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Admiring the View
Bluebird Days
Pit Stop
Snow Covered Valley
Champoluc Church
Frozen Village Stream
Skier & Boarder Heaven
Skiers Enjoying Mountain Views
Off-Piste Skiing
Above the Clouds
Cross Country Skiers
Playing in the Powder
Snowboarder on Snow Park
Monterosa Snow Park
Bunny Slopes
Monterosa Terme Spa
Valley Overlooking the Village
Snowy Tree Lined Runs
Champoluc Piste Map
A unspoilt village in the snow-sure Monterosa ski area, one of the largest ski areas in Italy.
Without a doubt, Champoluc is the most popular resort in the hidden gem that is the Monterosa ski area in Italy. This is a haven for those who are looking to take their skiing and snowboarding off the beaten path in an authentic Italian setting. Like all of the villages in the area, Champoluc is filled with rustic charm and is beautiful to explore, especially as you follow the walkway alongside the river which flows all the way through the village. There’s a good range of shops, bars and patisseries to enjoy as well as the Monterosa spa located at the top end of town next to the woodland park, perfect if you need a day’s rest and fancy a bit of pampering.
The ski area continues to surprise even the most competent skiers and boarders every year for many reasons. Firstly, not only are the pistes extremely well maintained but majority of the season they feel empty compared to the busy slopes in neighbouring countries. You then have the three extensive ski areas which are covered with one lift pass; Champoluc, Gressoney and Alagna which are linked by a modern lift system throughout the valleys. The majority of the slopes are aimed towards intermediate and advanced skiers but the real star of the show is the mass of off-piste areas. True powder hunters will want to head towards the Punta Indren lift and hit up the un-pisted terrain, just make sure you have the correct equipment as it’s not for the faint hearted.
At the weekend, it is a popular destination with the Italian locals who travel up from Milan and Turin, and the whole resort comes to life with après culture. As you come off the mountain the home run is next to the ski hire shop, so you can drop off your skis and join in the fun.
- Accommodation
- Ski Extras
- Things To Do
- Transfers
Ski hotels in Champoluc
Hotel De Champoluc
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from£934pp
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- Sleeps: 73-104 guests
Max and the team welcome you to enjoy a near ski in ski out location in the ever popular Hotel de Champoluc. This alpine property is the perfect place to chill out in after a busy day skiing. Enjoy all the benefits of a chalet style hotel including afternoon tea.
More information
Hotel Castor
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from£959pp
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- 32 rooms
Hotel Castor is a great base for your stay in Champoluc. It's just a short walk or shuttle ride from the main Crest gondola and offers a comfortable environment alongside memorable experiences.
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Hotel Au Charmant Petit Lac
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from£1529pp
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- 26 Rooms
Hotel Au Charmant Petit Lac is the newest addition to Champoluc's hotel scene. It's a stunningly modern mountain lodge with cosy fireplaces, comfy rooms and a great spa with an impossible-to-resist indoor pool. The breakfast is great too and don't forget a nightcap in front of the open fire in the lobby.
More information
Hotel Le Rocher
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from£1079pp
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- 22 Rooms
A traditional alpine style with a warm welcome is waiting for you at Hotel Le Rocher. Relax in the hotel's spa in the day and enjoy the local Italian cuisine served in the hotel's restaurant at night.
More information
| Skiing levels | |
|---|---|
| Beginner | |
| Intermediates | |
| Advanced | |
| Snowboard | |
| Cross country | |
For beginners
The best facilities for beginners are centres around the base stations at Champoluc, but they are limited. The gondola from Champoluc goes straight up to Crest, a mid-mountain nursery area with further gondolas and chair lifts feeding other areas. There is an Italian ski school available in-resort and you can pre-book your lessons with Inghams, but advancing beyond the nursery slopes for absolute beginners can be a challenge.
For intermediates
Timid intermediates are better off starting at Frachey if they want to avoid some bumpy red runs. If you can tackle a blue run with confidence and feel like advancing on to reds to improve your skills then Champoluc, Gressoney and Alagna are great places to build up some confidence. The Monterosa resort is made up of a majority of red runs, varying in difficulty so you are sure to find something that suits your needs where ever you go.
