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Skiing and après ski. With this formula Courmayeur is preparing for the start of the winter season which coincides with the San Ambrogio bridge. If the descents in the shadow of Mont Blanc are the key activities for enthusiasts, among the new features of the area is the decision to focus on slow activities such as snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and outdoor snow bike routes. Val Ferret offers some of the most evocative routes where you can discover, after a long snowshoe hike, excellent restaurants with typically Valle d’Aosta menus. Also fascinating are the tours of the villages, such as the Tor di Vercuino, the Tor d’Entrèves and the Tor de Dolonne, and the Ermitage ring, which passes through centuries-old woods and romantic panoramic points such as La Suche and Tirecorne. Val Ferret is perfect for cross-country skiing, from Planpincieux the well-marked and groomed slopes start which wind along the entire valley, up to the town of Lavachey. Alternatively you can rent a snow bike to enjoy a sunny day in the snow. The same routes taken after sunset offer emotions and magical atmospheres just like those done with snowshoes in the silence of nature. For downhill enthusiasts, the Checrouit and Val Veny slopes offer 33 slopes immersed in a natural context of woods and sunny valleys with breathtaking views.
The town’s offer aims to capture a family clientele as well as an international segment of high-spending enthusiasts. Already today, around half of the visitors come from across the border, looking for hospitality, sporting and cultural activities as well as Aosta Valley gastronomy. In winter there are strong arrivals from the United Kingdom, France, Benelux and the USA while between February and March the peak of foreign presences is reached. Between Christmas and New Year the daily presences are around 40 thousand including those staying in second homes and daily tourism. «The season promises to be excellent – explains Stefano Cavaliere, president of the local hoteliers -. There is a good level of arrivals from abroad for the week before Christmas. From Boxing Day to Epiphany we expect a full house while the majority of bookings arriving from abroad are concentrated between February and March”.
Hospitality and starred cuisine
Customers who choose Courmayeur seek Aosta Valley hospitality and the best of Italian cuisine. At the Grand Hotel Royal & Golf the kitchen brigade is led by Emin Haziri who Forbes Italia has included among the 30 Under 30 who represent the best of cuisine thanks to a dizzying CV: he has worked for Carlo Cracco, Enrico Bartolini and Antonino Cannavacciuolo. Haute cuisine at high altitude also thanks to an interesting calendar of events, meetings and talks featuring chefs and young culinary talents as well as bartenders and mixologists. Considering the number of guests arriving from England from 22 to 24 March 2024, the Mountain gourmet ski experience was organized which will have as its protagonist Heston Blumenthal, a multi-starred English chef, passionate skier and fan of the Alpine resort who offers a three-day event dedicated to guests international, with lunches and dinners, moments of discovery of the area and lots of skiing. A festive atmosphere that will involve the venues and refuges on the slopes and in the centre, with themed menus designed by Jean-Philippe Blondet, executive chef with 3 Michelin stars of The Dorchester restaurant and Claude Bosi, renowned French chef with 2 Michelin stars in London. On Friday 22 March at Les Dames Anglaises, there will be a 6-course tasting program created by the chefs in collaboration with the host venue. On Saturday 23 March the absolute protagonist of the day is the starred barbecue and après-ski party at the Maison Vieille refuge, located at the top of the Maison Vieille chairlift with an incredible view of Mont Blanc.
Between tradition and events
The calendar is full of events. On Christmas Eve the children await Rhémy de Noël, the friendly and generous chimney sweeper, protagonist of a story that tells the special bond that unites the town to Mont Blanc, who will deliver the gifts while for New Year’s Eve the town will be lit up with all the places open until dawn while at the Jardin de l’Ange live performances and DJ sets alternate to ring in the new year. Still on the pure entertainment front, on January 6th there will be a DJ set dedicated to young people aged 20 to 30 which will see Sonik DJ, author of Lover (feat Vossell), Oh My Wherever, (feat. KDaVine) on stage while on the evening of On March 29th Stefano Bollani Danish Trio will take the stage to create a listening experience focused on the concept of “gleda”, joy of life in Norwegian.