Alpe d\' Huez

Alpe d' Huez (alt. 1860 m) are a winter sports resort of the the Alps located on old the Alpage S of the Village of Huez (Isere). It belongs to the Massif Large Russet-red, with the top of the Oisans. It developed as from the years 1920. It is there that in 1936 was installed the first Ski lift of the type Téléski. Under the characteristics of the station, one can note the presence of a 16 km long black track which goes down from 3300  m with 1500  m: " Sarenne". It is the longest track of Europe.

The site of Alpe was occupied as of the Moyen-âge under the name of Brandes. The inhabitants worked there a mine of money.

It is also in Alpe d' Huez that the Botaniste Gaston Bonnier began his Flore France in 1871.

Alpe d' Huez and the ski

The station of Alpe d' Huez belongs to the greatest skiables fields of France with its 249km of tracks and its 10  000  hectares of which 800 are skiables, on uneven of 2223  m (between the Peak of the White Lake with 3333  m and Enversin of OZ to 1  100  m), 84 ski lifts of the field of the Large Russet-red of which in particular: More 3 elevators and carpet.

Moreover Alpe d' Huez these is also 123 marked tracks including 39 green, 31 blue, 36 reds and 17 black (of which Sarenne), but also 2 Snowpark S, a boardercross and a Half-pipe. Snowing up is guaranteed by 840 snow-blowers covering 66 km of tracks.

Except tracks with the marvellous landscapes are also present on this station: the combe of the wolf, large the sablat, rock-melon, etc, accessible for the alpine skiers from very good level.

The field extends on the communes from Auris in Oisans, Hoot, OZ in Oisans, Vaujany and of Villard-Moved back

Alpe d' Huez in summer

Like many great stations, Alpe d' Huez proposes in summer multiple activities.

In general, the summer season starts at the end of June and finishes at the end of August. During this period, the DMC of the Russet-red Grandes is in service to reach the three sections (2100m, 2700m, 3330m).

The latter are the starting point of rambles, or descent with VTT (whose celebrates it race of descent called the " Mégavalanche").

Alpe d' Huez and cycling

The rise towards Alpe d' Huez is one of the preferred rises of the cyclists. The road which leads Borough-with Oisans to Alpe d' Huez is made up of 21 laces numbered by indicating terminals, installed in the beginning to be used as reference mark with the snow-plows. The rise lasts approximately 14 km with an average slope of 8%, which reaches 12% in certain sections. The cyclists amateurs can traverse it on the basis of a streamer located at the exit of the Borough of Oisans. Two ticket machines located on departure and arrival enable them to obtain a diploma with the Tourist bureau located at the top.

The Tour de France cyclist knew his first arrival in Alpe d' Huez in 1952 with a victory of Fausto Coppi. Since the end of the year 1970 the rise was essential like one of the key periods of the Turn. The Italian Marco Pantani holds since 1997 the record of the rise (37 ' 35), after his victory in the stage of the Saint-Etienne-The Tour de France Alpe-in Huez. Gaining successive were:

* two arrivals of stages took place at the top of Alpe d' Huez in 1979

External bond

Official site of Alpe d' Huez

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