Trail map
Published by SATA Group (Societe d'Amenagement Touristique de l'Alpe d'Huez); this copy via Alpe d'Huez (SATA Group / Office de Tourisme). The current official map is at SATA Group (Societe d'Amenagement Touristique de l'Alpe d'Huez).
Routable 3D map
The whole lift and piste network of Alpe d'Huez is routable in the app: difficulty limits, live lift and piste status, alternative ways to the same place, and a 3D view of the terrain.
Open in SkiAllDayThe verdict
Alpe d'Huez markets 250 km of piste across five linked villages between 728 m and 3,330 m, one of the biggest verticals in the Alps; our own measurement of the connected network finds 166.9 km, about a third less. The terrain is broad and mostly intermediate rather than steep (a measured 19% average gradient), anchored by the Sarenne, marketed as Europe's longest black run at 16 km but, by forum accounts, black for only its upper quarter. The domain is efficient to ski (91 lift-minutes per hour on the snow) and reaches deep into the valley via the Eau d'Olle Express gondola from Allemond, but its five-village spread means a satellite base in Oz or Vaujany has no evening way back to Alpe d'Huez itself once the lifts close.12345
Goes well for
- Skiers who want scale and a big vertical drop without constant lift queues: 166.9 km of measured piste and 116.3 km of lift line on a single ticket, at a measured 91 minutes of lift riding per hour spent skiing
- Confident intermediates: 130 of the marketed 250 km is graded red, and our own measurement puts the network's average gradient at a moderate 19%, well within reach of someone still building confidence on steeper terrain
- Day trippers from Grenoble who want to skip the resort's famous 21 hairpin bends: the Eau d'Olle Express gondola runs straight from free parking in Allemond, at the valley floor, into the lift network
Goes badly for
- Skiers staying in Oz-en-Oisans or Vaujany who want Alpe d'Huez's evening scene: forum reports describe no lift or bus link back once the lifts close, only a long road loop, so evenings are spent in whichever village you are based in
- Steep-terrain seekers judging the resort by the Sarenne's marketed 16 km: our own routing measurement finds the longest lift-free descent in the network at 11.4 km, and forum trip reports describe only the run's upper quarter as genuinely black, with a red, mogul-prone middle and a near-flat finish
- Late-season or low-altitude skiing: our measurement finds just 27% of the piste network facing north, northeast or northwest, and the domain's lower villages sit well under 2,000 m with no glacier left to fall back on since the Sarenne glacier retreated
Key facts
Every card opens. The headline number is the answer; underneath is how it was measured and where it came from.
Elevation 2,602m vertical · 728–3,330 m
| Village | 1,860 m6 |
|---|---|
| Lowest piste | 728 m5 |
| Highest lift-served point | 3,330 m1 |
| Vertical drop | 2,602 m |
The operator's own site publishes only the domain's summit altitude, 3,330 m at Pic Blanc, and the altitude of Alpe d'Huez village itself, 1,860 m. Skiresort.com's more detailed elevation line reads a bracketed "727 m" alongside a headline base of 1,125 m. That lower figure is Allemond, in the valley below Oz-en-Oisans: the Eau d'Olle Express gondola, opened December 2020, climbs from 728 m in Allemond to 1,384 m at Oz-en-Oisans and is covered by the Alpe d'Huez ski pass, extending the connected lift network down into the Eau d'Olle valley. Our own graph measurement finds a network minimum of 725 m, matching this valley-floor terminus rather than the village of Alpe d'Huez or the older Enversin d'Oz gondola (historically the domain's lowest point at around 1,125-1,135 m, before the Eau d'Olle Express was built). Note also that the resort village at 1,860 m sits inside the separate commune of Huez, whose own village core is lower, at about 1,450 m.
