After an intense year of work, on 14th December Pila has opened to the public the 10-seater cable car section from Couis 1 to Platta de Grevon.
This is one part of the full project that will be opened next year, from Pila all the way to Platta de Grevon. The part that has just opened has replaced an old double chairlift from the 80s, offering a new fast way to get to the top of the mountain. When one arrives, there is a new skiweg piste that will unite the two sides of the mountain, offering visitors more time to ski or snowboard at the resort.
Going up the new lift from Couis 1 to Platta de Grevon allows you to have magnificent views of the 4000s m peaks… as the Cervino or Matterhorn. Photo: Pila sPa. Pila has opened its new cablecar Couis 1- Platta de Grevon
In only 4’30” the new cable car will take all mountain lovers up to 2,700 meters. During the journey, you can see spectacular views of all 4000 meters peaks of the entire alpine arc.
Amazing views of the Monte Bianco (Mont Blanc), the Cervino (Matterhorn), the Monte Rosa, the Grivola and the Gran Paradiso can be seen from the top. You can also view in the distance the valley where the city of Aosta is, known by connoisseurs as the Rome of the Alps.
Pila has postponed its opening of the ski season to Saturday 6th December. It was supposed to open this weekend, but they don’t have enough snow for it. Even though when you see at the webcams, it does not look so bad. Actually, it looks pretty good!
Pila, as it is mostly on grassy fields, do not need as much snow to open as, for example, Courmayeur does (as its terrain is more on high mountain which is rockier! You need snow to cover those rocks!). You can read a more detailed explanation of how much snow ski resorts need to open on this past post of mine.
The new ski map of Pila with its cable car replacing the old double Couis 1 on the top, and the skiweg connection from the top of Couis 1 to Couis 2. Courtesy: Pila Spa.
The latest snowstorms have hit Pila, but not as much snow has fallen there, as it has on the Mont Blanc area and on the Cervino. Cervnia is opening more terrain this weekend, as well as Courmayeur.
It is snowing big in the Alps now, so all eyes are looking at the different resorts webcams to see if they will have an early start, or at least, start on their attempted start day. So far it is looking good!
As per Skiinfo and TheLocal.it, here are the opening dates of the different resorts:
Opening days of Italian Ski Resorts. My boys on a magic carpet at La Thuile. Photo: The-Ski-Guru
Typical dates of opening is end of November or beginnings of December. But Cervinia is already opened since 26 October, accessing with its lifts to ski on the Swiss side where the glacier is. Now they are opening their own side of the slopes. From 20th November, Plain Maison, Fornet and Bontadini chairlifts open. The Italian ski pass costs EUR 55. You need the Swiss pass to ski on the glacier on top (which is a bit pricier!)
Pila is ready for this coming winter season 2024-25 with lots of news. From a new cablecar to new pistes- read more below.
Starting to ski, by La Baraka. This past season (23-24) it was closed. For me it was the best bar, more when Freddy was in charge (a rockabilly kind of guy with great music and hot chocolates!) Food was great too. Lovely terrace. Hopefully this is re-opened by the 24-25 ski season. Just off the top of Chamolé lift (by piste 2).
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.
Rendering of new Valley Station for Pila in Pila 1800 m. This part will be ready for the 25-26 ski season. Courtesy Pila SPA. Pila is ready for the coming winter season 2024-25
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.
Why Visit – The Must-Read Guide to Pila, Aosta Valley
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Pila is a resort that I’ve got to know by chance. I’ve drove with my family to Ollomont, a tiny ski resort at the end of the road of the Valpelline Valley, north of Aosta for the first ski holiday of my little one that was three. (My eldest went once to ski in Portillo before!)
Nice and warm day in Pila, snow became corn snow overnight- still nice! Photo: The-Ski-Guru. The Must-Read Guide to Pila, Aosta Valley
As the ski area of Ollomont was too small (even though at first, I’ve thought it was ideal), and it did not have ski instructor nor skis or boots for my little boys, I had to go elsewhere. Somebody told us to go either to Pila in Aosta, or Crévacol, by the Grand Saint Bernard Pass. We went to Aosta, and the next was history.
We have been going ever since there, even though now we do not stay at the bottom of the main cable car, but in our home in Morgex (30’ away).
My youngest learnt to ski there, and my two boys love the resort, so we keep on going back for more. Even though I am more nearby La Thuile and Courmayeur, we tend to go to Pila, as it is a very easy-to-deal with and family-friendly ski area.
Our half term ski-safari holiday based in the Valdigne of Aosta Valley- Courmayeur, Pila and La Thuile.
This article may contain affiliate/compensated links. For full information, please see our disclaimer here.
This past February, as it is usual now, for our eight year in the row, we left home very early, this time with our pooch, and drove to the Eurotunnel, one hour- and a bit now due to the diversion in the M2/M20, and us trying to find an open petrol station to fill up our car.
Driving off Calais to the mountains. Our half term ski-safari holiday based in the Valdigne of Aosta Valley- Courmayeur, Pila and La Thuile.
We arrived with time to only go to the toilet and we boarded on our way to France. Thirty-five minutes later, we were rolling down the A16 and then A 26, all the way to Reims, and then around Reims and down to Troyes, and changed to A5 towards Chaumont. Just on exit 24 you get off the motorway and, after paying the hefty toll fee, and get into the route nationale 10 to get through a lovely wooded and windy road to Chaumont.
Following our road in the map. Our half term ski-safari holiday based in the Valdigne of Aosta Valley- Courmayeur, Pila and La Thuile.
We made it in fantastic time to Chaumont, we got in our room at the Ibis Styles Chaumont Centre Gare and after trying to have a nap – an impossible task with the boys wired and running in the room, I went out with my eldest into town…
Arriving into Chaumont through the Route Nationale 10. Our half term ski-safari holiday based in the Valdigne of Aosta Valley- Courmayeur, Pila and La Thuile.
Just a nice walk around town, we’ve visited an old chocolate store with long showcase cabinets, which is a pleasure in itself. We got some chocolates, then we went to a fashion shop. My eldest is into fashion now…. getting to be a tweeny! He wanted a brand t-shirt. I don’t know why kids are so much into brands now. I negotiated with him that I was giving the money in exchange of one Amazon voucher he was given as a gift in Christmas and he could buy it.
Around Chaumont with my eldest and Ozzy. Our half term ski-safari holiday based in the Valdigne of Aosta Valley- Courmayeur, Pila and La Thuile.
After going to the local supermarket to have some little something in the room as it was still early, we came back to the hotel room.
At the chocolate shop in Chaumont. Our half term ski-safari holiday based in the Valdigne of Aosta Valley- Courmayeur, Pila and La Thuile.
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