Skiing in Alpe d'Huez

Alpe d’Huez: from Pic Blanc and the Sarenne to the forests of Oz and Vaujany

Alpe d’Huez ski guide: 111 pistes by sector, the 16 km Sarenne and the Tunnel, 2026–27 pass prices, Grenoble buses and Oz or Vaujany vs the main resort.

Pistes in the Alpe d’Huez ski area (km)

250

Marked pistes, official total (34 green, 31 blue, 30 red, 16 black)

111

Top of the lifts, Pic Blanc (m)

3330

Sarenne black run, official length (km)

16

Altitude of the Alpe d’Huez resort (m)

1860

Adult (13–64) 1-day pass, 19 Dec 2026–9 Apr 2027 (EUR)

68

Skiing & terrain in Alpe d’Huez

All 111 downhill pistes in the operator’s live openings feed for the Espace Alpe d’Huez (SATA), with the sector the feed assigns to each run, plus six snowparks and fun zones listed as areas. Runs that the feed repeats in its thematic beginner lists (Débutants, Première Glisse) appear once, under their geographic sector; Anémones appears only in the Première Glisse list and keeps that label.

Downhill pistes in the live openings feed (this table, duplicates removed)

111

Pistes in this table with a published length in metres

75

Marked pistes, official ski-area total (34 green, 31 blue, 30 red, 16 black)

111

Pistes on the Oz–Vaujany-only pass (km)

55

• Green pistes in this table: 37
• Blue pistes in this table: 31
• Red pistes in this table: 27
• Black pistes in this table: 16

Snapshot of 18 October 2026, out of season. Colours follow French grading (green, blue, red, black). Lengths are the feed’s per-run value in metres, present for 74 runs; the Oz 3300 / Vaujany sector rows carry no lengths in the feed, and La Fare’s 4.7 km comes from the operator’s iconic-runs page, giving 75. Nine other runs have no length (zero or blank in the feed). Totals differ between official sources: the piste-map page counts 111 marked pistes (34 green, 31 blue, 30 red, 16 black); the feed’s own summary counts 112 (37/30/29/16); this de-duplicated table has 111 (37/31/27/16). The Oz–Vaujany sector page counts 30 runs (6/12/10/2) where the feed’s Oz 3300 / Vaujany list has 28. The 250 km is an area total, not one descent. Pedestrian paths, cross-country loops, sledging and ski-touring itineraries are excluded. Area labels are the feed’s sector names (e.g. “Alpe d'Huez / Pic Blanc”, “Oz 3300 / Vaujany”, “Auris-en-Oisans Station”).

Alpe d’Huez pistes: Pic Blanc, the Sarenne, the Tunnel and the Oz–Vaujany forests

The Espace Alpe d’Huez links five resorts – Alpe d’Huez, Oz, Vaujany, Auris-en-Oisans and Villard-Reculas – across 250 km of pistes, up to 3,330 m at Pic Blanc. The operator counts 111 marked pistes (34 green, 31 blue, 30 red, 16 black). Its live openings feed sorts each run into a sector: around Alpe d’Huez itself these are Pic Blanc, Bergers-Marmotte, Jeux - Lac Blanc, Signal 2100 and Village, with separate lists for Oz 3300 / Vaujany, Auris-en-Oisans and Villard-Reculas.

Pic Blanc is the headline. The Sarenne starts there at 3,330 m and runs 16 km with 1,820 m of vertical into the Sarenne gorge – the operator calls it Europe’s longest black run. The Tunnel starts near 3,000 m, passes about 200 m through the rock and drops onto a mogul field of up to 35°; it is for very experienced skiers only. Other long records in the feed include the black Combe Charbonnière (5350 m), Col de Cluy above Auris (5250 m), the red Campanules (3680 m) and the blue Couloir (3660 m).

Below the treeline, the Oz–Vaujany sector (55 km of its own) climbs from forest to the Dôme des Rousses at about 2,800 m; its signature black is La Fare, 4.7 km and 720 m vertical, north-facing through the trees. The 2026–27 openings appear in the live list and the resort app once the season starts.

