Alpe d'Huez

Alpe d'Huez earned its nickname, the Island of the Sun, and it is not marketing: it faces south and strings together clear days while other valleys sit in shadow. The area is huge and varied, with the Sarenne, one of the longest descents in the Alps, waiting for anyone who wants a story afterwards. Plenty of room to learn without pressure, and plenty to test you when you want it. The village is large and genuinely alive: a week here without eating in the same place twice.