
Bardonecchia
Bardonecchia: 100km slopes, 2006 Turin Olympics halfpipe, 1,312-2,800m elevation. Olympic freestyle venue 90km from Turin.
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.
Daily snow reports at Bardonecchia go back to 2017, 10 winters on the books. Open the record to compare winters, lifts and piste.
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.
Hotels and lodges near Bardonecchia, powered by Stay22.

Halloween weekend brings a wet, windy storm to the Sierra Nevada. Our five-day forecast has Dodge Ridge on top with 19 in, followed by Bear Valley at 15 in and Mammoth Mountain at 12 in, with most of it landing on Saturday. A winter weather advisory covers the Tahoe Basin and Mono County until 7 AM Sunday, gusts could reach 47 mph and the freezing level swings between 4,900 and 8,700 ft, so some bases will see rain. A dry spell follows from Monday.

The Rockies get their first lift-served turns of the season early. Lake Louise opens Sunday 1 November, five days ahead of schedule, after a cold October and round-the-clock work from the snowmaking and mountain crews. Terrain is limited to Juniper Express Chair and Easy Street, with two small terrain parks and the beginner area for lessons. Opening-day tickets are over 60% off, with prices rising as more lifts open. First chair is at 9:30 am under the resort’s new lift hours.

A Tyrolean summit lift that has been carrying guests up the Kitzbüheler Horn since 1955 is on borrowed time. Its licence runs to 2045, but a new inspection rule has made refurbishment uneconomic, so Bergbahn AG Kitzbühel will spend around €15 million on a replacement on the same line. It should hold roughly 100 people and keep running in winds that would stop today’s lift. Building starts in autumn 2027, which makes this winter and next summer the last chances to ride the old one.

Niseko Village is replacing a lift from the early 1980s with an eight-person gondola, Tsugaike gets a six-person chairlift, Madarao joins the Ikon Pass and Togari opens Asia’s first private ski resort. Here’s what is actually new in Japan skiing for 2026/27, plus what is still a year or two away.

Colorado’s early-season dominoes keep falling. Arapahoe Basin opened on Wednesday, Keystone follows on Friday, and now Wolf Creek is joining in on Saturday 31 October, just in time for Halloween. A storm on 23 and 24 October left 20 inches of natural snow in the San Juans, and three lifts will turn from 9:00 am, covering about 30% of the mountain. Expect rocks, unmarked obstacles and open water, but also Local Appreciation lift tickets at $73 for adults.

Keystone is next. After Arapahoe Basin claimed the first chairlift skiing of the season on Wednesday, Keystone opens on Friday 30 October at 9:00 am with more than two miles of snowmaking-built terrain on Schoolmarm and Silver Spoon, plus free donuts, coffee and a live DJ. Last year the order was reversed, when Keystone squeezed in a three-hour afternoon session to beat A-Basin by a day. Snowmaking has been running since 15 October.

Beaver Creek is getting ready for the biggest Birds of Prey ever, and this time it is not leaving the snow to chance. Crews started making snow on 27 October with 16 newly installed automated guns on the lower third of the course, after last December’s warm spell forced a downhill off the schedule. Seven races across two weekends run from 3 to 13 December, the most the course has hosted since its 1997 debut, and the guns start themselves whenever the weather allows.

Winter has officially started in North America, and it is one blue run long. On Wednesday 28 October, Arapahoe Basin fired up the Black Mountain Express at around 10:30 am after a surprise announcement just hours earlier, becoming the first major North American resort open for 2026/27. Cold nights, a dusting of natural snow and a lot of snowmaking made it happen in the resort’s 80th winter. More terrain is promised as the snow guns keep running.
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.
Buy passMore Bardonecchia intelligence: snow report, webcams, resort overview.