Pistes 250km 166.9 km measured from the network
- Easy 70km 28%
- Intermediate 130km 52%
- Difficult 50km 20%
Marketed vs measuredThe operator markets 250 km across 111 runs, with no stated methodology and no marketed-vs-marked distinction of the kind some other French operators publish (Grand Massif, for instance, states a skiable figure alongside a smaller reglemente, or marked-piste, figure). Skiresort.com independently splits that same 250 km as 70 km easy, 130 km intermediate and 50 km difficult. Our own measurement of the connected OpenStreetMap network finds 166.9 km of marked piste, about a third less than the marketed figure. We could not find an operator-published methodology to explain the gap, but it is consistent with the centre-line, maximum-legal-width convention documented at other resorts, applied to a domain whose pistes fan out across five villages and a lot of open above-treeline terrain.
Lifts 67 0 types in the fleet
The operator's own site counts 67 lifts; skiresort.com counts 68, a difference typical of publication timing rather than a real disagreement. Neither source publishes a lift-type breakdown we could independently confirm against the operator's own numbers, so it is left blank here rather than guessed. The Eau d'Olle Express gondola, opened December 2020, is the newest addition and is what extends the network down to Allemond at 728 m.1
Season December – April winter season
| Winter season | early December – late April |
|---|---|
| Lift hours | 08:30-17:00 |
Day pass EUR 68 adult, main season
| Adult | EUR 687 |
|---|---|
| Youth | EUR — |
| Child | EUR 577 |
| Multi-resort passes | Half-day ticket: 59.00 EUR. End-of-day ticket, valid from 3pm: 42.50 EUR. Multi-day passes run from 2 to 7 days, priced per day at a discount to the single-day rate (2 days 130.50 EUR, 7 days 389.00 EUR, adult). Assur'Glisse ski-pass insurance is 3.50 EUR per day; the rechargeable pass card itself costs 2 EUR. |
2026/27 winter rates from the operator's own current price list, running 19 December 2026 to 9 April 2027 (reduced rates 5-12 December 2026 and 10-18 April 2027). The operator's age bands are Adult 13-64, Child 5-12, Senior 65-71 and Grand Senior 72 and over; there is no separate youth band. A discounted Student rate (13-25, ID required) matches the child price at 56.50 EUR for one day. A single-day ticket already covers all five connected villages (Alpe d'Huez, Auris-en-Oisans, Oz-en-Oisans, Vaujany and Villard-Reculas), not just multi-day passes.
Nearest airport about 1h30 Grenoble-Alpes-Isere Airport
| Grenoble-Alpes-Isere Airport | about 1h30 by car/bus |
|---|---|
| Lyon-Saint Exupery Airport | about 2h by car/bus |
From Grenoble, the operator states under an hour via the D1091 departmental road through Bourg-d'Oisans, then the climb of 21 hairpin bends up to the resort. From Lyon, about 2h30 via the A480 motorway to Grenoble; from Geneva, about 2h45.
The mountain
These figures come from measuring the resort's actual piste and lift network rather than from its brochure. Measured from the SkiAllDay routing graph on 4 September 2026. Where the resort publishes a figure of its own, that figure is the one shown.
Piste km per lift km
1.44
Piste km opened by each kilometre of lift line. It measures how sparse the lift network is, not how good it is: a high figure means long runs off few lifts, so more skiing between rides but more traversing and more people funnelled onto each lift; a low one means dense lift service, quick laps and short waits, at the cost of repeating the same runs.
measuredLift minutes per ski hour
91 min
Time riding up for every hour spent descending, from the graph’s own traversal times.
measuredLongest continuous descent
16.0 km
we measure 11.4 km
The longest run of linked pistes that never rides a lift.
officialReachable on easy runs only
51%
Share of piste a skier can reach from the base without ever descending something harder than an easy run.
measuredNorth-facing terrain
27%
Piste facing N, NE or NW, from the bearing of each descent. Shaded aspects hold snow longest.
measuredVertical on that descent
2,184 m
measuredUphill on surface lifts
11%
Share of climbing served by drag lifts and platters, weighted by vertical rather than by lift count.
measuredPiste above 2,500 m
18%
measuredMedian piste altitude
1,946 m
Half the piste length lies above this height and half below, weighted by length.
