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.
The resort’s bars and restaurants started opening on Friday night, with most seasonnaires celebrating the arrival of Summer 2009 in Zoo Bar. On Saturday night, the hardcore braved their hangovers for the opening Mojito Party at Smithy’s Tavern after a few warm-up drinks at O-Bar and the Etalon. The Sporting also opened it’s doors for the locals, as tourists are currently quite thin on the ground.
The first event on Alpe d’Huez’s busy summer calendar was the Equestrian Raid, and endurance horse race that takes place over two days and 140km. With 8,000€ of prize money to be won, the race’s 35 competitors were taking the weekend very seriously indeed.
The riders were staying at Skiplan’s piste-side hotel, the Beau Soleil and Skiplan staff were drafted-in from across the southern alps to pamper the competitors. As seasoned hotel workers, the staff were more than ready to party on the Saturday night and there were a few Dr Peppers knocking about, courtesy of Andy at Smithy’s Tavern. We were also lucky enough to taste the Smithy’s summer menu, cooked by Russ, who’s on loan from Lounge 21 for the rest of the season.
Needless to say there were a few sore heads on Sunday morning, but it didn’t stop me rushing round resort to cover the Equestrian Raid and I heard a rumour that Lounge 21’s Maria managed a five hour hike, while most of the others stayed in bed nursing sore heads.
With no snow sports in Alpe d’Huez over the summer, visitors and locals focus very strongly on all types of cycling, hiking and horse riding. Alpe d’Huez is of course famous for it’s 21 bends along 15km of road, with a vertical ascent of 1140km.
The town was was first included in the route of the Tour de France in 1952 and the stage has been won twice over the years by Lance Armstrong, Marco Pantani, Gianni Bugno and Hennie Kuiper, with Pantani and Armstrong holding the five fastest ascent times between them. This year the town is hosting a variety of cycling events such as: La Marmotte on 4th July, Ascent of the Alpe d’Huez (locally known as The 21 Bends) on 5th July and the Megavalanche from 6th to 13th July.
Other events this summer include the Air Festival at the Altiport, the annual Triathlon, the Supermotard Championship and the 13th International Ice Hockey Tournament in August. I’ll be on call throughout the season to bring you the news, weather and events from the resort, with reports and films at regular intervals. I’ll also let you know what’s going on in the surrounding villages and where to find the best routes, meals, drinks and deals.
