Snowsure: 4.3
- Occasionally gets enough snow for skiing
- Is often closed due to a lack of snow
- Occasionally suffers from a lack of snow
- Rarely suffers from a lack of snow
- Alpe d'Huez is snowsure even in the poorest seasons
Visitor reviews for Alpe d'Huez Ski Resort
Click here to submit your own review of Alpe d'Huez
(NOTE: Reviews may be edited by our content team for the purposes of ensuring accurate and relevant information)
(NOTE: Reviews may be edited by our content team for the purposes of ensuring accurate and relevant information)
Latest
January 04, 2010
John G from
United Kingdom
John G from
United Kingdom
Just returned from a two week Christmas and New Year stay at Alpe d'Huez. Conditions ranged from extremely cold for two days to windy to foggy and rain. There was some snowfall at night and on the odd day, especially on the tops. Instructors were commenting on it being ridiculously warm for the time of year and, considering this, the pistes held up well. Most top runs were closed for the reasons given above. We stayed in Bourg D'Oisans down the mountain and self catered. Rest assured that for a Brit, prices in the supermarket are just as expensive. It's just the exchange rate. However, the pound is normal, it just happened to be strong for a while. Skiing is limited at Alpe d'Huez in my opinion when the tops are closed and the Arpette lift is closed/windy preventing skiers reaching Vaujenay. ADH is a good resort and I recommend the outdoor swimming pool. If you want to avoid a 7 Euro chocolate, take a flask or have a smaller one. The 7 Euro one is massive!
December 14, 2009
Henrik
Henrik
My only question would be - have the prices in euros gone up considerably at Alpe d'Huez in the past few years? I also have a place in Oz and haven't noticed a big hike in prices there. We have friends and neighbours who come over from the UK and feel it tighter because of the change in exchange rate, but when a bar or restaurant's outgoings are all in euro, you can't expect them to adjust their sale prices to sterling.
Anyway, I can see it's colder there now, so hopefully some serious snow will come on the back of the cold snap. Looking forward to the first trip of the season to Alpe d'Huez on the 2nd Jan.
December 13, 2009
Roland from
France
Roland from
France
I've been reading the reviews on Alpe d'Huez and as the owner of of a holiday flat there, I'm amazed to read a hot chocolate was £7. When given the bill, you should have walked away, without paying nor drinking. Admittedly, Alpe d'Huez isn't the cheapest place to ski, but the value for money still is outstanding: the Visalp pass includes unlimited access to not only the skilifts, but also the sports centre, 2 pools + icerink etc... Don't be surprised if the Sarenne piste is often closed: the bottom is low-lying and faces the South, hence the lack of snow. The problem will be solved when they have man-made snow there, which they've been talking about for years...
December 12, 2009
millsy from
United Kingdom
millsy from
United Kingdom
I'm sorry but I've now had enough of all the economists on this forum telling me how to live. I have a place in Huez and love it to death, love the mountain, friendly people, reliable snow, long sunny days but cost IS a factor! Don't preach to me about staying in for a week, cooking my own food, not socialising, living like a trappist monk and tell me that's the universal panacea for cost cutting! That works for a week BUT GETS A BIT BORING!!!! I don't go away in the summer save all monies to go skiing not for a week but as much as i can when i can, spending summers waiting for winter, and such activities should be within the confines of most people not just the jet-set! Finally, Alpe d'Huez isn't the worlds most expensive place but nor is it the cheapest and without the gilt edged name of some resorts does not want to shoot itself in the foot with high prices; it is a superb place and common sense should dictate! Ps. with 30% occupancy in Val D'isere during the winter heaven help 'em if the Brits do pull out; I know the GDP is high in Luxembourg Henrik and it will need to be!
December 10, 2009
Henrik
Henrik
I always find it amazing that people arrive at Alpe d'Huez in the peak period of Christmas / New Year, expect perfect conditions, even though the season has only just started, expect blue skies and no wind, even though it's the middle of winter and expect everyone else's currency to track prices in the UK. Sorry to tell you that the UK has had a hard time of it financially and your currency is weaker than the rest of Europe. Just ask the Americans - they've been hit as hard.
Personally I always stay in Oz. Very pretty village if a bit on the quiet side. A few bars where the average price of a pint of beer is €5 - sorry if its pretty much the same in sterling, but if you take the traditional exchange rate of 1.5 euro to GBP, that's an equivalent of 3.33 sterling which is not too bad for somewhere in the Alps. You can't expect the bars to change their prices to suit the change in the exchange rate between euro and sterling, so don't complain about the equivalent. Regarding the restaurants, they have some of the best I have come across - if you're prepared to try something they do as their specialty. I'm sorry, if you buy lasagne in France, what do you expect - after all, you wouldn't ask for a curry in an Italian restaurant. Go for some of the local dishes, or try the dish of the day (+/-) 10 euros and you won't be disappointed.
At the end of the day, if you don't want to come back, then that's more room for us on the piste and the short lift queues are even shorter. Maybe if you want sterling prices you should go to Scotland and see what kind of lasagne you'll get in Aviemore. Not sure that your weather or conditions will be any better than Alpe d'Huez though (being a Scot I'm allowed to say that).
P.S. Looked at the reviews for other European resorts and everyone seems to be complaining about the prices. Sorry, but the Alps isn't just for the Brits.
December 06, 2009
Kathy from
United Kingdom
Kathy from
United Kingdom
We have gone to Alpe d'Huez every year for 10 years, having previously trailed round the rest of France for 15. We think the skiing is better than anywhere, including 3 Valleys and as for all you lot moaning about the cost..we spent 2 weeks in Ibiza this last summer and eating out was a mortgage job!! If you eat up the mountain anywhere it will cost you and if you drink in clubs/pubs, ditto. The Pomme de Pin and Le Grenier offer excellent value tho' the exchange rates DO make it more expensive than it was. Best bet is to self cater, get along to any of the well stocked supermarkets, especially the Casino at the back of the tourist office and lay in some local plonk, the Gamay is still only about £3 a bottle!! Another good bet is the rotisserie on the main drag, opposite the ice rink: chicken and chips for 4 for under £15.... I rest my case.
October 30, 2009
millsy from
United Kingdom
millsy from
United Kingdom
The cost of a pint in ADH (Alpe d'Huez) isn't linked to anything other than greed. Just to get the stuff up those hairpins doesn't warrant the prices being asked. When you are charged 5 euro for a coke and can see the person pouring it out of a bottle that may have cost 1.5 euro in Bourg D'Oisan or a warmed up lasagne costs 15 euro how can you defend that. The number of people that visited France last year dropped slightly whilst it remained the prefered destination for Brits. Are people beginning to vote with their feet? Skiers/boarders are a hardy breed and will endeavour to find the cash somewhere, but for how long? Then, less Brits means even higher prices to make ends meet. I love ADH (Alpe d'Huez), the many friends I have there, the mountain, the lot, but it has to be affordable; on an away week last year I went to Garmisch Partenkirchen, where the mountain is ok but doesn't really compare but accomodation with pool, sauna, great food etc was 30 euro a night, and stein's of larger 3.5 euro. Skiing is the main draw but folks can't just sit in their rooms from lifts closing waiting for the sun to come. Food for thought.
May 15, 2009
colin tait from
United Kingdom
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
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
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.
Nearest