measuredSkiers per piste km
85
At full lift capacity — a ceiling for comparing resorts, not a forecast of your day. Derived from uphill capacity, lift ride times and the split between riding and descending.
measuredAverage lift capacity
1,705/h
People per hour, averaged across lifts. High can mean short queues, or a lot of people arriving on the same runs.
measuredMean piste gradient
19%
Length-weighted across every piste. Comparable between countries in a way that piste colour is not.
measuredPiste measured
166.9 km
measuredLift length measured
116.3 km
measuredHow steep is it, really
Piste colour is set by each resort under its own rules, so a red in one country is a blue in another. Measured gradient is comparable everywhere.
- 19% 0–10%
- 32% 10–20%
- 38% 20–30%
- 9% 30–40%
- 2% 40%+
Guide
Five villages feed one connected network centred on the Grandes Rousses massif and its high point, Pic Blanc at 3,330 m: Alpe d'Huez itself, plus Auris-en-Oisans, Oz-en-Oisans, Vaujany and Villard-Reculas, each with its own valley lift. A single day ticket covers all five from the first ride.
Five villages, one network, several ways in
Alpe d'Huez village, at 1,860 m, is the traditional entry point, but it is not the only one. The Eau d'Olle Express gondola, opened in December 2020, climbs from Allemond, at the valley floor, to Oz-en-Oisans at 1,384 m, and is covered by the same ski pass; our own graph measurement finds this is what makes 728 m the network's actual lowest point, well below the village itself. Auris-en-Oisans, Vaujany and Villard-Reculas each have their own separate valley lift into the same connected terrain. Skipping Alpe d'Huez's 21 hairpin bends by driving to Allemond instead is common enough that it is a recurring tip on French ski forums.854
Mostly intermediate, and gentler than the marketed split suggests
The operator markets 250 km across 111 runs; skiresort.com splits that figure as 70 km easy, 130 km intermediate and 50 km difficult, so just over half the marketed network is red-graded. Our own measurement of the connected OpenStreetMap network finds 166.9 km of piste, about a third less than the marketed figure, at a length-weighted average gradient of only 19%. That is a gentler number than the resort's reputation as a big, serious domain might suggest, and it lines up with forum descriptions of a mountain that rewards distance and variety over sustained steepness outside a handful of named descents.134
The Sarenne: a long descent, unevenly difficult
The operator's own figures put the Sarenne at 16 km from Pic Blanc's summit at 3,330 m down to 1,510 m in the Sarenne gorges, a 1,820 m vertical drop, and market it as the longest black run in Europe. Forum accounts from recent seasons describe the difficulty as front-loaded: a genuinely steep, technical top quarter, a red-graded and often mogul-prone middle section once the gorge narrows, and a final stretch so flat that snowboarders are advised to carry speed into it rather than expect to coast. Our own routing measurement finds the network's longest lift-free descent at 11.4 km with 2,184 m of vertical, short of the marketed figure and consistent with the run not being uniformly black along its length. Le Tunnel, the resort's other named extreme piste, a run through a 200 m carved rock tunnel followed by a mogul field the operator describes as a 35-degree pitch, was listed by the operator as closed following an unspecified incident as of September 2026; check current status before planning a day around it.24
Where the easy terrain is
Our own routing measurement finds 51% of the network reachable from the base without ever descending something harder than an easy run, well above what the marketed 28%-easy split alone would suggest, since a lot of the domain's open, above-treeline terrain around Alpette, Signal and Les Jeux is gently pitched even where it is not marked green. The operator's piste map shows dedicated fun and learning zones scattered across several sectors (Montfrais, Les Jeux, Signal, Oz, Villard-Reculas, Auris), rather than concentrated in one beginner village. Forum reports do single out the home runs down into Oz as an exception, describing them as icy or chopped up later in the day and better suited to a confident red-run skier than a nervous improver.48
Snow, sun and aspect
