Since 1936, Alpe d’Huez has expanded at an altitude of 1860m on the southern flank of the Grandes Rousses Massif. Also called “The Island in the Sunshine”, this health resort enjoys long sunshine (average of 300 sun days per year) and a particularly active microclimate.
On the Grandes Rousses massif, the ski resort of Alpe d’Huez and surrounding resorts of Auris-en-Oisans, Huez-en-Oisans, Oz-en-Oisans, Vaujany, Villard-Reculas face due south.
Pic Blanc, the highest peak in the Grandes Rousses Massif (3,330 m), offers breathtaking panoramic views on the national Ecrins Park and its peaks : le Rateau, la Meije, la Muzelle, les Aiguilles d’Arves, the Belledonne and the Mont Blanc, and rates 3-star in the Michelin Guide. A landscape covering almost 1/5th of the French territory, from Italy until the Central Massif.
The high altitude guarantees good snow coverage of all 10,000 hectares of the ski area, in other words, 252 km runs of different levels, with average vertical drop of 2,230 metres, and 824 hectares for skiing. Thanks to the 870 snowmaking machines, you can ski all the way back to Alpe d’Huez and the resort villages.
The geography of the area, with gentle vertical drop at the bottom of the slopes, is ideal for learning ski and snowboard sports on the green runs or in the beginners' area.
The black runs accessible via Pic Blanc and the new Les Marmottes II cable car, attract thrill seekers and the more technically advanced skiers and provide the opportunity to explore the entire area on a vertical drop of 2200m.
You can enjoy an hour and a half of uninterrupted skiing down the 16-km Sarenne run - the longest run in the world – as well as the La Fare or Château Noir runs, without taking ski lifts, thanks to the ski run network which covers the entire Massif and provides all the pleasure of longer skiing.
