Just got back from a sixteen-day holiday for our annual white Christmas in the Aosta Valley skiing in Pila and enjoying all what the Aosta Valley has to offer.
Having a home in the small town of Morgex, the heart of the valley of Monte Bianco, called the Valdigne of Monte Bianco, allows us to go many times in the year to this beautiful spot-on earth.
The Drive to and From the Mountains. Our White Christmas in the Aosta Valley skiing in Pila.
We drive from south-east London each time, taking our dog and the kids (now teenagers) with us. Skiing is a holiday that everyone wants to come to, and I hope this keeps on happening for years to come, as I do enjoy our time together as a family. And skiing is the best thing that can get us all together!
As soon as school has closed for the holidays, we left on an early morning to Folkestone, the Eurotunnel site this side of the channel. I prefer taking the Eurotunnel over the ferry, as it is super easy. You just get your car on the rail and in 35’ you are on Calais, ready to drive on the continent. Plus, your trip is not cancelled for bad weather!
You can drive all the way to Morgex, in the Aosta Valley in one day. (11 hours). We are just 10 minutes down of Courmayeur. Courmayeur is located just after crossing the Mont Blanc Tunnel. But for me, driving all in one day is not agreeable! We always take two days to go and two days to come back.
On our way south, we stop in Chaumont, a lovely town built in the 10th Century on a promontory with breathtaking views towards the Marne Valley. Chaumont has lots of buildings from its medieval times, like the Castle of the Counts of Champagne and the Tour d’Arse, a medieval turret from the 13th Century.
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We always stop at the Ibis Styles Hotel in Chaumont. Rooms are big, they have family rooms, they accept dogs, their beds are amazing (after a very tiring day), and breakfast is good. Plus is located bang in the middle of the historic town! I’ve read also very good recommendations of the Hotel des Remparts. This last time we had a very nice dinner at this hotel’s restaurant, as per many, it is the best restaurant in Chaumont.
We usually dine at Le Grain de Sel, which is a lovely small restaurant, with only one setting per day, so you are not hurried up to finish eating! It is attended by their owners and they have a very well curated menu. You need to reserve if you want to dine in. This past trip, it was closed for the holidays, so we tried something new! If you go with no reservations to Chaumont, there is an Italian pizzeria (Del’Arte) that does not take reservations, so if you go early, you get int!
I like Chaumont as it is a very lively town, and you see people around. There are many spots in France that they look like ghost towns (more in the North of France I would say), so it is nice seeing something different!
On our way back from the mountains we drive up to Troyes, another medieval town, with lots of buildings with the traditional “pan de bois” (with the wooden beams between the concrete). We stay at the Brit Hotel Comptes de Champagne, right in the middle of town. The hotel must be 2 stars, but it has lots of personality. It is like staying in a hotel stuck in the medieval times. I really enjoy it there. Personnel is super nice, the breakfast is ok, the bed is comfy, and we keep on seeing other passengers that also stop there on their way back from the mountains.
Arrived in Morgex, Aosta Valley. Our White Christmas in the Aosta Valley skiing in Pila.
Once in Morgex, we love going the first and last night to have dinner at the Restaurant Green Park, located in what it was called the Green Park camping, that has recently been renamed as Bijoux des Alpes – Mont Blanc Village. This spot is always full, even if off-season. For high season like Christmas, you need to prebook to get a place or go late.
But if you go late, you might find it difficult to park, as their parking gets über busy! You might have to park up the muddy trail and it gets tricky trying to get out.
I love eating meat there, especially the Black Angus. We are not the fancy spenders compared to the big tables you see there that have their starters, the more deluxe steak cuts and lots of wine and dessert…. We are not drinking now (actually I had one glass of red, but my husband has not drunk in more than a year now!) and we eat the ‘cheaper’ cuts of meat. Still, as an Argentine, I can state that they are delicious!
First day I like to take it easy, after two days on the road, I need to sleep until when my body asks me to. When up, we went to Aosta to do the shopping at Gros Cidac, that is an amazing supermarket. We could go to Famila, that is the local supermarket in Morgex, but Gros Cidac is something else! When coming back, we stopped at the Sports du Pillier to pick up our skis that have been waxed to be ready for skiing.
Skiing in Pila. Our White Christmas in the Aosta Valley skiing in Pila.
The next day was December 24th, and we went to Pila. It was so packed. I’ve assumed than being the 24th it would not be that bad, but it was! Same, compared to the photos of lifts in Vail and Park City, the lifts in Pila have almost no waiting time. Even in Chamolé, usually when we arrive, we see a lot of people waiting to get up, but the lift moves really fast. And you don’t really see too much the people in the mountain, if you know where to ski … not sure if I want to share this here as I like to keep it a secret.
This year Pila has opened a new cable car on Couis 1, replacing the old two-seater chairlift. It is such a change. First, the lift is much faster, 4’ against the old 9’ if I am not wrong. And you are covered, so you are protected from the cold weather. This December and January was cold. Or I am feeling it more, not sure what is going on…
This new cable car makes you change how you ski the mountain. We used to take the Couis 2 slow triple to ski the lift-served runs, freezing on the way up. Now you take the lift to Couis 1 and take the skiweg path that connects the top of both lifts. Or you just go down on Couis 1. The red slope (number 9) has been extended and is pretty much a decent run now, with a path only in the bottom part. You can take a black run down, that is a bit steeper than the red, but the difficulty is more that it is a thin run, so you need to do short turns; or, you go to the top of Couis 2 to do the black runs to the side or the red runs on the top.
For me the piste 3 and piste 2 are still the best runs in Pila. Usually, the 3 has sun and is empty, which is what attracts me there. Plus, it has trees, so even if it is snowing, you have visibility!
We went back skiing on the 25th to still see lots of people skiing around and then on the 26th, we took a day off, that I used to go painting in plein air. This holiday I freeze painting outdoors, but the experience is a must-have for those that love painting!
The days passed between skiing, walking on the mountains with and without snowshoes, and painting en plein air. We’ve enjoyed cooking at home every night and cozying on the sofa under a blanket. And going with my dog every morning for a ‘passeggiata’ and a machiattone at Pilier Central.
On New Year’s Eve we had the party in the piazza of Morgex with live music and lots – too many, fireworks and petards around. I do not like fireworks much as I do find them dangerous (so many people get hurt yearly with fireworks), and my dog Ozzy really suffer with them. But thankfully our walls are very thick, and he did suffer, but not as much as he suffers in London during Guy Fawkes nights (as we have some neighbours insisting of throwing fireworks during months!)
We’ve started the year skiing, as now it is a tradition in the family. Very cold, but good snow so it was great. It was busy too (I was counting people to be asleep due to a late night, but the skiers where all up!). I am glad for Pila to have a season super busy, as after Covid business seemed a bit flat all over the industry!
We do need to go to ski to the other ski resorts that are nearer than my home, as Courmayeur (only at 10’) and La Thuile (only at 20’). Perhaps in February, and if we come back in April, it will be after Pila and Courmayeur closes, so it will have to be La Thuile or Cervinia!
Snow was good, temperatures low and it still is snowing, so you should be planning in going skiing too!
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.
If you prefer, you can also book my apartment through Booking.com
Booking might be cheaper if you have Genius status!
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Image credit: Our White Christmas in the Aosta Valley skiing in Pila. Photo: The-Ski-Guru
