In Vaujany, Alpe d’Huez we can promise you sun…yep, 300 days a year of it! Located between the northern and southern Alps, the resort sits on a mountain shelf facing due south. Summer in the Alps is spectacular with beautiful, sunny days and incredible scenery all around.
If you love road cycling then Vaujany is the place to be. Widely recognised as a mecca for cyclists from around the world Alpe d’Huez and Vaujany hosts a variety of world class cycle races as well as providing the terrain to go out and do it yourself. Check out some of these epic rides that on your doorstep in Vaujany.
If you fancy following in the wheels of the greats like Coppi, Anquetil, Pantani and Lemond. Just a short ride from Vaujany is the epic climb of Alpe d'Huez. Each year thousands of cyclists pit themselves against the 21 hairpin bends...it really is something every keen cyclist should tackle at least once in their lives.
There are a few places that have that star quality of their own. Places that you don’t forget in a hurry. The Col du Galibier is one of them. Reaching 2,642m in altitude, for a long time it was the undisputed physical peak of the Tour de France. A handful of Tour climbs are now higher, but none are so well renowned. While most places count the days until the return of the world’s biggest bike race, the Tour itself counts down the days until it can go back to the Galibier and have a little bit of the mountain’s magic sprinkled on it once again.
Turn right at the bottom of Vaujany and the climb to Col Du Glandon begins, 20km later and you’ll finally reach the summit of this Tour de France favourite. A truly stunning climb that meanders behind Vaujany and up towards the Grand Maison dam. On any day in the Summer you’ll find hardy souls grinding their way up to the final wall of the summit. Their reward is another col bagged, a coffee at the café at the top and the chance to climb on up to Col de la Croix de Fer. A truly special climb and definitely not one to be missed.
Every couple of years the Tour comes to Alpe d’Huez to finish at the top of the 21 hairpins. Vaujany is a great base to watch the Tour from. In 2015 the tour came past Vaujany three times in four days!
The mountain biking trails of Alpe d'Huez are superb and weave their way across the spectacular terrain of the Oisans region. Here you will find over 200km of marked trails linking Alpe d'Huez and it's surrounding villages of Auris, Oz, Vaujany, Villard-Reculas, Allemont, Freney d'Oisans and Bourg d'Oisans.
The resort of Vaujany has struck up a partnership with German bike company Rose Bikes. As a result there is a host of top quality Rose racing bikes to rent from the ski shop next to the Tourist office. Bikes can be rented for the day along with helmets if required.
Every year the infamous Megavalanche comes to town and mountain bikers from all over the world test themselves on one of the hardest off road races in the world. The event, the longest downhill race in the world, consists of 1400 participants from 20 different countries, 4 days of training and racing and a total of over 4000 downhill metres in competition. If you don't fancy racing it then come and do it in your own time!
Release the inner Bear Grylls in you and your kids and get out and enjoy the fresh Alpine air. From Vaujany are there loads of accessible walks and hikes. Our particular favourite starts in La Villette and takes you up to within touching distance of the stunning La Fare waterfall.
Our kids absolutely love Kamikaze adventure park just a short cable car ride away from Vaujany is neighborouring Oz. Constructed in the forest just behind the Alpette lift station you’ll find a host of different climbing and zip wire courses for all ages from green runs through to the seriously challenging black runs!
For older kids or the more adventurous adults you can hire a guide and take on Vaujany’s Via Ferrata. For those of you that don’t know, Via Ferrata is a safe form of climbing – making it more accessible for children and those that prefer a bit more security. The routes are a series of ladders, bridges and cables fixed to the mountain. The good news is that the views are stunning and you don’t need to be a climbing expert to try it out. If you’re a beginner you can hire a guide in Vaujany to show you the ropes
Relax after a day of activities at the local leisure centre and keep the kids entertained. The pool itself is Olympic size with a superb, long kids tube slide (think Centerparcs!) and kiddies paddling area. The pool backs out onto a lovely sunny terrace so you can sunbathe on the loungers whilst the kids wear themselves out.