For advanced
Champoluc is famous for its off-piste skiing. There are a variety of off-piste trails, both marked and unmarked and thanks to the snow-sureness of the Monterosa ski area and the relative emptiness of the resort during the week, there is sure to be untouched powder somewhere, just waiting to be skied through! In bad weather, head to the Mandria forest area about Frachey for powder.
There are also some facilities that are good for those with an interest in slalom racing- for a local price there are public race courses with time measurement at the Pain de la Sal piste.
For those seeking an adventure, there is heli-skiing available in the resort which can be booked directly with the appropriate company. Our rep in resort will be happy to point you in the right direction.
Freestyle and terrain parks
Unfortunately there is no established freestyle park in the resort. A few rails, kickers and boxes are sometimes bought in but proceed with caution for these may be for private use.
Cross-country
The Monterosa area has up to 32km of cross country pistes.
| Mountain facts | |
|---|---|
| Area | 180 km |
| Resort Altitude | 1579m |
| Ski Alt. From | 1600m |
| Ski Alt. To | 3275m |
| Runs | 28 50 17 |
| Longest run | 9 Km |
| Lifts | Chairlifts 16, Cable car 3, Draglifts 5, Gondolas 6 |
| Lift Times | 8:45 - 17:00 depending on time of season. |
| Lift Ski Lockers | No |
| Whole Area Pass Lifts | 30 |
| Night Skiing Included | No |
| Mountain Restaurants | 32 |
| Snow Cannons | 518 |
| Cross Country Trails | 32km |
| Off-piste Options | No |
| Slope Direction | NE, E, SE, SW, NW |
Food & Drink
Champoluc offers some fabulous authentic Italian restaurants serving classic and contemporary food. One of the great things about the Monterosa ski area is that the lovely food isn’t restricted to the town of Champoluc; the mountain restaurants are also delicious and serve unique a la carte menus. You’ll find bars with live music, delicious wines and cocktails, but the atmosphere remains a lot calmer and more relaxed than other alpine resorts.
Shopping
Champoluc offers the usual sporting goods stores, a few souvenir shops and one supermarket in the small village. Please note: there is no weekly market. If you are interested in a shopping trip, then a day excursion to the nearby cities of Milan and Turin, or even the nearby town of Aosta is bound to be more successful. Popular souvenirs to take back home include hand-carved wooden clogs!
Spa & Relaxation
The MonterosaSPA is the perfect place to relax after a day on the slopes. There are a range of different pools, steam rooms and saunas to enjoy as well as various treatments and massages available. To visit the spa, you need to book in advance - this is best to organise by asking the staff in your hotel. To get there walk up through the centre of town, past the main ski lift heading up towards Frachey and you will find it situated on the left next to the pharmacy.
Ski touring
Guided ski tours will take you through the untouched back country of the Monterosa area with a trained expert who knows exactly where the best runs are, where the fresh powder lies and is trained to make sure that you are having the best ski touring experience possible.
Your ski touring adventure is bookable locally so consult with your representative or with our reservations team before you go.
Snowshoeing
As they always say- if you can walk, you can snowshoe! One of the more relaxing of the winter sports and a great way to taking the beauty and majesty of the rugged Italian Alps is to go for a leisurely walk through them, aided with snowshoes. You can decide on how difficult your walking programme will be, with a variety of different options for different abilities.
Enjoy a guided tour of the Monterosa ski area, away from the hustle and bustle of the ski slopes. Snowshoe excursions are bookable locally, so ask your Inghams reps and reservations team for some advice on how and where to book.
Heli-skiing/boarding
The helicopter assisted backcountry skiing in the Monterosa region is well documented and highly praised by many travel journalists internationally. Thanks to the resort being relatively quiet during the week but yet still snow-sure because of the Monterosa glacier, it remains a fantastic destination for off-piste and backcountry heliskiing.
Heliskiing sits on many bucket lists for the advanced and seasoned skier, and there is no better place to do it! A helicopter, along with a professional guide will drop you at the top of the mountain and from there you can ski and snowboard down untouched back country areas.
