Alpe d'Huez
Famous for its Tour de France hairpins, Alpe d'Huez is quietly one of France's best places to learn: a huge, south-facing bowl of gentle greens and blues sits directly above the village, with sunshine statistics resorts half its size would kill for and free beginner lifts to start on.
- Best forSkiers & snowboarders · Families · Groups of friends
- In April6°C · 13 rainy days
- Ideal stayA week
- Approx. flying time~11h 55m from Los Angeles
- CurrencyEUREuro
- LanguageFrench
- Local time12:371h ahead of the UK
- PlugsType C / EBring an adapter
- Drive on theRightOpposite to the UK
- Dialling code+33
Why go
Twenty one hairpins climb from the Romanche valley to a purpose built resort on a wide, south facing shelf at 1,860 metres. The skiing above is big and open, with a long, sunny beginner bowl right beside the village and serious terrain higher up, including one of the longest black runs in the Alps. It is a functional place to look at and a generous one to ski.
A week is standard, and the resort works for mixed groups because gentle and hard terrain start from the same lifts. Altitude keeps the snow reliable into spring, and March brings long, warm days on the front face. Summer turns the hairpins into a cycling pilgrimage and the lifts into bike and walking access. Avoid the French school holiday weeks in February unless you enjoy queueing.
- Ideal stay
- A week
- The vibe
- High, sunny, wide open slopes
From our guides
Graduate to the long, easy-angled sectors towards the Sarenne once your turns click. High altitude keeps the snow reliable. Book February weeks outside the French school holidays — the half-term crush is real.
Featured in Ten ski resorts where beginners won't feel silly
Things to do
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The beginner bowl
Wide green and blue slopes drop straight to the village, with free lifts for those starting out, which is unusually generous for France.
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Pic Blanc and the Sarenne
A cable car to 3,330 metres opens up glacier views and the top of the Sarenne, a long, easy angled black most confident skiers can manage.
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Twenty one hairpins
The Tour de France climb is numbered and named for past winners. In summer riders grind up it all day, and in winter it is simply the road in.
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The linked villages
Auris, Oz, Vaujany and Villard-Reculas sit on the same mountainside, quieter to stay in and connected by lift.
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Views to the Écrins
From the top station the panorama runs across the Grandes Rousses to the Meije and the Écrins, with Mont Blanc visible on a clear day.
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Sledging and snow parks
The resort keeps a dedicated toboggan run and beginner areas away from the main pistes, which helps with younger children.
Getting there
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Fly to
Chambéry (CMF)
Nearest airport to Alpe d'Huez, about 62km away as the crow flies.
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Then
To Alpe d'Huez
About two hours by car from Chambéry (CMF) via Grenoble and then the twenty-one hairpins up from Bourg d'Oisans. Grenoble and Lyon airports run resort coaches on winter Saturdays.
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On the ground
Getting around
The resort is built for skis: free shuttle buses loop the village, and most accommodation is within walking distance of a lift.
Public transport: Buses run up from Grenoble year-round, and transfer coaches serve the ski season, so a car can be left at home.
Flights
Los Angeles Alpe d'Huez, France
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Roughly 11h 55m in the air from Los Angeles (LAX), estimated from the distance — check for a direct route. Pick a month to see every available flight with live prices.
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When to go
Daytime highs run from about -1°C in January to 19°C in July. Driest in July and August; wettest in May, with rain on about 21 days.
The year at a glance — pick a month for detail
April6° · rain 13 daysCold and often wet.
Monthly figures averaged from daily records for 2020–2024 at this location (ERA5 reanalysis). Live conditions from MET Norway, CC BY 4.0.
Where to stay
Apartment residences dominate, with a decent spread of three and four-star hotels and catered chalets. Self-catering is the norm rather than the exception.
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Best base overall
Les Bergers
The eastern quarter, closest to the beginner lifts and the main bowl, so ski-in convenience is real. Purpose-built and functional-looking, with the newer apartment blocks here.
Find stays in Les Bergers -
Best value
Vieil Alpe
The original village core, with older buildings, the cheaper bars and small hotels. A short walk or free shuttle to the lifts, and the shuttle gets crowded at eight thirty.
Find stays in Vieil Alpe -
Best with children
Les Grandes Rousses quarter
Around the main lift station and the tourist office, with ski school meeting points, the pool and shops on your doorstep. Busiest part of the resort at peak times.
Find stays in Les Grandes Rousses quarter -
Quietest
Oz-en-Oisans and Vaujany
Linked satellite villages further down, with proper stone and wood buildings and their own gondolas into the area. Far calmer, but nightlife means driving back up.
Find stays in Oz-en-Oisans and Vaujany
Worth knowing before you book: French school holidays in February drive prices up sharply and lift queues with them. Book a Saturday-to-Saturday apartment early, and reserve lift passes online to skip the desk.
Search everything else in Alpe d'Huez by budget. These are indicative budget bands in GBP per night for two people, not live quotes or guarantees of hotel type. Check your dates, guests, taxes and final price on Booking.com.
Good to know
- Getting there
- Grenoble is around an hour and a half away and Lyon about two and a half. The final climb needs winter tyres or chains.
- Book ahead
- French half term in February fills the resort. Booking outside those weeks means shorter queues and lower prices.
- Pack this
- High factor sunscreen and good goggles. South facing slopes at this altitude burn faces in March.
- Timing
- Snow on the lowest runs softens through the afternoon in spring, so ski high after lunch.
- Driving
- You can leave the car once you arrive. Free shuttle buses loop the resort, which is spread out and hilly on foot in ski boots.
Similar places
Saalbach
AustriaAlso for skiers & snowboarders and families · 10°C in April (6°C here)
Peak 2 Peak Gondola
Whistler, CanadaAlso for skiers & snowboarders and families · 6°C in April, as here
Kranjska Gora
SloveniaAlso for skiers & snowboarders and families · 8°C in April (6°C here) · cheaper to stay
Nearby destinations
Vanoise National Park
France · 76km away →
Annecy
France · 90km away →
Megève
France · 95km away →
Courmayeur
Italy · 107km away →
Aiguille du Midi
Chamonix, France · 108km away →
Chamonix
France · 111km away →Elsewhere in France
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Quick answers
When is the best time to visit Alpe d'Huez?
Daytime highs run from about -1°C in January to 19°C in July. Driest in July and August; wettest in May, with rain on about 21 days.
How long should I spend in Alpe d'Huez?
Our suggestion: a week.
How do I get to Alpe d'Huez?
About two hours by car from Chambéry (CMF) via Grenoble and then the twenty-one hairpins up from Bourg d'Oisans. Grenoble and Lyon airports run resort coaches on winter Saturdays.
Do I need a car in Alpe d'Huez?
No. Buses run up from Grenoble year-round, and transfer coaches serve the ski season, so a car can be left at home.
What currency and language are used in Alpe d'Huez?
Currency: Euro (EUR). Language: French. Plugs: type C and E.
Who is Alpe d'Huez best for?
Best for skiers & snowboarders, families and groups of friends. In a phrase: high, sunny, wide open slopes.