A Beginner's Guide to Skiing in Alpe d'Huez

One of France’s most popular resorts, Alpe d’Huez is a high-altitude, snow-sure resort with great skiing for people of all abilities - including beginners.

From its humble beginnings in the 1930s, it’s turned into one of the world’s biggest resorts, welcoming many British skiers every year.

It’s also known as the “Island in the Sunshine”, owing to its favourable weather and south-facing bowl.

Keep reading for all the key information on how Alpe d'Huez can suit you on a beginner ski holiday.

(All prices and information are reflective of the 24-25 season).

In this beginner's guide, we answer:

• Is Alpe d'Huez a good resort for beginners?
• Where to stay if you're a beginner in Alpe d'Huez
• Is Alpe d'Huez suitable for a first-time family ski holiday?
• Beginner skiing in Alpe d'Huez
• How much do lift passes cost?
• Beginner access to bars and restaurants
• How much do ski lessons cost?
• Is there a beginner-friendly snow park?

Is Alpe d'Huez a good resort for beginners?

Alpe d’Huez is a great resort for beginner skiers, for a number of reasons.

It’s got very good beginner areas, including the Chez Roger beginner zone, it has two magic carpets either end of the resort centre, where you can learn how to ski, and a huge range of green and blue pistes within the resort bowl to practise your skills, meaning you’re never too far away from the resort centre.

There is also a discounted beginner lift pass, plenty of restaurants and bars in easily accessible positions, and the chance for under 5s to ski for free.

There are plenty of ski schools and lots to do for families.

Read more:

St Anton is also a good resort for beginners - particularly those who want a very lively après experience!

Where to stay in Alpe d'Huez if you’re a beginner

To make things easy, try to find accommodation that's as close to the slopes as possible – Iglu Ski has chalets, hotels and apartments in Alpe d'Huez that offer ski-in ski-out access. Good places to stay would be nearer the beginner areas of Les Bergers or Grandes Rousses (which we’ll get into below).

Both the Hotel Les Bergers and Residence Les Bergers would be two such options for the former, while Hotel Le Chaix is well located for the latter.

If you’ve already skied before, you could stay in the Hotel Le Castillan and take the nearby Grande Sure chairlift up, before taking the fun run down into the main area of Grandes Rousses - saving yourself the 20-minute walk from that side of town.

Is Alpe d'Huez suitable for a first-time family ski holiday?

Yes, definitely!

Firstly, the beginner ski areas are very good - more on that in the next section.

It’s got a reputation for being family-friendly, with plenty of accommodation which welcomes children. Club Med is always a good option for those wanting an all-inclusive experience with kids’ clubs, on-site restaurants and even its own private magic carpet, while a cheaper option might be the Prestige L’Eclose Hotel, which has a kids’ play area and heated indoor pool among other benefits. Have a look at all of Alpe d’Huez’s family-friendly accommodation to take your pick.

As for activities off the slopes, there’s plenty going on.

Alpe d’Huez has an outdoor heated pool (27°) open throughout winter which closes at 8pm each day, and an indoor one which also has a toddler’s paddling pool.

The indoor pool is part of the sports centre, which also includes badminton and squash courts, a climbing wall, table tennis and (normal) tennis courts. There’s also archery and mini golf which are a fun addition.

There are plenty of typical outdoor mountain activities, like skidooing, sledding, paragliding and snowshoeing. Try the “rail luge”, which is essentially a 700m-long sledge on rails and whizzes you down via plenty of turns, bumps and tunnels, reaching up to 40km/h.

Underneath the Pic Blanc 1 gondola, there’s a permanent toboggan run which starts at the top of the Les Jeux gondola. A helmet is mandatory (they aren’t supplied, so use your skiing helmet).

There are also plenty of walking trails and dog sledding opportunities, while a cinema also shows films in English (look out for VO films - standing for version originale). You could also visit the Grotte de Glace (“ice cave”) which is at the bottom of the Pic Blanc lift and is full of interesting sculptures.

Read more:

Want a livelier resort instead? Check out our beginner's guide to Val d'Isère.

Beginner skiing in Alpe d'Huez

Alpe d’Huez has two main beginner ski areas in its immediate area - and four smaller ones dotted about in the satellite villages within the broader ski area.

If you’re an absolute newbie then you’ll be learning in the two beginner ski areas in Alpe d’Huez itself, which are situated in the Les Bergers and Grandes Rousses parts of town.

The Les Bergers beginner area should be the first place to aim for. One half of it is found at the bottom of the Marmottes 1 chairlift, while the other is a very short walk away (all within sight) at the bottom of the Rifnel Express chairlift. Overall, the Les Bergers area has 2 magic carpets, a drag lift and 4 gentle green runs to practise on.

After this, aim for the Grandes Rousses beginner area, which is served by a small magic carpet, 3 drag lifts and a short chairlift. Again, this section is littered with 5 greens.

Of course, if you’re staying in either Les Bergers or Grandes Rousses, then you’ll be alright just making use of your local beginner area if you’d prefer.

The surrounding satellite villages of Auris en Oisans, Villard Reculas, Oz and Alpette also have beginner-designated zones, but first-timers staying in Alpe d’Huez itself won’t be able to reach them easily as they are connected by blue (and in some cases, red) runs. Instead, you should focus on the ones right next to Alpe d’Huez, as shown on the map below.

Where to head when you’re ready to explore Alpe d'Huez 

After you’ve mastered the Les Bergers and DMC areas, you can try the network of greens which lie above and between the two areas, and are accessible at the top of the PIC Blanc 1 and Romains chairlifts. These greens are wide and gentle - great for practising your technique.

