The season may be coming to an end, but Alpe d’Huez still remains very busy.
‘Challenge des Moniteurs’
This week, the resort hosts the 68th ‘Challenge des Moniteurs’ from Monday 16 to Saturday 21 April.
For the whole week, the ‘pull rouges’ will be in town as the nearly 4000 ESF instructors gather to compete on the slopes in an annual competition that brings together the cream of the crop in a festive atmosphere.
Disciplines include slalom, skier cross, snowboard cross, slopestyle, ski touring, telemark and cross-country skiing.
The Big Spring Clean
Once the season does officially come to an end, the close down and clean up starts.
The ‘Grand Nettoyage de Printemps’ (literally the ‘Big Spring Clean’ takes place a few days after the slopes in Alpe d’Huez close.
Team of volunteers, typically residents of the resort will don gloves, pick up trash bags and equip themselves with good humor as they pick up all the rubbish that accumulates in a ski resort during the winter.
A tonne of rubbish collected in 2017
Items discarded by unthinking skiers and snowboarders will include cans, packaging, cigarette butts, plastic and glass bottles, the ubiquitous plastic bags – and sometimes even more unusual objects such as socks!
Last year, nearly a tonne of waste was collected by the 70 volunteers ,but sadly even a single discarded cigarette butt can pollute up to one cubic metre snow.
On the morning of the 24th April, the teams will criss-cross the station in seven sectors including Eclose, Bergers, Rond-Point des Pistes, Avenue des Jeux. Afterwards, as a gesture of thanks, the resort will offer all the volunteers to share a lunchtime barbecue.
If you’d like to be involved then you need to be at the Centre Technique Municipal in Alpe d’Huez. All equipment is provided.
Catered Chalets in Alpe d’Huez
If you’d like to go to Alpe d’Huez, then take a look through our selection of over 20 catered chalets, or call our team on 01822 617761 for independent advice on the choice for you.
