Alpe d'Huez (Vaujany)
Sleepy, great value ski village with value chalet accommodation - great family skiing resort
Vaujany resort guide - a general overview
Voted 'The Best Small Resort of the Year' in the 1997 edition of the Good Ski Guide, and 'The Best Family Ski Resort' in 2009. Vaujany is a small and rural village perched on the hillside of its own sector of the Alpe d'Huez skiing area. The village is served by a huge queue-free cable-car which whisks you up to an impressive 2,800m. The village of Vaujany is lovely - very quiet but not much in the way of an apres ski scene, this isn't really a problem though as there are many fantastic chalets in Vaujany for you to relax in after a day on the slopes.
As a result of the compensation from the French government for the building of the local hydro electric dam (which submersed some of the land that belonged to the village) this small community is exceedingly wealthy. Consequently the infrastructure of the village would put resorts such as Whistler and Courchevel 1850 to shame. There are plenty of pedestrian escalators accessing the various levels of the resort (very little uphill walking required) and the leisure centre (25 metre swimming pool, full size ice skating rink, basket ball court and bowling alley) is very impressive indeed. A new creche will shortly be added to the leisure centre which will make Vaujany a truly outstanding family ski holiday destination.
Resort stats
220km
1,250m - 3,320m
Level of skiing
- Beginners
- Intermediates
- Experts
- Snow sure
- Off-piste
- Ski area
Qualities
- Charm factor
- Non-skiers
- Nightlife
- Resort layout
- Fine dining
- Short transfer
- Resort value
Airports
- Grenoble
- 1hr 30mins
- Lyon
- 3hrs
- Geneva
- 4hrs
4 ski chalets in Alpe d'Huez (Vaujany) View All
Alpe d'Huez (Vaujany), France
Chalet Dibona
Average Price
£302 ppAlpe d'Huez (Vaujany), France
Chalet Rostaing
Average Price
£296 pp OfferAlpe d'Huez (Vaujany), France
Chalet Saskia
Average Price
£616 ppPros and Cons
Pros
- Great Nursery slopes that are gentle, sunny and easily accessible
- Extremely efficient modern lift system to access the snow sure Alpe d'Huez ski area
- Pretty and traditional village with a very friendly atmosphere
- Highly recommended nursery/creche in Vaujany
- Fantastic tree skiing for experts
Cons
- No Nursery slopes in the village, beginners need to catch the gondola to the Montfrais area
- Not a huge variety of restaurants, but more than enough for a week's holiday
Restaurants
Alpe d'Huez (Vaujany) Resort Restaurants
Vaujany has a decent range of restaurants in the resort. If you are looking for fine dining, try the IDA Restaurant in the Hotel V. Here they offer a set menu or a la carte gourmet food. For more traditional local specialties, La Table De La Fare and Le Chalet Gourmand are both favourites. If you have a car it is well worth driving to Auberge La Cure near Oz en Oisans, the food here is top notch and excellent value for money. Other recommendations are La Mi Do Re for pizzas and La Crepe'rit for sweet treats.
Alpe d'Huez (Vaujany) Mountain Restaurants
Good cuisine is not just limited to hotels and ski chalets. Vaujany has some superb mountain restuarants. The Bonsoir Clara restaurant is reputedly amongst the best on the mountain boasting an innovative menu combining traditional mountain flavours with modern French twists and a great wine list. L'Ile D'Oz and Les Airelles also come highly recommended. La Grange at the Alpette mid station serves good pizzas made on the premises in their traditional, wood burning pizza oven.
Alpe d'Huez (Vaujany) Apres Ski
There are three or four bars in Vaujany where you can have an apres-ski tipple before heading to your hotel or ski chalet. Vaujany is generally pretty low-key, however, and is better suited to families or those looking for a quieter holiday.
Alpe d'Huez (Vaujany) Nightlife
Le QG bar has a fun atmosphere if you want to get out of your hotel or ski chalet. Vaujany is not the most lively of places though so do not expect a thumping nightlife scene.