Visitor reviews for Alpe d'Huez

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• May 15, 2009
  colin tait from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Visted ADH (Alpe d'Huez) 21st to 28th March 2009 and stayed at the Hotell Chamios. I have no complaints with the staff or location and the down stairs bar is brill. This was my first time here and my first time skiing. Plenty of lifts so no queuing unless it's very windy as it was on Tuesday morning. The weather for the whole week was sunny with new snow on the Tuesday and Wednesday night, so Wednesday and Thursday morning skiing on the fresh snow off-piste, for the first time, was superb.
  The only problem during the week was the cost of eating and drinking out. Ok the pound and the euro are almost the same but prices will have to reduce to get people to return if this remains the same; although happy hour in the bar did help. Yes, Visalp ski passes are expensive here at Alpe d'Huez even for the over 60s.
  During the week the slopes were dressed every night with plenty of piste machines out, even when it snowed heavily on Tuesday and Wednesday night.
  As a beginner I found ADH (Alpe d'Huez) had something for everyone and I will be returning in 2010, this time for two weeks. Hopefully prices will have levelled out a bit by 20010.

  (Note from the editor: 20010. I like your humour or is this a simple missprint?)

• April 18, 2009
  Tanya from FRANCE
  

  As a Scottish national who has been in France for over three years I would like to comment on the complaints about prices here. It's changed by no more than about 50 cents for drinks in the time I have been here (Alpe d'Huez). It is simply not feasable to reduce prices here just to suit the weak British pound. If you want cheap the only option is to really stay in England as wherever you go the pound will be the weak currency at present. As for slow lifts, you obviously have not actually experienced the resort. There are lifts suitable for beginners, tending to be chairs and expert, tending to be drag tows. For clientele who won't use drag tows or work out which are the faster lifts, a description of keen skier cannot be applied.

• March 31, 2009
  Lesley Moran from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  I've just returned from a week in Alpe d'Huez and will not be returning. The prices have gone from the sublime to the ridiculous. Having paid £28 for two pints and two cokes I have to draw the line and will not be returning to ADH (Alpe d'Huez) again. Also the lift pass price was mad and the lifts are really slow and old. With the amount of money they are making they really should get some faster lifts. It's a real shame because 4 years ago it was one of the best resorts in France; it looks like greed has taken over.

• February 27, 2009
  millsy from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Prices in ADH (Alpe d'Huez) are more expensive than practically anywhere I've ever visited. Indeed, I've just returned from Zermatt where the lower prices were a pleasant surprise when compared to ADH (Alpe d'Huez) where I spend much of my time. Brits have to watch the cash at the moment what with the pound being on it's bottom and not buy pints of Guiness at 8 euro. Val D'Isere's population consists of 36% English in the winter but I could find cheaper places to eat and drink in Val.

• February 13, 2009
  nick from FRANCE
  

  I am not surprised that everything is so expensive in Alpe d'Huez. This is because the English people come with money and spend it without counting.
  That is good for the businesses at Alpe d'Huez but it is really bad for the poor French people.

• January 25, 2009
  Adrienne from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Just back from a week of skiing (w/c 18 Jan) at Alpe d'Huez. Lots of snowfall this week. Had a great time. Stayed in the Mariandre (Ski Esprit) which I recommend for families. Good extent of ski area, good for all levels - from beginners to more challenging runs for intermediates/advanced. Did the Tunnel (powder & bumps) but the Sarenne was not open. Some of the blue runs more like reds in places, and some of the black runs more like reds. However, pistes could be better groomed after a fresh dump of snow; didn't see many piste bashers about. Generally the resort is very expensive with £ to Euro exchange rate, and avoid mountain restaurants located at central gondola points since these were even more of a rip off (£7 for a hot chocolate). Overall, a good resort and wish I was there for the great snow next week.

• January 22, 2009
  JK from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Went to Alpe d'Huez w/c 11 January 2009. A whole week of sunshine.

  Slopes: Most were open although wind had swept snow off some of the top runs including the famous Sarenne which was closed. My favourite run was La Fare which is a tree-lined black run into Vaujany - nice views and not busy. The runs at the top (3300m) are more taxing although there are great views to be seen if you can handle the cold. Nearer the resort is an array of easy south-facing green runs - perfect for beginners.

