The blog
News & inspiration
Events, activities and tips to plan your stay in Oz-en-Oisans and Alpe d’Huez.
TipsSkiing in January off-peak: the smart move for groups
Empty slopes, prices cut almost in half and a wide-open chalet: why January outside the school holidays is the best ski week of the winter for a large group free to choose its dates.
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TipsSkiing during the 2030 Olympics: pick a quiet resort
In February 2030, while the host resorts of the Games are overrun, Alpe d'Huez will be running at full tilt with no events at all. The smart play: ski in peace and pop over to watch a competition for the day.
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GuideFebruary half-term in Alpe d'Huez: book early
French zone dates, peak-season prices, crowds and clever tips to ski smart: the complete guide to the February half-term at Alpe d'Huez, seen from the chalet in Oz.
Read moreEventChristmas and New Year in Alpe d'Huez and Oz: what's on
Torchlit descents, Santa Claus, midnight fireworks, ice rink, night sledging: the guide to Christmas and New Year events in Alpe d'Huez and Oz-en-Oisans, and how to enjoy them from the chalet.
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TipsBook a chalet directly instead of via a platform
Service fees, a real human contact, local advice, flexibility: here's what genuinely changes when you rent a large chalet directly from the owners rather than through Airbnb or Booking.
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TipsWorking remotely from a mountain chalet: the guide
Fibre at 889 Mbps, seven bedrooms to take calls in peace, ski in the morning and work in the afternoon: how to nail a workation week in the mountains — with family, friends or your team.
Read moreGuideSki hire and lessons in Oz-en-Oisans
Where to hire skis in Oz-en-Oisans, how to book at the best price, and everything about the ESF ski school (group lessons, private lessons, snow garden): the practical guide to read before your group trip.
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TipsFeeding 16 at the chalet: raclette, fondue, quantities
Raclette, fondue, tartiflette: the exact quantities for 16, a sample weekly menu, a shopping plan for Oz and Bourg-d'Oisans, and how to share the cooking.
Read moreTipsSki week budget for 16: the full cost, line by line
Accommodation, lift passes, hire, lessons, food, travel: the real cost of a ski week for 16, broken down line by line, with the numbers and the per-person price.
Read moreTipsNew Year's Eve in a mountain chalet for 16
Spending New Year's Eve in the mountains with 16 people under one roof: the New Year week at the chalet, the budget, the dinner, the fireworks and skiing on 1 January.
Read moreGuide2026-27 winter season in Alpe d'Huez and Oz
Opening dates, ski pass prices, new gondolas, school holidays and the season's highlights: everything you need to plan your 2026-27 winter in Alpe d'Huez and Oz.
Read moreEventAlpe d'Huez Comedy Film Festival 2027: the 30th edition
The Alpe d'Huez International Comedy Film Festival turns 30 from 18 to 24 January 2027, with Philippe Lacheau chairing the jury. Free screenings, national premieres, stars on the slopes: here's how to enjoy it — and why to stay in quiet Oz during one of January's cheapest weeks.
Read moreTipsChristmas in a mountain chalet for 16
Bringing the whole family together for Christmas in a mountain chalet, under one roof: the Christmas week for 16, from bedrooms to Christmas Eve dinner, and how to organise it all.
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Guide2030 Olympics: Serre Chevalier & Montgenèvre
Serre Chevalier, Montgenèvre and the Fort des Têtes above Briançon: here's the Hautes-Alpes cluster of the 2030 Winter Olympics, event by event — and how to experience it as a base camp from the Oisans.
Read moreGuideOz-en-Oisans, snow and altitude: what to know
A village at 1,350 m, a ski area up to 3,330 m: here's the honest truth about the snow in Oz-en-Oisans, and why the village's 'low' altitude is not a problem.
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GuideGetting to Oz-en-Oisans: car, train, plane, shuttle
Car, train, plane or shuttle: every way to reach Oz-en-Oisans and the Alpe d'Huez Grand Domaine, with travel times, the winter equipment rules and the smart gondola shortcut.
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GuideWhere to stay for the 2030 Winter Olympics
Where should you stay for the 2030 Winter Olympics? The reality of host resorts, the race to book, and the base-camp strategy in the Oisans valley — close to the venues, quiet at night, and kind on the budget.
Read moreGuide2030 Winter Olympics: venues, events, schedule
Val d'Isère, Courchevel, La Plagne, Le Grand-Bornand, Serre Chevalier, Lyon… Here is the definitive venue map for the 2030 Winter Olympics, event by event, and where the Oisans fits in.
