Ski Italy

People looking for excellent Italy ski resorts will love Courmayer.One of Europe’s most famous ski locations – it is situated at the foot of Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in Europe on the edge of two valleys :
Val Veny – formed by glaciers Miage and Brenva and by local river Dora Baltea, and located at the bottom of Grandes Jorassess (4.208 m) and Val Ferret with perfect conditions for cross-country skiing.
These two valleys make Italian part of “Giro del Monte Bianco” the famous way encircling Mont Blanc.
Opened in 1965 the tunnel ‘Traforo del Monte Bianco’ connected Courmayeur with the rest of Europe, making the town easy to reach by the tourists, on the other hand it brought the stream of cars passing by Courmayeur on the way to the only international pass in the area, as Grand and Little st.Bernard passes are covered by snow for most of the year.

The area of spectacular views has been appreciated by Romans for another reason – the termes, where the water temperature is constant for the whole year on the level 36 degrees of C.
In hamlet Pré-Saint-Didier only 4 km from Courmayeur there are the nicests termes, with the old building that brings the ‘ fin du siecle’ atmosphere of late 19th century.
In this area there is also ‘Giardino Botanico Alpino Saussurea’ – Europe’s highest botanical garden.
Once in the part of princes of Savoia, the resort has bee visited by the royal families, important people and ordinary Alp lovers, who started to climb Monte Bianco at the beginning of the 19th century. In 1850 here has been founded the first Italian society of Alpine Guides.

The ski resort of the “Courmayeur Mont Blanc Cablecar” Company covers two sides of the mountain.
Apart of Courmayeur it includes two more villages Entrèves and Dolonne. Dolonne connected to Courmayeur by a bridge, has the best runs for the unexperienced skiers, but also a connection with the rest of the area for the more advanced ones.

Specifications:

Total loading capacity of the lifts: 25.209
Snow making: 256 canons
Postings for cannons: 393
Total lenght of the slopes with snow making: 22.000 m.
Area: 950.00 mq (63,00% of the resort’s surface).

One of the best attractions, both for the skiers and ‘the rest’ is the cable car system that brings the people to the peaks with the most stunning views in th Alpes.
The skilifts and gondoliers reach Cresta Youla (2,624m) or Cresta d’Arp (2,755m), where in valley of Arpy are beautiful off-skiing areas.
The cable car which connects the resort with Chamonix runs into the Vallée Blanche, the most famous off-piste descent in Europe.
Another one goes between La Palud (1,370m) and Punta Helbronner (3,462m.) from that point there is an incredible 360 degrees panorama with views of Mont Blanc, of la Dent du Géant (the Giant’s Tooth) and of Mont Cervin on the Swiss side.

In Val Ferret there are four runs for cross-country skiing lovers e.g. 10 km long Circular track located between Planpincieux 1580 m a.s.l. and Lavachey.

Magnificent views and snow conditions make the resort attractive not only for downhill skiing but also for the other activities such as heli-ski, but also hang-gliding and paragliding in the air, or walking with snowshoes, even riding a pack of huskies all over the Valley.
You can try also golf on snow , snow bike, or other attractions in
Courmayeur Forum Sport Center and Fun Park Dolonne where snow tubes pistes and 3 conveyor belt lifts provide fun for everybody.

Tags: resorts, Valle d`Aosta