Aosta Valley, Italy

Italy’s amazing Aosta Valley rubs shoulders with Valais in Switzerland (to the west), the French Rhône-Alpes (to the north) and the Italian Piedmont region (to the east & south). It’s surrounded by some of the biggest peaks in the Alps, including Monte Blanc, Monte Rosa and the legendary Matterhorn. The valley radiates from the central town of Aosta and with a hefty 800km of piste, its ski resorts include world famous Cervinia and Courmayeur and lesser known (but well worth getting to know) La Thuile, Pila and the Monterosa ski region where you’ll find Champoluc and Gressoney.

Snow Sure Cervinia has the best après ski scene, with a lovely mix of local boutiques and late night party spots along its traffic free village centre. It’s on the Italian side of the Matterhorn which connects it to the legendary Swiss resort of Zermatt.

Courmayeur is another popular ski town. The car-free centre is a mismatch of sports bars, cocktail lounges and family friendly restaurants. Thanks to it being on the Italian side of the Mont Blanc tunnel, you can pop over the mountain to ski the classic French resort of Chamonix.

La Thuile is made up of a historic village and purpose built area called Planibel, which gives you the best of both worlds. You can ski 2 countries in 1 day here too, thanks to it being connected to the French resort of La Rosière by the Little St Bernard Pass.

Pila is a purpose built mountain resort above the historic town of Aosta. The resort itself is a mismatch of ski-in / ski-out hotels and you can catch a 20 minute gondola ride down to Aosta.

The Monterosa is a region basked in history and its quaint resorts of Champoluc and Gressoney have a quieter social scene but nonetheless fantastic skiing and scenery.

Skiing the Aosta Valley is worth it just for the views. Monte Blanc, the Matterhorn, Castore, Monte Rosa, Lyskamm, Mont Dolent and Pointe Helbronner are just some of the huge peaks that line the northern border of this region.

Cervinia, Champoluc and La Thuile have a good variety of blues for beginners, who will enjoy the lengthy Plan Torrette in Cervinia. Champoluc has some long winding runs like Del Lago and Belvedere; and in La Thuile, an all-blue line down from the international border along Fourclaz and Promenade drop all the way to the Les Suches gondola.

Intermediates can roam heaps of terrain from all the ski resorts. With the exception of the Grimod and La Nouva blues, Pila is nearly all red. You’ll have loads to play with, like Pre Noir descending down the treelined piste and into the gully of this bowl shaped resort. Gressoney is only really skiable if you are an intermediate as reds line the whole valley, and lengthy reds in Courmayeur have everything from open drops to tight treelined roads.

All resorts have a mixed level of difficulty in blacks, with tight turns and open and steep descents offering some variety. The lack of blacks in numbers is made up for by the extensive off-piste and heli-skiing throughout the area. Whether you want to ride through trees, descend the Vallee Blanche or hop in the chopper and drop right onto the massifs, the Aosta Valley is a beacon of extreme skiing in the Alps.

Adrenaline junkies will never be too far from the action packed fun, with each resort having its own snowpark.

While the Aosta ski pass includes the French resort of La Rosiere (attached to La Thuile), and the Alagna valley, it would be a missed opportunity to not at least consider extending it with world famous Zermatt and Chamonix easily accessible from Cervinia and Courmayeur.

Compared to their French counterparts, the après ski is less about the partying and more about relaxing in the Aosta resorts. That said, each resort has its credentials and whatever your mood, the Aosta Valley is more than happy to accommodate.

For livelier après, Cervinia, La Thuile and Courmayeur are your best bets, being popular choices for the weekend skiers from Milan and Turin. Top venues include La Bricole in La Thuile (their cocktails are awesome), Bianconiglio in Cervinia and Bar Americano in Courmayeur.

For those content with a quiet sherry by the fireside, Pila, Champoluc and Gressoney are more low key (you can always show off your karaoke talents in Champoluc’s West Road Bar if you fancy upping the pace a bit).

No one does food quite like the Italians. Pizza is not so much a staple part of an Italian ski trip, but more of a dietary requirement while visiting the Aosta Valley. Every resort does pizza to an incredible standard, some even being cooked in old-school wood burning ovens, like in Kremer Thal just outside of Champoluc. Fondue is of course a popular dish in this area- we loved the stuff in Il Principe in Gressoney.

For non-skiers, Aosta is famous for its fresh spring water and high altitude, making it the perfect location to soak away the stress. Many hotels and chalets have wellness facilities and the Pre Saint Didier spa is just a short drive from Courmayeur, La Thuile and Pila. Aosta town is bursting with medieval and Roman history; while Cervinia, Champoluc and Gressoney have some beautiful historical buildings and monuments. There are good quality sports facilities within each resort, meaning if you still fancy some intense exercise, things like 5 a side football or indoor climbing are never too far away.