Alpe d’Huez
One of the original purpose built ski resorts in France and was up there with Courchevel as the top destination , fell behind the Three Valleys area in the 70/80’s but is back with a bang , massive investment ( and a high profile thanks to the Tour de France ) sees Alpe d’Huez back as one of the worlds top resorts .
Whilst the resort has seen a lot of expansion and now has many intermediate runs available , it is really a great place to base yourself for the winter if backcountry and free-skiing is your thing .
Interesting fact : Jean Pomagalski built the first ever drag lift here in the 1930’s which ran of a an old American truck from WW1 , he went on to build the POMA lift company.
Jobs in Alpe d’Huez
Plenty of work here , lots of tour operators , chalet companies etc ..plus the bars all have a fair amount of brit staff so getting yourself a season here should not be a problem ( although a lot of staff want to go back year after year ) .
No job listings found.
Slopes
For a great leg burner hit the longest slope in Europe ( quite a few resorts claim this though ) at 16kms : La Sarenne ; for those of you who are just getting going on the slopes then head to the outskirts of the resort and enjoy some of the blue runs .
The whole area is really sunny and over 800 snow cannons so on fair weather days you are going to be cruising around and loving the wide open runs
Top Tips
Getting your kicks on the steep stuff is a doddle here , firstly you should be in the Cheminees du Mascle couloirs at 50 degrees !
There are some great off piste routes from Pic Blanc and Dome de Petit rousses but for a hardcore day out grab a lift over to La Grave and ride some of the most extreme terrain in Europe.
Bars
Night life is a big plus here and you will not be disappointed with a fair bit of Apres ski to be had…
- The Folie Douce can now be found in Alpe d’Huez so expect expensive raucous fun on the slopes.
- Underground bar always has superb live music.
- O Bar is a great spot to get comfy in front of the fire and enjoy some tapas.
- Smithys and Sharkeys will keep you entertained , and you will bump into a lot of other resort workers here.
- Lots of bars tend to come and go in Alpe d’Huez so keep an eye out for first season special offers in the first few weeks where bar owners need to make a good impression !