The Gressoney ski resort is located at the foot of the Monte Rosa mountain range, which separates Italy and Switzerland with its 14 four-thousanders. Eight centuries ago, the valley was settled by the Germanic Walser people, who moved from the northern Vallese valley. To this day, the locals adhere to their traditions: they speak an old German dialect that is almost incomprehensible to anyone, dress in national costumes and live in houses in the “Stadel” style. There are two main villages in the valley: Gressoney-La-Trinite (1637 m) and Gressoney-Saint-Jean (1387 m).

You can get on your skis right at the hotel door and start the descent. Gressoney attracts lovers of skiing all day. For those who want to come to the mountains for downhill skiing, this place is very suitable for this. Freeriders love to ski between the trees and jump from rocky islands. Gressoney has a cheap special pass to the lifts with easy slopes. The level of comfort, the quality of the slopes, the service – all this is at the highest level.

Where to stay

Apartments and hotels from 2 to 4 stars are connected to the lifts and other sports facilities thanks to the convenient “skibas” service, with stops opposite the hotels. Most of the hotel structures are equipped with hydromassage and saunas, and some have wellness centers.

Hotel Gran Baita 3-star hotel

Hotel Gran Baita is a historic mountain chalet in Gressoney-Saint-Jean, 300 meters from the Savoy Castle. It features a restaurant. Its rooms offer panoramic views and are decorated in a country style. The Monte Rosa ski bus stops nearby.

Free parking and free Wi-Fi in public areas are provided. Rooms at the Gran Baita are decorated with wooden furniture. They also have an LCD TV and parquet or carpeted floors.

A sweet and savoury breakfast is served each morning. The Gran Baita’s restaurant serves vegetarian dishes, mountain specialities and fine local wines. Snacks are available at the bar.

Albergo Alpenrose 3-star hotel

The Albergo Alpenrose is less than 2 km from the town centre Gressoney-Saint-Jean. The ski school and the Weissmatten ski slopes are 50 metres away. Ski buses stop opposite the hotel and take guests to the Monte Rosa slopes.

Alpenrose is 300 metres from the Sporthaus sports centre. Cross-country skiing trails are nearby. Cycling facilities and wine tasting tours are also available.

Rooms at the Alpenrose come with satellite TV and independent heating.

The hotel’s restaurant serves local and national dishes. Vegetarian and children’s dishes are also available.

Hotel Jolanda Sport 4-star hotel

Set next to the ski lifts on the slopes of Punta Yolanda, this hotel features a spa and a restaurant serving Aosta cuisine. The hotel offers ski storage. Its Alpine-style rooms come with free Wi-Fi and an LCD TV with satellite channels.

Rooms at Hotel Jolanda Sport feature wood-panelled walls and exposed beams on the ceilings. Each room includes soft bathrobes and slippers. Some rooms have a four-poster bed, and some have a balcony.

A buffet breakfast is served daily. The restaurant serves both local specialities and classic Italian cuisine.

The wellness centre includes a sauna, gym and swimming pool. Massage treatments are available.

The hotel is 1.5 hours’ drive from Aosta or Turin via the A5 motorway (Autostrada Torino-Aosta).

TH Gressoney la Trinitè Monboso Hotel 4-star hotel

This 4-star hotel offers panoramic views of the Alps and the Aosta Valley in Gressoney-la-Trinité, a few metres from the Betta FORCOM and Gabiet ski lifts. It features a gym and a wellness centre.

Guests at the Monboso TH Resorts can enjoy a disco, a cinema and a bar with live piano music. The restaurant serves Italian, regional and international cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The cosy and comfortable rooms are carpeted and feature a TV and a safe. The private bathroom comes with a hairdryer.

TH Resorts Monboso features a ski school, ski storage, a mini club and a children’s entertainment area. In summer, guests can relax on the sun terrace.

History of Gressoney

The history of Gressoney is linked to German immigrants who arrived here in the 8th century. The town’s residents still follow the old German tradition.

Easy customs clearance and natural beauty have attracted tourists since the 18th century, but Gressoney became famous as a resort in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Great interest is associated with Margherita of Savoy, the Italian queen, wife of Umberto I. She usually spent her summers here from 1889 to 1925, she loved to go mountaineering. In 1893, the queen climbed to the top of Punta Nifetti (altitude about 4600 meters above sea level), and there she founded the highest mountain refuge in Europe, immortalizing the name of the beautiful queen in its name. Gressoney preserves the atmosphere and spirit of the German people.

