to 9 April: Easter holidays for most English schools
• Easter holidays: Easter 2027 is early, on 28 March. Austria and Germany take their holidays around the weekend, while the French holidays fall after Easter, in April.
  20 to 29 March: the whole of Austria, all states at the same time
  22 March to 3 April: most German states, including Bavaria, Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia
  3 April to 3 May: the French zones, which fall after Easter 2027 and only affect the highest resorts
• Long weekends: Long weekends fill the slopes with day visitors from the nearest cities, even when no schools are on holiday.
  26 December to 3 January: Christmas and New Year, the most expensive period of the year
  6 January: Epiphany, a public holiday in Austria, Italy and parts of Switzerland
  27 to 29 March: the Easter weekend. Easter Monday is a public holiday across the Alps, but Good Friday is a working day in Austria, Italy and France
  1 to 2 May: May Day, a public holiday across the Alps

The weeks before 6 February and after 8 March are noticeably quieter and cheaper. January is the best time for anyone who wants the pistes to themselves.

Snow right now. There is no snow cover in the valley or at the top right now. The figures are modelled by Open-Meteo, not measured by the lift company, and were fetched 15 October 2026 at 20:24.

The lift pass included. The stay comes with the Grand Domaine Ski lift pass, which covers 250 km of piste. The pass is worth around €484.

How to get to Alpe d'Huez

Last-minute deals in Alpe d'Huez

Last-minute offers, that is late dates the operator still wants to fill, appear from January onwards. Once the season is under way we will show them here on this page.

Alpe d'Huez is suitable for

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Frequently asked questions about Alpe d'Huez