Alpe d'Huez Grand Domaine Villages & Accommodation
The Alpe d’Huez Grand Domaine ski resort comprises seven main villages all ranging in size & altitude, plus numerous nearby hamlets & towns. All seven resort villages have direct lift & piste trail access to & from the ski resort, with many accommodation providers offering ski-in ski-out convenience.
Search & book a place to stay via the Alpe d’Huez Ski Accommodation Listings.
From north to south the first village of Vaujany is perched on the side of a valley at 1,250m elevation and is connected by lifts & pistes to Oz En Oisans (1350m). On the main resort access road, first are the more traditional villages of Villlard Reculas (1500m) & Huez (1500m); then finally the sprawling, but ordered, modern behemoth of L’Alpe d'Huez (1860m). Further south across a deep defile, the small hamlet of Maronne (1450m) & resort style village of Auris En Oisans (1600m) round out the options.
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Best Alpe d'Huez Mountain Lodgings
L’Alpe d’Huez
L’Alpe d’Huez is a sprawling, monstrosity replete with 6-storey hotels & apartment blocks. Better planned & somehow more acceptable to the eye than the hodgepodge development at Les 2 Alpes, it is still a resort village that in the end one either loves or hates. The village is large enough to have several separately named neighbourhoods (or 'quartiers') which vaguely from top to bottom are - Cognet, Bergers, Jeux, Outaris, Eclose, Passeaux & Vieil Alpe (so much for quarters!). Regardless of where one stays, most of the village is cunningly connected to the slopes by a series of open or enclosed passenger gondolas. Where the gondolas don’t go, regular buses fill the transport void. The major car parks for day-trippers is near Bergers, so it can get crowded in the vicinity early & later in the day.
To get a sense of the breadth of the village & proximity to ski lifts & services, see the Alpe d'Huez village map below.
Unlike 2 Alpes, Alpe d’Huez has a fine range of high-end lodgings, all with south-facing views & catering to a more well-to-do clientele. Whilst the predominant accommodation type is a typically French array of mostly privately owned apartments, there are also about 30 hotels to choose from.
The hands-down best accommodation on the hill is the ski-in, ski-out, 5-star Hôtel Au Chamois d'Or. Located at the top of the village in Cognet, it is next to the main Grandes Rousses gondola. Not far away is the simple & affordable 3-star Hôtel Eliova Le Chaix, also in a prime position opposite the ski slopes. Further down but backing onto the slopes of Signal & still in Cognet, the 5-star ski-in Grandes Rousses Hotel & Spais the perfect well-heeled alternative.
In ‘Bergers’, close to the day car park & lifts to Auris, aside from the sprawling all-inclusive Club Med, the pic (sic) of the accommodations is the 4-star elegance of Hotel Le Pic Blanc. Behind in a quiet, discreet location is the Alpenrose Alpe d'Huez.
Other hotels worth consideration are toward the centre of town, in and around the ‘Vieil Alpe’ quarter. Affordable options include the quirky PopAlp, plus more traditional offerings like Hotel Les Bruyères, Le Castillan and Hôtel Le Petit Prince. Fancier digs are at the pompously-named, but not pompous, 4-star Royal Ours Blanc Boutique Hôtel.
Down in ‘Eclose’, one of the better Alpe d’Huez hotels in style, but not necessarily location, is the classy Hôtel Daria-I Nor. If the hotels hold no interest but you are keen to stay in the main village, look at the host of private apartments & chalets for rent via the accommodation listings.
Search & book a place to stay via the Alpe d’Huez Ski Accommodation Listings.
Huez & Villard Reculas
Just down the road from L-Alpe d’Huez, the original Huez sits pretty, but overlooked by the looming apartment blocks above. It retains the traditional charm of a French Alps mountain village, albeit surrounded by the busy (& sometimes nightmarish) road made famous by the pain it induces on professional cyclists during the Tour de France race. Self-contained chalets and apartment are available. The village is connected to the skiing by a gondola.
Off the Huez road is the quiet village of Villard Reculas. The perfect spot to rent a chalet or apartment in a rural setting, it has a small ski area base connected to the broader domain but relatively few services & shops. It is best for those that are keen to be self-sufficient.