Alpe d'Huez is marketed as "the island in the sun," and the terrain backs that up: much of the domain sits on open, south-facing plateaus above the treeline, which is good for visibility and bad for holding snow. Our own measurement finds only 27% of the piste network faces north, northeast or northwest, and there is no glacier left to fall back on late in the season; forum trip reports describe the Sarenne glacier, which once fed the top of the domain, as retreated rather than skiable. Community reports consistently advise skiing the east-facing terrain first and saving the shaded Oz-Vaujany and back-of-Signal sectors, which stay firmer for longer, until the afternoon.46
| Skier | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Confident intermediate | excellent | This is the domain's sweet spot: over half the marketed terrain is red-graded, the measured network is efficient to ski at 91 lift-minutes per hour on snow, and the scale (166.9 km measured, five linked villages) supports a full week without repeating runs.34 |
| First-timer | good | Our own routing measurement finds 51% of the network reachable without descending anything harder than an easy run, and the operator's map shows dedicated learning and fun zones spread across several sectors rather than confined to one village. The main caution is the home runs into Oz-en-Oisans, which forum reports describe as icy or chopped up by afternoon.438 |
| Family with mixed abilities | good | The operator's piste map shows multiple dedicated kids' and fun-slope zones spread across the domain's sectors, and a single day ticket already covers all five villages, which simplifies planning for a group split across abilities.87 |
| Second-week skier | fair | Half the marketed network is red-graded (130 of 250 km), and while our own measurement finds a moderate 19% average gradient overall, the domain is large and spread across five villages, which is a lot to navigate while still building confidence. Forum reports of icy or ungroomed patches on the Oz home runs and elsewhere suggest sticking to groomed reds until conditions are known.34 |
| Advanced skier | fair | The Sarenne's marketed 16 km and Le Tunnel's mogul field get the headlines, but our own measurement finds a modest 19% average gradient across the network and forum accounts describe the Sarenne as black for only its upper quarter. Genuinely steep, sustained terrain here is mostly off-piste and guide-dependent (Grand Sablat from Pic Blanc, Combe du Loup toward the Refuge du Col de Sarenne) rather than piste-marked.24 |
| Budget skier | fair | At 68 EUR for an adult day ticket (2026/27 season), Alpe d'Huez sits at the higher end of French day-resort pricing, though the half-day (59 EUR) and end-of-day-from-3pm (42.50 EUR) tickets bring that down, and multi-day passes discount further per day. A day trip from Grenoble is straightforward at under an hour by car via the D1091.79 |
By car
From Grenoble, the operator states under an hour via the D1091 departmental road through Bourg-d'Oisans, then the climb of 21 hairpin bends up to the resort. From Lyon, about 2h30 via the A480 motorway to Grenoble; from Geneva, about 2h45.
By train
Alpe d'Huez has no station of its own; the nearest is Grenoble, reached by TGV and regional trains from Paris, Lyon and Marseille. From Grenoble, bus line T75 runs to Bourg-d'Oisans (about 1h30), then line T76 continues up to Alpe d'Huez with frequent service. A seasonal Transaltitude express also runs twice daily direct from Grenoble in about 1h45.
Where to base yourself
| Grenoble 65 km | Nearest city and rail hub; less than an hour by car via the D1091 |
|---|---|
| Bourg-d'Oisans 14 km | Valley gateway town at the foot of the 21 bends, served by bus line T75 from Grenoble |
| Lyon 150 km | About 2h30 by car via the A480 to Grenoble |
What skiers say
-
During school holidays, avoid starting the Marmottes 1–3 ascent at 09:30; either leave earlier or begin in Oz, Vaujany or Auris.10
A French report from 25 February 2026 found little wait at Marmottes 1 but 30 minutes at Marmottes 2 and 45 minutes at Marmottes 3.
-
Reserve a Pic Blanc cable-car slot before building your day around the summit.11
A 2024/25 discussion estimated 30–45-minute queues at bad times, versus roughly 40 minutes best-case from Montfrais to the summit; several regulars reported shorter queues around lunchtime.
