LA THUILE - Before the Christmas holidays, the Immaculate Conception, from 8 to 11 December, offers the opportunity to spend a few days away from home, perhaps to return to ski in the areas already open and ready to welcome sportsmen and mountain lovers .
In Valle d'Aosta, the Espace San Bernardo di La Thuile area is ready to open the 152 kilometers of slopes and from 10 December also the connection with La Rosière, which allows you to get to France on skis.
Until 24 December, the daily ski pass costs 46.50 euros (then it will rise to 51) and the one for 6 days will cost 244 euros.
Among this year's novelties are a new marked and safe alpine ski route and a connection between Italy and France to reach high altitudes.
There are many sports that can be practiced in addition to the traditional alpine skiing: cross-country skiing, snowboarding, walking with snowshoes or on foot in the woods and with a guide, stops in the small alpine villages to discover the history of the area.
Info: lathuile.it The Courmayeur-Chécrouit/Val Veny ski area opens the winter season during the Immaculate Conception holiday with 43 kilometers of slopes and 60 off-piste.
You can choose between the Chécrouit side, which can be reached by cable car from Courmayeur or the Dolonne cable car, and the long slopes through the woods of Val Vény, accessible thanks to the Entrèves cable car.
The most famous slopes are Chécrouit, Youla and Gigante, but also that of the Bear in the "wild" style, specially ungroomed and full of humps.
For freestyle lovers, between the Aretù and Chécrouit slopes, there is
it is a snow park where you can perfect your tricks and acrobatics in complete safety.
Among the experiences not to be missed, the Skyway Monte Bianco: transparent, circular and rotating cabins, to allow you to admire the landscape from every angle.
Inside the stations - the intermediate one of the Pavillon and the final one Punta Helbronner - restaurants and clubs offer traditional Aosta Valley dishes.
Not to be missed is the circular terrace at the top of Punta Helbronner, a natural glacier observatory.
Those who don't ski can snowshoe or walk along the paths of Val Vény and Val Ferret and dine in the refuge.
Info: courmayeurmontblanc.it Lots of news and offers for winter sports enthusiasts at the Valmalenco Bernina Ski Resort, an area in the heart of the
Alpe Palù which on 7 December opens its 50 kilometers of slopes with different gradients and levels of difficulty.
Among the new features, the restyling of the iconic Snow Eagle cable car stands out, the largest in the world with cabins for 160 people, and the Thoeni slope, a track full of slopes.
New maps have also been created with indications of slopes, refuges and activities to be carried out throughout the district;
there are also free admissions for young skiers up to 8 years of age.
Finally, for those looking for the ideal place to stop and eat, in San Giuseppe there is the new "Taragna & Champagne" restaurant, located directly on the slopes, at the chairlift departure point.
But along the slopes of the area there are also numerous refuges, including La Baita Flinstones of Alpe Palù,
Info: valmalencoskiresort.com The Cortina Tofana-Freccia nel Cielo ski area reopens in the Belluno Dolomites, with its legendary Olympic slopes and sweet alpine life.
To connect the 120 kilometers of slopes there are 36 lifts;
among these the famous Tofana-Freccia nel Cielo, the iconic cable car of the Dolomites, offers the possibility of being the first to hit the slopes as early as 8.15 in the morning.
Among the novelties there is also the opening of the Ra Stradéla connection which guarantees skiers to reach the Capanna Ra Valles restaurant directly from the Tofana slopes.
And again, the connection to the new Cortina Skyline cable car between Son dei Prade, Cianzopé and Bai de Dones which allows everyone, on skis, to move from Cortina to the Cinque Torri,
to Lagazuoi and from there perhaps descend to Alta Badia along the Armentarola and vice versa.
For those who don't ski but want to enjoy the beauties of the Dolomites, there is a seasonal pass for 150 euros and a weekly pass for 40. Info: Freccianelcielo.com Furthermore, from 8 to 11 December, the Cortina Fashion Weekend event is planned, which combines sport, nature and fashion.
Info: cortinafashionweekend.cortinaforus.it The Buffaure lifts are already in operation, in the heart of Val di Fassa, where you can ski among the most beautiful Dolomite peaks, from Sassolungo to Sassopiatto, from Catinaccio to the Sella Group up to the Marmolada.
It is a ski area that allows you to admire natural but also artistic beauties: along the routes, in fact, there are works of land art, such as the panoramic seats and the giant bregostana, a tribute to the witches of Ladin legends.
L'
artist Franz Avancini also created a pack of five wolves and an eagle in larch with a wingspan of 12 meters.
On the Buffaure there are tracks for all levels of difficulty: in addition to the red slopes, including the Panorama with bumps, there is the adrenaline-pumping "Vulcano", a black one with gradient peaks of 38%.
For the less experienced, at the arrival of the gondola lift from Pozza di Fassa there is the school camp, from where the blue slope named after Salvan, the legendary character who lives in these woods, also starts.
Info: buffaure.it The ski area that embraces the Tre Cime di Lavaredo is ideal for winter holidays with the whole family: among the many resorts there is Dobbiaco, famous above all for cross-country skiing, with 200 kilometers of slopes and circuits suitable for all levels.
By staying in their hotel you can access the wellness center with hay and arnica baths, juniper and pine essences, massages, saunas, Kneipp, aromatic baths in the larch tub.
Among the new features is the panoramic sauna to enjoy the view over the Landro Valley, which connects Dobbiaco to Cortina.
Info: romantikhotels.com (ANSA).