The French Alps :: A Skier's Dream (part one)

If you're a skier, you know that the best skiing in the world lies in the range of mountains called the Alps. A gorgeous mountain range, the Alps stretch from Austria and Slovenia in the east, through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany, to France in the west. I may be biased, but I think that the French Alps take the cake for alpine activities, easily setting the standard by which all other ski mountains are judged. The Alps aren't just for ski bunnies (or bears) however; even casual- and non-skiers will find plenty of easy runs and enough other activities to keep themselves occupied.

Home of the first Winter Olympics, the French Alps are beyond beautiful, and a true natural wonder. With dozens of resort cities dotting the immense mountain range, the French Alps are considered tops for the incredible ski conditions, surrounding culture, and unmatched grandeur. Last winter, I did a tour of three Alpine resort towns and found that in the French Alps- no matter your skill level or interest- you're guaranteed to have a fabulous vacation... a la Fran?ais!

This is the first of a three-part feature on skiing in the French Alps.

Getting There

The French Alps are just a few hours from Paris by TGV- the high-speed rail system that criss-crosses France. Flights from the East Coast are relatively easy and not as expensive as you'd expect; if you shop around, you can usually get a round-trip flight (including taxes, airport fees, etc.) for about $700 per person. If you fly into Charles de Gaul, you can either catch a train from the airport to Lyon and drive 2 hours to the mountains, or take a train to Grenoble and grab a shuttle. Alternatively, you can fly directly to Geneva, Switzerland and either rent a car for the half-hour drive, or make arrangements with a shuttle company (many hotels also offer shuttle service).

Because- like myself- many people like to visit Paris for a few days when traveling to France, I chose to fly to Paris, take the train to Lyon, and then drive to Alpe d'Huez. After skiing for a few days I find it easier to break up the trip, plus it give you the opportunity to stay a few days in the 'City of Light' when you're finished! (To see how I spent my days in Paris, click here

Choosing to leave the driving to a professional (the roads are often steep and winding), I used BVS Tours to get me from the Lyon train station to the hotel. They offer excursions throughout the Lyon region, and they've been providing transport, guides and excursions for everything from small private tours in chauffeured cars to large group travel by bus for many years.

Alpe d’Huez

Alpe d'Huez is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Literally nestled in the mountains, it's just a few hours from Paris and 30 minutes from Geneva, Switzerland. The town has acquired the nickname "l'Ile au Soleil" (the island of sun), due to its seemingly perfect weather nearly year-round. Even when storms visit the French Alps, they usually go around (and sometimes even completely surround) Alpe d'Huez, leaving the city (and its skiing) in an 'island' of sun.

With a permanent population of less than two thousand, you'd think the 30,000 tourists that visit Alpe d'Huez in the winter would drive the residents crazy. Instead, they're friendly, helpful and clearly in love with their city- ready to show it off to anyone looking to visit. And if 30,000 tourists sounds like an insane number of skiers, you needn't worry. The myriad lifts and seemingly endless number of ski runs can handle more than 90,000 skiers per hour, meaning that there are rarely waits on any lift, and never more than a few minutes.

Where to Stay

In Alpe d'Huez, we stayed at the Royal Ours Blanc, a charming 4-star hotel that sits less than 150 yards from the slopes. It offers the perfect combination of convenience, location and service, and has everything you'd expect for an Alpine hotel- a central fireplace, small bar and pool table in the lobby and friendly service (English speaking of course, as is everything in Alpe d'Huez). Above all however, it's all about location, location, location.

All rooms offer a panoramic view of the mountains, the restaurant is quiet and warm (with excellent food) and they're just next door to the Sport and Convention center, which offers dozens of activities to explore after you've had your fill of skiing.

What to Do

Of course the first thing you're going to want to do is ski, and you may never want to stop! With more than 80 lifts serving 121 runs on almost 25,000 acres, trust me- you'll never get bored. The mountain of Alpe d'Huez has everything from bunny hills to black diamond, meaning that skiers of every level are guaranteed a good time. They also have a world-renown ski school taught by certified instructors available in nearly every language. Ski instructors in France go through five years of training before being certified to teach, and they're available for private as well as small- and large-group trainings. They also happen to be very, very cute...

You'll find that lift tickets in the French Alps are much more reasonable than the states, especially given the number of slopes available. Morning, afternoon, day- and multiple-day- passes are available, as well as a VISALP, which gives you additional access to ice skating, swimming pools and activities at the Sports and Convention Center. The mountain has fantastic night skiing twice a week and ski rentals are available from dozens of stores in the town. Guests at the Royal Ours Blanc receive a discount at Sarenne Sport- just at the base of the mountains- so we rented skis, boots and poles there.

When you need a break from skiing, don't think that the Jacuzzi is your only option. The Sport and convention Centre offers 26 activities, some of which are as astounding as they are diverse, and guarantee that you'll never be bored. From snowmobiling to outdoor swimming (heated, of course), hang gliding ('natural' or motorized) to riding a big snow-cat (the machine, not an animal) up the mountain, you'll discover a million ways to pass the time as actively or relaxed as you desire.

Eating between runs

Food in the Alps is hearty, rich and delicious. On our first night we ate a fabulous dinner at L'Altibar, followed by a wonderful lunch the next day (halfway up the mountains, between runs) at le Signal. The 360-degree view here- combined with the fresh produce, homemade pastries and G?n?pi- a local liquor made from tiny mountain flowers- made the trek back down the mountain after lunch well worth it.

For dinner we went to the nearby Sporting for one of the most incredible and unusual dishes I've ever seen: raclette. A regional specialty, raclette is basically melted cheese over potatoes, onions, meats and the like. You'll definitely want to try it because it's not just a meal- it's an experience. A special "device" is brought to your table, on which a giant (and I do mean giant) slab of cheese is rested. A heating element gets the cheese hot and gooey, at which point you scrape it onto your plate. Yum!

Over the course of about 48 hours I somehow managed to ski (a lot), visit an ice cave with magnificent frozen sculptures, hang out at the Palais du Sport, and take a ride in a "cheniette" (essentially a giant glass-roofed tank with a very comfortable seating area) to a super cute restaurant that looked like it was right out of a movie. Le Chalet du Lac Besson offers comfort food and some warming vin chaud- something I'd recommend to everyone.

Happily satisfied with Alpe d'Huez for their skiing, sports, relaxation, and food, I could have stayed another week. But more resorts and other charming villages were waiting, so we took our leave and headed out...

Check back for Part II of Travel Editor Jason Salzenstein's Alpine adventure next week!