Courmayeur is located in northern Italy, near the French border, at the foot of one of Europe’s most majestic peaks, Mont Blanc. This fashionable ski resort has a high reputation on the continent and boasts not only excellent snow-covered slopes of international standard, but also fabulous Alpine landscapes, often depicted on Christmas cards, so beloved by many tourists. With more than a hundred kilometers of slopes of varying difficulty, Courmayeur is considered the domain of experienced skiers, for whom the local slopes are one of the best places to ski in the country.

Comfortable hotels with a high level of service and a rich entertainment program welcome hundreds of thousands of tourists every year, maintaining the reputation of a high-quality hotel complex with a wide range of services and varied accommodation. A large number of natural attractions, combined with interesting excursions, bring a lively variety to the program of staying at the resort and make it even more exciting. Convenient geographical location connects Courmayeur by expressways with such famous cities as Milan and Turin. In addition, one of the busiest highways runs through the city, connecting the south of Europe with its central part.

The resort is conventionally divided into two large skiing areas. On the north-eastern side, the Checruit slopes, recommended for intermediate skiers, stretch out, and the north-western direction, Val Veny is the “home” for real pros. In the Dolonne and Entreves areas, there are lift stations where you can climb to any skiing area. In Val Veny, the most popular trails for professionals are Competizione and Diretta. Also, difficult and at the same time interesting sections for masters, there is a gap between the peak of the Cross – d’Arp and the picturesque Dolonne valley. In these places, the routes run along deserted slopes and skiers have the opportunity to improvise. Beginners, even the most confident ones, are not recommended to ski here under any circumstances. There are few easy runs in the region and they are all concentrated at the top of Mop-Chetif, whose height reaches almost 2350 meters above sea level. In addition, the Pra-Neyron, Chetif and Prato runs attract attention. All ski areas in Courmayeur have a convenient relief and a comfortable thickness of snow cover, created by modern snow guns. For snowboarders and freeriders, both in Val Veny and Chekruit there are specially equipped high-quality runs, some of which have night lighting.

Courmayeur Ski Resort, Italy

In addition to an exciting journey along the snowy slopes, Courmayeur offers its guests a considerable number of interesting attractions, some of which are located directly within the city limits. One of them is the ancient Malukvin tower house, built in the 13th century and belonging to the ancient Malukvin family. Today, this medieval fortification has surprisingly well preserved its impregnable appearance and is still a valuable historical site of the city. Not far from the tower is the ancient church of Saints Pantaleone and Valentino, also built in the Middle Ages and partially reconstructed in 1722.

The status of the main shrine of the city is held by the famous Notre-Dame de Gerizon temple, located next to the Brenva glacier. The name of the temple translates as “Church of Our Lady of Healing”. Its main element is the Statue of the Virgin Mary, dating back to the 17th century. Pilgrims from all over Italy come here every year, among whom at one time were the holiest people of the Vatican. According to local residents, if you touch the statue, you can get rid of many diseases, evidence of which, over the years of its existence, according to eyewitnesses, there was a lot.

Another Statue of the Virgin Mary, known as Regina Pakis, stands on Mount Chetif, inside a chapel built in 1946. This is how the city’s residents expressed their gratitude to their saints for protection during the war. Now this statue amazes with its naturalness and elegance of sculpting, and captivates not only locals, but also tourists who climb the mountain not only for the opportunity to take unique pictures of the surrounding landscapes, but also to look at Regina Pakis.

Just five kilometers from the resort is the famous Thermes de Pré Saint Didier health complex, located among majestic mountain peaks and famous for its thermal baths with healing mineral water. Magnificent views, combined with swimming pools, saunas, jacuzzis and freshly squeezed juices, form the current appearance of the thermal center, the cost of visiting which is quite high, but, undoubtedly, worth the money spent. Between Thermes de Pré Saint Didier and the town of Courmayeur, there is a beautiful Botanical Garden, the highest in Europe. In summer, it enjoys increased attention from climbers, and in winter it regularly attracts the attention of skiers and snowboarders.

