Alpe d’Huez: Where Legendary Ski Slopes Meets Legendary Cycling
Alpe d’Huez is one of those rare mountain names that carries weight in both summer and winter. In July, it is cycling theatre: a huge average 8% climb, a wall of spectator noise, and one of the most famous finishes in the Tour de France. In winter, it becomes one of the greatest ski playgrounds of the French Alps, with long descents, high-altitude terrain and some truly legendary pistes.
That's exactly why Alpe d’Huez feels so at home in Ready Steady Slope. Our ski and snowboarding card game is built around the places, runs and mountain moments that skiers and snowboarders dream about long after the lifts close. Alpe d’Huez brings iconic names, big vertical, famous black runs, sunny slopes and enough mountain drama to make the game so much fun.
For the 2026 Tour de France, Alpe d’Huez gets a starring role. Stage 19 runs from Gap to Alpe d’Huez, finishing with a 13.7 km Hors Catégorie climb at an average gradient of 8.1%. Stage 20 goes from Le Bourg d’Oisans to Alpe d’Huez, a 170.9 km mountain stage with 5,450 m of climbing and an Hors Catégorie ascent of the Col de Sarenne before the final arrival in resort. The Tour de France has always been deeply connected with the mountains. Alpe d’Huez holds a unique place in that story, thanks to both the challenge of the climb and the passion it inspires among fans. Over time, the ascent of its 21 bends has become one of the most powerful symbols in world cycling. The breath-taking official professional record for the fastest ascent of Alpe d'Huez is 36 minutes and 40 seconds, set by Italian cycling legend Marco Pantani during the 1995 Tour de France. Wow, just wow! 🤯
So while the cyclists will be grinding uphill, we are looking the other way: down the pistes. These are some of the Alpe d’Huez runs that make the resort famous.
La Sarenne, Black Piste ⚫️
- Difficulty: Black Diamond / Piste Noire (Classified black primarily for its extreme length and endurance demand, though the lower sections feel more like a blue or green run).
- Vertical: 1,820 meters (Descent from the Pic Blanc summit at 3,330m down to the Gorges de Sarenne at 1,510m).
- Location: AdH Main Hub -> DMC1 -> (Stay on for) DMC2 -> Pic Blanc
- Features: Famous as Europe's longest black ski run spanning 16 kilometers (10 miles) of uninterrupted descent. It features sweeping panoramic views of the Oisans range, a steep initial glacier section, and a long, scenic cruise through a wild, untouched river gorge.
- Watch: Full video of a decent here
If a single piste defines Alpe d’Huez, then it's this one: La Sarenne. Officially promoted by the resort as the longest black run in Europe, La Sarenne starts from the summit of Pic Blanc at 3,330 m and drops for 16 km through high alpine terrain, wild valleys and the Gorges de Sarenne. The official ski area lists its arrival altitude as 1,510 m, giving it a vertical drop of 1,820 m.
What makes La Sarenne special is the feeling of heading out on a proper mountain journey. The top section demands respect, especially when the snow is firm, then the run gradually opens out into a long, scenic descent where endurance matters as much as technique. Boarders - wax your gear before you go, or otherwise go with a friend on ski's who's willing to give you a tow. It get's flat!
La Sarenne is loved because it feels like an achievement. Plenty of pistes are steep. Plenty are scenic. La Sarenne combines scale, altitude, views and stamina into one memorable descent. You remember it because it feels bigger than an ordinary ski run.
The Tour de France link makes it even better. Stage 20 of the 2026 Tour climbs the Col de Sarenne, bringing the peloton into the same mountain world that gives this famous piste its name.
Le Tunnel, Black Piste ⚫️
- Diificulty: Expert / Black Diamond / Very Challenging
- Length & Vertical: 1130 meters from Pic Blanc at 3330m down to Lac Blanc at 2200m
- Location: AdH Main Hub -> DMC1 -> (Stay on for) DMC2 -> Pic Blanc -> Brèche Run -> Follow signs for Le Tunnel
- Features: A unique 200-meter tunnel carved through solid rock, an extreme 70% slope directly at the exit, and massive, unavoidable moguls.
