What's new in Alpe d'Huez winter 2019/20

Alpe d'Huez is well-known for its top-class cross-country skiing routes, with more than 50km of trails for all abilities, from beginners to experts. This year, there's a new biathlon area, the Nordic Park, located in the Poutran section just after the Sagnes lift, complete with a 10m shooting range which is the perfect place to learn this unique sport. Also new this year is the Nordic Skiercross where you'll be able to challenge your friends and see who comes first after tackling bumps, jumps, flats and turns.

For those keen on learning the ins and outs of biathlon, a combination of cross-country skiing and shooting, ESF Alpe d'Huez will be adding new experiences to their already popular biathlon lessons. The Family Biathlon is a competition open to all ages where kids and adults will fight for the first spot. There's also the Biathlon Event, a 1-day course that starts with training and is followed by a small competition.

Also offered by ESF Alpe d'Huez this winter, the Nordic Night is a one-of-a-kind experience where you'll get to explore the ski area's cross-country trails by night. Head out at sunset, enjoy a traditional Savoyard dinner deep in the mountains and then go back with a head torch as the only light guiding your way. All of it from just €50 per person.

The all-inclusive holiday brand Club Med have completely renovated their resort in Alpe d'Huez, improving its facilities and services from 3 to 4 stars. A new cosy and elegant Alpine-style decor has been laid throughout and French beauty brand Payot will now be in charge of their treatments and massages. Over €85 million have been spent in modernising the facilities, including its 2 restaurants, lounge bar, games room and indoor pool. The renovated resort will open its doors on December 15th 2019.

Also having been extensively refurbished, the 4-star Hotel Les Grandes Rousses has doubled its capacity, featuring 106 rooms including an XXL duplex suite, as well as 57 apartments and 4 VIP chalets which are managed by the hotel and include private chef and concierge. The restaurants have also undergone a facelift with La Ferme d'Hubert now boasting a 350m² terrace including an outdoor heated pool and serving healthy food. Also changed is the Spa des Alpes, which includes a sensory pool, steam room, sauna, ice fountain and a waterjet course with heated water from Lac Blanc... the ultimate indulgence.

One of the most widely spread ski hire franchises in the Alps, Skiset, have just launched their Netski app, a fast and easy way to rent your skis or snowboard this season. Choose between two packages – the Netski.comfort for the best prices or the Netski.plus for the latest gear (Netski.kids and Netski.teens bundles also available) – and confirm your booking in only two clicks. You’ll get a QR code to collect your equipment at your local shop. For a small fee, Netski clients can also benefit from priority assistance in shops, ski lockers with boot dryers and direct delivery to your accommodation.

Also available in Alpe d'Huez’s Skiset shops this winter is Scanfeet, a state-of-the-art foot scan that takes a full 3D image of the skier’s feet in under 20 seconds and then pulls up the best-suited boots available in store. Enjoy rental boots that fit like a glove in record time! Even better, scans are shared among Skiset shops so you won’t need to scan your feet again if you rent your equipment with them.

Worried about slipping on those icy pavements when walking to the slopes? Fear not, Intersport is now offering GripWalk across their whole rental range. These innovative boot soles offer a non-slip surface as well as a more natural profile for walking (or dancing at La Folie Douce!), and they can be combined with GripWalk bindings for perfect performance on the slopes.

Huski revolutionised self-catering four winters ago when they launched their meal delivery service. Since then, for a fraction of the price of a catered holiday, you can enjoy delicious breakfast, lunch, three-course dinners, canapes, fine wines and even cheese boards at your apartment or chalet completely hassle-free. Huski delivers everything to your door and the only thing you need to do is pop your food in the oven to heat it up. This year, they’re offering a new, locally made, Savoyard-inspired range of meals called “Gourmet 73” cooked daily by chef Nick Casey at their headquarters in Bourg Saint Maurice. Think creamy tartiflette and moreish Beef Mondeuse! Also new this season is their very own beer, the Huski Mountain Pilsner created in collaboration with the Brasserie du Petit St Bernard.

Mobile Alpine massage company Massage Me is offering two brand new therapies this winter. First of all is their 100% bespoke MY Massage service where you’ll be able to select every single step of your wellbeing journey, from the massage style and pressure preference (including Swedish, sports, holistic and even a combination of all of them), to the part of your body that needs more attention, the massage oil and even the music. This winter, they’re also adding Physiotherapy, Pilates and Yoga to their mobile services menu in partnership with Alpine Therapies. Not only that, but they’ve embarked on a green journey to be more eco-friendly, from reducing single plastic use and carbon emissions to assessing the materials they use. So it’s not only your muscles that will feel much better by booking a massage with Massage Me but also the environment.

Keen to know more? Then take a look at all that's new in Alpe d'Huez for yourself... book your winter ski holiday now!