The [UnJourUnePiste] project was born out of my desire to share more than 40 years of experience skiing in the Grandes Rousses massif at Alpe d’Huez. It features more than 250 km of trails, as well as numerous off-piste routes. Managed and maintained by the Sata Group, it’s always kept in excellent condition—especially given the unpredictable weather—and the teams are quick to respond to ensure the trails are of the highest quality.
I started skiing at Alpe d’Huez in 1988, and ever since, I’ve been hitting every run in the ski area with the same enjoyment and enthusiasm—and always with caution, because no two days are the same. Weather conditions and crowd levels mean that every meter is always unpredictable.
I’ve also always really enjoyed posting photos and videos of my days on social media, just for the visual pleasure. At the start of the 2024–2025 season, I envisioned being able to explore each trail to describe it and rate it, thereby giving everyone the chance to choose THEIR trail based on more specific criteria, as outlined in this article : https://unjourunepiste.fr/le-systeme-de-notation-des-pistes/
So I decided to produce videos showcasing the trails, as well as various other factors that I think are worth mentioning, in order to give skiers who aren’t familiar with the area the chance to find the route that best suits their skill level, preferences, and enjoyment.
The 2024–25 season saw the release of 1-minute location videos on Instagram at a rate of 2 to 3 videos per week on the https://www.instagram.com/francois.longin account. After a few weeks of production and refinements to the basic template, the videos were gradually reposted as Stories by the OZ3300 tourism office, followed by the Alpe d’Huez tourism office, boosting the series’ reach during the February school break. The season thus ended with 40 runs online and 800,000 views across all posts.
The 2025–26 season marks the launch of this website, which will serve as a central hub for all these videos and those to come. The first 40 trails have also been posted on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@unjourunepiste to reach a younger audience. This website will not only store the videos but also offer a wide range of features for selecting a trail based on specific criteria. In a second phase, it will also provide complete itineraries for a full or half day, always tailored to a specific search—such as skill level, enjoyment, difficulty, and more.
The second new feature will be the appearance of “Guest Stars” in the videos—skiers just like you and me whom I’ll follow on the slopes to add a bit of variety to the footage. This will also give local skiers and other regulars at the resort a chance to shine. The project is becoming a community effort.
This season, the number of videos produced will increase, offering even more ideas—probably around forty more.
The upcoming 2026–27 season may see the introduction of real-time data, including live updates on crowd levels, snow quality, and more—all designed to enhance the enjoyment of the slopes.