- Watch: a full video of a decent here
If Sarenne is the legendary endurance run, Le Tunnel is the one people talk about with wide eyes.
Le Tunnel is one of the most intimidating pistes in Alpe d’Huez. It begins high on the mountain, accessed from the Pic Blanc area, and sends skiers through a 200 m tunnel carved into the rock before releasing them onto a steep mogul field. The official Alpe d’Huez ski area describes the run as having a 35° incline after the tunnel, while Alpes Isère ranks it among the most difficult and steep slopes in French skiing.
This is a piste for confident skiers. The tunnel gives the run a cinematic quality: you disappear into the mountain, then emerge onto a steep face where hesitation is punished quickly. Its reputation comes from that combination of drama, exposure and technical challenge.
The history adds to the myth. The idea for the Tunnel piste came after the opening of the third section of the Grandes Rousses cable car in 1963, and the route was inaugurated in 1964. It remains one of the resort’s great tests for advanced skiers.
In Ready Steady Slope terms, this is exactly the kind of run that deserves a special mention: high risk, high reward, and absolutely one to avoid when your form card is looking shaky.
La Fare, Black Piste ⚫️
- Difficulty: Expert / Black Diamond / Very Challenging
- Length & Vertical: 720-meter vertical drop
- Location: Starts from L'Alpette area running to the village of Vaujany
- Features: It winds through trees and steep switchbacks, can be icy as North facing
- Watch: A full decent of La Fare here
Away from the biggest headline names, La Fare is one of the best-loved black runs in the wider Alpe d’Huez Grand Domaine. It sits in the Oz-Vaujany side of the ski area and is known for being long, technical in places and beautifully atmospheric.
The official Alpe d’Huez booking site describes La Fare as a legendary Oz-Vaujany slope: long, difficult, with technical passages and a memorable route through fir trees. It is graded black and can be accessed from the Alpette lift via the Chalets slope, or from the Clos Giraud chairlift and Alpette gondola.
La Fare is famous in a quieter way than Sarenne or Le Tunnel. Experienced skiers often recommend it because it has rhythm, variety and a strong sense of place. Tree-lined sections, changing gradients and views back towards Vaujany make it feel more intimate than the big high-altitude runs.
It is well loved because it has character. On the right snow, it can feel like a hidden classic. On icy snow, it demands careful speed control. Either way, La Fare gives Alpe d’Huez another reason to stand out beyond its Tour de France fame.
Other Alpe d’Huez pistes worth knowing
Alpe d’Huez has much more than the 3 famous black runs mentioned, it's a real all round resort, excellent for beginners and families, with over 250 km of slopes and 111 pistes across the wider Grand Domaine. Terrain ranges from many beginner-friendly greens to world-famous advanced descents. That's why in the game we've given Alpe D'Huez one of each piste. It's the all rounder card. We like to think of it as our home resort. 🏠
Why Alpe d’Huez belongs in Ready Steady Slope
Alpe d’Huez has everything a mountain game needs: a famous name, genuine sporting history, pistes for every level and runs that feel like characters in their own right. It's even the resort where we invented the game.
The Tour de France gives us the perfect summer excuse to visit. Cycling fans will watch the riders crawl up to Alpe d’Huez. Skiers and snowboarders will recognise the same landscape as a winter playground full of legendary descents.
From the 21 bends of the Tour climb to the 16 km sweep of Sarenne, this is a resort built on legendary lines. Some are ridden on bikes. Some are carved on snow. In Ready Steady Slope, they all become part of the same mountain story.
So when the Tour arrives in Alpe d’Huez later this month, we will be eagerly watching the road, but of course as snow lovers, we're always thinking about when we can get back on the pistes.
You can read more on Alpe D'Huez in the Tour de France on the offical Alpe D'Huez site.
Every great climb 🚴 deserves an even better descent 🏂 ⛷️