  Food: Eating out was expensive for Brits due partly to the exchange rate. For reasonably priced good food you need to find a restaurant that isn't at the foot of the slopes or a cable car.

  Resort: Not much to look at - like most French resorts. Good facilities though.

  Hotel: Stayed in the Mariandre (new Esprit hotel). It was acquired (from Mark Warner I think) in December so Esprit still have improvements to make but the basics are there - decent sized rooms and good food. Staff helpful, kids have a great time in their various groups run by Esprit and the listening service in the evening is priceless.

• January 08, 2009
  PETER HADFIELD from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Just back from a week in Alpe d' Huez over the new year. Stayed at the P+V apartments in Quartier Les Bergers. Very friendly staff, almost ski in/out, clean rooms, sauna and outdoor pool (bracing). You can book a 7 night evening meal option for £14 per night for 3 courses prior to arrival, to be taken at the restaurant on site; a bargain in these days of the mighty Euro. The food was superb; excellent home cooked local fare. On the subject of food our favourite mountain restaurant was the Le'Herpie at the bottom of the Signal De L'Homme slopes; good food in pleasant surroundings.
  So to the skiing, for the advanced skier/boarder it is worth considering how rocky the main higher mountain is, it needs a lot of cover to be enjoyable/open. Nearly all the blacks on the main mountain, and some of the reds were closed all week including the 16k Sarenne run; very disappointing. This was after one of the best starts to a season in 15 years and over a foot dump midweek, which opened up superb off-piste opportunities. They did get the Tunnel run open eventually, which I really enjoyed. My lad said it was the most scared he'd been on ski's. It is a testing mogul field for most of its length in lovely soft snow, if you do it in the afternoon. The views are awesome and it has a secluded feel to it. For beginners, the resort is pretty much perfect with nursery slopes without through traffic and extensive greens to progress to. The ESF instructor my beginner wife's group had was very patient and "lovely" apparently. My strong intermediate daughters group was not challenged enough she thought, which is unusual for ESF. The problem with ADH arises for intermediates. A lot of the reds in ADH would be blacks in other resorts, and should be black here. Steep, unpisted, narrow and crowded is a pretty good description of an ADH red. The problem was compounded by advanced skiers/boarders with no blacks to go on going too fast down crowded red runs and crashing into or frightening struggling intermediates. Skiing the Deversoir and L'Olmet reds consisted of weaving your way around the fallen for most of their length. Lower intermediates would be best keeping to the blues, the best one's are above Vaujany. The lift system is excellent, no queues even though the resort was very busy. Sign posting and directions at the lifts: very good as well. I will definitely return but it will be later in the season. The people are friendly and the scenery is magnificent,

• January 04, 2009
  Karina Orchard from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  We stayed at ADH (Alpe d'Huez) as a family for the first time and had a wonderful time. We stayed Xmas week and as beginners at skiing and snowboarding we were catered for fantastically. We were self catering at Les Melez and although basic it was very close to the slopes and a short walk to the main village. It was expensive though in the supermarket and eating out. The price of the pound v euro does not help and only having a hob and microwave made cooking interesting. The ski instructors were brilliant and we found the resort staff mainly very helpful but with limited English and with our very limited French this was a problem sometimes.

• December 27, 2008
  Dave from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Also skied the week before Christmas - fantastic conditions - the reason that some of the runs were closed at Alpe d'Huez is due to the satellite villages not opening until the 20th. Still bags of skiing for all abilities including some good off-piste.
  Have been many times and will continue to do so.

• December 22, 2008
  Andy from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Just got back from a weeks skiing at Alpe d'Huez - we had a great time staying at the new Esprit family hotel next to the Telecentre "Yogurt Pot" lift - the staff made for a great holiday. However, the resort itself was a little dissappointing. We were told it was the first week of the season, but suspect actually this week (Christmas Week) is for the French. During our stay less than half the runs were open despite great snow and skiing conditions. The pistes didn't appear to get bashed each night and the lifts are the slowest I have ever seen in 15 years of skiing (at least they are electronically controlled now - no more bar codes). The pistes were poorly marked and the restaurants on the slopes very low quality - very surprising for France. The Euro/Stirling exchange rate made for a very expensive experience - £6 a beer was normal and a simple meal and soft drink for 2 at lunchtime cost ITRO £35. One in our group bought a single coffee for 9 Euros. Great skiing for beginners and intermediates but thumbs down to the resort for being super expensive and poorly prepared. We won't be hurrying back alas :-(

• November 03, 2008
  Martin from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  A great resort. I've skied here over New Year and twice in April. In April it does suffer from ice in the mornings and slush in the afternoons. But doesn't everywhere? The beginners area is unmatched in my opinion. Loads of greens all linked together with fast gondolas to speed you back to the top again. For intermediates there may not be as many blues as you'd like although Le Signal has some crackers and the routes out towards Vaugany are very good. For more adventurous intermediates the reds and blacks are all good although I'd recommend Le Tunnel only for very confident skiers who like their bumps!

