Italy’s Aosta Valley heads into winter 2026/27 with new gondolas at Courmayeur and La Thuile, two new direct ski flights from the UK to Turin, and a local hero fresh from double Olympic gold. Wrapped by Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn and Monte Rosa, the region packs five major ski areas, and some of the best-value lift passes in the Alps into one compact valley.
Here are ten reasons the Aosta Valley deserves a place on your radar this winter.
1. Ski the home slopes of Italy’s new Olympic queen
At the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, Federica Brignone won gold in both the super-G and the giant slalom, becoming the most decorated female alpine skier in Italian history. Brignone grew up in the Aosta Valley and still lives in La Salle, a village just below Courmayeur. Visitors can now ski the run that bears her name, piste 14 at Courmayeur, on the same Mont Blanc slopes where she learned her craft.
2. Brand-new gondolas at Courmayeur and La Thuile
Courmayeur opens this season with two new 10-seat panoramic gondolas at Plan Checrouit, a project of around €40 million that replaces older lifts and cuts peak-time queues. Next door, La Thuile unveils a new 10-seat gondola to Chaz Dura, with 74 cabins carrying 3,000 people an hour up around 600 vertical metres.
3. New direct ski flights from Gatwick and Glasgow
Getting there is easier than ever this winter. Jet2 launches a new weekly Sunday service from London Gatwick to Turin from 13 December 2026, while Ryanair starts weekly Saturday flights from Glasgow Prestwick to Turin from 12 December 2026. They join existing routes to Turin from Dublin, Shannon, Belfast, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh and London, with the main resorts around two hours’ drive from the airport.
4. Italy’s Alps are Europe’s best value
Italy took six of the ten best-value ski resorts in Europe in the Post Office Travel Money Ski Report 2026, and two of them are in the Aosta Valley. Cervinia ranked eighth and La Thuile tenth for adult skiers, with La Thuile also making the family top ten. Five of the region’s ski areas, Cervino Ski Paradise, Courmayeur Mont Blanc, La Thuile, Monterosa Ski and Pila, are also on the Ikon Pass.
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5. Made for families and February half-term
Courmayeur’s Maison Vieille beginner area gains two new magic carpets this season, while Monterosa Ski is adding a new themed playground at Crest, above Champoluc. Every resort has its own ski school, and Courmayeur’s Scuola di Sci Monte Bianco has been teaching beginners for more than 90 years. Gentle nursery slopes, short transfers and Italian prices make the valley an easy half-term choice.
6. From Roman city to ski slopes in one gondola ride
Pila is one of the few ski areas in the Alps reached by gondola straight from a historic city centre, rising from Aosta to the slopes. This winter it adds the new Stella di Pila viewpoint at 2,723m and smartphone ski passes that skip the ticket office entirely. The Aosta–Pila–Stella gondola runs until 2 May 2027, making it one of the longest seasons in the region.
7. Ride a rotating cable car to 3,466m on Mont Blanc
Skyway Monte Bianco lifts visitors from Courmayeur to Punta Helbronner at 3,466m in cabins that rotate a full 360 degrees on the way up. At the top, the circular viewing terrace looks across the roof of Europe to the Matterhorn and Monte Rosa. For experienced skiers with a guide, it is also the gateway to the legendary 20km Vallée Blanche off-piste descent.
8. Heli-skiing and freeride without crossing the world
The Aosta Valley is one of the few places in Europe where heli-skiing is permitted, with drops available from Courmayeur, La Thuile and Gressoney. Gressoney and the Monterosa area are known as the home of Italian off-piste skiing, while Courmayeur’s Youla couloirs draw freeriders from across the Alps. It is a big-mountain adventure, a short flight from home.
9. A 1,000-year-old craft fair: the Fiera di Sant’Orso
On 30 and 31 January 2027, the streets of Aosta fill for the 1,027th Fiera di Sant’Orso, a tradition dating back more than ten centuries. Hundreds of local artisans sell hand-carved wood, stone, wrought iron, wool and lace, while mulled wine and local food keep the crowds warm. Pair it with a walk through Aosta’s Roman walls, theatre and gates, founded as Augusta Praetoria in 25 BC.
10. Alpine food, Europe’s highest vines and Mont Blanc spa time
After skiing, the Aosta Valley tastes of Fontina cheese fondue, cured meats and hearty polenta, best shared from a carved wooden coppa dell’amicizia (friendship cup). The crisp white Blanc de Morgex et de La Salle is grown at around 1,200m, among the highest vineyards in Europe. Round off the day at the thermal pools of QC Terme in Pré-Saint-Didier, soaking outdoors with views of Mont Blanc.
