
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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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.

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.

The Alps look a lot more like winter today, for a day or so. A cold front is moving west to east, dropping up to 35 cm on high glaciers and peaks, with snow levels falling to around 1,500-1,800 m at times. Don’t plan a trip around it: mid-elevation snow will be thin and wet, every area is closed bar a limited Sölden glacier opening tomorrow, and warmer weather returns by Monday.

Mammoth Mountain is first up in California, targeting Friday 13 November after a dusting of September snow. Heavenly and Northstar follow on 20 November, Palisades Tahoe on Wednesday 25 November and Sugar Bowl on 27 November, with Kirkwood on 4 December and June Mountain on 19 December. Plenty of smaller areas have no date yet. A super El Niño favours the Sierra, but a warmer storm track is the catch.

Arapahoe Basin, Keystone and Winter Park are all chasing an October start, though none has a firm date yet. The first dated openers are Breckenridge and Copper on Friday 6 November, then Vail on 13 November, with most of the rest bunched around US Thanksgiving. Hesperus did not open at all last season. A super El Niño offers hope but no guarantee, and forecasters say the southern mountains have the better odds.
Opening day for the winter 2026 - 2027 season is scheduled for Dec 5, 2026 (subject to change). Lift tickets at Bardonecchia typically go on sale well before the start of the ski season.
Day passes start from €26, with peak rates up to €58.
Full day skiing at Bardonecchia during low season with 100km of slopes across Colomion, Melezet and Jafferau areas. 2026 Winter Olympics venue skiing in Piedmont Alps.
Buy passPeak season full day skiing at Bardonecchia with access to three Olympic ski areas. Experience World Championship slopes with 1,500m vertical drop from 2,800m elevation.
Buy passJunior daily ticket for Bardonecchia Olympic skiing. Youth pricing for ages 8-17 with access to varied terrain from beginner areas to challenging Jafferau slopes.
Buy passChildren's lift ticket for Bardonecchia. Kids 6-7 enjoy Olympic venue skiing with excellent ski schools and beginner areas across three connected ski zones.
Buy passFree skiing for children under 6 at Bardonecchia. 2026 Winter Olympics venue welcomes families with convenient access from Turin just 50 minutes by car or train.
Buy passSenior discount lift ticket for Bardonecchia skiing. Reduced rates for skiers 65+ with access to 100km of Olympic slopes and free shuttle between ski areas.
Buy passHalf day skiing at Bardonecchia starting at 1:00pm. Afternoon access to Olympic venue with three ski areas connected by complimentary shuttle service.
Buy passThree-day lift ticket package at Bardonecchia with up to 25% savings through dynamic online pricing. Extended Olympic venue skiing with all three areas included.
Buy passUnlimited access to Bardonecchia all season with 2026 Winter Olympics venue privileges. Best value for frequent skiers with dynamic pricing benefits and equipment discounts.
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