Bourg seemed lively with the roadies, when I was last there but a bitch of a drive up the hill every day. D'heuz is fairly quiet in the summer. But has enough pizza/past/beer places round.

Allemont is the the other lower level town v small though. Have a look at Deux Alpes too.

Depending on how long your there for might be easier to find an apartment.

For road riding Bourg'd is a great centre, you not into camping?

Municipal site is in the town, great facilities, otherwisejust take your pick---- oh and a little ride for you that will be etched in your brain forever-- the small road up to Notre Dame ! -- only a few klics .....

stayed in bourg d'oisans for a few nights last june.

bourg is a nice little town. Alpe d'huez was pretty much shut. lots of closed chalets and ski hire places.

I'd stay in the valley.

[url= http://www.camping-piscine.com/ ]camping la piscine[/url] is also recomended.

Stayed in a ski-chalet in Alpe d'Huez in the summer, was very nice, but every day's ride finished with the 21 corner climb back up to the Chalet which got a bit tedious, esp after we'd already done 200k and 3000-5000m ascent. Also stayed in Chalets in the campsites right at the bottom of the road up to AdH, which have swimming pools, so very nice. Bourg d'Oisans has plenty of facilities and bars etc, so a nice place to stay.

Bourg, then you can decide how tough the day will be. Plenty places to eat. Not the cheapest, mind the southern alps arent.

Camped at Le Ferme Noime a couple of years back, just outside Bourg. Good place to say. They have nice apartments to.
[url] http://www.fermenoemie.com/ [/url]
Also stayed at Le Chamois in Alpe D'Huez - was ok, apart from the drunken singing from the dutch roadies at 2am ... night after ... night ... after night.

Venosc is relatively close and gorgeous. We camped at La Cascade for several nights though there is a chateau/hotel in the village.

Les Deux Alpes is much more lively and has tons of accommodation.
Bourg d'oisans seems a nice vibrant little place and Allemont is good too and the end of the Mega track 😀

I've stayed here before:

http://www.hoteloberland.com/

It was a last minute thing, but I quite liked the place. Rooms were a bit 'rustic', but they had drying and bike storage facilities.

Ive just come back from La Source in Villard Reculas, which is a small village a short (flat) ride from Huez, lovely place, awesome views but not lively at all. Even Alpe D'Huez is pretty dead after the lifts close. Great if that's what you're after, crap if it isn't.

+1 Venosc. Small but just ace.

Thanks for all the responses guys. Helpful as ever!