Adrenaline junkies usually head to the French resort of Chamonix, a Mecca for extreme snow sports. However, travel just to the other side of the Mont Blanc tunnel into Italy and you’ll find Courmayeur and La Thuile, two resorts that offer a very similar experience – but without the crowds.
Not only are the slopes on the Italian side quieter but the skiing here is cheaper too. A six-day lift pass for the whole of the Aosta Valley, including Courmayeur and La Thuile, costs €240. A similar list pass in Chamonix will set you back an extra €22 each.
La Thuile offers 150kms of on-piste skiing and oodles of challenging off-piste. Unlike in Chamonix where there is a rush to ski any fresh powder as soon as it falls, in La Thuile you can still find virgin snow well beyond lunchtime. This is partly because Italians like to stick to the groomed slopes, but largely because the resort is much less busy.
Webcam image of La Thuile’s slopes this week
If La Thuile’s challenging runs aren’t enough to keep you entertained for a week, you can ski over the French border and down into La Rosiere, although I’d recommend heading back to Italy for lunch, unless you’re skiing with a fat wallet.
I visited last weekend with Ski Club Freshtracks, which offers ‘Powder and Piste’ packages to La Thuile with built-in tuition, perfect for skiers who want to top up their technique. After an intensive morning learning to ski the off-piste powder between the runs with guide Rab Bickerdike, we enjoyed a hearty lunch of local meats, gnocci and fresh pasta in the Maison Carrel.
If you’re on a budget, you can grab a sandwich for €5 and a thick, gloopy hot chocolate for €3.50.
Much of the accommodation in La Thuile is in apartment blocks right at the foot of the slopes, but the resort also boasts several hotels, including the Hotel Miramonte, which combines alpine charm with slick, modern facilities. It also boasts a wellness area with a small pool heated to body temperature, a steam room and sauna. Massages are available.
La Thuile has a handful of pizzerias, traditional restaurants and bars but it’s not a party resort and you won’t find the sort of après ski scene you get in Chamonix, but it’s great for intermediate and experienced skiers for whom time on the slopes is the priority.
Just a two-hour drive from Turin or Geneva airports, both served by easyJet, it’s also easily accessible for the weekend.
Ski Club Freshtracks next Powder and Piste package to La Thuile is from March 2 – 9
