Alpe d’Huez is a resort that any skier would be happy to visit. The resort itself sits at 1860m and is surrounded by a huge 236km bowl of unbeatable skiing terrain that suits all abilities of skier. It is part of the enormous Alpe d’Huez Grand Domaine Ski Area which offers a total of 389km of downhill skiing on 304 pistes and is served by 150 ski lifts.

Alpe d’Huez is home to some legendary black runs. One of the longest black runs in the world is La Sarenne (16km), which starts at the Pic Blanc summit which also has outstanding views over the Southern Alps. Also starting from the same point is The Tunnel, a 60m tunnel built into the glacier that emerges onto a near vertical mogul field. For the more sedate skiers there are plenty of wide open blue runs and gentle greens. For snow boarders there are 2 well maintained snow parks.

This really is a ski resort with “something for everyone” and it offers plenty of chance to explore and visit different villages over a huge area so that you rarely visit the same runs more than once.

Alpe d’Huez moves swiftly from the cold of the winter months to the heat of the summer months. With over 300 sunny days a year, you will definitely need to bring your sunscreen. The mountain comes alive as the snow melts and the resort basks under the majestic 11,000ft peaks of the Mont Pic.

Cycling is a firm favourite in this area that is famous for being on the Tour de France trail numerous times. With the invention of E-bikes, this is something that is more of a reality for most of us than it has been in the past so try the 21 bend ascent that has made this resort a firm favourite on the Tour de France. The area is also extremely popular with hikers as there are over 143km of hiking trails taking in the 12 natural lakes that are within walking distance from Alpe d’Huez.

Alpe d’Huez is definitely a front running contender for one of the top year round resorts in the French Alps due to its outstanding microclimate and numerous outdoor pursuits.