After this, aim to comfortably do the blues which begin at the top of the Marmottes 1 chairlift and also feed back into town.

Iglu Ski’s Aimee spent Christmas 2024 in Alpe d’Huez with her husband who is a beginner skier:

“The greens and blues on the south side of the Alpe d’Huez bowl are perfect for beginner skiers to tackle after you’ve finished your lessons for the day. There’s more than enough there for you to potter around on for the week.

“We’d start at the Bergers side of Alpe d’Huez and then make our way up and down the blues and greens taking the Romains, Pic Blanc 1 and Jeux lifts, before grabbing lunch at one of the easily accessible mountain restaurants, and making our way back again.”

How much do lift passes cost in Alpe d'Huez?

A standard 6-day lift pass for an adult costs €320 in the main season, which lasts from the second weekend in December to the second weekend in April.

Cheaper rates are available for the weeks after mid-April and leading up to mid-December (read our guide to the best early-season ski resorts in France for more on this).

Is there a free lift pass for Alpe d'Huez?

Yes!

Firstly, children under the age of 5 get to ski for free, anywhere in the resort.

Secondly, there are 3 lifts which can be used for free - the petit Rif Nel 1 drag lift, the École 2 drag lift, and the Grenouilles (frog) magic carpet. The latter two are in the DMC beginners area, while the Rif Nel drag lift serves one half of the Les Bergers beginners area.

While free, you may still need to pick up a physical pass from the lift pass office. This is officially called the Rond Point des Pistes Ski Pass Office and can be found at the bottom of the Signal Chairlift, at the top point of town.

Is there a discounted lift pass for beginners?

Yes!

There is a "débutante" lift pass which allows you to use the lifts immediately around the resort. These are the lifts mentioned in the beginner zones above, as well as a chairlift and gondola. This costs €29 per day (all ages) and is cheaper in off-peak weeks.

Meanwhile, you can also get a €52 day pass which covers substantially more.

Are Alpe d'Huez après bars and restaurants accessible to beginner skiers?

Alpe d’Huez’s Folie Douce - arguably the biggest après institution in the French Alps - is found at the top of the Marmottes 1 lift (which is a mixture of chairs and gondolas).

This lift runs from right at the bottom of the slopes in town, and then it’s a short walk when you get off - you don’t actually have to be on skis at all. Just make sure you get in the gondola lane as you won’t be allowed on the chair without skis.

There’s also the Yeti Bar at the bottom of the Bergers blue slopes, meaning you can walk there from town. The rest of Alpe d’Huez’s après-ski can be found in town, making it accessible for beginners.

As for restaurants - Folie Douce also does food. It does both a canteen-style service and an a la carte option. If you’re not quite comfortable with the idea of taking blue runs back down into the resort after your lunch, you can get the Marmotte 1 gondola back down.

Another great lunch stop is ‘The Spot’ which is halfway down the green Chardons run (accessed via the Pic Blanc gondola or Jeux chair). It’s very chilled and they make good paninis and burgers. Its sunny south-facing terrace has incredible views - a great hot chocolate/vin chaud spot!

The Chantebise 2100 Restaurant is also a good option for beginners, with easy access from the top of the Pic Blanc Cable Car.

At the bottom of the Bergers slopes, there’s a shopping centre which has plenty of restaurants inside it - including Le Tremplin.

Signal 2108 does burgers and hot chocolates (and much more!) and is found at the top of the Signal chairlift/gondola. There’s also a fun run for beginners round the back - called Marcel’s Farm - which can take you back to town, at the bottom of the Pic Blanc 1 gondola.

La Cabane has a lovely south-facing terrace and great food - take either the Marmottes 1 or Romains chairlift and follow the blues down for a bit until you hit the Lac Blanc green.

If the blues are going to be too much, you could also take a longer, winding green down, but you have to walk up the Lac Blanc green a bit as they join just downhill of the restaurant.

How much do ski lessons cost in Alpe d'Huez?

Alpe d’Huez is one of France’s biggest resorts, so its various ski schools are all quite strong. You might recognise some of the names below, but there are plenty more.

Remember, these prices might change. If you book through us, we’ll make sure you get a good deal. Lessons tend to be cheaper in the afternoon, which might be something to bear in mind.

Beginners will start lessons by warming up and getting used to new equipment. You’ll gradually learn technique, and hopefully it won’t take long before you’re skiing independently with friends and family.

Is there a beginner-friendly snow park in Alpe d'Huez?

Yes. Aim for the Jeux lift (mix of gondolas and chairs), from the top of which there is a “Family Park”, which has easy boxes and whoops.

Overall, is Alpe d'Huez a good choice for beginners?

Yes, Alpe d’Huez is a great choice for beginners.

Its discounted beginner lift pass is a fantastic opportunity to save money, while its extensive and easily accessible slope network is brilliant for beginners.

There are plenty of top quality ski schools, and lots going on in town when you’re off the slopes.

Book Your Beginner Ski Holiday to Alpe d'Huez

If you're interested in a ski trip to Alpe d'Huez, then let us help you sort the perfect holiday. 

We're the UK's largest ski travel agency and have been been getting people on their dream holidays for over 26 years. We're a company full of ski fanatics - all of us have done ski seasons, so we really know what we're talking about. 

Have a look at our best deals for Alpe d'Huez, or get in touch with us on 020 3848 3700. Alternatively, send us an enquiry and we'll get back to you with all the information you need.