Skiing in La Thuile: Great snow until Spring

La Thuile. View on the Mont-Blanc

Ski season is approaching and all passionate skiers are impatiently waiting for resorts opening. Italy offers great places for ski lovers, especially in the Alps and the Dolomites. Finding the right resort, according to ones tastes and needs, might be tricky thus I will be writing a few posts on the main Italian ski resorts to help you choose.

I am starting with La Thuile – Espace San Bernardo, one of my favourite sites.

Located at the end of Aosta Valley, close to the border with France and Mont-Blanc tunnel, La Thuile is a classic for lots of reasons.

1. Easy to reach: whether you arrive from Milan, Turin or France, you will be driving on the motorway for the largest part of the journey and have to cope with the mountain bending road only to complete the last 10 km. La Thuile is approximately 2 hours from Milan and 1,5 hours from Turin.

La Thuile. Slopes

2. Slopes for every level: beginners, intermediate and experts skiers will surely have fun. If you feel like having enough experience, don’t miss the challenging black slopes n. 25 and the famous n. 3 Franco Berthod.

3. Large resort: with 150 km of slopes leading across Italy and France La Rosière resort, there is easily the chance of not doing twice the same ski run.

4. Nearly no queues to take lifts: there are two reasons for that. First, most lifts are very modern (but only on the Italian mountainside), quick and carying many skiers. Secondly, the resort is so wide that people spread throughout it.

5. Great snow until Spring: thanks to its peculiar position La Thuile is one of the best sites from mid-March on, with good chances to enjoy powder snow at the top.

Now a quick look at the (relative) minus:

1. Temperature: La Thuile is cold, one of the coldest resorts in the Alps. But it’s also the reason why you often have great snow. Don’t get discouraged. I’m very chilly but with a good technical equipment you’re not going to freeze! If you really feel too cold, a good option is going directly to France mountainside, more sunny and thus usually warmer.

2. Wind: this is more annoying. Not only because beause windchill makes you feel colder but since occasional strong wind leads to the closure of the more exposed lifts.

La Thuile. The slopes

The calendar for 2009-2010 winter season is different in Italy and France, with Italian side opening earlier.

Winter 2009-2010 Espace San Bernardo
Italian side:
Opening: Saturday, November 28, 2009
Closed: Sunday, April 25, 2010
French side:
Opening: Saturday, December 12, 2009
Closed: Sunday, April 25, 2010

Let’s wait for a great snowfall…