-
If Pic Blanc and Marmottes are already backed up, abandon the summit plan and ski toward Oz rather than waiting.12
At 10:00 during Christmas week, one French skier estimated 30 minutes for Pic Blanc, found Marmottes busy too, then reported good conditions and almost nobody around Oz.
-
Ski Montfrais and the Vaujany side in the morning, before visitors from Alpe d'Huez arrive around lunchtime.13
Regulars describe this north-facing sector as colder and quieter early, with noticeably more traffic after midday.
-
For a day trip from Grenoble, park at the Eau d'Olle Express in Allemond instead of driving the 21 bends to Alpe d'Huez.1415
A local French thread reports about 200 free spaces plus nearby free overflow and roughly a 10-minute gondola ride to Oz; another discussion lists 217 spaces and calls the valley-floor drive the easiest approach.
-
Drive to Oz Station only when the earliest possible start matters; otherwise Allemond gives nearly the same access with an easier drive.15
Oz has a drop-off area and nearby multi-storey parking, but the Allemond gondola reaches the same lift network in about half the driving time.
-
From Grenoble without a car, use a direct bus to Alpe d'Huez when possible rather than improvising a transfer to Oz.16
A 2025 discussion found that some Oz buses continued beyond Rochetaillée only on Saturdays; travelling by road between Oz and Alpe d'Huez after lift closure was described as long and expensive.
-
Do not base yourself in Bourg-d'Oisans without a car unless the limited morning bus schedule fits your ski days exactly.17
A recent discussion notes that buses serve Allemond and Huez but are infrequent enough that missing the morning departure can effectively cost the day.
-
Take Alpauris into Auris specifically for the Fontfroide red rather than treating the sector as mere transit.18
A February 2023 visitor singled it out as a great red and also recommended the neighboring blues.
-
Add Col de Cluy in Auris when it is groomed or softly moguled; it is repeatedly recommended as an overlooked black.1920
Reports describe it as scenic and less intimidating than the Tunnel, although it can develop substantial bumps.
-
From Alpette–Rousses, ski Bartavelles for a steep rocky upper section followed by a long cruise where the snow commonly stays good.21
A recent repeat visitor recommended it alongside the prettier descents toward Oz, while warning that the later section is flat.
-
For a serious full-height descent, link Les Rousses, Chalets and La Fare toward Vaujany.192223
Skiers rate La Fare as quieter and more consistently steep than Sarenne, but it is frequently closed and can remain hard or icy because of its shade and low finish.
-
Use Clocher de Macle as the first black for a confident red-run skier.23
A French regular describes it as consistently maintained, not especially steep and effectively red in difficulty; that assessment does not extend to the other natural blacks nearby.
-
Seek out Combe Charbonnière when it is officially open for an isolated 500-metre descent with a genuine mountain feel.24
The approach traverse is awkward enough that snowboarders may need to unstrap, and the run narrows and becomes more technical near its lower end.
-
For a Saturday day trip, check the advance online fare before buying at the window.2526
The resort has repeatedly offered an online-only Saturday promotion; a January 2022 trip report paid €34, nearly half the then-standard fare, but the price and booking deadline should be rechecked for the current season.
-
Before buying separate tickets elsewhere, inspect the current extras attached to a six-day Alpe d'Huez pass.21
A 2026 discussion reports access to several neighboring resorts and a 20–30% reduction on a La Grave day ticket; entitlements can change by season.
-
Use the Carrefour or Spar for a packed lunch, with the Les Bergers shopping mall particularly convenient because it backs onto the slopes.1127
Recent visitors confirm both supermarkets and plentiful takeaway choices; an earlier trip report found a fair-sized supermarket and several snack outlets within minutes of the Bergers lifts.
-
For a proper piste lunch, look for Chalet d'Oz on skier's right below Perce-Neige, or La Grange by the Alpette–Rousses lifts for pizza.2829
Regulars praise Chalet d'Oz for tartiflette and génépi; La Grange is well regarded but its sunny terrace becomes hectic, so arrive before the French lunch rush.
