Club Med Alpe d’Huez To Open In The French Alps

There’s a new luxury family ski property about to open in the French Alps. Following a massive $110 million renovation, Club Med Alpe d'Huez will reopen as a brand new resort on December 15, 2019.

Located just two hours drive south of Geneva, Alpe d'Huez was named Europe’s Best Ski Resort 2019 by Europe’s Best Destinations. It’s known for having more than 300 days of sunshine per year and the town has long been popular with by sun-starved Brits as well as well-heeled Parisians, which gives it a certain cachet. The skiing and boarding are varied enough to appeal to all levels, and the resort has long been welcoming to families, unlike some of the other hard charging, hard partying ski towns found in the Alps that cater to singles.

The new Club Med Alpe d'Huez sits at about 6,100 feet high with access to lift that can take skiers up to 10,925 feet. After the renovation, it was awarded Club Med’s coveted “Fourth Trident,” which means that it will provide guests with an elevated, four-star winter family vacation experience. The ski-in/ski-out resort aims to provide chic accommodations, authentic mountain food and drink, and a wide range of activities for all ages. The views of the Alps are a bonus.

Club Med may be known for all-inclusive beach vacations, but it’s just as revered outside the United States for its ski properties. The company opened its first ski hotel more than 60 years in 1956 in Leysin, Switzerland. Thanks to its reach across Europe and Asia, it is now the world’s largest ski resort operator, with more than 20 resort hotels in major ski areas in France, Italy, Switzerland, Japan and China. Ski resorts now comprise about one-third of Club Med’s portfolio.

The 441-room resort will have three accommodation categories – Superior Rooms, Deluxe Rooms and Suites – that are customizable to fit guests’ comfort preference. Room interiors will have a mountain-inspired design blended with bright colors, patterns and prints. Families in need of a two-bedroom accommodation can opt for the Family Superior Room category or the Suite category. Suites also feature two bathrooms, an in-room lounge and private terrace overlooking the valley.

Le Pic Blanc, the resort’s main restaurant, is split into three different dining halls: the Randonnée Room, the Ski Room, and the Vélo Room. The Gourmet Lounge will offer all-you-care-to-eat gourmet meals, afternoon tea, a healthy corner, a wine cellar, and a selection of local produce, accompanied by live music. Guests can choose between indoor and outdoor seating. Le Névé is the resort’s main open bar, with snacks and beverages are served all day and evening. At night, it transforms into a theater for nightly live entertainment.

The ski-in/ski-out resort area offer access to the L’Alpe d’Huez Grand Domaine ski region, which offers more than 155 miles of ski runs, including 18 black trails, 28 red trails, 31 blue trails and 34 green trails. As part of Club Med’s all-inclusive ski package, guests will receive a ski lift pass and have access to daily group ski and snowboard lessons, ranging from beginner to advanced. Guests can also participate in family-dedicated lessons with two designated slopes for kids as young as four years old.

Beyond alpine skiing and snowboarding, there will be a wide range of outdoor activities, from snowshoeing, hiking, and Nordic walking to cross-country skiing, skijoring and dog sledding. There will be swimming lessons at the resort’s indoor pool, and the resort is offering virtual reality sledding, for those who’d rather not venture into the cold. There’s also the Club Med Spa by PAYOT and an adult-exclusive wellness lounge with calm music, as well as yoga and meditation classes.

Club Med’s all-inclusive ski package includes accommodations, ski lift passes, group ski and snowboard lessons, personal equipment lockers, gourmet meals and snacks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, children’s clubs, activities, fitness classes, evening entertainment, Wi-Fi and gratuities.

For those who’ve always wanted to make a torchlight mountain descent by moonlight in the Alps with their families, the Club Med experience may be the way to go.