About

The genesis

The Alpe d’Huez ski area boasts over 250km of pistes, as well as numerous off-piste routes. Managed and maintained by the Sata Group, it is always operated to the best of its ability, taking into account the vagaries of the weather; the teams are always responsive in order to produce excellent quality pistes.

I started skiing in Alpe d’Huez in 1988, and since then I’ve explored every slope in the resort with the same pleasure, the same enthusiasm, and always with caution, because no two days are the same. The weather conditions and the number of skiers make every meter unpredictable.

I’ve also always enjoyed posting photos and videos of my days on social media, just for the sheer pleasure of it. At the start of the 2024-2025 season, I envisioned being able to visit each track to present and rate it, thus giving everyone the opportunity to choose THEIR track based on more specific criteria.

The standards

The ski slope classification system for French, European, and international ski areas is governed by very strict standards. Created in 1965 and standardized by AFNOR since July 2001 ( source ), it covers marking and signage, and the colors of groomed slopes are defined by European standards DIN 32912 and ÖNORM S 4610 f . Four colors define the difficulty level according to the slope gradient:

• Green: very easy slope < 16% or 9°
• Blue: intermediate slope (maximum gradient less than 25%) or 14°
• Red: medium slope (maximum gradient less than 40%), i.e., 22°
• Black: difficult slope greater than 45% or 24°

• a more precise progression for each track color with 5 intermediate levels:
  
• a more precise level of difficulty that takes into account not only the elevation change but also, for example, the width or length of the track,
• the average traffic on the track, which makes it less pleasant when it is crowded.
• The pleasure, difficult to quantify, but which gives full meaning to a day of skiing, a slope that crosses a forest, or that opens onto a magnificent panorama,
• A general comment also allows for a more complete opinion.

The result

So I chose to produce videos presenting the slopes as well as the various other criteria that I think are worth mentioning in order to give skiers who do not know the area the opportunity to find the route best suited to their level, their desires and their enjoyment.