Alpe d'Huez revisited 22.1.2012 (now with photos)

2nd trip to ADH, this time with another couple along for the ride and their first visit.
My previous visit was 2 years ago when we lost 2 days skiing due to diverted flights and lost baggage, so a kind of score to settle for me personally.

22nd Jan, stupid O'clock.
Did the meet and greet at Gatwick and checked in with FlyBe. First time for us with this airline. Very efficient check in, although after I had checked in I did hear the clerk say that some remaining bags to be checked in would be "on standby". I guess when some people on our flight didnt get their bags at Chambery, this is what was meant by standby. How to ruin someones trip from the off....
However, FlyBe were bang on time and provided a decent service on board. The aircraft was tiny, but at least it had jet engines and wasnt one of their turbo props. Very windy at Gatwick so take off was very up and down, left and right, but we climbed above the bad weather within 15 minutes.
Down into Chambery was "interesting"....again windy and cloudy so lots of bumps, which were only exaggerated in such a small plane, but once we were under the clouds there were some dramatic views along the valley as you fly in.

Chambery airport is exactly what I had been told and had come to expect - a shed. The passport control is a tent outside the shed, and inside there are only 2 luggage belts. You have to kind of take pot luck where to stand as cases and skis come out everywhere, randomly mixed in with other flights. The toilets there were not good.

Ski Total, our operator, were very visible and directed everyone to their appropriate coaches, and only 1.45 transfer up to ADH.

We stayed in the Chalethotel Mariandre in the old town. This is built in a traditional rustic style, like much of the village is, giving it a very non French feel. I said before that ADH and Serre Che feel very different from other French resorts, and look it too, although there are newer developments dotted around the edges of course.

The chalet hotel itself was fine, comfortable, well heated, good sized rooms, good food with the evening choices offered at breakfast, along with a choice of bottled wines unlimited throughout dinner. It has wifi in the lounge (free), and it is next to the "yogurt pot lift" which we never used as not only did it look rubbish, it went at rubbish mph. Its a 1 minute walk across to the town piste where you can clip into your skis and take the Eclose short chair up to the painfully slow Bergers chair which takes you across town into the Bergers area where you can pick up the fast Romaines and Marmottes chairs up the main area, or head on the AlpAuris "Scare Chair" across the valley onto Signal de l'Homme.

Alternatively, a 2 minute walk down the tour de france hill finds the hidden secret chair, "Grande Sure" which again is painfully slow but gets you up on top of Signal Mountain a lot quicker than taking the yogurt pots. From Signal you ski down to the main DMC lift and the area opens right up for you.

On arrival, it was clear there had been an abundance of snow, with thick piles of snow around town, cars buried as well. The forecast for 4 days was sun and blue skies, we were in luck.
True to form, the weather for 4 days was outstanding....not particularly cold around -4 most of the day, chillier first thing and after 3pm and obviously higher up as well. We had 1 morning of low vis with fog rising up in patches from the valley below, and another morning after fresh snow fall of similar changing visibility, but otherwise a dry week.

I'd managed to remember quite a lot from my previous 4 days, and set off guiding my mate and his other half around much of the area. We headed up the DMC 2nd stage first thing and down Les Rousses which is a fantastic red which you can cruise or speed along, depending on what you prefer, this takes you to the mid station of the Alpette cable car (Vaujany at the bottom, Dome at the top) where there is the best pizza restaurant in France called La Grange, tucked away just off the main piste by the cable car station.

You can ski down from here into Vaujany and Oz, 2 satellite villages down the valley from ADH, and also into Montfrais where there are some fabulously quiet blues and reds to pootle about on, as well as some of the best tree lined off piste I have seen for France.

There are a number of older chairs and gondolas which if you were in Austria would have been replaced years ago, but they get you there, they dont stop, and you dont have to queue to get onto them.

The Chalets blue run down from Alpette into Montfrais is a highlight, lovely sweeping run with spectacular views. You can bomb down La Fare, a longish black down to Vaujany. Unfortunately for us the snow on this run was not in good nick, concrete base with what I can only describe as gravel on top of it. Not a pleasant run, but this would be brilliant to blast down in good snow.
Down at Montfrais, the Edelweiss blue run is also gorgeous, as is the Vajuaniate run off the mountain to the valley floor, again suffering lower down with not such good snow last week.

From Alpette midstation, you can ski down to Oz En Oisans, reached by the fabulous Alpette red run, which leads onto the even more fabulous and exciting L'olmet (re christend Omlet by us) red down into the village, where you pick up either the big Alpette cable car or the Poutran gondola (very slow and annoying) up to DMC mid station below Dome. The Poutran red run back down from here into Oz is another highlight for anyone skiing the area, sweeping long run down in amongst the trees.