Maronne
Above the valley town of Le Bourg d’Oisans, the tiny authentic hamlet of Maronne has lots going for it, but the circa 1970s chairlift may not be one of them! Situated in the Auris lift pass sector of the Grand Domaine, the hamlet's location is seemingly a world away from L'Alpe d’Huez until you note the high-rise apartment skyline visible in the background. Never mind because the deck of the ski-in ski-out La Foret De Maronne faces the opposite direction! Stay here for traditional French hospitality away from all the hoi polloi.
Auris en Oisans
Maronne's opposite in the Auris sector is a small, slightly dated, resort-style village called Auris en Oisans. Families will enjoy its sunny aspect, reasonable affordability & fewer skiers. Views across to Les 2 Alpes are magnificent, as is the proximity! All lodgings are ski-in ski out or damn close to it! Try the Résidence Odalys Les Balcons d'Auréa for apartments or the Hotel Le Beau Site for rooms & a restaurant. A short distance down the road in the original village of Auris, try the excellent Hotel de La Forêt.
Search all lodging options via the Auris en Oisans Ski Accommodation Listings.
Vaujany
The lowest of the resort villages at 1,250m, Vaujany is the only one with lifts but no ski trails directly back to it. Some excellent accommodation is within a short stroll of the cable car & two gondolas perched alongside the village. The village’s main hotel is the exceptional 4-sar Hotel Le V de Vaujany, but there is also the more approachable Hotel Les Cimes.
For a quality selection of apartments, try Résidence Les Hauts de Vaujany, Résidence Goélia Le Crystal or TERRESENS - Le Saphir. Numerous holiday homes & privately managed apartments are also generally available for rent in Vaujany also.
Search all lodging options via the Vaujany Ski Accommodation Listings.
Oz en Oisans
The ski-in ski-out village of Oz en Oisans is at a modest 1,350m elevation but provides the best access to the Grand Domaine after L’Alpe d’Huez. Aside from one excellent new hotel/hostel, Moontain Hostel, self-contained apartments & chalets are the main accommodation type. Try the perfectly located Chalet des Neiges Chalet des Neiges Apartments. The fantastic gondola below the Eau d'Olle dam connects the valley to the ski resort at Oz station, improving access for day-trippers.
Search all the lodging options via the Oz en Oisans Ski Accommodation Listings.
Best Accommodations in the Valley
Just off the road up to the resort village of Oz en Oisans, the original village of Oz retains its traditional mountain charm. Only 7&frec12;km from the closest ski lifts, Oz has a few chalet and apartment options plus an excellent local restaurant at Auberge La Cure.
Within walking distance to the Eau d’Olle gondola valley station in the village of Allemont, you could do way worse than to stay at the convivial Hotel La Douce Montagne.
If all else fails & you are after well-priced accommodation in a central location, the main valley town of Le Bourg d'Oisans provides several options plus a range of local services not available in many of the higher mountain villages. It has a pretty town centre with laneways and a stunning precipitous backdrop of the cliffs leading up to the looming Prégentil peak. The town has what we would rate as the best bakeries & croissants in Europe.
The best of the hotels these days is the wonderfully renovated and centrally located Hotel de Milan. We stayed here years ago when it was in the early stages of being re-vamped and the contrast is stunning to say the least. Nearby is the very good Hotel Des Alpes also located right in the heart of town. Opposite the main bus station is the fabulous Hotel Oberland, and on the fringe of town BO Lodge offers an excellent boutique alternative. Some incredibly pleasant homes are also available for holiday rental, often at short notice.
Bourg d'Oisans is convenient for skiing Les 2 Alpes & La Grave as well as Alpe d'Huez. Due to the confusing & often unreliable local buses, staying here is best for those with their own transport to drive up to the ski lifts. That said, there are bus services up to Alpe d'Huez throughout the day in winter, plus a free shuttle to Vaujany.
Search & book a place to stay via the Le Bourg-dʼOisans Ski Accommodation Listings.
For anyone with a car and looking for somewhere quiet, beyond Le Bourg d’Oisans toward Venosc is a Powderhounds favourite, Ecrins Lodge. The drive to Alpe d’Huez may be longer, but the location, hosts, food & ambiance at the Lodge are worth it!