IMAGE: COURTESY OF COURMAYEUR MONT BLANC


WEEKENDER


Food focus Culinary culture is so strong in Courmayeur, that the ski resort has more restaurants on the mountain than ski lifts. There are 18 lifts and more than 20 restaurants.


Freeride Descent between Punta Helbronner and the Vallée Blanche


MORE INFO courmayeurmontblanc.it skiincourmayeur.it courmayeurski.com scuolascimontebianco.com capitandesalpes.it lovesuperg.com lemassifcourmayeur.com montebianco.com pizzeriadutunnel.it lavachey.com labouchecourmayeur.com Bar Roma. T: 00 39 33 1885 5567 cadransolaire.it


FOUR TO TRY FUN AWAY FROM THE SKI RUNS


Let the dogs out Professional dog sledder Fabrizio Lovati introduces guests to the Alaskan husky before riding sessions riding sessions where you learn to control three or four dogs at exhilarating speed along a forested snow track in Val Veny: an experience few forget. dogsledman.com


Up up and away Heli-skiing isn’t just for experts; guides in Courmayeur can tailor descents for strong intermediates. And with heli-ski banned in France, this is a discerning choice for those seeking Mont Blanc thrills. Adrenaline kicks in during the safety briefing, increasing as the chopper engine fires up. By lift off, heli novices will hit the mind-blown zone. On landing, passengers


28


scramble into the snow to huddle, mouths wide open as they take in the silent remoteness of a frozen world 13,000ft up on the Mont Blanc Massif. And then it’s out into the big, untouched beyond. heli-guides.com/en/destinations/ courmayeur-mont-blanc


Off-piste in Vallée Blanche Guides give all skiers a harness, safety transceivers and probes to tackle this 13-mile-long, off-piste, bucket list descent. The vertical drop of 8,200ft is strewn with crevasses often concealed by snow bridges. Mountain guides are essential. The cross border, return trip to Chamonix, including Skyway to Punta Helbronner, descent via Mer du Glace, plus taxi back from France via Mont Blanc tunnel, takes around six hours. The route is


NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.CO.UK/TRAVEL


accessible for strong intermediate skiers. Remember to pack your passport. guidecourmayeur.com


Soothe in thermal springs Natural thermal waters sourced from the belly of surrounding mountains have soothed body, mind and spirit in Pré St Didier since Roman times. A €30 (£28) taxi ride to QC Terme is the perfect antidote to the rigours of skiing where thermal facilities, aromatherapy and mud pools, along with hydromassage tubs, work magic on achy joints. There are saunas, waterfalls, heated pools both indoors and outside, and relaxation rooms with magnificent views of Monte Bianco. Little wonder skiers and non-skiers flock here from all Aostan resorts including nearby Pila and La Thuile. qcterme.com


HOW TO DO IT Turin and Geneva are the closest airports, both with non-stop flights from a variety of UK cities, with the likes of British Airways, EasyJet, Flybe, Jet2, Ryanair and Swiss Airlines. Journey time 1h40m. ba.com easyjet.com flybe.com ryanair.com swiss.com Trains from London, via Paris, to Geneva take on average 6h 30m. Both Turin and Geneva are a 90-minute transfer by taxi or hire car to Courmayeur. There’s no direct train, but seasonal shared bus transfers are often possible (tbc for 2022-23 season). Hotel Bouton d’Or has doubles from £165 B&B. hotelboutondor.com


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100