Italy for me From Italy with love
In the northwest of Italy, in the tiny yet most beautiful province of Valle d’Aosta, bordering France and Switzerland, you can find the highest alpine massif Monte Rosa (Monte Rosa, 14,970 ft). The four-thousanders, covered with icy helmets, surround the Aosta Valley – one of Italy’s five ski regions.
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Resort for Serious Skiers
Monte Rosa Resort, belonging to the “heavenly” region of Italy’s highest mountains, is also known as the “Italian Three Valleys.” Three parallel valleys with tiny villages are linked by a unified system of lifts:
- In the Val de Ayas valley, you’ll find Shampoluc, Brusson, and Antagnon.
- In the Gressoney valley, there are Gressoney-Saint-Jean and Gressoney-La-Trinité.
- In Alagna Valsesia, you can find mountain shelters in Stafal and Alagna Valsesia.
Among these mountain villages, only Shampoluc has the infrastructure to serve tourists, making it a popular ski resort and the capital of the “Three Valleys.” The region attracts those who are experienced skiers, offering 180 km of prepared slopes, extensive off-piste routes across the Monte Rosa massif, connecting with Cervinia’s (Cervinia) and Zermatt’s (Zermatt) slopes, helicopter heli-skiing opportunities, and ski touring – all of which are not for beginners.
However, the resort also has schools for skill improvement and learning snowboarding, freeriding, and carving. The resort’s children’s school (ScuolaSciChampoluc) works with kids from 4 years old and has the best Italian and English instructors.
Shampoluc may seem a bit dull for comfort and entertainment lovers, but it’s interesting for avid skiers and sporty families. Monte Rosa is loved by Scandinavians, who are experts in skiing. Shampoluc, with its adrenaline opportunities and affordable prices, also deserves attention, although Cervinia and Courmayeur resorts are better known in the Aosta Valley.
When to Go
Snowfall begins in November, and sub-zero temperatures prevail, but the real “powder” – freshly fallen snow highly valued by freeriders – appears in the second decade of December.
The skiing season lasts from November 26 to April 15, with peaks of activity and lulls:
- Low season: November 26 – December 8; March 29 until the end of the season.
- Main season: December 8-24; January 9 – February 10.
- High season: December 24 – January 8; February 11 – March 28.
The Monterosa Ski area has its own peculiarities of purchasing ski passes.
In the Monterosa Ski area, ski pass prices differ based on the duration of three or six days. For instance, a six-day ski pass for an adult costs: in the low season – €216; in the main season – €222; in the high season – €242. The cost of one-day ski passes is the same throughout the season, except for Christmas holidays: €41 in the regular season and €46 during the holidays.
For those who want to catch good snow without overpaying, here’s a strategy to follow before the ski season starts:
- Choose one or several resorts.
- Purchase tickets with the option to refund.
- Book accommodation and car rental without prepayment.
- Stay informed about the weather forecast in the region using the official website snow-forecast.com.
If there’s snowfall and favorable weather – sunny with weak winds – it’s time to go. The best time for Monte Rosa Resort is before the Christmas holidays, from December 17 to 24. In case of unfavorable weather, you might need to return your tickets and book apartments for March.
In March, there’s still snow, fewer crowds, and no accommodation problems. The only downside is the weather – cloudy, windy, with snow melting in the evening and freezing overnight. If the weather is bad, tourists staying at Shampoluc resort might need a car because there are few attractions in the village itself, while the surrounding area offers interesting places to visit.
Trails, Lifts, and Lift Passes in Monte Rosa
The unified lift pass for the entire Monterosa Ski area grants access to 67 trails spanning a total length of 180 km (111.85 miles). Apart from these, there are designated areas for freeriding, heli-skiing, one snowboard cross trail, and ski touring routes.
