Alpe d’Huez is a true paradise for those who love snow and the great outdoors. And, this ski resort in France’s Isere region which celebrates its 80th anniversary this winter has been crowned Europe’s Best Ski Resort for 2017 by the “European Best Destinations” organization in Brussels, Belgium. “This great award is a real source of encouragement to continue improving our services,” said Francois Badjily, director of the Alpe d’Huez tourism office. More than 58,000 people from 92 countries voted in the poll in December 2016. The resort received 9,550 votes, coming ahead of other French resorts like La Plagne and Courchevel, as well as Kitzbuhel in Austria and Gstaad in Switzerland.
The Winter/Summer sports resort is well known for its very sunny climate. The village has been developing since 1936 and is located at 1,860m in a sunny bowl above the valley town of Bourg-d’Oisans, a 90-minute drive south-east of Grenoble, the nearest airport. The slopes go down to 1,100m and up to a heady 3,330m, while its glacier ensures snow cover is sufficient for a long season that stretches from early December to late April.
The resort is endowed with facilities that harmonize with the natural features of the resort to offer holiday makers a whole host of indoor/ outdoor, sports and cultural activities. Life style resort ‘par excellence’, Alpe d’Huez offers a wide range of opportunities for snow sports as well as plenty of other activities to try out. But, it has still more improvements in store, with an estimated €350 million of investment over the next five years.