Alpe d'Huez

🏔️ History
Popularly known as the "Island of the Sun" ("l'Île au Soleil") due to its south-facing slopes boasting 300 days of sunshine a year, Alpe d'Huez is a giant of the French Alps. While globally famous for its epic 21 hairpin bends in the Tour de France, in winter it offers one of the largest linked ski domains in the world. Its modern origins date back to the 1930s when it became one of the first resorts in France to install a surface drag lift for skiers.

☀️ Best days
Bright, sunny days following a heavy snowfall. The high-altitude terrain surrounding the Pic Blanc (3,330m) preserves exceptional powder. From here, you can tackle the legendary "La Sarenne", reputed to be the longest black run in the world (16km of continuous skiing without lifts), offering a spectacular, leg-burning journey from the glacier down into a wild lower gorge.

🚫 Days to avoid
Long dry spells or very warm days late in the season. Its famous south-facing orientation is a double-edged sword: fantastic for catching rays in mid-winter, but it causes the snow in the massive bowl directly above the resort village to turn quickly into heavy, exhausting slush on spring afternoons.

💡 Community tip
The immense base area appears like a gentle, perfect plateau for beginners, but it’s just the first step. For expert skiers, the real thrill lies in taking the cable car up to the Pic Blanc. Aside from La Sarenne, you must try "Le Tunnel"—a brutal black run that literally cuts right through the mountain via a dark, rocky tunnel before spitting you out onto one of the steepest, most intimidating mogul fields in the Alps.