A home from home for cyclists
Alpe d’Huez is a mecca for cycling and hosts several high-profile events – from La Marmotte and the EDF Alpe d’Huez Triathlon to the world-renowned Tour de France.
These events see competitors take on the leg-shredding 21 hairpin bends on two wheels from 1,450m to the resort base at 1,860m – no mean feat!
Cycling enthusiasts have flocked to Alpe d’Huez for years, and SkiBound Holidays welcomes fans to the Vallée Blanche, which transforms into the Cycle Oisans accredited Alpe d’Huez Bikehotel during the summer.
The Alpe d’Huez Bikehotel is perfectly suited to cyclists because:
- We can provide route advice for all grades of cycling
- Enjoy a flexible board basis and meal times to suit event schedules
- The accommodation has on-site tools and racks for maintenance
- There is an on-site locked storage
- There are bike-washing facilities
- The Bike Hotel is situated close to the heart of the action
- The team can source local tech shop discounts
Read more about the Vallée Blanche hotel
Whether you’re taking on the mountain roads, the downhill tracks or simply spectating and supporting, you can enjoy a range of activities off the bike too.
From the impressive sports complex, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, spa, sauna, mini golf, sports courts, summer luge track and gyms – there’s no end of things to do! Not forgetting the natural playground of the mountains, rivers, glaciers and parks that are all within reach.
View more on activities in Alpe d’Huez
In the heart of the action
The iconic Alpe d’Huez mountain climb tests even the most accomplished riders and has often shaped the outcome of the Tour de France. The Alpe d’Huez Bike Hotel sits right in the middle of the action, allowing guests to fully enjoy the buzz and excitement of the famous ride.
Alpe d’Huez cycling facts:
- Each year up to 50,000 cyclists take on the 21-bend climb from Bourg D’Oisans to Alpe d’Huez.
- 300 cyclists per day ascend the mountain in the summer months.
- 6,000 cyclists take on the challenge of the Marmotte every year.
- The record time for completing the climb is 37 mins 35 seconds, set by Marco Pantani in 1997 – an average pace of 23.08km/h!
- If you were to climb the bends 8 times in one day you are cycling the equivalent of Everest (and it’s been done by many people!) The known record is an incredible 13 times.
The map below shows the Bike Hotel’s location in relation to other cycling points of interest in Alpe d’Huez.
Summer cycling events
Le Tour de France
The world-famous bike race takes place in the first three weeks of July, and sees participants take on terrain of every variety. The Tour comes to Alpe d’Huez around the middle of July (stage 12) and attracts hundreds of visitors to the town.
La Marmotte
La Marmotte is a one-day event in France, utilising some of the climbs used in the Tour de France. The route is 174km (108 miles) long and features more than 5,180 metres of climbing. The event goes over the Col du Glandon, Col du Telegraphe, Col du Galibier and finishes at the top of one the most famous Tour de France climbs, Alpe d’Huez.
Alpe d’Huez
During the month of June, approximately 5,000 Dutch cyclists climb the famous road between Bourg d’Oisans and Alpe d’Huez as many times as they can in one day. The event is organised to raise money for the KWF, a Dutch Cancer Society which last year raised 10 million Euros. A spectacular event of warmth and charity.
Mountain biking
Mountain biking in the Alps is one of the most exhilarating and accessible sports there is. The Alpe d’Huez Bike Hotel is in a prime location to explore the runs for all levels, and local shops provide all the gear and advice needed for a thrilling day out on the bikes.
Mega Avalanche
The world’s greatest downhill marathon arrives every year in Alpe d’Huez in July.
The festival welcomes 1,400 participants with 20 nations represented. It includes 4 days of training and a race that incorporates more than 4,000 meters of downhill exhilaration, starting on the glacier and descending into the often dry, dusty valley.
Contact our resort team directly to register your interest and enter the race.
Bike trails
The Mega Avalanche might not be for everyone, but there are plenty of trails on offer for all levels of rider. You can hire bikes and equipment when you arrive or bring your own, take the lift up, and ride some of the best mountain biking routes in the world!
There are over 250km of tracks and 36 circuits including:
- 19 (120km) downhill tracks
- 16 (123km) cross-country tracks
- 3 (7km) permanent downhill tracks
Training and competition tracks for downhill riders are located under the first section (beginner) and the second section (moderately difficult) of the Grandes Rousses DMC, beneath the Poutran cable car (expert).
Contact us
Our team can help with all aspects of your next cycling trip to Alpe d’Huez, get in touch today!