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Fresh snow to see resort through to the end of season
After last weeks’ pleasantly surprising huge dump of snow, we saw the return of spring for a couple of days before a bit more snow at the weekend. In total Saturday and Sunday delivered a further 5cm of snow - nothing massive, but a nice little late season top-up never the less, plus there is some snow in the forecast as well.
The next few days (Wednesday to Friday) may well bring us somewhere in the region of a further 13cm of snow on higher slopes as well, and this will be perfect in the lead up to the busy Easter period.
The past couple of days have been gloriously sunny and the snow is being brought to us courtesy of an approaching cold front that should deliver the precipitation, although with a freeze height of around 1800m, it may unfortunately fall as rain on the very lowest of slopes. That said, the higher slopes should receive a nice bit of fresh snow. Next week looks like being a bit unsettled, with some sunshine and the chance of some precipitation as well, with temperatures remaining mild for the main.
After last weeks’ big snow fall and the weekends little top-up, on-piste cover now stands impressively for mid-April at:
After an initial rise to 3/5, the avalanche risk has now thankfully dropped back down to 2/5 thanks to the sterling work of the local pisteurs. Even with a bit of fresh snow it is likely to stay at 2/5 across the whole ski area.
For the past week or so the temperatures have been lower than they were at the end of March, and this is definitely helping to keep the pistes in better condition as the days go on, but things definitely have that lovely spring feel to them at the moment.
With the UK schools now on Easter holiday there are definitely more British families in resort, but nothing like the peaks we see in February and thankfully lift queues remain nice and short, as they have been for the past few weeks now.
Impressively for mid-April, we still have a whooping 85 pistes open across the ski area, and of these 28 are green, 28 blue, 22 red and seven black, and as has been the case all season there’s still plenty of variety for skiers of all abilities.
The famous black run Sarenne is in great late season condition for its entire 16km length and is ever popular, although the infamous black run Tunnel is still super-mogully, is not for the faint-hearted, and carries its usual “good skiers only” caveat, and this really should be borne in mind on this very steepest of pistes.
Amazingly for so late in the season you can still ski all the way to down to 1500m in Maronne, Huez and Vaujany, which is quite a luxury as we are now well into April, and last weekends fresh snow has kept the conditions of the lower slopes in particularly good late season nick.
Off-piste depths now stand at:
The off-piste conditions are still pretty good, and the best lines are to be found towards the Pyramides from the top of the Pic Blanc at 3300m, but to find the very best of the late season powder a bit of ski-touring is required. As is always the case when venturing off-piste, be careful.
We still have 31km of Nordic XC ski trails remain open as well as 12km of walking trails, and like the ski pistes they remain in good late season condition. We are into the second week of French summer time over here now, and with sunrise today at 07:02 and sunset at 20:13, we had well over 13 hours of lovely daylight.
Although diminishingly reported in the UK news feeds, the gilets jaunes protest continues here in France, and are now entering their 22nd week. Although they are no longer daily, the protests are still ongoing sporadically and they tend to target Saturday mornings (transfer day) – the protests are entirely peaceful and are nothing to worry about, but just be aware of the delays they may cause to your drive or airport transfer.
Ski & Snowboard Rental Close to the Pierre & Vacances, Maeva & Club Med residences. Save time and money by booking online with Intersport. Have your equipment ready to pick up as soon as you arrive and hit the slopes straight away!
No need to carry your ski equipment around with you! Simply pick it up from the ski shop in resort. You can collect your equipment from at least 5pm the day before your 1st skiing day.
Right in the heart of the shopping centre of the town the shop is only 50m from the main ski lifts and 5m from the ski school and lift pass office.
Yan and Alizée welcome you to their Alpesports store, conveniently located at the bottom of the runs, by the cable cars to Pic Blanc 3300m and the Sarenne slopes!
Want to rent skis or snowboards in Alpe d'Huez? Just visit the NetSki Les Bergers store!
Located in the heart of Alpe d’Huez, Precision Ski – Ski Dream greets you in a friendly atmosphere, just steps away from accommodations, restaurants, and the first slopes.
This ski school is part of the prestigious École du Ski Français, one of the most well-known and trusted ski schools in the Alps, with schools across France’s major resorts.
Oli Sebbar is a certified ski instructor in France and New Zealand. He loves sharing his passion and knowledge of the mountains and will help you understand and learn how to deal with different types of snow conditions you may encounter while riding on piste and off-piste.
Established in 1991, this ski and snowboard school was one of the first British ski schools in France and is renowned for its fantastic instructors and excellent customer service.
This ski school offers group ski lessons for both children and adults, catering to all ability levels. Their group lessons provide a great and affordable way to improve your skiing in a safe, social and supportive environment.
This ski school is part of the prestigious École du Ski Français, one of the most well-known and trusted ski schools in the Alps, with schools across France’s major resorts.
With over 30 years of experience teaching skiing and snowboarding across the French Alps, their mission is to help you make the most of every moment on snow.
This company offers private and shared transfers from Geneva Airport to Alpe d'Huez, nearby areas, and resorts across the Alps. With great value fares on all journeys, it’s an easy way to save money.
They provide the best price for airport transfers to destinations throughout the French Alps, year-round.
Booking with them means your holiday won’t involve the stress of public transport, the cost of private transfers, or the hassle of fitting snow chains on a hire car.
Alp Venture offers safe, reliable and professional private transfers to Alpe d’Huez at competitive prices.
Step away from the bustle of the ski slopes and try your hand at biathlon, a brilliant winter adventure that mixes cross-country skiing with precision rifle shooting. It is an exciting blend of endurance and focus, and it suits mixed groups beautifully. With adapted equipment and clear guidance, it is accessible to absolute beginners as well as those keen to push themselves a little.
Strap on your snowshoes and explore the winter trails of Alpe d’Huez with a qualified instructor, discovering the mountains at a slower pace and in complete tranquillity. Snowshoe walks are suitable for all ages and require only a basic level of fitness, making them perfect for families, mixed groups, or anyone looking for a peaceful winter escape. Each outing is rated by difficulty, allowing you to choose the walk that best suits your group.
This company offers instruction on driving around the same ice track that's used for the popular Andros Trophy event and it's guaranteed enjoyment!
Situated in the heart of the main street (Avenue Les Jeux) is the patinoire (ice rink) – in the middle of town underneath the shadow of the Royal Ours Blanc Hotel.
Find out all about what is happening in Allpe d'Huez and how to make the most of your time here. The latest news, reviews of fun activities, current events and the trendiest restaurants, as well as interviews with leading locals, insider's guides and our top choices for things to do, see and experience in the valley. Plus, during the winter season, our famous snow reports and dump alerts all in the same place.
See allLatest News & ReviewsAlpe d'Huez hosts a wide range of events throughout the year. In the winter, you can expect motor racing on ice, comedy festivals, ski races and various live music gigs. During the summer months, the focus turns to cycling with the Tour de France usually passing through town. The Megavalanche, a mass-start mountain bike race that draws thousands of MTB fans from around the world, takes place in July.
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