Slalom
Among all the groomed slopes, 19 are classified as blue, 41 as red, and 6 as black. All the slopes descend into the valleys of Champoluc, Gressoney, and Alagna. In the Champoluc area, the total length of slopes is 70 km (43.5 miles), with a vertical drop of 1900 m (6233 feet); in Gressoney, all the slopes add up to 50 km (31 miles), with a vertical drop of 1600 m (5249 feet); Alagna has a few trails, totaling 23 km (14.3 miles), but they are the steepest, with a vertical drop of 2350 m (7710 feet).
Blue Trails
Blue trails are primarily located on the slopes of the Champoluc valley, making it an ideal resort for families. In the other valleys, blue trails are relatively short.
One of the good blue trails descends from the Mont Ros area (2457 m or 8055 feet), while another one starts from the base of Ostafa. The children’s area is situated in the village of Antagnod, with elevation differences of about 400 m (1312 feet).
The blue trail at Passo Salati in Alagna is the only easy descent in the third valley of Monte Rosa.
Red Trails
The red slopes begin at the peaks of Crest and Colle Sarezza (2700 m or 8858 feet). Tourists are transported here by a lift from Champoluc. Starting from the plateau, the trails pass through coniferous forests and offer plenty of surprises for skiers along the way.
The Frachey lift takes tourists to the Colle Bettaforca area (2672 m or 8760 feet). This pass has descents into both valleys: Champoluc and Gressoney. The red trails in the second valley, especially the descent from Passo dei Salati (2971 m or 9741 feet), are challenging and exhilarating (with a vertical drop of up to 1200 m or 3937 feet).
Extreme Black Descents
- The long and challenging C 12 descent leads from the Colle Bettaforca ridge to the Frachey lift, making it the second most difficult slope in the resort.
- Another black trail, V6, descends from Sant’Anna to Stafal in the Gressoney valley.
- From the summit leading to the third valley, Alagna Valsesia, there is a descent on the Balma V5 trail from Punta Indren (3260 m or 10695 feet), with a length of 8 km (5 miles) and a vertical drop of up to 1200 m (3937 feet). The descent includes steep gradients with bumps and icy sections. This trail is the “black pearl” of the resort.
- Another black descent into the Alagna valley starts at Passo dei Salati and leads to Pianalunga (2046 m or 6706 feet) – trail V3. For snowboarding, there are two parks available: on Mount Gabiet and at the Col Dolen pass.
Freeride Paradise
Off-piste skiing is a unique feature of the Monte Rosa resort. In other places, it is either limited or not recommended. Here, there are instructors who familiarize skiers with the terrain and its hazards. Freeriders are required to have a probe, beacon – an avalanche transceiver, and a shovel.
The Mount Rose Grand Tour takes about 8 hours and involves skiing on off-piste routes in the three valleys. Frachey – Colle Bettaforca – Gressoney Valley – Passo dei Salati – descents in Valsesia – Alagna – Punta Indren Glacier – descent in Gressoney – Champoluc.
For an even more extreme experience, there’s heli-skiing and heli-boarding. A helicopter takes athletes to the Lys pass, from where they descend on the Grenz Glacier.
Ski Touring
High-speed downhill skiing doesn’t allow you to fully immerse yourself in the beauty of the snow-capped peaks of the Alpine region. That’s why many ski touring enthusiasts come here. You can win a bet against a skier reaching speeds of up to 250 km/h or embark on a grand “Swiss” expedition to Zermatt – the Monterosa Ski pass provides this opportunity as well.
Ski Lifts
The resort has 38 lifts: buttons, chairlifts, gondolas, magic carpets, cable cars, and funiculars. They serve local areas and connect the valleys into a unified space. The main connection is made by the lift from Frachey to the ridge of Colle Bettaforca, and from there to the Passo dei Salati area. These high-speed modern lifts were installed in 2005.
When purchasing a multi-day pass (6-10 days), tourists have the right to ski for 2 days at other resorts in the Valle d’Aosta region. You can find the current prices of ski passes on the official resort website: www.monterosa-ski.com.
