December in Alpe d'Huez: What's on and weather

Meteorologically, December is historically a cold and snowy month. Averaging around 12 days of snow fall, the temperatures rarely get above freezing, with a high of 1°C and lows of around -6°C to keep the snowfall fresh. Make sure thermals are on your Christmas list.

Christmas and New Year is a popular time for families so the slopes are noticeably busier as soon as the holidays begin. Here are our insider's top tips for the school holidays:

1. Group lessons are the best option in the busy period, as private lessons are almost impossible to book - unless you got in early. Make sure to get your ski and snowboard lessons booked well in advance to avoid disappointment.
2. If you're not in ski school, be an early bird. Arrive at the lifts before they open so that you get up and away before the ski school classes set out around 09:15.
3. Ski over lunchtime when the slopes are calmer (between 12:00 and 14:00) whilst the French take a leisurely lunch break.
4. Avoid the queues and make the most of your time in the mountains by pre-booking your lunch reservation - some restaurants offer a Click & Collect service.  
5. Seek out the peripheral areas and try to avoid the busy main ski areas. A great tip to get away from the madding crowd is to hop onto the AlpAuris lift (aka the 'scare chair') at the Les Bergers area of resort and head across to the Auris sector of the ski area. It’s always much quieter over there and there is something for everybody with plenty of variety.
6. Get off-piste. Competent off-piste skiers can book a local mountain guide and explore the vast off-piste areas in the valley or even go touring to find complete solitude in the backcountry. 

Many bars open in mid to late November, but December brings a wave of lively season-opening parties across Alpe d'Huez. These festive events feature classic après-ski fun: live performers, table dancing, and champagne showers. If you enjoy following hours on the slopes with hours of socializing, you’ll find plenty of local après-ski sessions throughout the resort - perfect for keeping the festive energy going all season long.

New Year's Eve

Always a big night in Alpe d'Huez, the town is full of revellers, the restaurants will be busy, so it would be best to make a reservation to ensure you can get a table, and many of the bars and clubs are ticket-only, so if there's somewhere you plan to see the New Year in, make sure you've planned ahead.

Family fun

Christmas is synonymous with school holidays. As hundreds of children and their families descend on the pistes, the resort puts on a show for them. There will be lots of events and activities to keep the little ones entertained on and off the mountain, so be sure to check out our things to do for some family fun.

The main events in resorts in December will mostly centre around the festive spirit that Christmas brings, and with so many families visiting the resort for the festive season, there is a real child-like excitement as the big day draws ever closer. 

Aside from this there's usually some events going on up the mountain, as the whole ski area opens up - check out our events calendar for the big ones not to miss.

With the lifts opening and the festive season in full swing, December is a great time of year to come to Alpe d'Huez. Book your ski holiday now and enjoy carving the first turns of the winter.