-
At Signal, distinguish the restaurant from the pyramid-shaped 2108 self-service before choosing lunch.2729
A 2015 trip report disliked the 2108 self-service, while a French local later praised the proper Signal restaurant for inventive cooking and house-made desserts.
-
Do not choose Sarenne expecting 16 kilometres of sustained black-piste skiing.2119
Recent skiers describe only the upper quarter as steep enough to earn its black grading, the middle as red and mogul-prone after lunch, and the final section as nearly cross-country; snowboarders should preserve speed for the flats.
-
When the Tunnel is running (it was listed as closed by the operator as of September 2026), do not enter it merely because it is open; inspect its exit from the Alpette–Rousses arrival and wait for suitable snow.213031
The exit can be steep, heavily moguled and icy enough that reports describe fallen skiers sliding a long distance; several discussions advise intermediates to leave it until later.
-
Do not send a tentative intermediate down the home runs to Oz without checking their condition first.3233
Multiple visitors found them icy, chopped up or crowded and suggested red-run competence; Alpette or Poutran can be downloaded instead when necessary.
-
Do not stay in Oz or Vaujany expecting to join Alpe d'Huez nightlife after the lifts close.3416
There is no convenient evening lift or bus connection, and the road journey is a long, costly loop; return to the satellite village before lift closure.
-
Do not plan to return to a Vaujany or Oz apartment for lunch while exploring the main domain.35
Local French advice says the inter-sector return consumes a large part of the ski day; carry lunch and complete a one-way circuit instead.
-
Follow the sun across the domain: ski the east-facing terrain first and leave the shaded Oz–Vaujany or Signal-to-Villard side until afternoon.3121
Regulars warn that the peripheral runs can be very hard early; the back of Signal remains shaded in the morning while much of central Alpe d'Huez is south-facing.
-
In a whiteout that does not clear above the cloud, cross Alpauris toward the more wooded Auris side.21
A recent repeat visitor specifically recommends this sector for tree definition and fresh snow when the open central bowl has no contrast.
-
When strong wind closes the high lifts, stop waiting for DMC/Pic Blanc or Marmottes and work the lower sectors while they remain open.3036
Trip reports describe everything above resort level closing while conditions lower down stayed benign; closures can progressively isolate skiers in their own sectors.
-
After rain or a warm spell, stay above roughly 2100 metres until late rather than chasing the long low-altitude descents.3625
Reports found the runs below DMC 1 deteriorating into slush or exposed patches while the higher mountain retained winter snow; south-facing terrain can transform rapidly after midday.
-
If Sarenne's lower gorge is icy or thin, lap only its upper section using Herpie and Marmottes 3 instead of committing to the complete descent.21
A recent visitor recommends this exact workaround; it also avoids the long flat finish and uncertain low-elevation cover.
-
Ski Grand Sablat from Pic Blanc only with a guide and a prearranged return from Clavans or a planned traverse back toward Col de Sarenne.3738
Discussions describe nearly 2000 metres of descent but identify wind slab on the first pitch, overhead-avalanche exposure around the lake and rapid warming above Clavans; descending fully without transport leaves a long road shuttle.
-
For an introduction to local off-piste, book a short lesson from Vaujany and lap terrain beneath the Dôme des Petites Rousses cable car.3940
Experienced visitors say the lift accesses many wild-feeling lines quickly and that the principal lap terrain is non-glaciated, making it more practical for instruction than committing immediately to Grand Sablat.
-
With local guidance and safe conditions, use Combe du Loup as the scenic off-piste approach to Refuge du Col de Sarenne.4142
The route joins lower Sarenne after a skating traverse near the cliffs; discussions call the access traverse awkward or sketchy, so confirm the line and avalanche conditions rather than following tracks.
