Courmayeur, La Thuile, Champoluc & Pila
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Courmayeur
Courmayeur has retained its traditional old mountaineering village core despite the modern sprawling hotel developments which are inevitable given its accessibility and consequent popularity with skiers and boarders from Milan and Turin. The Mont Blanc tunnel is an essential link with Geneva which becomes only a 90 minute drive, there is also access from France via the Grand St Bernard tunnel but it takes much longer . The middle of the village is charming, cobbled and car free with a church and renowned Alpine museum. Otherwise the traditional streets are lined with one or two fashionable shops, specialist delicatessen, bookshop, and dozens upon dozens of bars, cafes, and restaurants. Here is another Italian resort where skiing and boarding often assumes a lower priority to people watching. Especially popular with the Milanese and Turinese, the range of friendly mountain restaurants ranks alongside the best in Europe for choice and quality, and lunch is a serious business here. The bus service around town is not good, but timetabled, and a car is a distinct advantage other than having to park it.
We visited Courmayeur in April 2016 and were delighted to have a private trip on the fantastic Mont Blanc SkyWay, a brand new cable car that ascends the Italian side of Mont Blanc in two stages, with the amazing cabin revolving 360 degrees – this offers the most stunning views. Facilities at each of the two stages include a cafe, wine shop, restaurant and viewing platform. Worth the trip for this alone!
Accomommdation & Après Ski
Apres ski, predictably, is lively from the minute the ski wear gives way to fur and glittering trinketry late afternoon, until the last bars finally empty. Accommodation should be sought near the lift station and close to the centre of town. There are certainly plenty of hotels around and most offer their own shuttle service to the lifts.
Born 2 Ski offer some excellent hotels, available for short breaks or a week and all with their own special character, friendly and helpful staff, and great food – Courmayeur is well worth a visit
Piste Map
La Thuile
La Thuile lies high in western alps on the French-Italian border and is linked with the French area of La Rosiere. The ski area offers great views to Mont Blanc, Monte Rosa and to the Matterhorn. It has an enviable snow record and has predominantly east facing slopes.
The most recent apartment buildings, such as the giant Planibel, imbue the appearance of a modern purpose built French resort, but thankfully the whole village retains an Italian ambience and friendliness. The old village, on the other side of the river, is where there is still evidence of the village’s roots as a traditional mining town for coal and silver. Some of the older buildings are now being renovated and re-built, and new building in this area is sympathetic in style. The Planibel is a massive integrated facility which includes shops, apartments, bars, a hotel and a sports complex with a good, big, swimming pool. It is very much the purpose built, practical complex which it sets out to be.
La Thuile’s slopes and lifts are nearly always quiet and although much of the terrain is very much intermediate stuff, this means that even peak season you can be guaranteed good snow and the opportunity to rack up the miles. As you can also ski into France on the lift pass, this offers a good variety of skiing and a change of scene.
Accommodation & Après Ski
We at Born 2 Ski, have enjoyed La Thuile both for the skiing and the excellent local restaurants and ambience – for example, the made-to-order pizzas in the various family-run trattorias, are fantastic value and delicious, but there are also very good, more formal restaurants offering wonderful food and service, at much lower prices than you may be used to in France. Night life is low-key and informal, as in many Italian resorts, with a few good and lively bars for apres beers and snacks, music, and with some showing major sports events.
Piste Map
Pila
Every morning you will find superbly groomed ski slopes and packed powder snow, ideal for ski lovers. Beginners will also appreciate the uniform grooming and the care we take of our pistes (no ice and lumps on the runs). Pila has a large variety of ski runs to satisfy all skiers, from beginners to experts,from the easiest (Baby Pila, Baby Gorraz, Grimod) to the most challenging ones (Leissé and Couis).
Piste Map
Champoluc
An unspoilt village in the snow-sure Monterosa ski area, one of the largest ski areas in Italy.
- Resort altitude: 1,579 metres
- 180 km of skiing
- 11 Blue, 33 Red, 9 Black runs
- Transfer time: approx. 1 hour 45 mins from Turin airport by coach
Champoluc is undoubtedly a hidden gem within Italy’s Monterosa ski area, offering an authentic Italian experience for those seeking off-the-beaten-path skiing and snowboarding. The town features a good selection of shops, bars, and patisseries, along with the Monterosa Spa, located at the top end of town near the woodland park—perfect for a relaxing day of pampering.
Skiing and snowboarding in Champoluc
Champoluc’s ski area continues to surprise even the most experienced skiers and snowboarders each year. Not only are the pistes impeccably maintained, but they often feel empty compared to the crowded slopes of neighbouring countries. This means minimal queuing, and on weekdays, you can ski freely without navigating through large crowds.
The Monterosa ski area links three main villages—Champoluc, Gressoney, and Alagna—via a modern lift system spanning the valleys. Most people start from the Crest lift in Champoluc, but taking the free ski bus to Frachey (just a 5-minute ride) allows you to bypass four lifts and get on your way to Gressoney and its excellent intermediate skiing. Alternatively, a 10-minute bus ride in the opposite direction brings you to Antagnod, a small area perfect for families or for building confidence on its quiet blue and red runs.
Back in the Monterosa ski area, most slopes cater to intermediate and advanced skiers, but the real highlight is the extensive off-piste terrain. For powder enthusiasts, the Punta Indren lift gives access to un-groomed terrain—ideal for experts, but be sure you’re properly equipped, as this is not for the faint-hearted.
Top Tip: Some black runs in the Monterosa area, including the home run back into Champoluc, were previously classified as red. Only a small section is deemed a black run, and unless it’s icy, it’s a beautiful, quiet descent—especially early in the morning when most people head towards Gressoney.
Prebookable ski guiding
Enjoy a stress-free tour of the local ski area and get your bearings on the first morning of your holiday with a local qualified guide. Get insight into the best runs and places to ski on the mountain as well as some useful pointers along the way to improve technique.
Accommodation in this resort
