Valtournenche

Valtournenche, Italy

Rated: 3/5 (from 6 ratings)

Valtournenche

Best known as having (unofficially) the second greatest vertical drop in the world, after Chamonix, but that involves using Zermatt's lifts and there is a drive to the lifts outside the village in the first place.

Summary

The Italian ski resort of Valtournenche is in the Italian Alps at an altitude of 1,520m4,987ft, with 60km37 miles of marked runs.

Valtournenche has direct access to 60km37 miles of downhill skiing, with 13 marked pistes, served by a total of 9 ski lifts.

The ski resort itself is at 1,520m4,987ft, so skiing or boarding back to the resort is usually possible. With ski lifts as high as 3,090m10,138ft, skiing and snowboarding is assured throughout the season.

Valtournenche Overview

Best known as having (unofficially) the second greatest vertical drop in the world, after Chamonix, but that involves using Zermatt's lifts and there is a drive to the lifts outside the village in the first place.

 Notable Ski Runs

The longest possible descent in Valtournenche is 15km9 miles long and the most difficult run is the 'Gran Pista di Valtournenche', which is 15km9 miles in length.

Skiing

The major features of Cervinia's skiing are vast snowy slopes below the towering peaks along the Swiss border , with only the lift towers sticking out above the ground level. For intermediates this is really joyful terrain with incredibly long trails falling away below you across the huge white landscape. The altitude brings good snow cover from top to bottom, even when the sun shines down as it frequently does.

The area was improved for going up as well as coming down in the 2006-7 season when a major investment, the biggest in the world in new lifts that season, brought in five new high capacity chairlifts, with almost all draglifts decommissioned as a result.

Apart from the descent from the Klein Matterhorn, one of Europe's highest lift-served points, down to Valtournenche, probably the longest on-piste in the world and over a vertical drop in excess of 2359m, there are many other long trails. One of the most popular is the 15km red back down from Plateau Rosà to the resort.

Cervinia is normally a good choice for beginners and near beginners as the wide open slopes above the resort and on one side down from Plan Maison are ideal (they're served by cabin lifts - so no need to worry about getting pulled over by a drag lift or falling off a chair when you try to stand up at the top).

Experts perhaps have the least to shout about, even with the long runs, but there are five shorter black runs - mostly just above the resort, and then the steep runs of Zermatt over the border . There is also a thriving heli-skiing business, taking skiers up to the 4,500 metre (nearly 15,000 feet) high Monte Rosa for long powder runs down to Valtournenche or Champoluc. For cross country skiers there are three high-altitude loops, one at resort level.

There are a variety of pistes to suit all levels of skier ability, from Beginner to Expert.

Snowboarding

The wide slopes are good for free boarding and large chunks of the terrain can be accessed by chairs and gondolas, but facilities for 'boarders are generally limited otherwise in comparison to other top European resorts. Unusually for a resort of this international standing there is no regular half pipe (except the pipe on the glacier above Zermatt) but there is a snowpark with plenty of healthy hits at Plan Maison, near the Fornet chairlift.

Aprés Ski

Cervinia has a reputation for lively and pricey après ski but this is based primarilly on the weekend crowds from Turin and Milan packing out the bars, restaurants and night clubs. That being said you still have a choice of 50 or so establishments whenever you visit. Popular bars include the Copa Pan Irish bar, which serves Irish beer (a good thing?) and attracts large numbers from the British Isles.

For a bit of Italian sophistication sup on a cocktail at Lino's Ice Rink bar or relax at the Café des Guides. There are a choice of two night clubs to see you through in to the small hours. Trips to the Casino in Saint Vincent are organised.