Pila is ready for this coming winter season 2024-25 with lots of news. From a new cablecar to new pistes- read more below.
Pila is our beloved family resort, located at 1800 m above sea level, with easy access to the city of Aosta (the Rome of the Alps). There is a cablecar that takes you up from a parking lot next to the train station in Aosta, to the base area of Pila in 18 minutes. As Pila is on a basin (or conca, as said in Italian), it is protected of winds (compared to Cervinia and La Thuile), and its pistes have northern exposure, which keeps the snow for longer time. Also, due to Pila being on a grassy mountain, you do not need too much snow for skiing on this mountain. This is a vantage of a mountain like this. Mountains that are on more rocky terrain-(like those closer to the higher Alps), need a deeper base for making it operative for to skiers and boarders.
Pila has also very good snowmaking that helps those areas where there is more tracking by skiers and boarders, making it possible remain open until after Easter.
I have written a detailed guide to Pila with where to stay here.
The ski area has 4 black, 22 red and 5 blue runs which makes 70km of trails. The terrain goes from 1,540 to 2,750 m above sea level. It has 14 lifts, including chairlifts, cable cars and a funicular.
Pila is preparing for the 2024-25 ski season with lots of news. They will open a new 10-seater “Couis 1” cable car. This will be for this season on the second section of the Pila-Couis master plan for the resort. This second section will change the old double chairlift Cuois 1 for the new cable car and will allow to reach an altitude of 2,700 meters in just 15’ (and 4 1/2 minutes for the Couis 1 section only!)
Up there you can have panoramic views of the most iconic peaks in the Alps, including Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco), the Matterhorn (Cervino), Monte Rosa, Grivola and Gran Paradiso. A new panoramic restaurant in the shape of a star will be signalising each of these peaks. This restaurant, called “Stella del Couis” will not be finished by this ski season (but yes for the 2025-26 ski season), and the construction will be stopped during the winter.
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This project is more than a cable car- this will change the way people move in the mountain. Not only skiers or mountain bikers, but also visitors on foot will have the ability to get to the top of the mountain and enjoy these panoramic views in 30 minutes from the city of Aosta. Imagine, going from 583 m to 2,700 m in no time!
The project, conceived by the De Carlo – Gualla architectural studio, stands out for its integrated approach to the environment. The new cableways and stations represent a combination of cutting-edge architecture and engineering, characterized by the use of innovative materials and technologies, as well as a futuristic design specifically conceived for high altitudes.
The complete system includes a 10-seater cableway with automatic detachment in two sections, with two intermediate stations, which will connect the arrival station of the current Aosta-Pila cableway to the Platta de Grevon area (Couis 1), located on the watershed between the Conca di Pila and the Cogne valley. The departure station in Pila, located at 1,800 meters above sea level, will be equipped with an innovative service centre, while the arrival station at the top, will host the ‘rifugio’ with a panoramic bar-restaurant. This will have a particular star design oriented towards the main peaks of the Aosta Valley.
Currently, to reach Couis 1 from Pila on skis, you need around 60 minutes by boarding on three lifts. Compare this with the full way up from Aosta to Couis in 30 minutes, going up 2,200 meters! This is the same vertical drop that Skyway Monte Bianco has from Entrèves in Courmayeur to Punta Helbronner!
Construction work on the departure station and the intermediate Pila Gorraz station will begin and be completed during the spring and summer of 2025, with the inauguration of the entire facility scheduled for December 2025.
The slopes will be upgraded as follow:
- A new skiweg (connection piste) with snowmaking, will be cut to connect Couis 1 to Couis 2. This will allow access to all the slopes on the Couis 2 side from the arrival of the Couis 1 cable car.
- Expansion and improvement of slope no. 7
- Functional adaptation of slope 8
- Opening of a new variant of slope no. 9
New discounts on lift tickets – Pila is ready for the coming winter season 2024-25
Finally, new discounts on ski passes have been introduced, with particular attention to families and young people:
- The 30% discount on ski passes, until now reserved for children under 14, will be extended up to 16 years of age.
- A new category of users will be introduced: young people between 16 and 24, who will benefit from a 20% discount on the ski pass, compared to 12% last year for children up to 18 years of age.
- The discounts for accompanied children under 8, who will be able to ski for free, and the 12% discount for over 65s will remain unchanged.
Below are the rates for the 2024/2025 winter season
Read my Must-Read Guide to Pila to plan your holiday in Pila here.
More information at pila.it
Start planning your next trip!
If looking to stay in the heart of the Mont Blanc Valley in the Aosta Valley, check the direct booking for Il Coure della Valdigne here. This is our own family home in the mountains, that I am renting out when not using.
Il Cuore della Valdigne. Book your lodging directly with me here.Il Cuore della Valdigne. Stay at the Heart of the Valdigne to ski in Courmayeur, La Thuile and Pila/Aosta.
Featured Image: Pila is ready for the coming winter season 2024-25. Photo: Pila Spa.
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