Alpe d'Huez Mountain Biking

The mountain biking trails of Alpe d'Huez are immense and weave their way across the spectacular terrain of the Oisans region. Here you will find over 200km of marked trails linking Alpe d'Huez and it's surrounding villages of Auris, Oz, Vaujany, Villard-Reculas and Bour d'Oisans.  The area is certified by the French Cycling Federation (which means it must be good!) and includes 135km of cross-country and 130km of downhill routes.  There is also a bike park in the centre of the resort if you fancy a bit of freestyle action with a dirt line and new modules for beginners.

Cross-Country: The 135km includes 16 cross-country mountain biking trails of varying difficulty and distance; they are open to all who wish to give them a try. A new cross-country track, Le Tour du Signal, was created in 2007; it is 10 miles long and covers a 2,400 ft difference in height, starting from Alpe d’Huez. Also open to all levels it boasts an outstanding panoramic view over the Grandes Rousses Massif.

Downhill: Alpe d'Huez has 15 dedicated downhill tracks, including the Megavalanche - the world's longest downhill route that starts on the glacier and ends 30km later down in the valley! There are 4 permanent downhill tracks which are the training and competition tracks for beginner and expert downhillers.  They are situated under the 1st (beginner) and 2nd (intermediate) parts of the Grandes Rousses DMC and under the Poutran (expert) cable car. The downhill routes cover 2610m of vertical drop (from 3330m down to 720m in Allemont) and are served by 9 ski lifts open from July 1st to September 3rd. 

New for 2009: 4 new green tracks for beginners (between 2100m - 1800m); a new DH trail that arrives back in resort; and an even trickier "Piste des Vaches" thanks to a number of new modules.  There is also a new information chalet entirely dedicated to bikers where you can get the latest info on trail condition before setting out.  The chalet is located near the base of the DMC gondola and is open daily from 08h30 - 09h00 and then 17h30 - 18h00 but you can also enquire at the cash desks outside of these times.

If you want a guided tour of the Alpe d'Huez mountain bike trails the guys from Ecole MCF de l'Alpe d'Huez can offer you a range of trips to suit all abilities. They are all qualified mountain bike guides and can therefore offers tips on technique and give lessons if needed.

During July and August a number of lifts serving Alpe d'Huez open for mountain bikers and walkers. If you're not fond of the uphill or long ascents, you should come during these summer season months when and bars, restaurants and hotels are all open and the resort is liveliest.

Weather permitting, June, September and up to the end of October are good months to mountain bike as trails are quiet and the temperature cool. Too early in June or too late in October and there is a risk some of the higher passes maybe covered in snow and are therefore unsafe to traverse. You should note, however, that no lifts are open during these periods and the resort will be extremely quiet with limited shop and restaurant openings.

Whenever you choose please remember to respect others users of the mountain, especially walkers, and control your speed of descent...

If you really want to see some full-on mountain bike action this summer coincide your holiday with one of the many MTB events that will be taking place. The one that you don't want to miss is the mighty Megavalanche in July. There are also number of smaller events and competitions taking place throughout the season, so keep an eye on our What's On Calendar to make sure you don't miss out.

Having removed your stabilisers, here's a few ideas on how to tackle the local terrain. ... see "Tips and Techniques - Mountain Biking" for more

Different areas within Alpe d'Huez are suited to different types of mountain bikes so if you’re an experienced rider then you’ll undoubtedly be bringing your own mountain bike with you and you'll already know your preferred terrain. However, if this is your first mountain biking experience and you’re not familiar with the lingo or sure between a cross country (XC), trail, freestyle or downhill bike; or whether to take the hardtail or full suspension option, then here’s a few thoughts for you to consider:

These days different bikes are designed built for different terrains and uses.

• Cross country bikes offer only a small amount of suspension movement. Whilst they can handle most trails they are not as effective on the rocks and roots that come with rugged terrain as seen in Les Deux Alpes.
• "All Mountain" Bikes are generally heavier than their XC relatives, and provide more suspension travel at the front and possibly rear. They are generally designed to ascend and descent the mountains, integrating some of the cross country bike’s climbing attributes with the strengths of a downhill/freeride bike.
• Freestyle bikes are heavy and designed for hardcore abuse by the rider. They’re most suited to riders who enjoy big drops, rough terrain and park jumps so they therefore have a significant degree of suspension travel.
• Downhill bikes are the biggest of the ‘bad boy’ bikes out there. Designed for the experienced and highly technical downhill rider, they are generally the heaviest of full suspension (FS) bikes and are capable of high speeds whilst absorbing most obstacles (within reason!) thrown at them. They are most definitely not good for ascending Alpine trails – that’s what the lifts are for!