Alpe d’Huez for beginners: free lifts, the Débutant pass and Première Glisse

Alpe d’Huez lets complete beginners start without a pass: the Grenouille conveyor, the École 1 beginner lift and the Petit and Grand Rif Nel conveyors are free. The operator also publishes a separate beginner piste map that marks the learning areas and the easiest green and blue runs.

Next comes the paid Débutant pass (TK Babars, TK Sagnes, Grand TK École 2, the Berger and Mouton conveyors and TK Pour), at €26 a day in the main period from 19 December 2026 to 9 April 2027. The Première Glisse pass (€55.50 in the same period) opens everything up to 2,100 m except Marmottes 1 and Alpauris, plus the Rif Nel gondola. Prices checked 18 October 2026.

Keep the black runs that start at Pic Blanc and the Tunnel for later. In Oz, the Dolines fun run at Montfrais is designed for young learners.

Getting to Alpe d’Huez: Grenoble, Lyon or Geneva, then the bus up the 21 bends

Alpe d’Huez has no commercial airport. The operator puts Grenoble Alpes-Isère airport about 100 km away (an Actibus shuttle links it to Grenoble station in about 40 minutes, and Ben’s Bus runs transfers timed to some flights) and Lyon-Saint Exupéry about 150 km away, with Saturday shuttles from Lyon. Geneva has an Altibus coach to Alpe d’Huez every Saturday in winter, in under 4 hours. By car, it is about an hour from Grenoble via the A480 and D1091, then the 21-bend road from Bourg-d’Oisans (about 20 minutes).

By train, go to Grenoble. In winter, Transaltitude runs an express from the Grenoble bus station to Alpe d’Huez (two return trips a day, about 1 h 45); otherwise take Itinisère line T75 to Bourg-d’Oisans (about 1 h 30) and line T76 up to the resort. Transaltitude stops include Huez village, Paganon, Avenue de l’Etendard, Parking les Bergers, AgorAlp and L’Eclose.

For the last leg in the resort, the free Télécentre (Paganon – Avenue des Jeux – Grandes Rousses 1800), the Alpe Express (Paganon – Éclose – Bergers), the Huez Express from Huez village and free shuttle buses link the districts. If you are staying in Oz, the Eau d’Olle Express gondola from Allemond reaches Oz in about 8 minutes.

Alpe d’Huez with kids: ESF Children’s Chalet, group lessons and the Famille Plus label

ESF Alpe d’Huez runs a Children’s Chalet in the Bergers district, in a protected area with two magic carpets, for children from 2½ (bring skis, boots and a helmet; no poles). Children aged 4–12 join group lessons of about 10, meeting at the sign for their level; ESF holds afternoon lessons at Bergers and, outside some weeks, at Les Grandes Rousses. ESF has an English-language site, but check the teaching language when you book.

ESF’s 2026–27 pages say there are no children’s group lessons and the Children’s Chalet is closed during the Tomorrowland Winter festival week in late March, so plan around it or book a private lesson. Alpe d’Huez has held the Famille Plus label since 2013; the tourist office lists a day nursery, the AgorAlp indoor playground and toboggan runs for non-skiing time.

On passes, children under 5 ski free (photo and proof of age required) and the family pass lets up to 2 adults and at least 2 children or young people aged 5–22 all ski at the child rate for 6 days or more, booked online at least 72 hours ahead.

Where to stay: Alpe d’Huez districts, Huez village, Oz-en-Oisans or Vaujany

In Alpe d’Huez (1,860 m), choose by snow front. Bergers has the shopping centre, a ski-pass office and the ESF Children’s Chalet; the Éclose area is on the Alpe Express to Bergers. Place Paganon is by the tourist office and the Vieil Alpe, and Avenue des Jeux is close to shops and restaurants; both are on the free Télécentre to Grandes Rousses 1800 – the departure point for the high sectors and Pic Blanc. Huez village below is quieter and linked by the free Huez Express.

