La Thuile
Weather at La Thuile
Low: -0.4°C / High: 1.5°C
Wind: N 22 km/h
Recent Snowfall
24 hours: 0 cm
7 days: 0 cm
Snow Depth
Base: 180 cm
Season Total: 146 cm
Resort Status
Lifts: 38/38
Trails: 130/143.1 kms
Resort Overview
Michael Fulton
45+ resortsMelbourne-based ski expert with 45+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian skiing and riding and international resort comparisons.
Skiing for 14 years and visited resorts in:
🇦🇺 Australia (6) • 🇺🇸 USA (15) • 🇯🇵 Japan (5) • 🇪🇺 Europe (10)
La Thuile delivers an exceptional Alpine skiing experience in Italy's Aosta Valley, forming half of the international Espace San Bernardo ski area with 143.1km of varied terrain reaching 2,800m. This former mining village transformed into a modern ski resort combines 82 marked runs across predominantly north-facing slopes that preserve excellent snow quality throughout the season. The spectacular location along the Italian-French border provides uninterrupted cross-border skiing to La Rosière, creating a seamless 152km international ski domain with 38 modern lifts and minimal queuing. La Thuile's challenging home runs include the legendary Pista 3 Franco Berthod, featuring a maximum gradient of 73% that makes it Italy's steepest piste and a former Women's World Cup venue.
The resort's unique position in the western Aosta Valley ensures reliable snowfall from multiple weather systems, whilst the predominantly north-facing terrain maintains superior snow quality compared to sunnier French neighbours. With elevations spanning 1,190m to 2,800m and a vertical drop exceeding 1,600m, La Thuile offers extensive high-altitude terrain complemented by tree-lined lower slopes that provide excellent visibility during storms. The international ski pass grants access to both Italian and French sectors, delivering exceptional value with hourly lift capacity of 63,000 skiers across modern chairlifts and gondola infrastructure.
Live La Thuile Webcams
Trails & Terrain
Trails
Total Runs
82
Total Area
143.1km
88.9 miles
La Thuile Lift System
La Thuile's lift system features 38 installations efficiently serving the Espace San Bernardo's extensive terrain across both Italian and French sectors. The network includes 1 gondola, 21 chairlifts (comprising 7 six-packs, 10 quad chairs and 4 triple chairs), and 16 surface lifts that maintain steady uphill capacity with minimal queuing. The main DMC Gondola provides crucial uplift from the village base at 1,190m to Les Suches mid-station at 2,200m, whilst the Chaz Dura Express six-pack accesses the resort's highest terrain at 2,800m with spectacular Mont Blanc views.
The modern lift infrastructure delivers an impressive hourly capacity of 63,000 passengers, ensuring continuous skiing without extensive wait times even during peak periods. Strategic lift placement allows efficient access to the cross-border connection at Colle del Piccolo San Bernardo (2,188m), where skiers seamlessly transition between Italian and French terrain. The system includes beginner-friendly facilities such as the Edelweiss Magic Carpet at the base area, whilst advanced terrain is served by high-speed chairlifts accessing challenging runs through densely forested slopes and exposed high bowls above Les Suches.
Lifts
Total Lifts
38
Lift Types
6
Lift Breakdown
Season Info
La Thuile typically operates from late November through late April, with the 2025-2026 season running from 29 November 2025 to 21 April 2026. The resort benefits from substantial natural snowfall averaging 390cm annually, complemented by extensive snowmaking coverage across 40km of pistes using 400 snow cannons. The predominantly north-facing slopes ensure superior snow preservation throughout the season, often maintaining excellent conditions when south-facing French neighbours experience deterioration.
Peak season conditions occur from January through March, when the high-altitude terrain combined with northern exposure creates reliable powder opportunities and consistent snow quality. The resort's elevation range from 1,190m to 2,800m provides altitude insurance, with the upper bowls above Les Suches typically preserving excellent snow well into spring. La Thuile's favourable microclimate position in the western Aosta Valley captures snowfall from multiple weather patterns, earning the resort recognition amongst locals as having some of the Alps' most reliable snow conditions. The tree-lined lower slopes remain skiable to season's end, whilst the exposed upper terrain offers spectacular views of Mont Blanc, Monte Rosa and the Matterhorn during clear conditions.
Season Info
Current Season
2025 - 2026
Opening Day
11/29/2025
Closing Day
4/21/2026
Days Open
144
Location & Getting There
Located in northwestern Italy's Aosta Valley near the French border, La Thuile sits approximately 140km from Geneva, 170km from Turin and 220km from Milan Malpensa. The resort occupies a spectacular position at the western extremity of the Aosta Valley, just 15km from Courmayeur and accessible via a brief 15km drive from the Morgex motorway exit. This strategic border location provides unique access to cross-border skiing with La Rosière in France's Haute Tarentaise region through the historic Colle del Piccolo San Bernardo pass.
The village combines authentic Alpine character with modern resort facilities, featuring purpose-built lift-base infrastructure alongside the historic former mining town centre. La Thuile's location enables convenient day trips to renowned thermal baths at Pré Saint Didier (9km away) and exceptional ski touring access to the Rutor Glacier. The Aosta Valley's efficient motorway network (E25) provides straightforward access from major airports, with Geneva requiring approximately 2 hours' drive, Turin 2 hours, and Milan Malpensa 2 hours 45 minutes. Regular bus services connect La Thuile with Aosta (42km), whilst the resort's proximity to the Mont Blanc Tunnel allows access to Chamonix in under an hour, creating exceptional opportunities to experience both Italian and French Alpine cultures.
La Thuile
, italy