France

Alpe d’huez in the summer

Last updated 6th June 2017

The Lowdown

Where to stay:

We stayed in VIP Ski’s Chalet La Maison www.vip-chalets.com , a luxurious and comfortable chalet at 2,000 metres, above the main village of Alpe d’Huez in a quiet location but very close to the main DM1 telecabine and some chairlifts. There’s also shops, bars and a small supermarket.

The chalet has four en suite rooms with balconies, s lovely big living room with a large sunny balcony with deckchairs and a fabulous view. There’s Freeview TV, a Bose sound system and fully-equipped kitchen. Best of all, there’s a sauna and jacuzzi downstairs.

Prices: Summer prices start at £105 per room per night, self-catering. Breakfast can be added for an additional charge of £7.50 per person.

For more information about activities in Alpe d’Huez visit www.alpedhueznet.com

More of what you love…

If you’d prefer a more traditional ski holiday with the kids, then have the kids learn how to ski in Les Arcs in the French Alps.

Why go?

In winter, Alpe d’Huez is a hub for winter activities and is one of the French Alps’ oldest ski resorts. While it’s notable for its lengthy ski slopes, the summer in Alpe d’Huez features many adventureous activities, fit to excite families with every age.

This part of the Alps is apart of an iconic stage of the Tour de France too. Let the budding cyclist in your family practice their spped and agility in the mountains this summer. If you’re still looking for more adventure there’s also a huge range of things to do to keep an active family happy against a backdrop of stunning scenery.

Activities

Cycling

Alpe d’Huez is a big centre not only for the road cyclists cycling up the famous road with 21 hairpin bends from the valley floor to the village, but also for mountain bikers who can take one of the selected lifts which are open all summer and roll down various cycle pistes which are graded from green to black just like ski pistes. 

As novices, we joined a 2-hour VTT initiation session in a group of about 15 with two endlessly patient instructors. They taught us how to use the brakes gently and push our bums back over the seat as the slope got steeper before taking us up the main DMC ski lift and guiding us down the mainly grassy (but sometimes rocky) slope.  

Adrenaline Adventures

Back down in the village we tried out summer luge and X-Fly – a collection of activities including two zip wires, climbing walls and an eight-metre jump into an air bag. On the one rainy day the children tried out the indoor adventure park In’Vertigo, played table tennis and indoor mini golf. The Palais des Sports offers a Premium Pass which gives you unlimited entry to the indoor and outdoor pools, ice rink, tennis courts, minigolf, table tennis and more.

On our last day in the resort Toby and Livi took their first flight and then in the afternoon we went mountain biking. As I was feeling lazy, I swapped my ordinary bike for an electric one and spent the afternoon cycling up to the lake aided by the little motor.  As far as I’m concerned now, that’s the only way to cycle.