SkiSpots Alpe d'Huez
Ski Area:
The area offers a choice of holiday bases, either in the buzzing main resort or in one of the tranquil satellite station villages.
Satellite Stations & Ski Sectors
The five satellite station villages (Auris-en-Oisans, Huez, Villard-Reculas, Oz-en-Oisans and Vaujany) are spread out at the foot of the Grandes Rousses Massif, and each offers a laid-back holiday experience where the pace of life is relatively slow and the welcome is warm and homely. All of the satellites are lift-linked into the core ski area, and all have home-run pistes allowing for end-of-day descents back to the heart of your chosen resort (although a final short gondola ride is required to reach Vaujany). Huez, Villard-Reculas and Vaujany offer the most authentic Oisans mountain-village atmosphere and surroundings, the latter being quite a classy little micro-resort with fast, modern cablecars linking directly into the upper Alpe d'Huez ski area almost as quickly as the main town's lifts.
The individual sectors that make up this large linked domain also have their own distinct characters, delivering a different experience with each day's skiing:
* The Auris sector is quite extensive and could compete on its own with some smaller regional stations; it's an integrally complete satellite ski station that provides the full gamut of pistes for all abilities.
* The uppermost Pic Blanc sector is a glacial realm of rock and ice, with the area's most exposed and challenging black pistes, including the epic Sarenne run.
* The core Alpe d'Huez sector is characterised by enjoyable mid-altitude cruises, which flow into the motorway-wide gentle superpistes that are designated as beginners' zones, running down to the resort's two big base access areas.
* The Signal sector covers a distinct hill overlooking the upper residential area of Alpe d'Huez, directly accessible from town and linked to Villard-Reculas. These good cruising slopes are home to the resort's floodlit night-skiing and competition pistes.
* The Vaujany/Oz sector provides long sheltered trails, great for competent novices and good intermediates, down to the two lowest-altitude valley villages. This sector also contains the further satellite area of Montfrais at 1650 m (5412 ft), a compact cluster of lifts and pistes that acts as the core ski area for the village of Vaujany.
Overall, this is a big ski domain that is ideal for beginners and flattering for nervous novices, yet challenging and interesting enough for good intermediates and those of advanced abilities. Combine this with the favourable weather record, and Alpe d'Huez shines as one of the Alps' top all-round resorts.
For current news and events, live weather reports, resort webcams, ski area data, lift passes and related services prices, please click on the first link below to go directly to the official website for this great domain:
- Alpe d'Huez & Grandes Rousses
- TXTguides | Alpe d'Huez Ski Guidebook on your Mobile Phone | FREE Download
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