  Off-piste skiing is really good in Alpe D'Huez although some can be quite serious as there are big cliffs above the mid stations so pick your route carefully.

  Nightlife is probably better than most French resorts with loads of fun bars. Enjoy!

• October 31, 2008
  Jill from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  We spend around 6 weeks per year in ADH - with 3 or 4 of those during the ski season.
  I have read most of the reviews about ADH on this site and thankfully most end positively.
  Having spent so much time there the most useful way to describe ADH is that it holds to it's French mountain routes, it's a working town, not touristy like Val D'Isere. If you go expecting complete compliance from the locals - forget it. Yeah when the weather is bad lifts close but what do you expect. There are plenty of alternative routes down the mountain. They have strict timings but the lift operators are all council/local employees with strict working hours - like most French Council employees. The area has the widest variety of slopes I have ever encountered, the Pic Blanc Glacier is amazing and the entrance to the Sarenne and the Tunnel terrifying - so if you want thrills make the effort to get up there. They maintain the nursery slopes fantastically - after all that is where the town will make most of its money !!! The only areas that get busy are the nursery slopes and the main blue run back to town - The Couloir and the Greens at the bottom - Les Bergers and Lac Blanc.

  This is a fantastic resort for kids too - with the Palais de Sport offering evening activities for all ages. Le Sporting is one of the best restaurants I have ever been to.

  Apres-ski is perhaps not has lively as other resorts but there are plenty of bars including Igloo and Yeti bar.

  Give it a go, you'll have a great time.

• August 16, 2008
  Sara from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Stuart Adamson, British Masterclass. He is listed on the resort website. Great ski instructor as are his whole team.

  Try the resort in summer too - fantastic walking, VTT bike tracks, pools, rink, summer luge, clock golf, 9 hole golf course,tennis, all sorts of activities...and further afield white water rafting, canyoning, Aventure Parc (wires and obstacle "runs" in the trees) fantastic alpine pastures filled with flowers etc.

  Au Petit Creux is fab restaurant, and Au Dahut local bar/restaurant where the locals go.

  Great resort

• June 28, 2008
  Pete from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Skied Alp, Jan 2008. A really good resort. We stayed in a ski-in, ski-out catered chalet for 360 squid each, which was very good. The resort itself is purpose built and is not the prettiest of places but there's plenty to do other than ski (sports centre, outdoor and indoor pool, lots o' bars and shops e.t.c.) The skiing is just great with loads o' piste for all levels of skier. Some great long cruisey greens and blues for the less experienced and plenty of more challenging ones for the more experienced. Will be there at least once again in 2009. So give it a whirl.

• April 14, 2008
  Stephen from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Just finished one week skiing at ADH last week and wish I was still there! Can't believe I'm sitting behind a desk when this time last week I was skiing in the sun!

  This was my second visit. Last time we stayed at Les Bergers hotel, which was fantastic - although the accommodation was a bit cramped for a family with 4 children. This time we stayed at Christiana 2. These apartments are bigger and, at around £400 for one week, offer great VFM.

  The skiing was magic, with all runs complete and plenty of new snow and sun. Our favourite run is the Omellete. Try out Le Tremplin restaurant bar!

• March 20, 2008
  Rick Paris from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Hi. Anyone who wants to "do" Alp d'Huez on the cheap should stay in the very cheap club hotel, MMV BERGERS. It's right on the slopes and you get full board, unlimited wine with meals, a cheap bar and all for around £330+ for 7 days. Even peak weeks don't cost too much more, it's fab! It's like a cheap club MED, which is right next door.
  Fill yer boots.