Getting to the Resort in Monte Rosa
The distance from Turin Airport to Champoluc is 90 km, and from Milan Airport, it’s 140 km.
Traveling independently to Champoluc from these cities is inconvenient: you’ll need to make 1-3 transfers from train to bus. First, travel to the Verres railway station, and from there, there is a scheduled bus service to Champoluc every 3 hours. Schedules and prices can be found on the website www.rome2rio.com/s/Turin/Champoluc
Train schedule and ticket purchase: www.trenitalia.com.
A transfer from the airport is not cheap, but it’s convenient. A taxi from Milan Malpensa Airport to Champoluc costs 220-280 €; from Turin – 170-200 €.
The most convenient way to get there and have a winter vacation in the Monte Rosa area is to rent a car. This will allow you to expand the skiing area by visiting nearby resorts, exploring exciting sights, and having some fun in case of bad weather.
Where to Stay: Best Hotels in Monte Rosa
Challenging skiing on the Monte Rosa slopes requires recuperation and proper rest, which is why ski hotels with full amenities and comfortable rooms are in demand in Champoluc. There are 19 hotels in the three valleys.
4 Stars
Relais DesGlaciers
Relais Des Glaciers is a typical ski hotel with friendly staff, a spa center, and a restaurant, located in the center of the resort near the ski lift. The restaurant serves local cuisine.
Hotel Lo Scoiattolo
Hotel Lo Scoiattolo is located in Gressoney-la-Trinite, the central valley, equidistant from all the challenging slopes. The sauna, solarium, and restaurant offering delicious Walser cuisine are perfect for rejuvenating after a day of sports.
3 Stars
Stadel Soussun
The 3-star hotel Stadel Soussun is situated in an ancient building with heated rooms, each equipped with a bathtub and shower. The 16th-century-style restaurant is located in the basement.
Hotel L’ Aiglon
The 3-star Hotel L’Aiglon is located 500 meters from the lift to Crest Plateau.
With hydro-massage bathrooms, a bar serving hot drinks and pastries, ski storage facilities, and family rooms, the hotel offers a range of services.
Apartments
Apartments offer a budget accommodation option for rest and sleep, but meals need to be arranged separately. While there is a network of restaurants and a spa center in the village, the desire and energy to visit them after a day of intense physical activity may vary.
Such accommodations are situated away from the ski lifts, so guests will have to endure a 600-1600-meter march in full gear in the morning and evening.
Champoluc apartment
Champoluc apartment is located 600 meters from the ski lift, providing bedrooms, a shared living room, kitchen, and bedding, as well as free parking. Meals can be enjoyed in nearby restaurants.
Restaurants and Apres-Ski in Monte Rosa
Not every tourist in Champoluc has the desire to visit a restaurant after their daily skiing marathon, but on unfavorable days, there are places to socialize. Bars, in particular, are very popular, such as Café Rimbaud with its rich selection of cocktails, Golosonе where live music plays every evening, Bistro with weekly disco parties, and WestRoadBar with entertainment programs on Fridays.
Bars offer tourists a “purely masculine” entertainment: a tasting of local wines in each bar on different days. This is truly apres-ski, as it is only available during the ski season, until April 30th. Some Valle d’Aosta wines are rare and can only be found in this region, like the red Torrette or the white Blanc de Morgex.
Warm punch Fild’Fer with its citrus and clove aroma, as well as Caffe valdostana, a mix of coffee, wine, grappa, and a touch of lemon, are also popular in these places.
The mountain slopes are dotted with snack bars and small cafes where skiers can relax and recharge after an adrenaline-filled descent by storing their skis. Valle d’Aosta cuisine offers delicacies such as Fontina cheese, “jambon de Boss” ham, veal cutlets known as “costolette,” and the famous “mochetta,” a type of ham made from chamois meat, which is a pride of local restaurants.
Many skiers who have visited this region once regret not discovering it earlier.