Heliskiing excursions are available in Champoluc if you book locally, and they are some of the cheaper heliskiing excursions available in the Alps. Chat with your Inghams rep or our reservations team about heliskiing options.
NB: Check with your insurance policy that you are allowed to take part in such excursions.
Heli-sightseeing
If you’re not sure about being dropped off at the top of the mountain by a helicopter, but still wouldn’t mind the thrill of flying over the snow-crested peaks, then perhaps a birds-eye view tour of the Monterosa ski area from the safety of the helicopter is much more up your street.
Tours and guides of the mountain are available to book locally, so chat with your Inghams rep or our reservations team before you go.
Ice skating
There is a large outdoor ice skating rink in the small town of Champoluc, that is open during the winter months for skating and fun. You can hire skates at a local price and enjoy some time on the ice. It makes a fabulous family activity to enjoy in the evening when you’ve hung up your skis and boots for the day.
Cross-Country skiing
The Aosta Valley has been regarded as a ‘ski paradise’. While the classical definition of skiing refers to classic downhill/Alpine skiing, cross country skiing is still extremely popular and there are some brilliant routes in and around Champoluc which you can take at a leisurely pace. Catering for a variety of tastes and levels, you can enjoy the unspoiled beauty of the Monterosa ski area and Champoluc when it’s not rushing past you!
It is best to enjoy cross country skiing with a guide who knows the most beautiful trails in the area and will introduce new cross-country skiers to the sport. This activity is only bookable locally, so chat with our Inghams reservation teams, or your in-resort rep if you are interested.
Pre-bookable Lift Passes, Ski Hire & Tuition
Lift pass
| 6 days | Season | Child 8 - 14 years | Youth 15 - 18 years | Adult 19 - 64 years | Senior 65 - 74 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full Area | Low | £158 | £204 | £226 | £204 |
| Mid | £174 | £223 | £248 | £223 | |
| High | £198 | £253 | £283 | £253 |
Season dates
- Low season - 01 Nov - 23 Dec 22, 07 Jan - 10 Feb & 25 Mar - 14 Apr 23
- Mid season - 04 Mar - 24 Mar 23
- High season - 24 Dec 22 - 06 Jan & 11 Feb - 03 Mar 23
Lift pass information
Area Pass includes Champoluc, Gressoney, Alagna & two days skiing in another Aosta Valley resort. Does NOT include Indren lift which allows access to the Freeride Paradise area - you can pay locally on the day to upgrade pass to access this off-piste area. Walker's pass available locally.
Equipment
| 6 days | Category | Youth 6 - 12 years | Adult 13+ years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skis | Blue | - | £60 |
| Red | £43 | £83 | |
| Black | - | £99 | |
| Skis & boots | Blue | - | £88 |
| Red | £66 | £110 | |
| Black | - | £127 | |
| Snowboard & boots | Red | £66 | £110 |
Equipment information
- Children 3 - 5 years can pre-book white skis and boots £66
- Free helmets for children up to 12 years when ski/board are pre-booked
Please seeherefor a description of hire categories.
Tuition
Private tuition for adults is available to pre-book. All bookings are on request and will be confirmed once availability has been checked with the ski school, so we recommend booking early. Lessons usually take place in the morning but timings will be confirmed. Please call us for a quote and clarify what day(s) you would like lessons on. Guests of the same ability can request a lesson together for up to 4 people.
Levels of tuition:
- Beginner - never skied before
- Level 1 - advanced beginner; can control speed, snowplough and change direction on gentle slopes
- Level 2 - low intermediate, snowplough turns and start to ski parallel
- Level 3 - good intermediate, parallel turns
- Advanced - fully confident on all slopes, looking to improve technique
For children, we have teamed up with our sister company Esprit Ski who offer a range of exclusive ski classes just for children travelling with Esprit and Inghams. The meeting place is at the Hotel de Champoluc.
Spriteletsfor 3-4 year olds and based at the area at the top of the Crest gondola. An Esprit ranger will stay with the group to help the instructor. Supervised lunch and afternoon Snow Club at the hotel can be pre-booked.
