
Bardonecchia delivers 100 kilometres of diverse skiing across three distinct sectors: Campo Smith, Melezet, and Jafferau, with elevations ranging from 1,312 to 2,800 metres in Italy's western Alps. The resort's Olympic heritage from the 2006 Turin Games manifests in world-class facilities, including the Melezet Snowpark that ranks among Europe's finest freestyle venues.
Varied terrain encompasses wide, open bowls, technical tree-lined descents, and the challenging Jafferau face, which offers 1,300 metres of vertical drop. Reliable snow conditions stem from the area's favourable microclimate and comprehensive snowmaking covering 80% of all marked runs.
Bardonecchia lies in Piedmont's Susa Valley, close to the French border, with 100 kilometres of pistes across 43 runs and a vertical of 1,488 metres, from 1,312 to 2,800 metres. Sanity breaks the grading down as 54% beginner, 38% intermediate and 8% advanced, with no expert-rated terrain. That makes it a good fit for relaxed skiing, with many wide, forested pistes and a modest number of tougher runs. The area splits into two sides of the valley, Colomion, Les Arnauds and Melezet on one, and Jafferau on the other, joined by a short free shuttle.
On the Colomion side, wide north-facing pistes cut through pine forest and hold snow well, while Melezet is a little steeper and has a snowpark at around 2,200 metres. Jafferau is the contrast: above the tree line it has an open treeless bowl with bumps and off-piste options, which is the best bet for freeriders on a good day. Beginners get gentle slopes near Campo Smith. It suits families, intermediates and snowboarders keen on park laps, and strong skiers get a little variety on Jafferau.
The Bardonecchia winter season typically runs from early December through mid-April, with optimal conditions from January through March. The area benefits from its strategic position near the French border, receiving consistent snowfall from both Mediterranean and Alpine weather systems. Early season operations begin around Campo Smith before expanding to Melezet and Jafferau as conditions permit.
February offers peak snow accumulation, particularly on the north-facing Jafferau sector, while March delivers excellent spring skiing with reliable morning conditions and increasingly comfortable temperatures. Special night skiing operations extend the experience on select Campo Smith slopes throughout the season.
Positioned just 6 kilometres from the French border in Piedmont's Susa Valley, Bardonecchia sits 90 kilometres west of Turin and 150 kilometres from Milan. The authentic mountain town features distinctive Piedmontese architecture with historic buildings housing excellent regional restaurants.
Unlike purpose-built resorts, Bardonecchia evolved naturally from a traditional Alpine settlement, maintaining its authentic character while developing modern visitor facilities. The area's strategic location at the end of the A32 motorway and on the Turin-Paris railway line provides exceptional accessibility, including direct high-speed connections from both Paris and London.
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Zermatt is having another crack at a World Cup downhill, and this time nobody has to cross a border. Around 13 million Swiss francs is going into rebuilding the Gornergrat piste, including a jump fed by a roughly 300-metre in-run across the roof of the Gornergrat Railway gallery, with the Matterhorn lined up behind it for the TV cameras. First men’s race is pencilled in for March 2028, pending FIS homologation.

Lake Tahoe’s highest base elevation is paying off early: Mt. Rose has started making snow for 2026-27 after the first flurries and a cold snap. The Nevada resort is backing it with nearly US$2 million in upgrades, including a replacement snowmaking main line, a new PistenBully groomer and restraint bars on every lift. Opening day is yet to be confirmed, though Heavenly and Northstar are already eyeing 20 November.

Utah is still building flat out. For 2026-27, Powder Mountain opens a steep new Skytrac chair into more than 1,000 acres of advanced terrain, Deer Valley adds 200 acres on Hail Peak, Sundance gets a new quad and Park City adds a gondola from its new parking structure. Snowmaking is expanding almost everywhere, Eagle Point stays closed after the Cottonwood Fire, and the 2034 Games are setting the pace. Here’s what’s new, resort by resort.

Mt Hutt is getting busier, and its base lodge is about to catch up. NZ$12 million goes into a heated sun deck roughly three times the current size (430 m² to 1,300 m²), plus a new toilet block, heated steps down to snow level, extra storage and a new food and beverage outlet. Building starts after the 2026 season, with everything due for winter 2027.

Vermont's season is slow to take shape. Stratton is tentatively targeting 18 November and Sugarbush 21 November, while Pico has Friday 11 December on the calendar. Killington never sets a date and opens when the snowmaking allows, and Vail Resorts has yet to name days for Stowe, Okemo and Mount Snow. The forecasts disagree about snow, and the main El Niño worry for the Green Mountains is warmth.

Less than four months out from the Crans-Montana 2027 World Championships, the man running the organising committee has stepped down. Claude-Alain Schmidhalter resigned as Swiss-Ski vice president and OC president after being indicted over a business dispute unrelated to skiing. He denies the allegations and faces court on October 27. Interim leaders are in place for the February 1-14 event.

Kelly Canyon had a rough 2025-26, and the Idaho resort has spent the summer making sure it doesn’t repeat. Snowmaking now reaches the top of Goldrush, the terrain park is doubling in size with a stereo system, lights and a snack shack, and the car park is getting bigger. Grooming is stepping up too. Target opening is December 4, conditions permitting.

Winter was meant to be winding down in Chile. Then Valle Nevado took 108 cm in 48 hours in early October, and the resort has pushed its closing date out to November 8 - its latest in 38 years of operation. That makes 143 days of skiing since opening day on June 19, with 690 cm banked for the season. Only part of the mountain is running while the storm settles, so check the mountain report before you plan a trip.
Bardonecchia's efficient lift network comprises 23 installations strategically located across three interconnected mountains. The system includes the Campo Smith gondola providing direct village access, the high-capacity Melezet six-seater chairs serving intermediate zones, and the Jafferau cable car that delivers skiers to the resort's highest terrain at 2,800 metres.
Recent infrastructure investments have increased uphill capacity by 30%, with modern detachable systems featuring weather protection bubbles and heated seats on key routes. The lift system's thoughtful design enables excellent flow between sectors while maintaining distinct experiences in each area.
More Bardonecchia intelligence: trail map, snow report, webcams, resort overview.