Courmayeur Italy

Courmayeur ski area is located on the Italian side of Mont Blanc, just through the Mont Blanc Tunnel from Chamonix France, in the spectacular Aosta Valley of Italy.

Courmayeur is considered one of Europe’s great Alpine resorts, set in the impressively scenic upper end of north-west Italy’s historic Aosta Valley, with a charming car-free old village pedestrian center full of alpine character. The ski town is honestly quite ritzy with Moncler, Prada, Valentino, Colmar, Gucci and Versace boutique stores, and the 5-star Golf Hotel Courmayeur, along with upscale dining, to casual cozy pizzerias, along pedestrian zoned Via Roma.

Courmayeur is a funky big mountain which has evolved over the decades into a modern ski resort since 1908, with several aspects, and a mix of lifts – gondolas, quads and six packs. You are skiing in the shadows of mighty Mont Blanc, the highest summit in the Alps, so the scenery is spectacular.

Most of Courmayeur runs are straightforward open terrain, above-tree-line in the main Checrouit sector. Big boulevards in Checroute are popular, it’s the hub for ski school and competition too, with assured snow and excellent grooming. From here, you can ascend the funky old Youla Cable Car (accommodating 25 passengers) to the smaller summit Arp Cable Car (15 person capacity) to the 2755M summit (9,039′).

Courmayer’s more north-west facing Val Veny ski slopes have more character, narrower trails amid forest that are a bit steeper and offer spectacular views of Monte Bianco (Mont Blanc) and its glacier fields. Zerotta and Pre De Pascal slopes are worth exploring in this area, which feels very traditional, old school even.

Only experts can ski off Courmayeur’s very summit at 2755-meters, reached via 2 gondolas, followed by the 25 passenger Youla tram, to the smaller 11-passenger Arp Cable Car. You can just ride up to the summit (without skis) for the amazing views on the rooftop terrace, climbing several flights, for sensational panoramas. But to ski here, it is all very difficult from the top, ungroomed, mostly off-piste from 9,000′. Hire a guide to explore the freeride, off-piste terrain safely, or leave your skis at the base of the Arp tram and download.

You will find charming Italian chalets at Courmayeur, its “La Dolce Vita” of Italy to stop for a cappuccino, lunch or an afternoon apero. We loved Vielle Grenier near Dzeleuna and Maison Vieille, and Capitan Des Alps in Zerotta. Back at centrally located Plan Checrouit, the Super G apres ski stage bumps out loud music afternoons, and you can download from here if you have too many Aperol Spritz.

At ski day’s end, you can either download from Checruoit on the Dolonne Gondola or the Courmayeur Cable Car back to the village. Or you can ski to the base, on a great long red run #25 Dolonne all the way to the gondola base station near the village, for the full 1550-meter vertical, 5085-feet. Of note, very few hotels are ski-in ski-out at Courmayeur, and the village is not slopeside, it’s a short shuttle or long 10-minute walk in ski boots from the lifts.

Courmayeur is noted among Europe’s finest for off-piste. We skied the Val Veny from the Arp summit into a gorgeous valley leading to several tighter chutes, all the way to a summer camping road we traversed out on, back to the Zerotta chalet hut and the lift here. This spectacular Val Veny off piste is serious terrain and has been the site of many avalanches over the years including some tradgedies in 2026, so hire a guide, have avi gear to explore.

Courmayeur’s Skyway is a must one day. You can ski to Pre de Pascal, leave your skis, download the Val Veny tram and walk to the Mont Blanc Skyway. Buy your round-trip ticket in advance (included in a 3-day Aosta lift ticket), our tip… do NOT purchase the Priority Pass or the “Lunch package” its not necessary.

The amazing Mont Blanc Skyway (which opened in 2015 at a cost of $110 million) ascends to a mid-station Pavilion, where you should explore the cinema and the Mont Blanc Cave of Wines, then get on the next Skyway up to the summit 3486-meter Punta Helbronner. Here you have sensational views of Mont Blanc up-close-and-personal, views of the Aiguille de Midi on the Chamonix side, and access to some serious big-mountain off-piste terrain, including the famous Vallée Blanche descent to Chamonix, or down to mid station skiing off-piste under the Skyway.

Heather’s Ski Tip: While you can dine at the Helbronner summit, we found the mid-station Pavilion was preferable, better food and views, go to the prettier Mountain Bar Cafeteria for a sandwich and drink, instead of the upstairs pre-paid prix fixe buffet. Explore the Caves Mont Blanc before descending the Skyway – here thousands of bottles of local Aosta wine are stored at high elevation to create a premium vintage!

Courmayeur village has the alpine charm and après ski conviviality you hope for, though it’s Italian, so not wild ski boot-stomping Austrian apres party-scene. Courmayeur’s pedestrian village is historic, charming, and inviting to stroll cobblestone Via Roma after skiing, the passegiata the Italians call it! Cable Bar is the apres ski spot with music, outdoor firepits and drinks, often with ski patrol and instructors. Or you can shop the chi-chi boutiques of Prada, Gucci, Moncler, Kappa, then settle into a scenic cafe near the cathedral in your stylish ski togs for an apertivo – an Italian thing – to sip an Aperol Spritz with complimentary snacks! Then save room and rest up and change for dinner later – this is Eataly! Italians dine late in our ski opinion, with restaurants not opening often until 7:30pm! For dinners, we enjoyed chic gourmet Chapeau, and the more casual Padella and Tunnel for authentic pizza and pasta.

We stayed at Courmayeur Hotel Walser, a pretty chalet hotel with a friendly staff, one of the few remaining generational inns in this now very chic ski city. Our room had a wonderful balcony looking at Mont Blanc and the ski slopes, ask for #403, though it is directly above the highway with its traffic noise. Walser stays include a hearty buffet breakfast, a welcome drink, ski and heated boot room, a shuttle to the ski slopes, and you’re an easy walk to Roma – the pedestrian zone in town. A more upscale Courmayeur resort hotel is the 5-star Royal Golf in town.

While Courmayeur has quite a sterling ski reputation, we found equally fun, less fancy and less busy ski resorts nearby in this beautiful Aosta Valley. Courmayeur is just 20 minutes from La Thuile and the Ski Espace San Bernardo. Pila, Crevacol, Cervinia and others in the Aosta Valley are just an hour. Or use the Mont Blanc tunnel to France and you are quickly in Chamonix and not much further to Megeve and other French resorts,

Courmayeur Ski Resort Ski Stats:
Elevation: 1250 – 2755 M – 9,039′
Vertical Drop: 1550 M – 5,085′
Lifts: 18
Trails: 41.5 km