• March 10, 2008
  Peter from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Just returned after a weeks skiing. It was our first time in Alpe d'Huez. Had a fantastic holiday in a catered chalet (Viking with First Choice).
  As fantastic as the resort is, I spent as much spending money as I did last year on a self catering holiday in Italy. My wife and I were paying between 30-40 euros for lunch and 10-12 euros for a round of drinks in the evening. The average prices were twice as much as Italy. I don't think the skiing was twice as good so I will probably stick with Italy next year.

• February 21, 2008
  Sarah from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Returned on 18 February after 4 days great skiing. Blue skies; not a cloud in sight. Snow; fantastic. Slightly icy in the morning after a very cold night but once the lovely warm sun hit those great mountains, the runs were great.

  We have been to ADH 5-6 times now and each time find somewhere different to ski. My husband and I love the green and blue runs, which there are many of. My 6 year old son, who has now been with us 3 times, feels he can conquer the red ones.

  ADH is great for the beginner or intermediate. Easy to get to the ski lifts. Not very cheap to eat out, especially with the Euro rate being so low, but all resorts in France must be pretty much the same. Cheeseburger and chips 15 Euros (£12) on the mountain restaurants - cokes £3 pounds. So beware.

  Enjoy. We believe, on leaving the resort, they were expecting fresh snow this week.

• February 03, 2008
  skibummess from DENMARK
  

  Going back to Alpe again in a few days and just had to do a bit of advertising for this fantastic place!
  Been back to Alpe at least once (sometimes more) a year for the last 6 years. In my opinion it's a fantastic resort - it's got a great variety of pistes, so that both the beginners and the advanced skiers can enjoy the holiday. The village is very charming, and the nightlife is great fun. (Can recommend Underground bar - live music 2-3 nights a week).
  Been to a lot of French resorts, but keep returning to Alpe - it's irresistible :-)
  Can't wait to go back and check out the massive amounts of snow in the Alps - it's been too many years of too little snow....

• January 22, 2008
  Rich from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Back again from a lovely weeks skiing from the 12th to 19th Jan. Big dump of snow first day and sprinklings in the week made the conditions perfect with loads of sun too.
  Great resort I thought, lot's of bars although quite quiet from 11pm onwards but I was tucked up in bed with a poor James Herbert novel by that point. Stayed in the L'Eclose bit, Maeva Horizons d'Huez. Can ski right to the ski lockers so it is ski in, not ski out but a short walk to the lift. A sherpa near by and a ski rental place too. 5 min walk to town too so quite recommended.
  Great choice of beginner slopes and blues for the beginners/intermediates. Get further up and there is top off-piste options, no trees but that's one less worry. Sarenne has a tricky bit at the peak of Pic Blanc but if you take the Marmotte lift just short of the top then the whole of the Sarenne is like a cruisey red/blue; piece of cake! Is it really 16km? Hmmm, bit of billy bullpoo there, I reckon. Tunnel is flippin' hard I thought, especially the daunting drop-off when you emerge from it. Like to think I went down it looking pretty good but no doubt I was bolt upright and awkward as hell, as usual.

• January 21, 2008
  Michelle from FRANCE
  

  Just back from a weeks skiing in Alpe d'Huez and what an amazing week it was! The snow conditions were fantastic - best I have skied on ever!! It snowed most evenings and then was beautifully sunny the next day. The pistes were also incredibly quiet and no queues at any of the lifts either. Bars and restaurants were all good too especially the underground bar which had regular live music on and was always buzzing! Can't wait to go again!

• February 24, 2007
  skibum from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Back from 10 days second time in the same resort this season. Skiing was very good. We had just one day of morning slush/rain but to compensate there were 4-5 days of heavy snowfalls so the conditions were just bril. You could ski all the way from the Vadjany end the Auris end with no problem and in fact some of the times the edges were even better than the center. Plenty for a week or two. Tried all the apres-ski night skiing (did the tunnel and the Sarenne all the way down), badmington, table tennis, climbing wall, outdoor swimming and ice ring. We did, probably, the most skiing mileage for a good few years and my family is over the moon and even now thinking of buying something there so we can go and visit more often even during the summer. The best place is to stay near the top of the resort or the opposite of the Bergers side of it near the kind of high street. The lower parts and the corner of Bergers was very quiet in the evenings, we thought. Try and park your car indoors (50ish Euros ) that way you won't have any trouble cleaning it and clearing the way out. This year we were very pleased to stay in Grenoble on the way. We had good walks and the gondola goes up to the castle. Honestly, this year the place made a good mark and we all have very positive vibes with the whole area.