Geographical position of Gressoney

Gressoney is located next to the mountain Monte Rosa in the Valle del Lis. At an altitude of about 1400 meters is Gressoney-Saint-Jean and at an altitude of about 1640 meters is the village of Gressoney-La Trino. The valleys of Sesia, Aias and Lis belong to the Monte Rosa area.

Climate of Gressoney

The climate is like in many Alpine regions: summers are cool and winters are harsh. From October to March, there is heavy snowfall both on the plains and in the mountains. The season lasts from December 1 to April 25.

Description of Gressoney ski slopes and services

Gressoney is surrounded by impressive mountain peaks in a resort area that is successfully developing. Everything – both service and slopes – is at the highest level. You can do any type of skiing at the resort, everything is organized for this. The maximum height of the ski area is 3550 m, the number of slopes: blue – 7, red – 20, black – 5, the total length of the slopes is 180 km, the number of lifts – 17.

The characteristics of the slopes for children and beginners – this is an ideal resort, it has convenient lifts and flat wide slopes. Snowboarders love this resort. The resort has about 200 kilometers of various slopes. Also at the service of tourists – freeriding, heli-skiing, off-piste routes. A new gondola lift connects the Staffal station of the Gressoney resort with the Shampoliuk resort and the village of Alanya (Piedmont).

The longest route starts from Passo del Salata to Gressoney, stretching for 14 kilometers. Its flat, wide slopes are well suited for children and beginners. There are off-piste routes. Funiculars and lifts take tourists to any point in Gressoney. Good “blue” slopes in the Champoluc and Antagnan areas. Interesting and treacherous descents for professionals lead to the Alania-Valsesia valley and to Staffal. Professionals will be able to show their excellent skills in skiing on difficult terrain and steep drops of the extreme descent of Balma. The “dark” highways of Sehorn-Gabiet and Schauma descend into the Gressoney-San Giovanni valley.

There are many rich opportunities in Monte Rosa for freeriders. Off-piste descents and vast expanses of virgin land lead to the Gressoney valley and other areas of the plain. Due to the avalanche danger of the area, off-piste skiing without an experienced guide is not recommended. There is no snowboard park in Monte Rosa, so snowboarders will only be able to ride on various slopes.

Sights of Gressoney

Historical and architectural monuments: Queen Margherita’s Castle, with the park surrounding it, it was built in 1840, became the residence of Queen Margherita in 1904 and was it until 1925; the villa of the noble family Beck Pessoz (Villa Margherita), built in 1833, it was the residence of Queen Margherita from 1899 to 1904; bridge, built in 1540, a classic of architecture of those centuries; chapels of the 17th-18th centuries (The chapels); temples / monasteries: a church located in the city center, built in 1515, was expanded in 1735

Tourists are recommended to visit the botanical garden. There you can see the wealth of the entire alpine flora. At the resort you can go to the Museum of Alpine Fauna (Gressoney Sina Jean).

There is a beautiful lake Gover. In winter, they make an ice rink on it, and along the shores there are tracks for cross-country skiing.

From Gressone you can make various excursions, from hiking to high-altitude climbing.

Places for entertainment and shopping in Gressoney

After visiting the historical monuments, tourists can do active recreation, for example, go ice skating on the ice of Lake Gover, or cross-country skiing on the 25-kilometer local track. Near the center is a sports center, which is equipped with the latest technology. In addition, Gressoney has everything you need for: archery, mountain biking, golf, tennis, climbing, swimming in the pool, horseback riding, paragliding, mountain biking.

Alpine guides will be able to offer interesting programs in freeride, ice climbing, ski mountaineering, and calm snowshoe walks. The resort has one cross-country ski school and two alpine ski schools, with over 100 instructors who help improve snowboarding and alpine skiing techniques.

In the evening, nightclubs, bars, restaurants, and souvenir shops are open. In the evening, after skiing, you can stroll through the streets of the historic centers of Gressoney-la-Trinite and Gressoney-Saint-Jean and visit the numerous shops for traditional products or gifts for relatives and friends. Tourists will be able to spend a good evening enjoying Gressoney and Valdosta dishes in the hospitable and warm atmosphere of the restaurants.

How to get there

The nearest train station to Gressoney is in Pont San Martin, from where it is a 2-hour drive to Turin airport and a 3-hour drive to Milan airport.

Conclusion

Gressoney is considered by most tourists to be the best ski resort in Europe. Service and prepared slopes are at a high level. Slopes of any difficulty category. Gressoney is well suited for those who are just starting to learn to ski and children. Experienced instructors help you learn to ski. Tourists can visit various attractions and have a good rest after skiing.

The ski slopes are beautiful, the interesting history of the resort and the splendor of the surrounding mountains – all this makes the ski resort a great place in Italy for a sporty and exciting holiday.