Courmayeur would hardly have gained such fame if it did not have impeccable infrastructure and comprehensive entertainment, thanks to which the resort’s guests can afford the maximum choice of ways to spend their leisure time. Exquisite hotels for every taste, elite restaurants, grocery and manufactured goods stores, a lot of sports and entertainment venues, make a vacation in Courmayeur truly bright and diverse. In the evenings, melodious melodies come from the bars and music plays, and the snow-covered roofs of houses envelop the city in a kind of romantic veil.

Although the season begins at the resort in mid-December, the official celebration of this event takes place on the 30th of the last month of the year. Such days are remembered for a lifetime. Dozens of skiers with burning torches simultaneously descend the mountain slopes, and all this happens to the sound of applause, music and splashes of champagne. At such moments, Courmayeur becomes the center of the world for those people who are lucky enough to be here.

Fabulous landscapes, high-quality slopes, comfortable hotels, excellent service and a wide range of services, not to mention a rich entertainment and excursion program, have long been considered an integral part of this unique resort. Thousands of winter sports enthusiasts come to Courmayeur every year, despite the high prices, to fully enjoy their vacation on the snowy slopes of Italy, at the foot of the majestic Mont Blanc.

Courmayeur 2019: how to get there, where to stay, what to see

How to get to Courmayeur

Courmayeur is not only famous, but also the oldest ski resort in Italy. It is located not far from the newfangled resorts, almost on the border with France, hence the proximity of the cherished peak of Mont Blanc. Courmayeur will surprise you with its thoroughness. For example, there is not such a large mileage for skiing here, but the quality of the slopes is impeccable, with different levels of difficulty and perfect coverage.

The sports life will surprise you with its diversity, Courmayeur is famous for its pedestrian zone, or promenade. Restaurants, shops, thermal complexes – all this is also at a high level in the resort. The closest large city to Courmayeur with an international arrival airport is Turin. From there, it is most convenient to get to the ski resort. If you wish, you can also get to Courmayeur from Milan or Swiss Geneva.

There are direct and connecting flights from Ukraine to Turin, their schedule can be checked on the websites Aviasales, Buruki and others, where you can also find out prices for specific dates and buy tickets. The distance between Turin and Courmayeur is 147 km. You can get from Turin to the ski resort by public transport (several transfers are required along the way), by transfer (the most popular type of transport) or by rented car. If you choose the latter option, you will need an international driving license. Rental offices can be found right at Turin airport. You can check prices and book the car you need in advance using services such as Rentalcars, Autoeurope, Economybookings and others. Turin and Courmayeur are connected by the A5 motorway.

You can also book an individual transfer in advance. In this case, a car with a driver will be waiting for you until the time of your flight arrival. Travel time and transfer cost vary depending on the distance. For example, a transfer from Turin to Courmayeur will take about 1.5 hours, from Milan to Courmayeur – about 2 hours, from Geneva to Courmayeur – 1 hour 35 minutes. Booking a transfer or taxi is the most popular option for getting to the resort, as it does not require transfers and takes a minimum amount of time. In winter, a group transfer is also available.

Where to stay in Courmayeur

Courmayeur is a classic resort with a predominance of hotel accommodation, although the apartment segment is also gaining popularity. In addition, in addition to hotels and apartments, you can also stay in Courmayeur in guesthouses, bed and breakfasts, holiday homes and even campsites. The price range in Courmayeur is wide, there are quite budget options, as well as luxurious and exclusive ones (you can find as many as 4 5-star hotels in the resort).

Most of the hotels in Courmayeur are made in the chalet style, one or two-story, with a small number of places to stay, so guests can feel quite comfortable. The rooms are spacious, made in a traditional style and from natural materials. Courmayeur, as a resort, strives for impeccable environmental friendliness.

As for food, as a rule, breakfasts are included in the cost of accommodation. Also, some hotels have restaurants on their territory where you can dine a la carte. Free parking and free Wi-Fi are also essential attributes of living in Courmayeur. Some hotels in the 4-star category and above have spa areas, while others have fitness rooms or indoor pools. In general, there are no problems with the recreation area in Courmayeur, and even if the hotel is not equipped with additional options, the resort has its own thermal complexes.

