HOW TO SPEND A WEEKEND IN COURMAYEUR
Welcome to my homeland and welcome to Courmayeur!
Last summer I had the great opportunity to spend few days in this wonderful place and it was really worth it. Courmayeur is a perfect weekend destination, both in winter and summer. It is a very popular ski destination and offers a lot of outdoor activities.
Courmayeur is an alpine village in the region of Aosta Velley, in the northern Italy. Bordering France and Switzerland, offers an amazing view of Mont Blanc, which is the highest mountain in the Alps and Western Europe.
WHERE TO STAY
While Visiting Courmayeur, I had the pleasure to stay at the Lo Scoiattolo Hotel. An amazing 4 stars hotel which was a perfect launchpad for explore the village. It offers very comfort and re-modernised rooms with large balconies. Some rooms have a magnificent view over the Mount Blanc (the cost is significantly more than a standard room). My favorite aspects of staying at the Lo Scoiattolo hotel included:
- A private car park
- Free access to wellness center (very useful after a long day hiking)
- Delicious and abundant breakfast. It has a very varied menu with homemade jams and cakes.
- Wine bar
- A very friendly and helpful staff.
Lo Scoiattolo definitely is one of the best hotels I’ve ever been to.
Note: masks are required. Measures are being taken to protect both employees and customers.
WHAT TO DO
EXPLORE VAL FERRET
This beautiful place offers amazing views of Grandes Jorasses, a group of granite peaks found in the northern part of the Mont Blanc massif. It is suitable for all types of people from sport lovers to families with children. I highly recommend you to hike to Rifugio Walter Bonatti (2025 m) which is right in front of the magnificent Frébouge glacier with the upper part covered with white snow. It is extremely safe and not difficult to hike.
You can reach the valley either by free local shuttle buses that pick you up from the Courmayeur sports field, or by car.
EXPLORE VAL VENY
A real corner of paradise with stunning views, Vény Valley is wilder than Ferret Valley. It is located at the foot of Mont Blanc massif, in the south – west of Courmayeur.
I highly recommend you to see Miage Lake, a very particular place where nature is the protagonist. The lake is created by the melting of the homonym glacier that occasionally drops blocks of ice into the water, forming small icebergs.
Another great spot for its stunning views is Rifugio Elisabetta, which is a refuge at the foot of Brevna glacier. As you walk the path to reach the refuge you can admire the majesty of Mont Blanc and the Giant’s tooth.
You can reach the valley either by free local shuttle buses, or by car.
JUMP ON THE SKYWAY MONTEBIANCO
Give you an unforgettable experience and visit the Skyway cableway. This amazing structure made in 2015 reach the new station of Punta Helbronner at 3466 m. It offers breathtaking panoramas and gives you the feeling of being able to touch both the sky and Monte Bianco with a finger. You could get a little dizzy to go straight up to the highest point (Punta Helbronner), don’t worry it’s totally normal because of the altitude.
Once you have visited the highest point, you will go down to the middle station, Pavillon, which is a vast terrace that provides amazing views of Monte Bianco and Vény Valley. During summer, there is a beautiful Botanical Garden with 900 different plants from all over the world.
I strongly recommend you to buy your Skyway tickets online at least a week in advance given to the attraction’s popularity. I also recommend you to look at the weather forecast to be able to choose a sunny day.
Note: Mask are required and capacity is limited
WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK
- Have an amazing pizza valdostana, a traditional pizza topped with mozzarella, tomato sauce, fontina cheese (a typical product of Aosta Valley) and cooked ham at Pizzeria Du Parc.
- Try the menu “Carta Valdostana”, which offers delicious and typical dishes of Aosta Valley at Ristorante La Terrazza.
- Have a break and go to the Cabane Du Combal, in Veny Valley. A welcoming refuge in the middle of nature and very close to Miage Lake. It’s a perfect place for those who want to stop for a quick meal and then continuing to hike.
Note: Mask are required
Note: In the Aosta Valley, Italian and French are official languages, although most of the inhabitants speak Italian as their first language.
