Courmayeur Town
Courmayeur is nestled under the 14 peaks of the Mont Blanc massif. It is arguably the most sophisticated resort in the Aosta Valley, with a charming cobbled pedestrianised town centre offering a wealth of shops, cafés, bars, restaurants and pizzerias with a friendly yet stylish Italian feel.
Dolonne is over the other side of the valley from Courmayeur town, yet within 1km of the town’s facilities. Dolonne is a picturesque traditional old village with cobbled streets and just a couple of bars, cafés, small supermarket, ski shop and nursery/baby slope with moving floor and children’s fun park. It is serviced by an orange public bus that connects with Courmayeur town and valley, which is free for those with a Courmayeur ski pass. Dolonne also has a big Sports Centre with ice rink, curling, indoor tennis, squash, 5-a-side football, volleyball, basketball, golf and climbing wall. New in 2007, there is now a ski lift/gondola, which connects Dolonne to the Plan Checrouit ski area.
Courmayeur’s main cobblestone pedestrianised thoroughfare ‘Via Roma’ has a variety of interesting shops ranging from chic designer boutiques (with names such as Cartier, Hermes, Gant and Sergio Tacchini) and jewellers (only to be found in London, Paris, New York and Courmayeur!) There are also mouth-watering Italian delicatessens and shops selling books, maps and photographs of the local area, crafts created by local artisans, souvenirs, postcards and of course ski and mountaineering equipment. Via Roma is perfect for a leisurely morning browse or an early evening stroll. At the weekends Via Roma comes alive with the smart set from Milan and Turin parading along in their fur coats! There is also a weekly market on a Wednesday located near the Sports Centre.
Courmayeur is renowned for its numerous cafés, bars and restaurants dotted around the town and concentrated along the main street of Via Roma. You can choose from sophisticated cafés with sofas and fireplaces such as Caffè della Posta for a morning cappuccino and cake, gelaterias for an afternoon ice cream and stylish bars such as Bar Roma or the American Bar for après ski drinks or aperitifs with buffet style appetisers. The many restaurants serve predominantly Italian fare including antipasta and pasta specialities of the region but also include ‘Valdostana’ local cuisine.
For pizza there is the very popular Pizzeria du Tunnel and also La Boite, both of which are family favourites, serving huge oven baked pizzas at very reasonable prices! There are also restaurants in the square such as the Vieux Pommier offering Alpine treats such as raclette and fondues. Yet Courmayeur is also renowned for its very stylish restaurants such as the Pierre Alexis 1877 and the Cadran Solaire with a repertoire of gourmet delights for a special evening. And for those looking to sample everything on the menu, there is La Maison de Filippo in Entreves which offers no less than 18 courses!
Courmayeur has a library, Alpine Museum, indoor ice rink and, multi-sports centre. The Palasport offers indoor tennis (tuition available), squash, 5-a-side football, volleyball, basketball, indoor golf and climbing wall. It also has a childcare centre for children from 6 months to 12 years (predominantly Italian speaking). Next door is the Palaghiaccio ice centre offering ice-skating, ice hockey, ice shows and ice disco in the evenings with psychedelic lighting and music. Also there is international Curling.
- Hot Air Ballooning
- Quad bike trips with guide
- Heliski and Heliboarding Trips (see Ski Guiding)
- Glacier and off piste Guiding (see Ski Guiding)
- Ski 2 Countries - either Italy and France: Courmayeur to Chamonix (Vallee Blanche) or Italy and Switzerland: Cervinia to Zermatt (see The Local Area)
- Excursions to the Roman town of Aosta (including Medieval Castles)
- Shopping trip to Turin
- Pre St Didier Terme for a wonderful Spa Experience
- Stylish Italian resort
- Nestled under Monte Bianco with stunning mountain views
- Charming traditional town
- Cobblestone pedestrianised centre with elegant shops, lively bars and excellent restaurants & pizzerias
- Wide range of accommodation to suit all tastes and budgets
- Fabulous mountain restaurants
- Good range of intermediate ski runs
- Comprehensive snow making
- Friendly English speaking ski school
- Ideal base for heli, glacier and off-piste skiing (Guide essential)
- Lively but not rowdy après ski
- Family friendly resort
- Activities for non-skiers
- Easy access by car/short transfer time from Turin or Geneva