Skiing in Alpe d'Huez

There are a total of 50km of perfectly groomed cross-country ski trails in Alpe d'Huez, with five main trails providing a wide array of terrain. 
The trails are loops (“boucles” in French) so you end up back where you started. Kept in tremendous condition, they are prepared in the same way as the normal pistes, with the addition of pre-formed classic XC ski style tracks. You can hire the comfortable boots and lightweight skis and poles fairly inexpensively and book a group or private lesson to learn the basics from most ski schools or private instructors. Several adventure companies also offer cross-country skiing guiding, tours and lessons. Find your way around with the cross-country skiing maps.

If you or someone in your group has additional needs, the ESF Ski School offers specially adapted lessons with experienced instructors and a full range of equipment including Skibobs, Sit Skis, GMS and Bi-Skis. Lessons are available for both adults and children, with a focus on making snowsports fun, inclusive and accessible. To make sure the right gear is ready for you, it’s best to book at least 15 days ahead and confirm a week before you arrive. Equipment hire is included in the lesson price.

Unfortunately, heli-skiing is not permitted in France, however some of the ski schools, adventure companies, local flight companies and mountain guide companies will offer a pick-up/drop-off heli-skiing service for you, where you will be taken over the border into Italy or Switzerland. 
A very popular route is the Glacier du Grand Sablat with over 2,000m of descent; take a lift to the Pic Blanc, ski down and get picked up by a helicopter to get back to the resort. It's expensive, but definitely a once in a lifetime experience!

Alpe d'Huez is popular for ski touring, whether it's going up the pistes or tackling more of a backcountry route. A number of ski schools, private instructors and companies can show you around, or if you've got all the necessary equipment, you can head out in your own group. 
Popular areas to explore include the Grandes Rousses Massif which has easy routes like the Grandes Buffes or the Croix de Cassini and more challenging ones like the Grand Sauvage couloir or the popular Traversée Integrale which crosses five cols and five glaciers. 
Other areas to explore from Alpe d'Huez are the Belledonne massif with the famous Brèche de Roche Fendue through a forest, the Taillefer massif or the Ecrins summits.

There are two snowparks in Alpe d'Huez:

a larger one beside the beginner runs above 1800, most easily accessed from the DMC first station
a smaller one in Montfrais - better for beginners

Biggest snowpark in Alpe d'Huez

You'll see at the Snowpark des Jeux, that there are four difficulty levels: beginner (green), easy (blue), intermediate (red) and expert (black). Each route has three to four boxes or rails and four kickers (jumps). There's also an airbag jump, half-pipe and boardercross course. After your run you can chill out on the Cool Zone deckchairs at the bottom.

Best snowpark in Alpe d'Huez for beginners

The Montfrais snow park is best for beginners, with a couple of kickers and some bumps. It's worth heading here if it's your first time at the park and you want to hone your skills without being surrounded by experts stamping down their landings (or their feet whilst they wait for you to get out of their way!).

Télémarking is a form of downhill skiing where you are only attached into the binding at the toe, so to turn, you have to lunge and bring your heel upwards. 
Talk to one of the ski schools or private instructors who can teach you how to télémark and take you out on excursions using this technique.

If this whets your appetite for more ski talk, check out our recommendations of the best pistes in Alpe d'Huez. Take a look at this year's ski pass prices or, if you're not sure which pass to buy.