Sprite Beginnersfor 5-9 year olds and new to the sport. They start at the beginners area at the top of the Crest gondola and the progress on to blue runs during the week. An Esprit ranger is with the group in the Snow Garden Beginners area. Lunch and afternoon Snow Club can be added on.
Sprite Improvers Xtra for 6-10 year olds. This is a full day class with lunch included for children who can snowplough on blue runs and are confident on all lifts.
Sprite Intermediates Xtrafor 7-12 year olds and a full day class with lunch for children who are starting to parallel ski.
The Xtra classes are full days with morning and afternoon sessions and lunch at a mountain restaurant. An Esprit Ranger meets the groups at lunchtime to ensure that all catering requests are dealt with.
Prices
Spritelets and Beginners: £350 (5 mornings Monday to Friday)
Improvers and Intermediates Xtra: £599 (5 days Monday to Friday)
Snow Club and Supervised lunch: £329 (6 afternoons Monday to Saturday)
There is a signing-in and signing-out policy for the children between parents and our staff. Children can be dropped off from 9am and picked up at 4.30pm from the hotel.
Prices and supplements are correct at the time of publishing. Up to date prices will be confirmed at the time of booking.
Tuition
Private tuition for adults is available to pre-book. All bookings are on request and will be confirmed once availability has been checked with the ski school, so we recommend booking early. Lessons usually take place in the morning but timings will be confirmed. Please call us for a quote and clarify what day(s) you would like lessons on. Guests of the same ability can request a lesson together for up to 4 people.
Levels of tuition:
- Beginner - never skied before
- Level 1 - advanced beginner; can control speed, snowplough and change direction on gentle slopes
- Level 2 - low intermediate, snowplough turns and start to ski parallel
- Level 3 - good intermediate, parallel turns
- Advanced - fully confident on all slopes, looking to improve technique
For children, we have teamed up with our sister company Esprit Ski who offer a range of exclusive ski classes just for children travelling with Esprit and Inghams. The meeting place is at the Hotel de Champoluc.
Spriteletsfor 3-4 year olds and based at the area at the top of the Crest gondola. An Esprit ranger will stay with the group to help the instructor. Supervised lunch and afternoon Snow Club at the hotel can be pre-booked.
Sprite Beginnersfor 5-9 year olds and new to the sport. They start at the beginners area at the top of the Crest gondola and the progress on to blue runs during the week. An Esprit ranger is with the group in the Snow Garden Beginners area. Lunch and afternoon Snow Club can be added on.
Sprite Improvers Xtra for 6-10 year olds. This is a full day class with lunch included for children who can snowplough on blue runs and are confident on all lifts.
Sprite Intermediates Xtrafor 7-12 year olds and a full day class with lunch for children who are starting to parallel ski.
The Xtra classes are full days with morning and afternoon sessions and lunch at a mountain restaurant. An Esprit Ranger meets the groups at lunchtime to ensure that all catering requests are dealt with.
Prices
Spritelets and Beginners: £350 (5 mornings Monday to Friday)
Improvers and Intermediates Xtra: £599 (5 days Monday to Friday)
Snow Club and Supervised lunch: £329 (6 afternoons Monday to Saturday)
There is a signing-in and signing-out policy for the children between parents and our staff. Children can be dropped off from 9am and picked up at 4.30pm from the hotel.
Prices and supplements are correct at the time of publishing. Up to date prices will be confirmed at the time of booking.
Flights depart Sundays
Transfer time
- Turin airport: approx. 1 hour 45 mins by coach
Private transfers and self drive options are available
Car hire available: Yes
Evening resort bus service: No
Local bus services:
Nearest Rail Station:
Verres
Parking available: No
Resort Ski bus available: Yes
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Good to know
- 3 resorts for the price of 1 lift pass!
- Quiet, uncrowded resort in the heart of the Monterosa ski area
- Fantastic off-piste opportunities with expanses of untouched back country
Feefo Platinum
Trusted Service Award 2023
Feefo Platinum
Trusted Service Award 2022
Best Activities Operator
Globe Travel Awards Winner
2016-2023
British Travel Awards 2022
Best Ski & Winter Sports Holiday Company
British Travel Awards 2022
Best Special Interest Holiday Company