History
-
1936
Jean Pomagalski builds his first drag lift on the slopes of Eclose, above Alpe d'Huez, the start of the Poma company.43
-
1954
The Grandes Rousses 1 and 2 aerial tramways, built by the Monzies company for a private concessionaire, are inaugurated on 12 October, reaching 2,614 m.44
-
1952
The Tour de France climbs to Alpe d'Huez for the first time.43
-
1958
After financial trouble and cable-car breakdowns force the private concessionaire to stop operating, SATA (Societe d'Amenagement Touristique de l'Alpe d'Huez) is founded in October to buy back and run the lifts.44
-
1968
Alpe d'Huez hosts the bobsleigh events of the Grenoble Winter Olympics.43
-
1975
On 18 March, a Grandes Rousses 2 cabin detaches from its haul cable mid-ascent and rolls nearly 1,000 m down the carrying cable at close to 90 km/h before stopping; nobody is hurt, but SATA permanently retires both 1954 tramways.44
-
1976
A new six-person detachable Poma gondola, the telecabine des Grandes Rousses, replaces the retired tramways on the same alignment in time for the winter season.44
-
1986
The DMC (double mono-cable) gondola replaces the 1976 telecabine on the Grandes Rousses line.44
-
1988
The ski domain is extended to connect the newer resorts of Oz-en-Oisans and Vaujany, between 1987 and 1989.44
-
2020
The Eau d'Olle Express gondola opens in December, extending the connected network down to Allemond at 728 m, the domain's lowest point.5
Nearby and comparable
- Les Deux Alpes 25 km
Across the Romanche valley on a separate massif, reached from the same Bourg-d'Oisans gateway but not lift-connected to Alpe d'Huez. A similarly large domain with its own glacier skiing.
- La Grave 35 km
A single cable car onto the Meije glacier with no marked pistes at all, the extreme-freeride counterpoint to Alpe d'Huez's groomed scale. Alpe d'Huez multi-day passes have included a discount on a La Grave day ticket, according to recent forum reports; check current terms before relying on it.
- Serre Chevalier 65 km
Further up the Guisane valley beyond Bourg-d'Oisans and the Lautaret pass, a similarly large linked domain with a longer, more forested valley run than Alpe d'Huez's largely open, above-treeline terrain.
Questions
How many piste kilometers does Alpe d'Huez have?
The operator markets 250 km across 111 runs, which skiresort.com splits as 70 km easy, 130 km intermediate and 50 km difficult. Our own measurement of the connected network finds 166.9 km of piste, about a third less than the marketed figure, with no operator-published methodology to explain the gap.134
Is the Sarenne really 16 kilometers of black-piste skiing?
The operator markets it at 16 km from Pic Blanc's summit at 3,330 m down to 1,510 m, calling it the longest black run in Europe. Forum trip reports from recent seasons describe the difficulty as front-loaded: a genuinely steep top quarter, a red-graded and often mogul-prone middle section, and a near-flat finish. Our own routing measurement finds the network's longest lift-free descent at 11.4 km, short of the marketed figure.24
Is Le Tunnel piste currently open?
As of September 2026, the operator's own site lists Le Tunnel as not accessible following an unspecified incident. When open, it is a run through a 200-meter tunnel carved into the rock followed by a mogul field the operator describes as a 35-degree pitch. Check the operator's current piste status before planning a day around it.2
Is Alpe d'Huez good for beginners?
Reasonably. Our own routing measurement finds 51% of the network reachable without descending anything harder than an easy run, and the operator's piste map shows dedicated learning and fun-slope zones spread across several sectors rather than confined to one village. The exception is the home runs down into Oz-en-Oisans, which forum reports describe as icy or chopped up by the afternoon and better suited to a confident red-run skier.48
How do you get to Alpe d'Huez, and is there a way to avoid the famous 21 bends?
By car, the operator's own route is under an hour from Grenoble via the D1091 through Bourg-d'Oisans, then the 21 hairpin bends up to the resort. To skip that climb, drive to Allemond in the valley instead and ride the Eau d'Olle Express gondola, which is covered by the same ski pass and connects directly into the lift network via Oz-en-Oisans; French ski forums cite around 200 free parking spaces there.95
What does a day ticket cost at Alpe d'Huez, and what season does that cover?