Apartments in Courmayeur sell out very quickly, it is better to book them in advance. If there is no available option left, you can also consider apartments in neighboring towns, for example, La Thuile, La Salle, Pre-Saint-Didier and others. Most of these towns are located within a radius of 6-10 km directly from Courmayeur. Among the apartments, renting individual houses or rooms in apart-hotels prevails.

In order to find the perfect accommodation option in terms of price and quality, whether it is a hotel or an apartment, it is recommended to make a reservation as early as possible, ideally a few months before the trip, so you can consider a larger number of existing offers.

The following accommodations are in steady demand in Courmayeur:

Villa Novecento Romantic Hotel 4* (This boutique hotel has a convenient location, a free bus runs to the ski slopes. The hotel has a fitness room, sauna, hydromassage, massage room. There is also a restaurant on site. You can stay in rooms of various sizes, including family rooms. Meals – breakfast or half board. There is private parking, which is available for an additional fee and by prior reservation);

Hotel La Grange 3* (The hotel is located in the vicinity of Courmayeur and 500 m from the nearest ski lift. The hotel has a fitness room, sauna, restaurant. Guests can stay in rooms of various sizes, meals are buffet breakfasts. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel. There is parking);

Hotel Des Glaciers 3* (The hotel has a good location relative to the center of Courmayeur and the lifts. The hotel has a bar, a restaurant. Guests can stay in rooms of various sizes, including family rooms. Meals – buffet breakfasts. The hotel has free private parking. Wi-Fi is provided free of charge);

Hotel La Compagnar 3* (The hotel is located in a picturesque location, 200 m from the nearest ski lift. The hotel has a bar, a restaurant. You can stay in different rooms, meals – breakfast. Guests are offered free private parking, ski storage, wireless Internet).

What to see in Courmayeur

Courmayeur, as a ski resort, gained its popularity back in the 18th century, and since then the town’s infrastructure has been consistently improving. Today it is a modern resort with a wide variety of slopes and cross-country skiing. In total, Courmayeur has about 80 km of ski slopes of varying difficulty. Despite the relatively short total length, the slopes are very diverse and do not sin by monotony. There are also areas for free skiing, and for a comfortable ascent, 18 different lifts operate. Snow park, forest trails, artificial lighting, the availability of heli-skiing – all this can also be found in Courmayeur.

Prices for ski passes in Courmayeur vary depending on the length of stay and the skiing areas (in addition to Courmayeur, the ski pass can also include the skiing areas of neighboring resorts in the Aosta Valley).

In addition to skiing, Courmayeur offers other types of entertainment. For example, after an active day, you can visit the thermal complex in the neighboring village of Pre-Saint-Didier. The wellness center offers a wide variety of relaxation areas and procedures. So, here you can visit an outdoor thermal pool with picturesque views of Mont Blanc, hydromassage pools, artificial waterfalls, steam baths. Various types of saunas, salt rooms, various types of massages and beauty treatments. There is a restaurant on the territory of the complex. The complex is open daily from 8.30 am to 11 pm.

Courmayeur lifts

In the summer, the resort offers to visit the family amusement park Parco Avventura Monte Bianco (the so-called “suspended” park), take walks along one of the pre-laid routes, and hang gliding or paragliding flights with an instructor are also available. Fishing, ski lift riding, mountaineering, ice skating and cross-country skiing, golf, tennis – all this is also offered for recreation in Courmayeur. The resort has first-class instructors and ski schools open in the winter, making Courmayeur the perfect destination for beginners.

In general, Courmayeur is a resort known for a long time and is already well-established. The infrastructure and service at the resort have reached their maximum, Courmayeur is a resort with a high reputation. The proximity to Mont Blanc, France and Switzerland provides a rich excursion program. While at the resort, you can always go for a day or two to one of the Italian, French or Swiss cities for an excursion. In the summer, Courmayeur also offers a lot of entertainment for family and individual recreation, as well as recreation for large companies.

Гори Монблану

Also reading now: