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Postcard from Courmayeur

12th March 2011, by Chris Gill

Guess the celebrity? [Left of group, former downhill racer, BBC Ski Sunday guru ... got it yet?]

Every picture tells a story and ours from Italy this week sum-up the experience nicely…

Courmayeur is one of those key resorts that I have wanted to visit, but have never quite got around to doing so. And I was not the only one in our small group to reveal that. It was fitting therefore that we received the full-on Italian experience on a two-day break for which this resort is well-suited: sun, blow-out gastronomy, scenery to die for and skiing that neatly combines the leisurely with the adventurous.

While the area is most popular at weekends, our mid-week arrival coincided with boisterous carnival holidays. The local families were out in force. It also coincided with better snow on the Italian side of Mont Blanc, which meant a lot of day-trippers from Chamonix. The slopes weren’t intensely crowded though, but it was busy from late morning (go early to enjoy empty, wide and fast cruisers). Still, we found sufficient space to make our own lines and carve the red runs down the central Checrouit area – which, in fact, had the best snow; well groomed and still quite grippy.

Courmayeur’s slopes from Dzeleuna on Wednesday morning

We spent Wednesday on the piste, zipping around behind the great Graham Bell (aka former British Olympic downhill racer and BBC Ski Sunday guru) who had joined us on the trip. The fabulous weather provided ample photographic opportunities, posing before the historic ridges and glaciers of Mont Blanc, Helbronner, Dents du Midi et al.

For its size, the density and quality of mountain huts in Courmayeur is wonderful. We were spoiled for choice, but the outstanding hut of the moment is tiny Chiecco just above Plan Checrouit. Two hours later, having consumed starters, main courses that included tender wild boar stew and best chicken curry I have found in the Alps, plus several bottles of local plonk, we rounded off the afternoon with more runs around the Plan de la Gabba. The snow was slushy and heavy at times; so we did laps of the upper lifts to avoid the worst of it.

One of round one; starter for six. Fois Gras pate at Chiecco

There was time for an après-ski drink in Bar Roma before returning to our base in Entreves – a cute village ten minutes away by taxi. A ten-course gourmet dinner at La Clotze in Val Ferret (under the same management as Chiecco) set us up for Thursday’s off-piste adventure, under the guidance of local top man Gianni Carbone. You can read more about that in my separate feature. But needless to say, in contrast to Courmayeur’s relatively tame piste, there is some excellent off-piste opportunity in the area.

Good local wines abound. These are in Chiecco.

We spent our second day away from the crowds, following a route from the Youla cable car down to Zerotta. Conditions were mixed and mostly chopped or mogulled snow, but we did find some light powder along the way. And cover was pretty good too. That worked up an appetite for another good lunch, this time at La Grolla with stunning views back along the Val Veny. I had to opt out of the final off-piste adventure, due to back muscle strain, but completed my day Italian style: sunnies on, chilling out with a cold drink and gazing up at the stunning panorama of peaks above me. Nice!

End of the morning’s off-piste run [Fraser Wilkin, Gianni Carbone and Graham Bell]

Our short break to Courmayeur was arranged by Ski Solutions, specialists in tailor-made breaks. We stayed at the Pilier d’ Angle hotel in Entreves. Four nights in January started at £565pp (based on 2011 prices), including half-board, flights and transfers.

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