An adult day ticket is 68 EUR for the 2026/27 winter, which runs at full rates from 19 December 2026 to 9 April 2027, with reduced rates either side of that window. A child ticket (ages 5 to 12) is 56.50 EUR, and a half-day ticket is 59 EUR. A single-day ticket already covers all five connected villages, not just the multi-day passes.7
Where is the actual lowest point of the Alpe d'Huez ski area?
Not the 1,860 m village of Alpe d'Huez itself. The Eau d'Olle Express gondola, opened in December 2020, climbs from Allemond at the valley floor, around 728 m, up to Oz-en-Oisans, and is covered by the same pass. Our own graph measurement of the connected lift-and-piste network confirms 728 m as its lowest point.54
References
Every claim on this page carries a numbered marker linking here, and every reference links back to the passages that used it. Numbers not yet checked against a source are marked like this.
- 1. ^ a b c d e f Domaine skiable Alpe d'Huez - Grand Domaine Ski
- 2. ^ a b c d e Legendary slopes
- 3. ^ a b c d e f Ski resort Alpe d'Huez
- 4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n SkiAllDay routing graph, computed from OpenStreetMap
- 5. ^ a b c d e f Telecabine de l'Eau d'Olle Express
- 6. ^ a b Discover Alpe d'Huez
- 7. ^ a b c d e Day or half-day ski pass, 2026/27 rates
- 8. ^ a b c d e Plan des pistes / Slope map, hiver 2025-2026 (page 2)
- 9. ^ a b Getting to Alpe d'Huez
- 10. ^ Stations françaises pendant les vacances : info trafic
- 11. ^ a b Alpe d'Huez Grand Domaine Ski 24/25
- 12. ^ Alpe d'Huez : Plan A,' plan B, plan C...plan Z
- 13. ^ Vaujany
- 14. ^ Alpe huez - eau d'olle express
- 15. ^ a b Day trip to Alpe d Huez on way to SC
- 16. ^ a b Advice for Grenoble to Oz3300 (Alpe d'huez)
- 17. ^ Is it possible to stay in the villages around Alpe d'Huez without a car?
- 18. ^ Alpe d'huez - best runs, and gluten free...
- 19. ^ a b c Sarenne-how hard is it?
- 20. ^ Pour les connaisseur de l'Alpe d'huez
- 21. ^ a b c d e f g Alpe D'Heuz for advanced skiers
- 22. ^ Sarenne, Alpe d'Huez - death of a glacier: Latest
- 23. ^ a b Pistes noires Alpe d'huez
- 24. ^ Alpe d'huez - pistes et niveau
- 25. ^ a b Live TR: Vizille, Grenoble Alps, France, 19-29/1/22
- 26. ^ Bons plans et réductions forfaits de ski
- 27. ^ a b TR: Alpe d'Huez & Les 2 Alpes 10-17/1/15
- 28. ^ Alpe d'Huez lunch restaurants
- 29. ^ a b L'Alpe d'Huez 2017/2018
- 30. ^ a b France: Alpe d'Huez, Oz, Vaujany, Villard, Auris (6)
- 31. ^ a b Black run suggestions at 7 Laux or Alpe D'Huez?
- 32. ^ Alpe d'Huez tips
- 33. ^ Oz & Alpe d'Huez
- 34. ^ Vaujany or Alpe D'huez?
- 35. ^ Alpe d'Huez / Vaujany
- 36. ^ a b Alpe d'huez
- 37. ^ Alpe D'Huez for those that know the area???
- 38. ^ Itinéraire Hors pistes avec guide Alpes d' Huez
- 39. ^ La Grave/Alpe d'Huez Guides?
- 40. ^ Guide services in Alpe d'Huez region
- 41. ^ off piste in Alpe d'Huez
- 42. ^ Alpe d'Huez lesser-known black runs
- 43. ^ a b c History of Alpe d'Huez
- 44. ^ a b c d e f DMC des Grandes Rousses
Page last updated 4 September 2026.