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Read reviews of the best Alpe d'Huez activities
The summer season in Alpe d'Huez is well under way and we've had plenty of sporting events already this summer, with more to come in August. For a run-down of the month's events, you can check out our latest video report. The most exciting event this month was the Megavalanche. So what do we do in Alpe d'Huez when we're not watching MTB riders hurtling through the trees or cyclists steadily making their way up the 21 bends? Here's just a few ideas...
Amongst the many summer activities available in the Southern Alps, there’s one I’ve been desperate to try for the past year… the via ferrata. Translated from Italian, via ferrata simply means ‘iron road’. It’s a mountain route marked by a fixed line and iron handles.
So the sun is out, temperatures are soaring and high season is just around the corner, which means it must be time to go camping. It’s cheap, it’s outdoors and you can do it almost anywhere, what’s not to like? All right, it happens to be chucking with rain on this particular morning, but it’s not going to do that all holiday is it?
If like me you watched the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics and saw our intrepid curling teams pick up medals and you fancy yourself as a David Murdoch (Silver Medal) or Eve Muirhead (Bronze Medal) then get yourself along to the ice rink here in resort and “brush” up on your curling skills.
Snowshoe hiking (or Rando Raquettes as the French would say) is a truly fantastic way to take in the stunning views and scenery around Alpe d’Huez, and keep fit at the same time.
There may be spring conditions on piste, but it's still very much like winter on the Glacier du Grand Sablat here in Alpe d'Huez, even at this late stage of the season.
It's no wonder the gymnasium in the Palais des Sports et des Congres (the leisure centre) here in Alpe d’Huez is used by some top sportsmen and women as the benefits of altitude training are well documented – higher red blood cell count, greater muscular endurance and increased vaso-dilation to name but a few.
Last week we set off in the direction of Salette and Laffrey on an exploratory tour in preparation for the impending inter-season, when both resorts all but close and it’s great to get out of the ghost town for a day or two. This weekend, we decided to explore a little more in this direction, heading-off to La Mure and Drac.
When you live in a small town it’s always good to get away, even if it’s just for the night. Tourist resorts are no exception and – when the masses descend for the August rush – the prospect of the open road becomes even more tempting. Thankfully it’s my birthday in mid-August and this usually gives me a great excuse to pack a bag and head-off for a little break.
As August progresses the hot, sultry weather in the southern alps persists. We’re now finding that the mornings and evenings are cooler than earlier in the summer, but by midday temperatures are soaring into the low-30s and the afternoons are long and warm. To keep active, I’m finding it’s better to get up and out early, aiming to be home by 11am, when the sun really starts to intensify.
Whether you fancy following in Sir Bradley Wiggins’ footsteps on the Channel 4 show The Jump (probably not!) or see yourself more as a Shaun White (more my era!) then fear not, Alpe d’Huez has just the thing for you.
Even though there is a huge amount of variety of pistes available here in Alpe d’Huez (all 134 of them) you can always go for a change in scenery by having a day on the slopes over at neighbouring resort Les Deux Alpes.
When we were offered the chance to ski the Sarenne by Night we had no idea what to expect, but at 16:30 when we arrived at the DMC 1er Troncon station we were greeted with an extremely warm welcome and a handful of Milka bars – things were off to a great start!
The summer season in Alpe d’Huez has started and this weekend has been a gentle beginning for what’s set to be a busy and exciting two months. Over the past couple of weeks, the weather has been warming-up and we started the season with clear skies on Saturday and Sunday. In resort, we’ve been sunbathing in temperatures of around 20°C, dropping to about 8°C at night. This is fairly average for the southern alps and it’s worth bringing a waterproof for the impromptu rain storms that sweep by every now and then.
If you’re after a shorter less committing bike ride than the infamous 21 bends up to Alpe D’Huez, the Col D’Ornon is a great option from the same starting point. The ride is easily done in less than two hours and there are certainly no compromises on the scenery!
Serious adrenaline without a pair of skis or snowboard in sight….
Bourg d’Oisans is the small town that lies between Les Deux Alpes and Alpe d’Huez. Lying in the centre of the valley’s flat, glacial floor, the town has stunning views of the near-vertical rock faces surrounding it.
Give something different a try on your trip to Alpe d'Huez - either in winter or summer