Share

Resort Guides

Ski Resorts Guide – Courmayeur, Italy

Boss the Aosta

Courmayeur is the capital of Italian mountain tourism, dating back to 1908. Situated an hour-and-a-half north of Turin, down the stunning Aosta Valley, it is a sophisticated resort that has endless terrain for snowboarders.

  • Highest Point: 2,755m
  • Descent: 1,210m
  • No. lifts: 18

If you hate coffee, pizza, powder, wine and smiling, carry on travelling. Chamonix folk can make a day trip across the border via the Mont Blanc tunnel, but while the high mountains and steep terrain are familiar, the cultural contrast couldn’t be greater. Courmayeur is blessedly free of crowds – especially off piste – and with more tree runs and, at times, very different weather (it can be cloudy in Cham but sunny over the mountain). This really is the yin to Chamonix’s yang.

The Parks – 3/5

The solitary snow park is located between the Colle and Aretu ski runs. There’s nothing massive, but features such as wallrides and cannon rails will keep even the experts happy. For newbies there’s a great array of ride-on features and progressive jumps.

The Absinthe crew hit the backcountry here for their film Dopamine

You can hit the giant kicker into the airbag for around two euros a go – well worth it for big air thrills without the hospital bills. In coming years, there are plans for a stash area similar to Avoriaz, with north shore, logs, jams and berms.

However, there’s nothing set in stone when it comes to snowboarding and the Mont Blanc region is historically maligned for its lack of decent snowparks. Nevertheless the natural terrain offers plenty of freestyle potential – the Absinthe crew hit the backcountry here for their film Dopamine.

Sylvain Bourbousson enjoying the goods in Courmayeur / Photo: Ahriel Povich

The Powder – 5/5

Courmayeur has an excellent snowfall record, and it’s no surprise that it’s been a stop on the Swatch Freeride World Tour.  The breathtaking view is not just a pretty face, and Monte Bianco stops southerly weather systems in their tracks, dumping their fruits on Courmayeur.

Like Italian cuisine, the resort’s strength is in its simplicity, and the top quality ingredients here are varied terrain, powder and trees. Due to its relatively low altitude, however, Courmayeur is a dish best served cold. Caution should always be exercised but there is loads of playful terrain accessible from the chairlifts, for example under the Dzeleuna and Plan de la Gabba chairs or, more adventurously, off the back of the Pra Neyron.

Unlocking the well-guarded secrets of Courmayeur may take time but that means there are plenty of nooks and crannies for everyone.  There are magical tree runs, pillows lines, chutes and cliffs, as well as long off-piste runs that wrap around both sides of the mountain from the top station, the Arp.

A guide is recommended on these backcountry routes from the top, although going with someone you trust and who knows what’s up is another option (at your own risk of course – this is Europe!). Avalanche safety is a prerequisite and you’ll see many locals with Avalungs and airbags on the big days.

Even off the lower lifts you can easily end up bushwhacking, getting lost or, if you’re not careful, being helicoptered out of the dangerous forbidden zone. A logical, gradual approach to your exploration will help you get the most out of your time here. Further freeriding possibilities include heli-boarding and taking a guide to the Punta Helbronner on the adjacent mountain – from where you can access the famous Vallée Blanche from the Italian side. Contact the Evolution 2 ski school.

Coooor-mayeur. Photo: Ed Blomfield

The Pistes – 4/5

The pistes are excellently groomed here and this makes cruising, carving and piste jibbing highly enjoyable, especially before mid-March when the sun starts to bake the south facing slopes.

  • Opens: 25th November 2017
  • Closes: 8th April 2018
  • 1 Day: €45
  • 6 Days: €259

Most runs are wide, smooth and fairly steep, with plenty of side hits. They only really get crowded in February and weekends. There’s something special about perfect corduroy, and gunning the first line under the Checrouit, knowing that you’ve got all day to hunt down the powder, is a memorable experience.

A skiers’ review would say that you could easily ‘do’ it all in a day and might cite the lack of black runs and moguls as negatives, but for snowboarders it’s a top resort, while the scarcity of blue runs just means there are no annoying cat tracks. The Scuola di Sci has proper snowboarders for instructors and they are a fun bunch. Monte Bianco school is also a good bet.

How To Get There

Courmayeur is less than two hours’ drive from Geneva Airport, via the Mont Blanc tunnel. SWISS flies to Geneva from Heathrow and London City, Gatwick and Dublin. All-inclusive fares start from £74 one-way*, with no extra charge for your snowboard bag*.

The Parties – 3/5

Courmayeur is famed for its restaurants and to recommend just three on the mountain, Christiania is handy and fast with great pizza, while the Chiecco and Maison Vielle require more time and cash but are special experiences – great for stormy weather.

“Italian culture revolves around food, and in most places antipasti are served with your drinks”

The common thread is the Italian schnapps ‘grappa’, and proprietors are notoriously generous with their tasting sessions. The party normally starts here and after an interesting last run down, the après continues all along the main street. Here you’ll find the popular Bar Roma, the welcoming Bar delle Guide (which plays snow flicks) and the Americain Bar for football, food, wine and music. Italian culture revolves around food, and in most places antipasti are served with your drinks. This is useful if you are on a tight budget and even makes you look sophisticated. Later on, the Mont Frety outside area attracts some beautiful people and the Privé is reckoned to be the best cocktail and nibbles bar in town.

Many historic restaurants are also found in town such as the Pier Alexis, established in 1877, and the awesome Pizzeria du Tunnel, which has been serving traditional wood-fired pizzas for decades. The ancient food and wine culture really enriches Courmayeur’s nightlife, making it more a journey of discovery rather than a Jaeger-fuelled black hole.

*Price includes one piece hold luggage and hand luggage, plus meal and drink. 1 pair of skis or 1 snowboard, 1 pair of ski poles, 1 pair of ski boots or 1 pair of snowboard boots travel free of charge, in addition to standard baggage allowance (excluding hand luggage only fares) and is subject to availability. Price quoted as one-way, per person including airport taxes and surcharges departing from London Heathrow to Geneva. Price correct at the time of production and is subject to change and exchange rate variations. Availability is limited and on some payment methods a charge of 1.65% may apply.
Sponsored by

Share

Newsletter Terms & Conditions

Please enter your email so we can keep you updated with news, features and the latest offers. If you are not interested you can unsubscribe at any time. We will never sell your data and you'll only get messages from us and our partners whose products and services we think you'll enjoy.

Read our full Privacy Policy as well as Terms & Conditions.

production