With travel restrictions easing, optimism continues to grow for the next ski season. One of Italy’s most beautiful ski destinations, the Aosta Valley has long been a favourite of families looking for a special ski holiday. Home to a host of traditional villages with access to large ski areas, spacious runs with gentle and gradual slopes, Aosta offers Alpine skiing tracks to cater for adults along with easier slopes for children. Here is our round-up of some of the ski resorts which make the Aosta Valley a special ski destination for families!
Cogne: At the foot of the Gran Paradiso, the Cogne ski resort is chosen above all by families because it offers slopes suitable for skiers of all levels. With its seven downhill slopes (2 blue, 4 red, 1 black) and 80 km of cross-country skiing, it is also appreciated by those who prefer to take long walks on horse-drawn sleighs or those who want to admire the extraordinary waterfalls of ice that characterize some corners of the Valle d’Aosta landscape. Beginners have access to a fun baby slope served by a treadmill where they can learn to ski with joy, and for children fun is guaranteed in the fully equipped baby snow park with inflatables, trampolines and a bobsleigh and tubbing trails. Opening period would usually run from late December up to end of March.
Crévacol: Snow and sun lovers cannot miss the chance to discover the Crévacol ski resort, with its 22 kilometres of slopes (3 blue, 8 red, 1 black). In fact, the sunniest resort in the entire region extends along the Gran San Bernardo valley. For cross-country skiing enthusiasts, an 18 km long cross-country trail starts from Etroubles, which goes up the valley, passing through Saint-Oyen, where, in Flassin, there is a well-equipped foyer de fond, up to Saint- Rhémy-en-Bosses. The Crévacol resort offers the opportunity to experience a holiday with the little ones who can have fun with sleds, bobs and bicycles in the Flassin playground. Do not miss the ski mountaineering trails, the snowshoe trails and the areas devoted to snowboarding.
Chamois: The only Italian municipality without a car is located where time slows down and the air is purer. Chamois, the highest municipality in Valle d’Aosta (1,800 m), is reachable only by cableway from Buisson (Antey-Saint-André). Enchanting for the ancient architecture of its houses, typically that of Valle d’Aosta, the Pearl of the Alps – it is in fact part of a series of places along the Alpine arc that includes mountain places among the most beautiful in Europe, joined by the common desire to promote the protection of the territory and getting around without the constraint of cars – it is the ideal place for long walks on snowshoes or for those who want to try skis for the first time. The 17 km of slopes (2 blue and 8 red), the now rare silence and the enchanting sunsets behind the Grandes Murailles truly conquer everyone.
Torgnon: The land of children and toys. That’s why this small but charming ski resort stands out. Sheltered from the cold winds, Torgnon has for years been a favourite destination for families with children who want to give the little ones a holiday tailored to their needs. Equipped with a series of slopes of varying difficulty (2 blue, 14 red, 4 black) it is known for its cross-country ski trails and for the famous Winter Park, one of the largest and best equipped playgrounds in the entire Valle d’Aosta: with its huge slides and various attractions, children can have fun all day long. For snowboarders, there is an area with jumps, rails and an area for beginners.
Champorcher: With an ideal location Champorcher is the closest ski resort in Valle d’Aosta for those coming from Piedmont and Lombardy and, thanks to its 12 km of slopes (2 blue – 13 red – 3 black) always perfectly covered with snow, is suitable for all types of skiers. There are two school fields for those who want to practice while the Bosco slope is the place where national teams also train. Cross-country skiers can take advantage of a ring track, for a total length of 5 km. There is not only skiing, but also acrobatic jumps in the snow park at an altitude of 2,000m, ski mountaineering for nature lovers and lots of fun for the little ones in the Laris Baby Park.
About Aosta Valley: The smallest region of Italy located in the Northwest of the country; Aosta Valley boasts spectacular scenery, world-class skiing and snowboarding, food of the highest quality and a history stretching back to Roman times. At the heart of the alps and bordered by France and Switzerland, Aosta valley is surrounded by some of the highest peaks in Europe: Cervino, Monte Rosa, Gran Paradiso and the king of them all, Mont Blanc, which at 15,781 feet is the highest mountain in Europe, the roof of the old Continent. With Turin, Milan and Geneva airports all within easy reach, the Aosta Valley resorts are among the easiest to get to from the UK making it an ideal destination for a weekend or short break.