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Where can you go skiing in Italy from a French resort? Head to La Rosière
In winter, La Rosière offers the added bonus of combining skiing with a change of scenery. From this sunny resort in the Tarentaise Valley, you can cross the border on skis via the Espace San Bernardo to reach La Thuile in the Aosta Valley. It’s a ski area straddling the border between France and Italy, with I.L.Y La Rosière serving as your base.
On our way to Italy, without wasting a minute
For a day like this, it’s best to get an early start. At Le Bonami, breakfast is served starting at 7 a.m.: bread, pastries, fruit, eggs, cold cuts, and cheeses—everything you need to fuel up before heading out. With your international ski pass booked by the concierge and your ID in hand, head to the Olympic Sports ski room and its heated boot lockers to get geared up. All that’s left is to walk 300 meters to the Eucherts Express chairlift to access the resort’s 156 km of slopes.
Cross the border without taking off your skis
On the French side, wide, sun-drenched slopes lead to the Petit-Saint-Bernard Pass, with a stop at the Panoramic Experience: a suspension bridge at over 2,300 meters offering a 360° view of Mont Blanc and the pass. Allow 30 minutes to 1 hour to reach the border, then 1 to 2 hours to get to La Thuile, depending on your skill level and how crowded the slopes are. The descent toward the Italian side unfolds against a backdrop of spectacular scenery, featuring alpine terrain and larch forests. Experienced skiers, meanwhile, can test their skills on Run No. 3, the Franco Berthod, the site of Women’s World Cup races, with slopes reaching 76%.
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Buongiorno, La Thuile
In this village at 1,441 m, dominated by the Rutor Glacier, everything is different: the architecture, the language, and the cuisine. On a high-altitude terrace recommended by the I.L.Y. team, you can savor fresh pasta, fontina cheese, and motsetta, or a Valdostan cutlet, all paired with a glass of local white wine (excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to your health; please drink responsibly). Before strapping on your skis again, we step into local craft shops to find a “grolla”—a carved wooden wine cup said to be linked to the Holy Grail—or a “coupe de l’amitié,” a multi-spouted vessel passed from guest to guest to share the traditional Aosta Valley-style coffee, a blend of coffee, wine, sugar, and spices. But keep an eye on the time: you’ll need to get back to La Rosière before the lifts close.
An après-skiexperienceto match the setting
And after a day spent hitting the slopes and exploring the valley, what a pleasure it is to return to the cozy comfort and warm atmosphere of I.L.Y. At the NUXE spa, 420 m² of wood-paneled space opening onto the mountains invites you to forget the kilometers you’ve covered on the slopes. On the agenda: a few laps in the pool with a view, a break in the hot tub facing the peaks, a session in the sauna or steam room—or perhaps treating yourself to a massage to soothe the muscles worked throughout the day. Once your muscles are relaxed, settle in on the terrace, where fire pits provide warmth as the sun sets, before enjoying a drink at St. B. by the fireplace. For dinner, there’s something for everyone: contemporary, seasonal cuisine at Bonami, or comforting classics at Mazot, featuring fondue, raclette, and onion soup.
Written by Fabienne Huart.
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