Majestic mountains, enchanting glaciers, small and big lakes, waterfalls and stream, this is La Thuile! In winter or summer, La Thuile is a mix of poetry and nature, framed by a valley which learned how to maintain authenticity throughout time.

Éspace San Bernardo
From the end of November to the end of April La Thuile offers an extensive choice of slopes for all difficulty, from numerous and gentle “blue” slopes for beginners to the more challenging and fun varieties of “ red” slopes for intermediates, to the most difficult “ black” slopes where inclines can reach 78% for expert skiers. Thanks to a particular microclimate and to abundant snowfall slopes are always covered in snow but if that it‘s not enough there are 300 snow-making machines.
Thanks to the international connection with the French ski station La Rosière , La Thuile has always attracted ski enthusiasts for its big area, in fact with a single lift pass it offers 150 km of slopes connected by 35 lifts with a capacity to transport 45.000 people per hour .

Snowite school
The Petit Saint Bernard pass, at an altitude of 2188m, is located at the crossroads of winds, between France and Italy. It is among one of the places which receives the biggest quantities of snow in the Alps, and it is quite usual to see 5 to 8m on the ground up there. With its wide plateau, its small hills and cornices built by the wind, the Petit St Bernard pass is a magical place for snowkiters. And as a “cherry on the cake” we kite there facing Mt Blanc !

Ski school
Founded in 1964, “La Scuola di sci di La Thuile” now boasts 63 ski teachers of the highest technical ability and professionalism.
More of the classical downhill, cross country or snowboard ski teachers, there are instructors specialized in techniques such telemark, carving, snow blade and free ride.
Ski teacher are available to adventurous who want to explore out-of-bounds (off-piste) skiing with exciting but safe runs.

Heliskiing - Alpine guides
By helicopter skiers are taken up to the summit of the Rutor glacier (3.486 m.) or the Miravidi glacier (3.051 m.) where an Alpine guide leads the way down through very unique scenery. That is the helicopter experience offered from January 1 to the end of May.
The descent from Rutor glacier joins the Moroir village, France (1220 m.). The lunch time is in a typical Savoyard restaurant. The return to Piccolo San Bernardo is by French chairlifts. With the Miravidi run, it’s possible to arrive till Piccolo San Bernardo and to take lunch in a typical restaurant before to return in La Thuile by slopes. This run is matched with Mont Ouille descent. After the arriving by slopes, helicopter takes people from Piccolo San Bernardo to the top.
Other activities to try are indoor climbing wall, ice falls climbing and nocturnal snowshoe excursions.

Tracks map
The winter season in La Thuile is not only ski. There are many ways of getting about, while at the same time enjoying the snow, the sun, nature and panorama. It is for this reason that we have created some walks on the snow with different length that reach small villages, pinewoods and beautiful views.
To make it easier for you to note, items of particular interest along the walks, we have put up notice boards indicating the native plants and wildlife, the names of the surrounding mountains and valley and describing local weather conditions.

History and tradition
In the past times, conifer forests bordered summer cow pastures and fields of oats and rye.
In La Thuile, as everywhere, life was dictated by the growing season and the weather. With the discovery of carbon ore, the small town of La Thuile became a mining town, and this important activity became the nucleus of the economy.
Today the economy is driven by a much different force, as times have again changed. Having turned away from mining, La Thuile has transformed into one of the most reknowned tourist centers in the Aosta Valley. However, La Thuile has never been tempted by easy gains due to tourism and strives to maintain its character as a small mountain town, modern and well-equipped but at the same time aware of its humble origins. Together with the towns of La Salle, Morgex, Pré Saint Didier, and Courmayeur, La Thuile is situated in the ancient Vallis Digna, known as the last valley before French territory.
This valley is of notable historic relevance due the events it has witnessed since the times of Caesar Augustus. Above the valley on the Piccolo San Bernardo pass, another kind of history was made at the hospice built and run by Maurician monks. Today, it is restored and hosts cultural events and tourist information.
In the same area, there is a Celtic stone circle and the ruins of a Roman way station, currently being excavated.

La Thuile - the village
126 square kilometers of extension, is situated in the South West part of the Aosta Valley Region and borders on seven Aostan towns (Courmayeur, Pré-Saint-Didier, Morgex, La Salle, Avise, Arvier, Valgrisenche) and on four Savoyard ones (Sainte-Foy-en-Tarentaise, Montvalezan, Séez, Bourg-Saint-Maurice).
Thanks to its strategic position, it has always been considered an important route, particularly towards France through the ancient Roman way to Gaul at the Little Saint Bernard pass first, and then towards the central valley thanks to the alternative way through the Saint Charles Pass. The widest settlements stand along these outstanding roads: the town centre “Capoluogo”, Entrèves, Petite and Grande Golette, Pont Serrand are along the road towards the Little Saint Bernard Pass, while Bathieu, Moulin, Thovex, Buic and Preylon stand along the road leading to the town of Morgex.
Some smaller villages used to be a permanent or a temporary place to live for agricultural purposes (Les Granges, which is along the road to the Saint Charles pass, Promise and La Joux, which are along the road leading to the Valgrisenche through the Planaval pass), others used to be inhabited because of the ore deposits (Pera Carà and Villaret). The world of the mountain pastures, which are exploited in summer time only, stands on higher heights.
The building heritage of the town has always undergone great changes in order to suit the different events: there could have been houses for farmers, for miners or for tourists. At the moment, rural architecture has been transformed in order to appoint the existing buildings mainly to tourist houses, while community ones are no longer exploited.