SKIING IN THE MONTEROSA, ITALY - 26 – 28 MARCH 2012
Destination Italy – we packed up the car and left France for a three day break in Champoluc part of the Monterosa ski area in Italy.
I had skied there several years before for just a weekend and have been keen to get back ever since. Now was an opportunity to return with a couple of mates who were as keen as me to ski the area made up of Champoluc, Gressoney and Alagna which is a self proclaimed ‘Freeride Paradise’
So with180km of piste and 37 lifts and skiing at a maximum height of 3275 metres we were excited to be skiing somewhere we didn’t really know with so much potential.
Through the Mont Blanc tunnel and into Italy we were soon winding our way up alongside a river but as we got nearer there was still no sign of snow even in this one of the best seasons in living memory! We arrived in Champoluc which is at 1570 metres and there was no snow anywhere to be seen – we had just come from Les Carroz which is at 1150 metres where you can ski back to the resort!
A little concerned we checked into the small B&B ‘Le Vieux Rascard’ we had booked online to a very warm friendly Italian welcome, sorted out our kit and headed towards the lifts.
Once up and on the way it was apparent that there was plenty of snow higher up! We headed towards Alagna and found some great spring snow,the pisteswere empty, no queues for the lifts and the snow typically spring like – this was great! We managed to find our way back across the valleys to Champoluc for an après ski beer, shower and out for something to eat.
The resort is mainly centered around one main street with all the shops, bars and restaurants off this. It was empty! No one around! I know it’s getting to the end of the season but it’s still only March –there’s the best part of a month to go yet! Where is everyone?
On our second day we headed to Gressoney and explored the slopes here in the middle valley of the Monterosa. We found some amazing off piste with perfect spring snow conditions, a lovely little restaurant with the most amazing collection of old ski and mountaineering paraphernalia I have ever seen. That evening we found a pizzeria and a local bar for a couple of beers that had a little more life than we had found the night before.
And all too soon it was our last day and we headed to the highest point of the ski area today the Punta Indren at 3275m - there is a telecabine that takes you to a the highest point and some off piste skiing. Lacking in local knowledge we had to be careful where went and following tracks is a recipe for disaster so we skirted round areas, watched other skiers and made our own way down finding some more fresh tracks in some spring snow! Half way down has to be the most up market refuge in the Alps!! Great Italian pasta and service once more! By the time we got to the bottom the temperature was rising and the pistemap was showing 16 degrees at the end of the day! Very warm!
Thick viscous hot chocolates, strong Italian coffees at mountain restaurants, cold apres ski beers in the setting Italian sun, warm friendly Italian service this short trip was leaving us wanting more and more!
We loved the skiing here and want to come back when there is a load of fresh snow to get even more from the off piste, there are some great flattering runs across the area and would be suitable for all levels of skiers and boarders.
Off the slopes we loved the service and friendliness at the B&B, in the restaurants and the bars. We are intrigued as to why it was so quiet in the evenings and whilst we aren’t looking for a different nightclub each night a bit more atmosphere in the bars would have been good – oh well we’ll have to come back at a busier time to compare! That’s a shame! 
You can see photos of our trip on our Facebook page here.