Alpe d'Huez is one of cycling's sacred mountains. The 21 hairpin bends climbing 1,100 metres from Bourg-d'Oisans to the resort at 1,860 metres have featured in the Tour de France since 1952, and the road is a pilgrimage for anyone who has ever watched the race. Each bend is numbered and named after a stage winner.
In winter, Alpe d'Huez is a major ski resort with over 250 kilometres of pistes, excellent sunshine (it markets itself as "the island in the sun"), and La Sarenne — one of the longest black runs in Europe at 16 kilometres. The Pic Blanc cable car rises to 3,330 metres for the views and the start of the descent. In summer the skiing gives way to mountain biking — the Megavalanche is the biggest event of the year — hiking, and of course the climb itself.