The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
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.
1610m
Vertical
82
Runs
143.1 km
Piste
4m
Annual snow
Watch
See La Thuile in motion
The Terrain
82 runs across 143.1 km of piste
La Thuile spreads 82 runs across 143.1 km of piste of terrain. It leans intermediate at 49%, with 32 beginner runs to find your feet and 10 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
Terrain split
82
runs
82 runs across 4 grades
Beginner32 runs · 39%
Intermediate40 runs · 49%
Advanced10 runs · 12%
Expert0 runs · 0%
Time it right
When to visit La Thuile
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 2025 - 2026
29 Nov 2025
Opens
21 Apr 2026
Closes
143
Days open
4 m
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to La Thuile, and where to stay
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.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near La Thuile, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
FIS Weighs Holding World Championships in Almost Every Winter, Starting 2032
The International Ski and Snowboard Federation is looking at a major shake-up to its title events calendar. From 2032, World Championships could run not just in odd-numbered years but in every non-Olympic winter too, effectively putting a global title event on the calendar almost every season. The FIS Council has approved the concept following a feasibility study, though an accelerated rollout as early as 2028 is also under consideration.
4 Sept 2026
Mount Buller Becomes Latest Australian Resort to Call Time Early on 2026
Mount Buller closes out its 2026 season this Sunday, joining Falls Creek, Hotham and Charlotte Pass in a cluster of closures landing almost simultaneously and roughly a month ahead of schedule. The culprit is stark: Spencers Creek's benchmark snow depth hit 31.2cm on 3 September, just 18% of the 73-year average and an all-time low for this point in the season. Six of Victoria and NSW's best-known resorts will have shut their lifts early within a span of about two and a half weeks.
4 Sept 2026
Tremblant to Add New Timber Summit Ski Sector for 2027/28 Season
Tremblant has confirmed a major expansion of its Quebec ski area, with a new Timber Summit sector adding 62 acres of terrain, eight trails and a high-speed quad chairlift for winter 2027/28. It's part of a CAD 42.5 million investment that also includes a new beginner learning zone at Versant Soleil opening this coming season. The project has grown considerably since it was first announced back in 2020, when it carried a far smaller budget and an opening date that never eventuated.
2 Sept 2026
Mount Hotham to Close for the 2026 Season on Sunday, September 6
We knew when the Bird Bath Pond Skim showed up on Hotham's Instagram that the season was on its way out. It's been a rough one - I only managed two days on snow all year, at Falls Creek - and now Baw Baw, Selwyn and Hotham have all called it, possibly the worst Australian season I've seen in a decade. Hotham's last day of lift operations is Sunday, 6 September, with a Retro Day, Father's Day après and closing sales before the lifts stop turning for good.
1 Sept 2026
Thredbo to Replace Ageing Gunbarrel Quad With New Six-Seat Chairlift for 2028
Thredbo Alpine Resort has confirmed plans to replace its 37-year-old Gunbarrel quad chairlift with a new six-seat Doppelmayr D-Line, targeting winter 2028. The AUD 35 million project will keep travel time roughly the same but lift capacity from 2,800 to 3,000 skiers per hour. It's part of a broader investment push that also includes doubled snowmaking capacity at Friday Flat for 2027, with the ageing Kosciuszko Express now flagged as the resort's next major lift replacement after Gunbarrel.
31 Aug 2026
Aerial Tram Collides With Crane at Alpe d'Huez: 23 Injured
An aerial tram carrying around fifty passengers struck the boom of a construction crane on the route to Pic Blanc at Alpe d'Huez on Wednesday morning, injuring 23 people, three seriously. The cabin tipped on impact before the operator reversed it to right the car. Most of the injured were treated on site, with five taken to hospital in Grenoble, including a pregnant woman assessed as a precaution.
28 Aug 2026
Why Glaciers Are Collapsing - And What Happens When They Do
A deadly flood on the Nepal-China border, a decade-old tragedy on Italy's Marmolada, and an unstable glacier right now above a village near Zermatt - three very different mountain ranges, the same underlying story. Warming ice is destabilising terrain that was considered settled for generations, and the results range from catastrophic floods to slow-motion monitoring situations that could go either way.
27 Aug 2026
Pitztal Glacier Set to Reopen for the 2026/27 Ski Season on 26 September
Tyrol's highest ski area is gearing up to open a full month ahead of most of the Alps. The Pitztal Glacier is scheduled to start its 2026/27 season on Saturday 26 September, running through to 2 May 2027, with the lower-altitude Rifflsee area following in December. High-altitude terrain up to 3,440 metres gives the glacier a head start on snow, though as always, the actual opening extent will depend on how September's weather plays out. Early online ski pass bookings can save up to 30%.
26 Aug 2026
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.
38lifts across 6 types
1
Gondola
7
6-Person Chairs
10
Quad Chairs
4
Triple Chairs
11
T-Bars
5
Surface Lifts
La Thuile lift system
La Thuile is served by 38 lifts, listed here by type. Check which lifts are turning against the live conditions before you plan your first laps - early lifts and high-speed chairs get you to the best snow fastest.
More La Thuile intelligence: trail map, snow report, webcams, resort overview.