Courmayeur is a legendary ski and climbing resort, rich in tradition and natural ambience.
The resort sits on the Italian side of Mont Blanc, Western Europe's highest mountain. The French resort of Chamonix is just over the border and lift-linked to one of Courmayeur's ski areas by a succession of six cable cars. These in turn open up a number of wonderful off-piste routes on both sides of the border, and a small glacier summer skiing lift on the Colledel Gegante glacier.
Heli-skiing is also popular here, the business buoyed up by skiers and snowboarders hopping over the border from France (where heliskiing is illegal).
The mountain scenery around Courmayeur is spectacular, with fourteen 4,000+ metre mountain peaks above. The resort is one of several internationally famous centres in the Aosta Valley which runs up Italy's northwest border with France and Switzerland. Unlike Chamonix, Courmayeur is a very atmospheric resort where ancient buildings huddle along cobbled streets. The whole place oozes traditional charm, although local planners have allowed a few ugly concrete buildings to appear.
Courmayeur offers skiing for all standards, including famous runs such as the resort's World Cup Downhill and the International, a 6 km (4 mile) run which drops 1000 metres (3300 feet) as it descends. Many runs are covered by snowmaking and the resort has a very good snow record.
There are two main ski areas. The largest, Checrouit - Val Veny, is directly above the resort, and is largely suited to beginners and intermediates, although there are some challenging off-piste descents from top to bottom which may be undertaken with the assistance of a guide. The Guide Society was established in 1850 as a free association of Alpine professionals.
The most famous run is the 20 km (13 mile) descent of the Vallée Blanche down to Chamonix from Helbronner Point (3369 m), reached in half an hour from the La Palud cable car station. The descent takes 4 to 5 hours allowing for breaks for food, drink and photographs. Once in Chamonix participants traditionally enjoy a "gigantic beer" before returning to Courmayeur by bus through the Mont Blanc Tunnel. For more experienced skiers there is a 2000 meter vertical descent down to La Palud which begins at Helbronner Point and continues over the Toula Glacier, after which it is named. Other popular runs are the Col d'Arp, l'Arp Veille and the Couloir of Dolonne.
| Vertical Drop: | 5025 ft
| Half Pipes: | - |
| Top Elevation: | 9042 ft | Snowmaking:
| - |
Skiable Acres:
| - | Total:
| 22km |
| Trails: | 24 | Restaurants:
| 93 |
| Lifts: | 22 | | |
Cable cars:
| 8 | | |
Източник:
www.goski.com 