Up above at Dome, Belevdere red takes you down into DMC 2nd stage from where you take the Pic Blanc cable car up to 3330m where the delights of La Sarenne, the Glacier runs, and The Tunnel await you. Not for the timid skiers, let me tell you! Its high, the air is noticably thinner, the platform sways in the wind, and then you're faced with a 2 metre wide short steep run off the platform straight into a steep mpgul field. If you're a strong skier, or confident, get up there and have a go. If you're the slightest bit timid or not particulalry fit, dont get out of your depth or waste your time, as it will take you a couple of hours to get down if so!!!!!!
The Sarenne is the longest black in the world, I am told, 17km? Its hard at the top, but eases eventually into nothing more than a cruisy red and eventually into a blue where you simply let your tired legs rest and allow the skis to run back into the bottom of the Scare Chair lift.

Back over the other side, theres a great unpisted run off Dome called, guess what - Le Dome. My mate struggled with the gradient and the fresh snow on here, its officially a red but maybe should be a black IMO, and his other half had 2 falls here and twisted her knee on the last day - luckily no big damage and she was able to ski on. And she is a very experienced skier.

There are a couple of choices of runs off from DMC 2nd stage lift, where the Pic Blanc cable car comes in as well, and you can actually ski all the way from here into virtually any part of the whole massive ski area: Montfrais, Oz, Vaujany, the village of ADH itself, without the need for taking any other lifts. This is in essence the place to be as late in the day as you can be. However, beware the Couloir blue and Chamois red, which are the main routes off here and by early afternoon have become skied out and very moguled, making it very hard for timid intermediates or beginners. In fact, beginners really should not be up as high as 2nd stage DMC or Marmottes lifts as the pistes up here are not for them.

The next high point across from Dome, also at 2800m is Clocher de Macle, which is where the Marmottes 2nd stage comes in from below and you take the Marmottes 3 gondola up to do the glacier and the tunnel black on Pic Blanc. Off from here down to Plat des Marmottes are some tough reds and blacks, again not a place for weak skiers at all. But these runs are fabulous for confident skiers and boarders alike with loads of off piste to go at as well.

Up above, skiers and a few boarders weave their way down from The Tunnel run, which really is the hardest thing I have ever skied in my life. Massive amounts of open skiing here, which I imagine would be amazing in fresh deep snow.

Down from Marmottes and you are skiing back into the bottom lifts in ADH. Over at the right hand side as you look at the piste map, is the Altiport chalet area, close to Les Bergers where a lot of apartments and the club med can be found.

These bottom lifts are fast but can attract queues at peak times. We sensibly got up quick and headed to the extremities of the ski area to avoid any queues. The runs back into town from the first stage are officially all green. However IMO many of these should be blue due to the potential speed you can build up due to the decent gradient. However, many ski schools use these slopes and therefore slow skiing is the order of the day in the mornings. Heading back to the village at 4.30pm is a different matter however!!!!

Under the DMC gondola, there are similar green runs, again some of which should really be blue. Theres also a fun park and ski cross track, and a "slow speed" run where you're not supposed to ski fast. Oops. Tne DMC lift seems to be the main way to get skiers up the mountain from base, but its at the head of the village to the left as you look at the map, and therefore you need to choose how best to get across to it. There are a lot of flat spots underneath it, where many pistes link up at the foot of Signal Mountain. Slalom and races, as well as night skiing, take place on Signal which is just hill above the village in essence, but the main runs off are quite steep at the top and open up to really allow you to push your speed up and carve down to the village again. Tip: take the drag lift up Signal, not the chair, its twice as fast.

From the back of Signal there is masses of off piste and a few nice blues and reds down into Villard Reculas. We had a lovely morning playing around on these blissfully quiet slopes, and found thePetit Prince/Villard runs to be particularly pleasing to ski.

Across the valley, down the back of ADH to the right as you look at the map, is Signal de L'Homme, a separate ski area linked by the scare chair across the Sarenne Gorge. Again this area tends to be much quieter, the chair probably scaring people off going, literally! Its a dramatic view as the chair takes you down and then back up the other side.
These slopes are known as the Auris sector, due to the main village here, which was clearly its own ski area previously, now linked into the ADH area. The big long chair on the front takes you up to the fabulous fast and steep reds, Fontfroide and Vernettes, where if you dare you can open up and hammer it down at top speed. My mate reckons they are too steep in sections to be red, he thinks they should be black, but they are probably red because of their width.
Theres plenty of off piste here as well, down the back into the village of Auris, as well as a red and blue alternative to ski the pistes down. Cheapest drinks in the area over here in Auris - 4 coffees were 9,90 compared to roughly 15 euros everywhere else.
Down in Auris, its clearly a beginners paradise with good green and blue runs, but some other lovely little runs for all abilities. You can also ski a long red or blue down into La Garde, or if its open the black option called La Fuma. Sadly this was closed when we visited.

Having been back for this 2nd trip, I can honestly say ADH is an intermediates paradise. You can get a real feeling of travel by skiing to the extremities and it doesnt take that long to get about. Have a morning at one side of the piste map, and you'll make the opposite side for the afternoon. If you time it right of course, and ski through the main lunch periods when the ski schools stop.

