Cycling in Alpe D'huez, France — More Active Travel

When you hear the word “Alps” it’s easy to immediately think of winter activities in white mountains but you should consider a trip to the Alps in the summer too. It can be as good as winter with plenty outdoor activities to do and of course delicious food. Change of scenery, amazing light, wide open spaces, you will feel immediately disconnected from the city life and come back from your trip full of energy (and maybe sore legs too!).

Let’s take a closer look at Alpe D’Huez, one of France oldest ski resort located 90-minute drive south-east of Grenoble airport. We will have to admit it is not the prettiest resort in France, mainly due to the fact it was developed randomly over the decades, resulting in 60s style concrete block buildings dividing the resort in 8 small quartiers. For a good experience, we recommend you stay at the top end of town in Hotel Les Grandes Rousses (more on this later).

You might asked why on earth did we go to this place then? Simple, we like a bit of a challenge and we chose to go there on a long weekend in the summer to cycle one of the most iconic alpine climb which has regularly featured on the Tour de France since the 1950’s. 21 hairpin bends, 13.8km, 8.1 per cent, steepest part 11.5 per cent, and a maximum elevation of 1850m. You get the point!

Some interesting facts about the climb:

Each of the 21 hairpin bends of the climb is named after one (sometimes two) of the Tour de France’s stage winners
Alpe d'Huez is also known as the Dutch mountain due to the fact many Dutch riders won a Tour stage in Alpe D’huez
The fastest recorded ascent is around 37 minutes
There is some debate as to the holder of the fastest ascent - between Alberto Contador (2010) and Marco Pantani (1997)
Bernard Hinault and Greg LeMond crossed the finish line together in 1986
Turn 7 is known as Dutch Corner and in recent years turn 10 has turned into Irish Corner
In 2013, the riders had to climb Alpe d’Huez twice in the same stage

I don’t cycle super often so it was a bit tough for me! Dan was crazy enough to do the climb again the day after our first ascent (and obviously much faster!). The next day I opted for a trail run instead, equally rewarding! I thoroughly enjoyed the climb and the effort it took and would totally do it again. You just need to pace yourself and believe in yourself!

Hot tips for the climb:

If you stay in the resort, you will first need to descent before you take on the climb, we thought that was actually quite nice to get the legs warmed up.
For the descent, we recommend you take what is sometimes called the hidden side of Alpe d’Huez, Villard-Reculas / Pas de la Confession / lac du Verney - see our Strava ride - The views from the cliff road between Villard-Reculas and Huez are mesmerising.
The climb is not the steepest or longest of all in the Alps however it is relentless from km0. It’s completed doable for active people who do not cycle very often however we recommend to pace yourself. The first 6 bends are actually the steepest ones… So take it easy!
Rent your bikes at Cycle Huez shop - really good bikes and super friendly people
Wear real cycling shoes and not your trainers like me!
It’s hot in summer, start your ride as early as possible and stay hydrated. There are various water point on the way up
Pack some snacks in your pocket! And 2 water bottles minimum
Reward yourself with a drink at the cafe next to the finish, we opted for beers and they tasted bloody good after such an effort.

Accommodation:

We stayed at Hotel Les Grandes Rousses and recommend it. We loved the decor and ambiance there, downstairs has a really nice area to relax and enjoy drinks from the bar. We felt it was a really homely place to stay and was well looked after. We had a junior suite with amazing views out over the town and onto the mountain. The rooms on that side really do have amazing views, well worth it. The facilities in this hotel are very good with a bike room, a spa and massage facilities.

If you don’t fancy cycling, you can go on a hike or run in the beautiful mountains. There are plenty options from the resort. We opted to go in La Sarenne area and we also took the lift to Pic Blanc at 3300m. Superb view but also super cold so pack a few layers if you go up there.