• February 12, 2007
  Nick from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Was there in mid Jan with the scary warm weather, had one powder day over the back but then lifts were closed due to high wind so freshies were out of bounds. In general conditions were awful, ice, slush and off-piste concrete, like the rest of the French Alps at the time, to a worse or less degree. It looked like the resort had potential with the right amount of snow for good off-piste. I actually thought the place was limited with pistes compared to other resorts in France I've been to, also no tree runs but this was due to the weather and the fact lower runs to outlying villages were closed.
  Liked the resort, but didn't love it, even if there had been enough snow.
  Check out the church in the village, a weird modern build and unusual organ, worth a nose!

• January 27, 2007
  skibum from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Huge resort and no comments for nearly a month about weather skiing conditions. Any news,tips and advice? Some smaller resorts have livelier reviews than this one. Grab the keyboards and type something about this lovely place .:)

• January 19, 2007
  Buzzer from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  For Michelle, I guess the Stuart you mention is Stuart Adamson of British Masterclass, He is not the cheapest but you will learn more in 3 days from him than most others can teach in 5, leaves you more play time.
  His e-mail is a little iffy, but phone numbers are tel/fax 0033(0) 476809383 and mobile 0033(0)679673456
  Best of luck and post back info on your return as to how good or not the lessons were TA.

• January 11, 2007
  skibum from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Alpe d'Huez is probably the best place for early intermediates. Everywhere you go up to 2700m there are vast and wide opened runs down to resort.
  Added bonus: The snow cover is good considering this seasons' mad weather. I have done the difficult job of teaching my wife who is now ok on skis and happy to just ski down without the risks. Different thing with my kids who are now into racing. Basically the early you start the better. Skiing is best!!

• January 11, 2007
  Millsy from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Love listening to people like Tom and Co. moaning on and on about things no one has control over, ie. gondolas closed because of wind, terrain closed because of lack of snow! Moaning Minny Tom does have control over where he stays in resort (staying central is best, obviously, not out in the sticks!), and when he visits a resort. No one has a devine right to be skiing in neck deep powder, especially before New Year, so quit complaining, you've been skiing afterall!!!

• January 09, 2007
  Michelle from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  I am going skiing again to Alpe d'Huez on the 2nd of Feb 2007 and I would like to know if anyone can recommend and English speaking instructor. I have read a few people on this site recommend "Stuart". Does anyone know this man and how I can contact him. I would be really grateful as I am losing confidence with my ability year by year. Thanks

• January 07, 2007
  skibum from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Reply to Tom and company. I think you realise that it is best to stay in the center of Alpe d'Huez rather than the edges and satelites resorts. We didnt have any problems with closing lifts etc. If something was closed for reasons-wind wisibility etc., you can just ski to the other corner of Alpe d'Huez. You are right that the the interactive map was not very precise but this is a mountain and weather changes many times during the each day. We used the gondolas to 2800m only on our last 2 days .From the DMF gondola if we see that the big one your end is moving up we quickly go towards it and take it. If it was not working we stayed with the center. Actually we managed to ski almost everywhere for the 2-3 days skiing. Again snow below 1600m was not for own skis just for hire one because of many paches and rolling small rocks which damage the skis all the way from top to bottom when touching the bases. Alpe d'Huez being resort with only south facing slopes will suffer from ice in the morning or melting faster that in other places but it is briliant for a family with wife skier who is slower and less chalenging and prefer runs with perfect views all day long. In Feb we are looking forward for testing the blacks up there and the Tunnel. My kids can wait another month.
  Bad points from Tom and Co but the weather is very bad this season and lower resorts always suffer in situation like this. We were ready to go skiing before the New Year but held it until I saw tha weather forecast for definite snow coming and then quickly booked just from 1st until 4th Jan and this way we avoided the icy slopes everywhere and very thin cover up to the 1st of the month. Even in the last moment we had quite a good choice of accomodation and it was not expensive at all.
  Alpe d'Huez is probably the best resort to go now (in Europe of course) and in the next few days until the snow falls everywhere. If you want alot of powder - head accross the pond.
  Wondering if they are any forums for this resord with more traffic.
  If Yes PLEASE POST THEM ON THIS SITE.

  regards
  skibum and family