Pila

The resort is popular with families and school groups. Set above the old Roman town of Aosta - a 15-minute gondola ride away or reached by a 30-minute drive on a winding road, home to yet more breathtaking views. Like so many other Aosta Valley resorts, Pila is pretty quiet during the week but can be hectic at weekends. It has a classic, relaxed Italian atmosphere, with no huge night time entertainment to speak of.

 

Chairlifts (some fast, most slow) and a cable car serve a fair-sized and interesting mix of well-groomed, snow-sure slopes. The treeline is high, at about 2300m, and most runs are below it, making this an excellent bad-weather resort. From the top heights there are grand views to Mont Blanc in the west and the Matterhorn in the east. There are runs for all standards, but mostly they are reds. The few blacks, above the treeline at the top of the area, don't amount to much, though there is quite a bit of off-piste. There are two short beginner lifts, but progression to longer runs means using a central run, which when the resort is busy is quite hectic.