Seeing Alpe d’Huez ski resort in the summer makes it clear that this is a very modern and purpose-built ski resort. Not the ski resort to choose if you’re looking for chocolate box alpine charm - you book Alpe d’Huez ski holidays for the amazingling modern ski facilitites and mountain infrastructure.
Alpe d’Huez has a massive 250km of piste, which makes it one of the world’s biggest non-linked ski resorts. The top Altitude is over 3,300m so you’re unlikely to get a no-sno holiday here and the modern ski lift system means you can really clock up the miles, if that’s your oeuvre.
does this make you want to ski Alpe d’Huez ?The inhabitants of Alpe d’Huez are among the most welcoming of any French ski resort. We met a charming young Frenchman who, although lightly toasted, managed to explain in English that he needed to take lots of pictures of our Airstream. I think he was in charge of a shop or cafe but it was hard to tell which one – his father, he told us, was owner of the “big” hotel. We were in the big car park/square at the very top of the resort so, if this chap rings any bells with you, do steer his gaze at this blog post and say hello for us.
roadies and even mountain bikers make the pilgrimage to climb the mighty Alpe d'Huez
cross country skier gets some summer langlaufen practice climbing Alpe d'Huez on rolla-skis (roller skis?)
first 1966 Airstream to climb Alpe d'Huez ? - someone call Norris McWerter
Despite the Airstream weighing over 2 tons, the climb up was actually very easy, if slow, and certainly worth the effort for the views… so I’m pleased with myself for completing the first ascent of Alpe d’Huez in a 1966 Airstream Overlander.
It was only on the way down that we had a reality check, re what we were asking some VERY OLD machinery to do, on this torturous piece of mountain road.
With our four wheel drive car in 2nd gear, I rarely had to touch the brakes all the way down – there’s an aweful lot of resistance in a 4×4 drive train plus a 3 litre 6 cyclinder diesel engine - but…
… what I hadn’t thought too much about, was the fact that the Airstream brakes were ON and holding back that 2.5 ton trailer ALL THE TIME !
wheels on fire... rolling down the road...
After approx 5km of the 12km descent, we saw huge clouds of smoke billowing from the Airstream wheels!
We pulled over and gave them a LONG time to cool – then completed the descent of Alpe d’Huez in 2km intervals – it was a pretty scary wake up and will ensure we’ll given these roads (and the poor old sno-mobile) a lot more respect hence forth.
Fevered brow… knees a tremble… sweaty palms… time for a lie down…. see you next time in Les Deux Alpes!
Snoman.
New Alpe d’Huez ski accommodation & SNO businesses added this week include: bensbus.co.uk | Pacific Pub | L’Igloo | ESF Alpe d’Huez | Chalet Gothics | Ecrins Lodge | You! if you Get Listed Now its Free!
snowboard Alpe d’Huez skiing links: snow forecast Alpe d’Huez weather forecast | alpe d huez webcam | snowboard alpe d huez
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NEXT: Les Deux Alpes – it is big and it is clever… and everyone seems to know about www.SNO.mobi … strange things are happening in an autumn ghost town ski resort…
(add your Les 2 Alpes ski resort accommodation or business now and I’ll name-check you in the next blog post)
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