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At the heart of the alps and bordered by France and Switzerland, Aosta Valley, located in Italy’s Northwest area is surrounded by some of the highest peaks in Europe, including Mont Blanc, the biggest of all.
With Turin, Milan and Geneva airports all within easy reach, the Aosta Valley resorts are among the easiest to get to from the UK making it an ideal destination for a weekend or short break, as well as longer trips.
A popular holiday destination with everyone from pro skiers to families, the variety of ski terrain on offer draws visitors year after year, offering everything from challenging freeride and black pistes, to wonderful ski schools and easy slopes for beginners. The Aosta Valley is the ideal winter sports destination, with 20 resorts, more than 800km of slopes, 10 snow parks and a single international electronic ski pass.
And it's not all about staying on piste. There's plenty of opportunity to find some of that famous Italian off piste skiing, get off the beaten track with ski touring, rack up the miles with some cross country skiing, and, for the true powder hunters, you can even go heli skiing.
Want to rest your ski legs or travelling with non skiers? Why not go snow shoeing in pristine snow, head to a viewing platform to take in the stunning views of the surrounding mountains, have some family fun with tobogganing or ice skating, or explore the charming local towns and villages.
One of the elements that makes the Aosta Valley so interesting as a ski destination is the rich history of it's high altitude resorts- from spectacular Roman ruins, beautiful churches and fascinating archaeological sites of Aosta town, to the ancient castles dotting the valley.
Read on for a closer look at six fantastic Aosta Valley ski resorts:
La Thuile ski resort
A great choice for advanced skiers looking to ski fresh tracks. La Thuile offers a mix of magnificent intermediate terrain, great red runs and ferocious blacks through the trees, family-friendly blues and good nursery slopes for beginners. Cross-border links to La Rosière in France create even more diversity.
Breuil-Cervinia ski resort
With access to Europe’s highest lifts, Breuil-Cervinia links with Valtournenche, and also Zermatt in Switzerland, to offer 350km of pistes, with an abundance of great cruising runs. Heli-skiing and a fantastic snow park are on the menu too!
Champoluc ski resort
With access to 180km of pistes, surrounded by wooded terrain and based at one end of the Monterosa ski area, Champoluc boasts spectacular glacier views. It benefits from access to the whole Monterosa circuit, renowned for its uncrowded slopes and fabulous off-piste.
- READ NEXT: The Best Freeride Snowboards
Courmayeur ski resort
Full of character and great ski terrain, Courmayeur has a lively village and stunning restaurants. Reachable via the Courmayeur cable car or the Val Veny cable car (Entrèves), it offers 18 ski lifts, +100 km of slopes and off-piste with a unique view of Mont Blanc.
Gressoney ski resort
The middle of the Monterosa ‘three valleys’, alongside Champoluc and Alagna, Gressoney is actually two villages: Gressoney-La-Trinité and Gressoney-Saint-Jean. Ideal for intermediates and experienced skiers, the resorts are unspoilt with authentic alpine ambience.
Pila ski resort
Sitting a 20-minute gondola ride above the historically rich Aosta town, Pila’s superb snow-making and slopes up to 2,700m, make it one of the most snow-sure Italian destinations and great for piste skiing and snowboarding. It has magnificent views of Mont Blanc, Monte Rosa and the Matterhorn and it’s also known for its lively après-ski.
Coming soon…
Aosta Valley ski holidays just got bigger... From spring 2023, visitors should be able, for the first time, to make the highest cableway crossing of the Alps, without ever losing sight of the Matterhorn.
The Matterhorn glacier paradise cableway will transport visitors in comfort from the town of Zermatt to Breuil-Cervinia and back! The one-hour, cross-border panoramic ride with over 4000m in altitude will be the cableway link with the biggest drop in Europe.
For more information about skiing the Aosta Valley, go to aosta-valley.co.uk
- READ NEXT: The Best High Altitude Resorts in Europe
