play, rest and work in alpe d'huez

Alpe d'Huez may not have the reputation of some of the other French resorts, but that's your bonus if you work here.  

The ski area is massive, it has a good snow record and the social scene gets better and better!

Sponsored by:

Piste Map | Website | CdS

Play
Bars and Clubs
Off-piste
Moguls
Speed
Snowparks
Events

Rest
Away Days
Shopping
Internet Cafés
Eating Out
Mountain Restos
McDo

Work
Shopping
Transfer Day
Après-ski


CdS
Search
Join

Update
Feedback

Bars and Clubs
It seems that every winter a new bar opens up here and some disappear.

This year it's the turn of the Tropicana bar, which has been replaced by the Fubar, run by some old time faces.

Still the best aprés in town is down at The Underground, but the Melting Pot is well worth checking out if the weather is good, the terrace is a real sun trap (both open at 4PM).

Café Chaud once the best place for a bad weather session has shut its doors for the last time and been replaced by Le Nabab, a Moroccan themed restaurant with an unexpected menu and hookah pipes.

The Igloo and Le Cavés are the only night clubs - they have have seasonaires prices, however like most resorts are pretty expensive so watch your wallet.

Here are some other favorites to head for:

Back to top

Off-piste
Sarenne - Take the Pic Blanc cable car and then just pick your route.  There are plenty of options on the way down and technically you can keep yourself busy for 22 kms.  
Pic Blanc - Drop off the back to Vaujany.  You'll want a guide for this one!
Signal - Traverse from the top of the drag to the left and drop down to Huez.
Back to top

Moguls
Le Tunnel - This run is usually pretty heavily mogulled right at the top and early in the day these can be very hard indeed.  

Back to top

Speed
Signal to Alpe d'Huez (hoon it!)
Chamois to town (900m)

Back to top

Snowparks
With a half-pipe since 1988, Alpe d'Huez looked like it was trying to make a name for itself has freestyle friendly resort.

But years of laziness and backward thinking had reduced the pipe to nothing and a park that ski school used to take the kids through.

Happily things changed last year with 3 parks in ADH. A proper park for the big kids on the far left of the DMC lift, (with big plans for this year I'm told) and little fun park for beginners on the left for the DMC.

There's also a small park over in the Vaujany area.

Finally ADH has dragged itself back into the freestyle word (still no sign of a pipe though).

Back to top

Events
Tour de France - tends to wind its way up those hairpin bends each July.
Back to top

Away Days
Deux Alpes or Serre Che are both pretty easy to get to for a day trip (an hour or so).  For shopping or sightseeing you can try either end of the valley at either Briancon or Grenoble.

Back to top

Internet Cafés
The Freeride Bar near the Ice Rink features three terminals in the basement (take slide or stairs!). The cost is 50ff a half hour or 80ff the hour. The Zulu bar also has access as does the Crystal Club Hotel the Vallee Blanche. Also possible is the Disjonteur Bar (04 7611 3134).

Back to top

Eating Out
On those occasions when your need to get away from the kitchen, you can still get good value for money about the resort:

Pizza Roll - on the high street (3 euros for a mini pizza!!!)
Captain Sandwich La Roy Larde Pizzeria - in the old town (best pizzas in town)
Les Epicers - Season worker friendly but in no way down market french restaurant, we love it

Back to top

Mountain Restos
If you're guiding or skiing with a group of guests, these restaurants will usually give you a free lunch:

Combe Haute 
Plage des Neiges
Bergerie

Back to top

McDonalds
The nearest 'Cheese Royale' is in Grenoble (1 hr).

Back to top

Shopping Day
Bourg d'Oisons?

Back to top

Transfer Day
Whether your airport is Chambery, Lyon and now Grenoble, there's only one thing that any of your guests will remember about the transfer - the famous 21 hairpin bends cycled by the Tour de France.

Transfers from Grenoble Airport take about 1hr 45mins and cost from GBP30 return with www.bensbus.co.uk Other airports nearby are Lyon (2 1/2 hours) and Turin (3 1/2). The nearest train station is Grenoble (1 1/2 hrs)

Back to top

Après-ski Events
Pub Crawls - try the slide in Freeride

Back to top

CdS
Search
If you’re thinking of doing a season in Alpe d'Huez then why not search through the Club des Saisonniers to see who else has worked there and what advice they may be able to offer.
There are numerous benefits available to members of the CdS.

Join - Anyone who has done a season or has a firm offer from a tour operator may join the Club des Saisonniers.

Update Page
If you know of any mistakes on this page, please do get in contact and let us know

Back to top

[Thanks to Kevin Ellis for putting this Guide together]