Oz 3300 (1,350 m) is a small, car-free, ski-in/ski-out resort in the forest; the Poutran gondola reaches the 2,100 m level above Alpe d’Huez in about 9 minutes. It suits families and skiers who want quiet evenings; it is much smaller than Alpe d’Huez, and Pic Blanc is a longer commute.

Vaujany (1,250 m) is a real village with a spa, a museum and a cinema; the Alpette–Rousses cable car takes about 10 minutes to the 2,100 m level. Auris-en-Oisans (1,600 m) and Villard-Reculas (1,500 m) are smaller, sunny bases with their own sector passes. Wherever you book, check the walk to the nearest lift and whether you need a car.

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Alpe d’Huez ski pass 2026–27: day and 6-day prices, family and beginner options

The Alpe d’Huez pass covers the whole 250 km from 5 December 2026 to 25 April 2027. In the main period, 19 December 2026 to 9 April 2027, a 1-day pass costs €68 for an adult (13–64), €56.50 for a child (5–12) and €62 for a senior (65–71); seniors 72+ pay €23.50. Six days cost €336.50 for an adult and €264 for a child. Prices checked 18 October 2026.

Early (5–18 December 2026) and late season (10–25 April 2027) are cheaper: an adult day is €58 and €54.50. Children under 5 ski free. The family pass charges everyone the child rate (6 days from €264 per person in the main period), and a half-day costs €59 in the main period.

Oz–Vaujany (55 km), Auris and Villard-Reculas also sell local sector passes. For a whole season, the Supernova pass adds Les 2 Alpes and La Grave.

Best time to ski in Alpe d’Huez: snow history, 2026–27 season dates and forecasts

February and March are historically the best snow window in Alpe d’Huez. At Météo-France’s L’Alpe d’Huez (SATA) station (1860 m), the 1991–2020 average snow depth climbs from about 50 cm in December and 86 cm in January to 116 cm in February and 119 cm in March. At the higher L’Alpe d’Huez 2350 station (2340 m, about 23 seasons of records) it averages about 105 cm in February and 124 cm in March. January is the best shoulder month: it brings the most fresh snow (about 124 cm in an average month at 1860 m) while the base builds; December is thinner, and in April the cover holds better high up than at resort level. These are SkiPair calculations from Météo-France daily station data; averages do not guarantee any given season.

The 2026–27 Alpe d’Huez season runs from 5 December 2026 to 25 April 2027. The first two weeks and the last two weeks have cheaper passes, which reflects that not every sector may be open; the Sarenne and the Pic Blanc runs depend on conditions.

Before you travel, check the forecast, the resort’s weather page and the live openings list together. On windy or white-out days, the forest runs of Oz and Vaujany are a better bet than Pic Blanc.

Find ski partners in Alpe d’Huez for the Sarenne, the Tunnel or a day in Oz

Alpe d’Huez works for a solo trip without a car: Transaltitude runs from Grenoble, and free resort lifts link the districts. On SkiPair, add your dates, where you are staying and your level to find people skiing the same week – a partner for the Sarenne or the Tunnel, an intermediate group for the long greens and reds, or someone to share the transfer from Grenoble, Lyon or Geneva.

Agree beforehand on the pass (a local Oz–Vaujany, Auris or Villard-Reculas pass covers only that sector), a meeting point such as Grandes Rousses 1800 or the Bergers snow front, and the last lift back if you are staying in Oz or Vaujany. For off-piste, go with a guide or ski school rather than someone you have just met.

Ski pass prices for Alpe d'Huez

Check the operator’s current prices for your ski dates, ticket duration, age group and the area covered by the pass.

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Weather and snow

A clearer view of the snow in Alpe d'Huez: recent snowfall, what is forecast next, and an outlook for your dates.

Snow and temperature are model estimates. They do not confirm that lifts or pistes are open. Further-ahead dates show seasonal patterns rather than a weather forecast.

Flights & getting to Alpe d'Huez

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Recommended airport for the French Alps: Geneva (GVA).

Alpe d'Huez is better with your kind of people

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A glimpse of Alpe d'Huez

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