Hotel Castillan, Alpe d'Huez

If you require childcare, please talk to us before you make a booking.

Nursery (6 months - 3 years) is run by the team of childcare professionals and held in a dedicated room in the nearby Hotel les Bergers equipped with games and toys. Outdoor play included (weather and parental consent permitting).

Nursery includes:

• Full-day care from 8.30am – 5pm
• 2-course hot lunch
• Snacks and drinks throughout the day
• A daily routine and activities report for your child

Activities vary daily and include stories, singing, arts and crafts including painting and collage making, plus messy play in the sand tray and free play with age-relevant toys set out for the children to choose what they want to do.

They will aim to have an outdoor activity at least once a day – maybe snowy walks, a gondola ride or snow painting. And if your child is used to a sleep, it will be factored in too.

Cub Club (3-8 years) provides plenty of fun-filled days as the childcare staff offer a combination of care and skiing, which includes 6 x morning ski lessons, pick-up and drop-off from ski lessons, lunch and either full-day or half-day care by qualified staff in the dedicated Cub Club room.

Full-day Cub Club includes:
• Full-day care from 8.30am – 5pm
• 6 x morning ski lessons, ski school drop-offs and pick-ups*
• Child skis, boots and helmet hire
• 2-course hot lunch
• Snacks and drinks throughout the day
• Afternoon games and outdoor fun.

Half-day Cub Club includes:
• Half-day care from 8.30am – 2pm
• 6 x morning ski lessons, ski school drop-offs and pick-ups*
• Child skis, boots and helmet hire
• 2-course hot lunch
• Snacks and drinks throughout the day

* Lift passes aren't included as each child's needs are different. If and when your child feels confident enough to use the lifts, you'll need to buy a lift pass locally.

Activities vary daily – to include games, arts and crafts and storytime – and are often based around a theme.
They will aim to have an outdoor activity at least once a day – maybe bus bingo, snowman competitions or a treasure hunt.

Both clubs run for 6 days and must be pre-booked to guarantee a place.

Please note, this is at an extra charge, and in some instances does not extend the full length of the ski season. Give us a call to chat through your options.

Offered on a bed and breakfast basis, breakfast will include a selection of hot and cold options including cereals, fruit, yogurts, freshly baked breads and pastries, and fresh coffee and tea.  

Alpe d'Huez skiing

Alpe d'Huez is known as Island of the Sun ('Lile au Soleil') and most of the main slopes face south benefiting from the claimed average of 300 sunshine days a year! The resort spreads down a gentle slope in a triangular shape from the main lift station at the top corner. Access roads enter the village at the lower two corners. The main Avenue des Jeux is used as a central focus and this is where you will find some of the shops, bars and restaurants along with the swimming pool and ice rink. Towards the bottom of the town is the older, original core of the resort which has a slightly more traditional feel to it.

Alpe d'Huez has skiing suitable for everyone. The large network of lovely wide green runs immediately above the village is as good a beginner area as you will find anywhere. For intermediates there is a fine selection of blue and red runs, the variety being difficult to beat with trees, valleys and a range of terrain to explore. The slopes divide into four areas with good connections between them. Every section of the resort has some challenging red runs to test the adventurous as well as some serious off-piste routes for the experts to enjoy. Gondolas and fast chairs are the main access to the lifts, although there are a few older chairs and drag lifts scattered around.
There are two terrain parks, one near the bottom of the slopes for novices with various jumps and rollers and another 1.5km advanced park close to the Lac Blanc drag which has a half-pipe, jumps, rails, big air and boardercross course. Above Vaujany there is another beginners park. Experienced boarders are well catered for with lots of good freeriding to be had, together with vast and varied off-piste to be tried with a guide. For cross country skiers there are 50km of snow sure trails with varying degrees of difficulty.

The resort is linked to Vaujany where there is some great runs and some lovely little cafes - well worth making the effort to get there as only a short ski away from the main slopes of Alpe d'huez.