La Thuile Ski Resort, Italy

Overview of La Thuile

Located in the l'Espace San Bernado ski area of Italy's majestic Aosta Valley is the compact and fun ski village of La Thuile. British skiers may best know it for being connected to the French resort of La Rosiere, but La Thuile is a destination in its own right with fast, fun slopes best suited to intermediate and above ski abilities. A bustling village centre with a slant more on dining than apres ski makes this resort a great one for families.

To get to La Thuile you could fly into Turin or Grenoble or drive from the UK via Eurotunnel with one of our self-drive holiday packages.

3 Things We Love About La Thuile

1. An uncrowded, unpretentious authentic alpine village with Italian flair and amazing views, including the majestic Mt Blanc.
2. A full area lift pass also gives access to the neighbouring resort of Courmayeur, just 15km away via a free resort bus service.
3. The opportunity to go heli-skiing and ski-touring makes La Thuile a more adventurous resort than first meets the eye

Skiing and Boarding in La Thuile

La Thuile represents an excellent option if you're looking to improve your technique. There are 152km of slopes in the connected ski area, with runs steeper than average on the whole. The majority of terrain is best suited to improving intermediates up to expert-level - there is copious lift-accessed off piste terrain and also the option of heli skiing. Generally less busy than the slopes in La Rosiere (over the Col du Petite St Bernard) you can enjoy building confidence at speed in La Thuile, perfecting the long carving turns which make skiing and snowboarding so addictive.

To reach the slopes in La Rosiere is straightforward via a relatively new chairlift, however the journey back necessitates using a drag lift - which is probably the most talked about feature of a ski holiday to this area! The slopes in La Rosiere are more sedate than La Thuile, and often busier but the allure of crossing the border into France is worth it and the slopes are well worth a visit.

Lift Passes in La Thuile

A full area lift pass is the best option in La Thuile as for not much more money you can access the entire Espace San Bernado which includes the slopes of La Rosiere, plus as a bonus you will also enjoy access to other famous resorts in the Aosta valley; Courmayeur, Gressoney, Champoluc, Pila and Cervinia.

Activities in La Thuile

Being a quaint and relatively quiet ski resort, there are only a handful of non-skiing activities available:

• Swimming pool (Planibel complex)
• Indoor rock climbing (Up & Down Boulder Point)
• Snowshoeing
• Paragliding
• Spa & Massage

Après Ski in La Thuile

Although not possessing the greatest reputation as an apres ski destination, La Thuile does have a few good bars where you can enjoy a few beers as you come off the slopes...

• Kings Pub - A British-y bar in the centre of resort which has a decent range of beers and a buzzing atmosphere when the lifts close. Open 'til the early hours if you have the energy (and the constitution!).
• Le Petit Skieur - As with most venues, food as well as drinks are on the menu. Le Petit Skieur, perfectly located at the bottom of ski run into the village has live music, pub-style grub and a wide range of drinks to get you in the mood.

Places to eat in La Thuile

• La Tata - A traditional Italian restaurant serving pizzas, pastas and other meat and vegetarian dishes. A large menu, excellent value and a great reputation make La Tata one of the best dining options in resort.
• Chalet Eden - The restaurant at the hotel Chalet Eden at the foot of the cable car serves a set menu of Italian classics with modern twists. Pasta is a menu staple, as is the selection of excellent Italian wine pairings and the hotel staff's impeccable service
• Cafe/Ristorante Pepita - A family-owned and run establishment serving a large menu of high quality Italian food for the whole family, at very affordable prices make Cafe Pepita a favourite of locals and tourists alike
• Le Coq Maf - Somewhere to try if you're a meat lover. A large variety of steaks plus other meat dishes - all cooked to perfection - give this restaurant a strong reputation. 

Family Features La Thuile

La Thuile is a great resort for adventurous families on the slopes and there are off-mountain activities to help make your stay even more enjoyable too:

• Kids Ski Area - Magic carpets to get them going, and then the Wazimu park for when they're ready to fly!
• Up & Down Boulder Point - Indoor rock climbing centre
• Mini Club - Located in the Planibel Centre, the indoor mini club full of soft-play style apparatus is for kids aged 4-12