Summer at a French ski resort: I booked a family break in the Alps without snow

Club Med Alpe d’Huez still thrives outside of winter, offering mountain air and plenty of outdoor fun

Even after the winter snow clears, the French mountains remain a stunning destination for outdoor activities. Photo: Club Med

Nestled at the foot of the 3,300-metre Pic Blanc mountain, Club Med Alpe d’Huez is a ski resort with unrestricted views across France's Western Alps. Booking a summer family trip to one of the world’s most popular winter destinations might seem like a costly, comedic mistake, but even without the snow, there’s plenty to enjoy in and outside the hotel.

Indeed, the fact that ski resorts such as this provide countless off-season things to see and do feels like a secret. The first question a group of friends asked when I told them where I was taking the family on holiday was: “Won’t everything be closed?”

On the contrary, the French holiday destination may be slightly sleepier in the summertime, but the place is still buzzing with activity, and Club Med Alpe d’Huez is the ideal portal to make the most of them.

The all-inclusive resort is situated on the climb up and above the town of Alpe d’Huez. It’s a vast, modern building tucked in among a host of traditional wooden chalets typical of a snowy retreat. Checking in, the multilingual staff give us a quick briefing about tours, rooms and dining times, before showing us to our rooms. As a family of five with three boys who aren’t quite old enough to have their own rooms, interconnecting rooms are the ideal set-up for us.

It's worth taking advantage of the hotel tour, as otherwise, the property can be a little disorientating. There's a fully-equipped gym, spa, yoga and HIIT studios, indoor and outdoor pools, children’s play areas, a lounge, bar, restaurant, shop, bike rental room and more. It’s like an entire indoor village.

Notably, children are more than well-catered to at the property. There are complimentary kids’ clubs for four to 17-year-olds. Each is fully staffed and offers fun activities such as nature walks, edutainment games and bike rides. There’s even the chance for little ones to perform in live shows put on each evening. It’s ideal for parents to know their children are safe and entertained while they enjoy some downtime.

One thing that stands out is the rotating types of food available at the self-service restaurant Le Pic Blanc. The buffet-style spread offers a host of international foods for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Speciality stations serve bespoke omelettes, salmon dishes and gooey raclette cheese. And meals come with spectacular views across the Alps.

Summertime here brings relaxation, but it’s also the best place to stay when you want to reconnect with nature. The hotel organises hiking, trail running, alfresco yoga and, as it’s the site of one of the Tour de France’s most infamous sections, the 21 hairpins of Alpe d’Huez, plenty of cycling. In fact, during our stay, we went cycling with Team GB Olympics gold medallist Ed Clancy, who was hosting a residency at the hotel for a couple of weeks. If off-road riding is more your thing, you can hire a bike and tear up the downhill sections of the many surrounding tracks.

Guests staying at the resort also get complimentary lift passes, an excellent way to hop on and off the many cable cars surrounding it. On the short walk from the hotel to the town, you’ll find toboggan roller coasters and inflatable doughnut rides, which our children would happily have stayed on all day. But although the cable cars are much slower paced, they’re easily the best way to take in the sheer majesty of this mountainous landscape. We zipped over grazing cows and waterfalls and even climbed to the top of Pic Blanc, where we did actually get to see some snow.

High up on the mountain, we came across Cafe Alpin, a spot that will remain one of our all-time favourite eateries. Sipping on our assorted hot drinks at the tiny spot 2,700 metres above sea level, the world's stresses seemed to melt away and everywhere we looked the Alpe d’Huez threw up another awe-inspiring vista. From the tranquil lake opposite to the towering peaks looming large overhead, or the rolling clouds kissing the tops of the Western Alps – it’s a picture-perfect moment to sit quietly and let it all sink in.

Of course, being the parents of three young boys, the serenity didn't last. Our middle one accidentally spilt hot chocolate all over both himself and one of the cafe’s limited number of deck chairs. I fruitlessly attempted to clear the spillage with napkins and recite my best "je suis vraiment desole [I am really sorry]" to the onlooking barista. Still, those views were nice.

Leaving behind city life and embracing the sleepy village of Alpe d’Huez has something of a mesmerising effect. Its laid-back nature is infectious. Time still rushes on, but we never felt like we were missing out on anything in particular. As cliche as it may sound, plodding around the great outdoors even distracted our children from the sadness of their PlayStation being thousands of miles away.

Club Med Alpe d’Huez is the ideal base for any type of family holiday. You can enjoy the all-inclusive facilities, indulge in excellent food, dip in the swimming pools, lap up evening shows and more, with no real need to leave the confines of the hotel. For something more adventurous, head out on expertly organised excursions and take in the breathtaking environment at a more energetic pace. It’s entirely up to you. For us, we sampled both and found the perfect sweet spot.

See, booking a summer holiday at a traditional winter resort isn’t so outlandish after all.