alpe d'huez

mr spuckler

hi all, i've booked alpe d'huez flights & transfers, waiting on accommodation being sorted and all in all just really itching to go!

does anyone know what the resort is like for buying gear? i have a decent jacket but would like to buy a new one, possibly soft shell, as well as buying a helmet this year i think. any thoughts on trying to get these before i go or buying them over there?

Mint Sauce

Firstly, great resort, out there for a weekend this time last year. As for the stores, couple of large 'intersport' type stores (cant remember their exact name), plus smaller retailers, but with my limited knowledge, looked like they had a good selection of stuff.

Enjoy your self OP, and if daring, check out the black run from the peak, or as far as the lift will take you, final chair lift to the top closed when we were there so was just a couple of hundred metres short.

mr spuckler

thanks. do you remember if the shops were expensive? yeah really looking forward to tackling la sarenne if it's open. any other tips?

loobylou

La Sarenne is not really that great. Its steep for a short section at the beginning and then becomes a very long run, quite flat even in places.

Mint Sauce

mr spuckler wrote: »

thanks. do you remember if the shops were expensive? yeah really looking forward to tackling la sarenne if it's open. any other tips?

I just browsed to be honest, we had prebooked all our gear on line. The only comment I could make in relation to price was, I was after a pair of ice grips to use back here, and their prices were considerablly cheaper compared to shops here and amazon.

Other tips, make sure you go for more than a weekend

mr spuckler

i've a week booked

just hoping for good snow now.
re la sarenne, i know these things are always talked up to be much better than they actually are alright

d2ww

loobylou wrote: »

La Sarenne is not really that great. Its steep for a short section at the beginning and then becomes a very long run, quite flat even in places.

+1 on this one. Have to admit I was disappointed overall, the lift system was just too darn slow for a top class resort.

stackeye

I was in Alpe D'Huez this time last month, it hadn't slowed in over a month when we got there so was very hard packed snow, I wanted to buy Boots but couldn't cause none of the shops sold them, one of the shops drove to a mega store to pick up boots but could only get me two pairs and both were the wrong size :mad:, he mentioned that nobody bought gear in January though as its not the busiest month, very annoying all the same, looking back the Great Outdoors had a much better selection for cheaper

I did a day trip to Les Deux Aples, much better snow there, stay above La Toura if you are a snowboarder, its flat or blacks towards the bottom,

mr spuckler

can anyone recommend a hire shop in alpe d'huez please?

couple i've looked at online are charging over €100 for 6 days ski & boot hire, is this normal price for france?