Ski Lifts in Courmayeur
Courmayeur itself has 21 lifts covering 140km of runs including official off-piste trails. Despite a couple of antiquated cable cars and some slow chairlifts, queues are not generally a problem in Courmayeur.
Courmayeur Ski Lifts
Courmayeur itself is located at an altitude of 1,224m and the highest lift arrives at an altitude of 2,755m (3,462m at the Punta Helbronner for off piste descents) The ski ifts run from early December until mid April. The ski area is quite compact which makes Courmayeur a great resort for mixed ability groups. Serviced by a mixture of new and older lifts, the pisted runs are clearly marked and well groomed throughout the season. Though the area can become busy at peak holiday periods and some weekends, for the most part queuing is not an issue.
There are four lifts from the valley: the main Courmayeur cable car, on the western fringe of the town; the Dolonne gondola from the hamlet of Dolonne; the Val Veny cable car, close to the hamlet of Entreves; and the Monte Bianco Skyway also at Entreves, which accesses the separate off-piste skiing area below Punta Helbronner.
The Courmayeur and Dolonne lifts arrive in Plan Checrouit, which is a focal point in the Courmayeur ski area and the normal starting point for Ski School lessons. The Biancaneve Mini Club for children is also located in Plan Checrouit along with ski school booking offices and a choice of hire shops, restaurants and bars. The easier blue runs are accessed from Plan Checrouit and beginners, as well as families with young children are advised to choose accommodation which offers reasonable access to either the Courmayeur or Dolonne lift.
The Val Veny cable car arrives in Pre de Pascal, which also has a hire shop, ski school booking office and a good bar and restaurant. From Pre de Pascal the first descent is on the long blue run towards Zerotta, which though not difficult, has a couple of steepish sections. The views from Pre de Pascal towards Mont Blanc and the glaciers are spectacular.
There are moving carpet lifts for beginners in both Plan Checrouit and Pre de Pascal, though due to space limitations, the magic carpet in Plan Checrouit can only be used when accompanied by a ski instructor.
The Monte Bianco Skyway give access to some of Courmayeur’s off-piste ski and board areas, including the Toula glacier and the famous Vallèe Blanche descent to Chamonix. Departing from Entrevers, the Skyway transports you to Punta Helbronner, at a height of 3,462m, via pavillon. On a clear day it is well worth taking the trip, even without planning to ski, just to admire the spectacular views from the top.
Courmayeur Lift Passes
Lift passes can be purchased at the bottom of all 4 valley lift stations. The cheapest of the available lift passes covers the 21 ski lifts and 100km of pisted runs in Courmayeur itself, and a 6-day Courmayeur pass allows for two days in neighbouring Aosta Valley resorts – La Thuile and Pila are both relatively easy to reach. Alternatively the Mont Blanc Unlimited pass covers the lifts in Courmayeur and Chamonix (including Les Houches and the Grands Montets cable car at Argentiere), plus Verbier (hard to reach, ski in and return from in a day without your own car) and the Mont Blanc Evasion area which includes Megeve and St Gervais (even harder to reach. ski in and return from in a day without your own car). This gives access to all the skiing you could possibly want but it is pricey., and it’s only really worth it for advanced skiers with their own transport who intend to do a lot of skiing away from Courmayeur itself. Everyone else is probably better off j buying the Courmayeur pass and supplementing it with occasional Chamonix day passes.
Reduced rate passes are available to the over 65’s and under 14’s. Children under 8 years of age qualify for a free pass where an accompanying adult buys one of the same duration. Proof of age is required for free or reduced rate passes. Beginners can purchase a daily pass which covers the cable car to Plan Checrouit and use of the easiest blue runs in that area. Non-skiers can buy reasonably priced return tickets for the cable cars and the Dolonne gondola.