For lovers of diverse ski & sightseeing safari holidays that aren't afraid to drive on a few questionable roads to get to the goods, Aosta & the surrounding valley makes a wonderful destination. A great example was what we did in January & late February 2025. We headed to the Valle d'Aosta from Chamonix via the Mont Blanc Tunnel. The tunnel emerges near the base of the Skyway Monte Bianco, surrounded by mountain splendour. We stayed in an ancient stone house in Morgex village, then skied La Thuile (& La Rosiere France), Cogne and ski-toured into the spectacular peaks above the village of Rhêmes-Notre-Dame. later in February, we returned on our way back from the Via Lattea & Prali to stay overnight in the valley at the incredible Forte di Bard, briefly visited the Castle Fenis (because we love castles!), then skied Crevacol before heading into Switzerland via the Grand St Bernard Pass to Verbier! So good.

The one thing about the Aosta valley is that it can seem rather grey and dry. Snow doesn't last in the valley as much as it used to (except up near Courmayeur), and the stone building, deciduous forests and barren fields can seem a little bleak on occasions. But that is all part of the journey. The mountains above are magnificent and the plethora of small, medium and mega-sized ski resorts is a joy to experience.

Worth knowing is that the train line between Ivrea and Aosta is undergoing electrification works along 66km of the route. Whilst this will vastly improve the services on the line, it wont be fully open again until December 2026. Regardless of the train, a ski & sightseeing safari in the valley is best undertaken with a good quality all-wheel-drive rental car.

To look at the reviews in this section one would think that the last time we came to the Aosta valley was in 2018. That's not true at all. We tend to come here, or at least to parts of the valley, every season, but we are clearly too slack to write about it all the time! We will endeavour to be more timely in our ruminations going forward .... in the meantime, visit the Valle d'Aosta. See our thoughts on the pros and cons of this region via our Aosta - Valle d’Aosta overview page.

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The capital of the famed Valle d'Aosta, Aosta is up there with the world's best ski cities. Surrounded by western Europe's highest mountains, Aosta's 9 diverse ski resorts, ooodles of history & awesome restaurants get it the double thumbs up from Powderhounds.

The skiing from Aosta is sensational. Whilst Aosta is low enough that it doesn't necessarily have much snow on the ground, the Pila ski resort gondola goes direct from the centre of town. Pila is seriously under-rated as a ski hill & is well worth exploration. Day trips are possible to all other resorts. Larger world class resorts like Cervinia (below the Matterhorn), Monterosa, Courmayeur & La Thuile are fabulous. And then the quirky small resorts including Crevacol, Chamois & Champorcher offer great value skiing in splendid surrounds. We rate Crevacol as a powder paradise and Chamois is one of the most beautiful alpine villages we ever visited.

Aosta has a fabulous history that is visible throughout the town & through the valley. Visiting castles, fortifications, Roman bridges & ruins is fun as well as instructive. The Aosta town centre has numerous historical structures including the old town walls & towers, Porta Praetoria, Roman theatre and Arch of Augustine - some of which are visible from the car park at the Pila cable car! Down the valley are a number of castles, forts and other structures worthy of a visit including beautiful Castello di Fenis, the imposing Forte di Bard and the 2000 year old Pont St Martin in ....... St Martin!!

Aosta's numerous laneways, nooks & crannies in its old town hide intriguing shops selling local wares including the traditional wooden 'coppe trattate' communal drinking vessels. Sneaky little bars & restaurants are hidden throughout as well. 

We love Aosta and its splendid valley so much that we will likely return year after year.
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Have spent time in Aosta for the past two seasons. Love coming back there. So many ski resorts to play in (Monterosa, Courmayeur & La Thuile are my faves), great shopping & beautiful local food in the restaurants (in town & nearby villages like Fenis). Roman ruins and monuments throughout the centre of Aosta were an intriguing surprise.

Have driven there, taken a bus direct from the airport & traveled on the train from Aosta to central Milan. Whilst the public transport is good, having your own car makes skiing the area easy. We even drove to Verbier in Switzerland for a ski day.

Base yourself in Aosta to sample it all.
See our video here