Ski in La Thuile

Skiing in La Thuile

La Thuile - Ski Resort in Espace San Bernardo, Italian Alps - 146km of Piste (1440m to 2610m)

La Thuile has managed to maintain the appeal of the early, now classic, Alpine ski resorts. More important there is substantial cross-border skiing linked to La Rosière, France, above Bourg St Maurice. Heli-skiing is also popular.

La Thuile

Sponsored Links

La Thuile Ski Facts

La Thuile Ski Facts

		Expert Skiers
		Intermediate Skiers
		Beginners
		Snowboarding
		Snow
		Apres-Ski
	29	Black Pistes (25km)
	32	Red Pistes (88km)
	13	Blue Pistes (47km)
146km		Downhill Pistes
16km		Cross Country Pistes
16		Ski Lifts
1170m		Max Vertical
2610m		Highest Lift
1450m		Resort Altitude
1440m		Lowest Piste

La Thuile

The Italian ski resort of La Thuile is part of the Espace San Bernardo ski area with access to 156 individual pistes. In addition to the skiing in La Thuile itself (146km of pisted ski runs), the appropriate ski Lift Pass will allow you to ski or snowboard in the other Espace San Bernardo ski resort of La Rosière.

With pistes above 2500 metres, skiing and snowboarding is assured throughout the season.

Snowmaking :- La Thuile is able to augment natural snow, on 35km of ski runs, with 400 Snow Cannons.

Ski Lift Capacity :- The 16 Ski Lifts of La Thuile are able to uplift 29,000 skiers / snowboarders per hour.

There are three Airports within two hours drive, so ski weekends, snowboard breaks and short ski holidays to La Thuile are perfectly feasible.

Skiing in La Thuile

La Thuile has excellent skiing for all ability levels with north facing slopes, which along with its proximity to Mont Blanc, normally ensuring good snow conditions. There's a range of passes to suit all needs and a variety of terrain which can cater for everyone from beginner to expert. The resort has an on mountain TV system, with views of the various areas at the top of the mountain broadcast back to the base gondola station, along with constantly updated temperature and wind condition information, so it's possible to get a pretty good idea of conditions before you hit the top of the mountain.

For beginners there are two gentle nursery slopes right next to the Planibel complex at the base of the resort, these have their own drag lifts and are separate to the main ski area. Intermediates will enjoy the terrain the most, accessing the slopes via the ultra modern DMC eight seater gondola with an hourly capacity of 3000 people and then returning at the end of the day on the 6km (4 mile) long red back down from the Fourclaz chair. In the interim covering seemingly endless blues and reds that radiate out to the peaks of Le Belvedere and Chaz Dura. From there you have a variety of routes over to La Rosière which sometimes offers the sunnier skiing.

Look out for the Napoleonic Fort at the top of the Mountain (on the border) which is an interesting feature. The Petit St Bernard Pass comes over the mountain here and in winter the road is actually a ski run. Bizzarely you ski past a road sign with speed limits on it (though apparently no road in sight, so it appears as if it's a ski speed limit sign!). The other way up is the new Bosco Express high speed quad.

Experts have twelve blacks to choose from, some of the steepest down through the woods above La Thuile itself. The runs are graded according to their steepest, with the best (worst?) a rather intimidating 72% plunge (although that steep bit is rather short and wide, so you can traverse it if you prefer to). An added bonus are the relatively safe and uncrowded off piste fields which tend to stay unskied for longer than at more crowded resorts on the other side of the border.

Finally, La Thuile also has an efficient and reasonably priced (comparatively, again) heli-ski service by which it is possible to reach the snow fields of the Rutor glacier and Mont Miravidi. Apart from the local and cross-border ski passes there's an option of the Aosta Valley pass which covers 800km (500 miles) of terrain served by nearly 200 lifts in over a dozen ski areas, including Cervinia, linked to Zermatt and other famous resorts in the area such as Courmayeur (a 30 minute bus ride away) which is linked to Chamonix (lift ticket there at an additional cost, but just about physically possible to ski over if you set off on the early bus) and Pila.

There's no ski bus so your own transport is most useful to make the most of that one although there is a free bus service within the resort itself.

Cross country skiers have four loops covering a total area of 12 km.

Snowboarding in La Thuile

Snowboarders have a fun park to enjoy in La Rosière and the predominance of chair and gondola lifts makes getting around the big and varied area pretty well hassle free. The long blues and reds up above the treeline is great terrain and then down in the trees there are natural features to hit on. The only possible downer to be wary of are some flat sections on the La Rosière link.

The rental shop in the Planibel complex is staffed by boarders who usually ensure that the best kit is available on rental and can also give advice on the best places at the time of your visit. Additionally the Snow Team La Thuile are a group of dedicated 'boarders who can be seen around the resort, occasionally organising events, and who can also offer advice.

The Scuola di Sci La Thuile organises three and six day courses (Beginning on Mondays for beginners) of two hours per day.

La Thuile Aprés Ski

When the lifts close some of the better informed head first to the Gelateria for legendary cakes and ice cream. I

In the early evening the various bars start to get lively, particularly establishments like Cage Aux Folles. Late night entertainment is provided in the Videodiscopub La Bricole in Entrèves and the Discoteca Fantasia in the Planibel complex.

A good bar until the lifts close is the on mountain Roxy.

La Thuile Snow Reports by e-mail

For a Free 7-Day Snow Forecast for La Thuile, including a Snow Report with current skiing conditions, just sign-up to our Ski Chat Forum and set La Thuile as a favourite ski resort in your Profile.

La Thuile in brief

La Thuile Ski Resort is:
Very good for Expert Skiers.
Excellent for Intermediate Skiers.
Very good for Beginners.
Good for Snowboarding.

La Thuile Snow Forecast

Snow Forecast for La Thuile

La Thuile Piste Map

Full Page Piste Map of La Thuile

Map of La Thuile

Full Page Map of La Thuile