For France, its a pretty place. Scenery is dramatic, its high up (ADH village is at 1860), lifts are adequate if a little slow, prices are not in the big league either.

Lunch at La Grange usually consisted of wonderful clay over baked pizza at 13.50 euros, big enough for 2 to share comfortably, and a bottle or 3 or free water. Bargain. Alternatively down in Auris they do burger, chips and a drink for 9 euros, but it wasnt great - purely carbs and energy food to continue.

Best coffee stops - the couple down in Montfrais because they are so quiet. Expect to pay between 2,50 and 4 euros for a coffee depending on where you are. The best coffee was actually in the hut at the foot of the Fontfroide lift on the Auris sector, even though it was in plastic beakers!

Bars, pubs etc....I'm not the drinker I used to be, and we had free wine with dinner at the hotel. However, avoid at all costs the big open bar at the back of Les Bergers commercial centre, where 4 large beers set us back 48 euros!!!!! Mind you, they were 2 litre glasses......
We found the perfect bar just down the slope from our hotel, Pacific. It has a sister bar in Val d'Isere but they are no longer connected by owners. Free wifi as well, and a jug of Kronenburg (3 pints) for 12 euros, or 10 in happy hour (5.30 to 6.30). Theres also another nice place up the road in the old village called O Bar, they do reasonably priced Tapas as well. Both have sport on tv if you need to catch up.

Eating out.....we only had to do this one night, and were delighted to have chosen a rustic looking place called Edelweiss round the corner and up the hill from the hotel. The food was outstanding and reasonable. We all had steak, mine with Bearnaise sauce, served with the best ever dauphinoise potatoes and some veg, for 20 euros a head. Bottle of local Savoie red was 12,50. A superb choice and it didnt break the bank. It was also packed, a good sign, whilst others were very quiet.

Mid January is a good time to ski anywhere IMO, but this resort is far from busy. Yes there can be the odd peak time queue at certain lifts down the bottom, of up to Pic Blanc on a sunny morning, but time it right and you wont queue anywhere. My friend and his other half who came with us had asked not to ski in France by choice, due to a previous unpleasant experience in Avoriaz, but they found ADH was perfect in all aspects for them - the village, scenery, skiiing, extent, price etc. I think its pretty much one of the perfect all round resorts, but best visited in January as its gets a lot of sun.

Ski Total - very organised and professional. However, they are a sister company to Esprit Ski, and that means packaged family holidays. We knew this before the visit and because it was half price we didnt mind. Having said that, I would never book a family friendly hotel like this again. The vast majority of clients stopping here were ride, stuck up and ignorant. In wont go into detail about individuals and their pathetic behaviour, but we are talking about the kind of people who ask you to be quiet at 4pm because their kids are sleeping, but find it perfectly acceptable for their kids to be running up and down the corridors at 6am. Or the sort that put their kids into creches all day and leave them with baby sitters all night. Not for me, thanks.

Anyway, ADH. Now one of my favourite places to ski. And OMG, its in France!!!


pics to follow

Well done mate great report as always :thumbup:

Your reports are always great to read with loads of useful detail, Tony. ADH is on the potential list for next year as a result, thanks!

Really interesting report particularly as we were in Vaujany, Oz and Alpe d'Huez the week before - in fact we were in A d'H when about 50cms of snow fell on the 21st Jan.
Fortunately we skied La Sarenne on the previous Wednesday in near perfect weather with clear sunny skies and good snow conditions. By no means an expert skier but capable of tackling most things, I still bottled out of the narrow entry in favour of going down the flight of steps which gives you an easier entry next to the top of the chairlift. The moguled upper sections are not too bad because they are wide but for more timid skiers, there seemed to be several ways of avoiding the worst. I agree, most of the run is like a red until near the end when the legs get a bit of a rest. Fantastic to have done it though and the snack bar down near the Auris lift was a very welcome sight because I'd made the mistake of not taking something to eat and drink.
I agree entirely that some of our best runs were down into Oz and Vaujany on some swoopy reds and blues though it's a shame the bubble out of Oz is so slow - it puts you off going back up for a second go.
Wish we'd found the pizza place - that sounds like a great find...

Excellent report Tony - thank you! :thumbup:

best pizza restaurant in France

Damn you. Now I have the need to book a trip to ADH...

Pistes, Powder and Pizza. Good job! :lol:

Mr Admin. Book yourself a trip when there is fresh snow. I know you're flexible. Theres a hell of a lot for you to go at there.

Great report Tony. How big is the ski area there?

Admin wrote:Excellent report Tony - thank you! :thumbup:

best pizza restaurant in France

Damn you. Now I have the need to book a trip to ADH...

Pistes, Powder and Pizza. Good job! :lol:

I'll second that, best pizzas I've ever had anywhere. I've been to ADH 4 times and their quality has stayed constantly superb.