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EventTour de France 2026 at Alpe d'Huez: results and story
Two finishes, two winners, a legend renewed. The story and results of the 2026 Tour's double Alpe d'Huez, lived from the Oisans valley.
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EventTomorrowland Winter 2027: where to stay near Alpe d'Huez
Tomorrowland Winter returns to Alpe d'Huez from 20 to 27 March 2027. Before tickets even go on sale on 3 October 2026, the real question for a group is where to stay. Here is the chalet plan — 10 minutes from the stages, in Oz-en-Oisans.
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GuideRenting a mountain chalet: understanding the terms
Saturday-to-Saturday weeks, deposit, security deposit, cleaning, linen: here — plainly and with no nasty surprises — are the terms of a mountain chalet rental, and exactly how ours work.
Read moreTipsFamily reunion in a mountain chalet: bringing everyone together
Family reunion, milestone birthday, big celebration: here's why gathering everyone under one roof, in the mountains, changes everything — and how to organise it for 16 without the stress.
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GuideThe Alpe d'Huez Grand Domaine from Oz
250 km of slopes, the Pic Blanc at 3,330 m, and the Sarenne with its 16 km: here's how to read the Alpe d'Huez Grand Domaine from Oz-en-Oisans, level by level.
Read moreTips'Ski-in ski-out': what it really means
'Ski-in ski-out', 'at the foot of the slopes', 'ski to the door'… The phrase sells a dream, but it covers wildly different realities. Here's what it actually means, and how to check before you book.
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GuideAlpe d'Huez lakes: Besson, Noir, Blanc hikes from Oz
The Alpe d'Huez lake plateau — Besson, Rond, Noir, Faucille, Carrelet — makes an easy family loop at 2,100 m. Our guide to the gentle hikes from Oz, plus the higher Lac Blanc des Grandes Rousses for stronger legs.
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GuideEau d'Olle Express gondola: Allemond → Oz-en-Oisans
Eight minutes, a free covered car park, and you're in Oz-en-Oisans at the foot of the Alpe d'Huez Grand Domaine. The complete practical guide to the Eau d'Olle Express gondola from Allemond.
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GuideOz-en-Oisans or Alpe d'Huez: where to stay to ski?
Same ski area, two moods. Oz-en-Oisans plays the calm, affordable, family card; Alpe d'Huez brings the nightlife and the shops. Our honest comparison to help you decide where to unpack and ski the Grand Domaine.
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GuideOz-en-Oisans: our complete review of the resort (by regulars)
A village-resort at 1,350 m linked to the Alpe d'Huez Grand Domaine, Oz-en-Oisans plays the family, calm and authenticity card. Strengths, weaknesses, snow, ski passes, summer: our complete and honest review, from a family that stays there all year round.
Read moreGuideRenting a chalet for 16 people in the Alps: the guide to choosing well
Finding a chalet that genuinely sleeps 16 — without hidden sofa beds or morning queues for the bathroom — means checking the right criteria. Bedrooms, shower rooms, the table, location, budget per person: the complete guide, written by owners.
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GuideThings to do in Alpe d'Huez in summer: the family & group guide
Hikes to high-altitude lakes, a giant Bike Park, the legendary 21 hairpins by road bike, summer luge, an outdoor pool, via ferrata: summer in Oz-en-Oisans and Alpe d'Huez is the Oisans' best-kept season. The complete guide for a family or group stay.
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News2030 Winter Olympics: the French Alps in the spotlight
In 2030, the French Alps host the Winter Olympics. What it means for the Oisans and why staying near Alpe d'Huez will be ideal to experience the Games.
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EventLa Mégavalanche: the wildest MTB descent in the Alps
Every July, hundreds of mountain bikers mass-start from the Pic Blanc glacier at 3,330 m. A dive into La Mégavalanche, a downhill MTB legend, from Oz-en-Oisans.
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TipsA ski trip for 12-16: organising a group holiday without the headaches
Getting 12 to 16 people together for a ski week is the loveliest of plans — and an organisational puzzle if you go about it the wrong way. Backwards planning, budget per person, bedrooms, meals, ski passes, equipment: the complete method, tested by chalet owners.
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EventTomorrowland Winter 2027 at Alpe d'Huez: the festival at altitude
From 20 to 27 March 2027, Alpe d'Huez hosts Tomorrowland Winter, the mountain edition of the world's most famous electronic festival. Dates, stages, tickets and accommodation: everything you need to enjoy it from Oz-en-Oisans.
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EventTour de France 2026: the double Alpe d'Huez, a historic event
In July 2026, the Tour de France climbs Alpe d'Huez and its legendary 21 hairpins twice in a row. A look at an epic occasion to experience from Oz-en-Oisans.
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