Event Previews & Reviews from Alpe d'Huez

It’s always crash, bang, wallop when you mix an ice hockey match with a dash of local rivalry – and this match was no exception.

The New Year celebrations got started here on Friday evening at 6pm with a fantastic torchlight descent by the ski instructors of the ESF ski school.

There’s loads going on as the French school holidays continue for another week or so in Alpe d'Huez.

Last night the slopes of The Signal here in Alpe d’Huez were truly lit up in fantastic style by the instructors of ESF Ski School, as the huge crowd were treated to the second of three torchlight descents to coincide with the U.K and French Half Term Holidays.

You know the ski season has officially started when La Folie Douce opens its doors, the music starts pumping, the champagne corks start popping and crowds of people jump up to dance on tables in their ski boots.

Whether you fancy a trip to the PicBlanc, a peaceful and tranquil tour of the historic church or the hustle and bustle of an ice hockey match there’s always plenty of things to do away from the slopes.

Following on the from the hugely successful ski display on Wednesday evening the “street carnival” was in full swing last night.

Next weekend sees the 20th edition of the prestigious Pyramide d’Oz ski mountaineering race, a race that regularly forms part of the French National Cup (Coupe de France) – on a course that was used in the 2009 World Cup. Around 150 to 200 competitors are set to tackle the gruelling course.

New Years’ Eve is always a big night here in Alpe d’Huez and this year was no exception. The weather wasn’t great for a “pub crawl” but, hey, it’s NYE, so we braved the conditions and headed out – out out!

2017 certainly arrived with a bang here in Alpe d’Huez with a huge outdoor party at the leisure centre in the middle of resort. Although this is an annual event, it was, in fact, the first time in ten years that I've managed to go. This year with nothing particularly planned we decided to head up and see what it was all about.  

A good-sized crowd was in attendance for the first round of the 2019 French Long Distance Cross-Country Ski Cup in Alpe d’Huez on Sunday, January 6th.

Deciding to go and watch the Tour de France is a 'no-brainer' for me, but trying to describe the overwhelming sense of passion, enthusiasm, fun and camaraderie to those who have never been is difficult. It can be hard to persuade the uninitiated to come with you.