In the beautiful Alpine valley of Aosta, at an altitude of 2050 m, there is one of the most popular European ski resorts – Cervinia, which got its name from the Italian “Monte Cervino” (Matterhorn). The resort has excellent opportunities for skiing not only in winter, but also in summer – there are picturesque slopes of varying difficulty, including dizzying slopes for experienced skiers. In addition to skiing, Cervinia has many other attractions: a large selection of winter sports, the highest golf course in Europe, one of the best snow parks in Italy, as well as numerous restaurants with excellent cuisine, cozy bars and lively nightclubs.
History
The history of the resort of Cervinia began more than 200 years ago, when the Breuil Valley, lying at the foot of Mount Cervino, was a picturesque alpine pasture with many lakes, rivers and emerald meadows, and it was very difficult to get here. However, the beauty of untouched nature and snowy slopes attracted many climbers to Cervinia, and in 1934 a village with several houses was founded, and in 1936 the first ski lift was opened. Today Cervinia is a comfortable modern resort with excellent opportunities for skiing.
Monthly average daily air temperature (°C):
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
-8° | -5.3° | +1° | +6.3° | +11° | +14.7° | +17.4° | +15.9° | +11.9° | +5° | +2.7° | -5.6° |
Geography
Resort Cervinia (Breuil-Cervinia Valtournenche) is located in the north-west of Italy, in the Aosta Valley, at an altitude of 2050-3488 m, at the foot of two famous peaks – Matterhorn (Matterhorn) and Monte Rosa (Monte Rosa).
Getting
there The nearest international airports are Caselle in Turin (118 km) and Malpensa (160 km) and Linate (180 km) in Milan.
Slopes, slopes, lifts
The extensive ski area in Cervinia, combined with the Swiss resort of Zermatt (Breuil-Cervinia – Valtournenche – Zermatt) is 350 km (150 km – Cervinia slopes) and includes 30% for beginners, 60% of medium difficulty and 10% of difficult ones.
Elevation difference: 1524 m (Valtournenche) – 3840 m (Breuil-Cervinia).
Total number of lifts: 24 in Breuil-Cervinia Valtournenche + 33 in Zermatt.
The maximum height reached by the ski lifts is 3.883 m (Piccolo Cervino mountain).
Cross-country skiing trails are 18 km: 3 km in Breuil-Cervinia + 15 km in Valtournenche.
Trails for summer skiing – 5.5 km (in Breuil-Cervinia).
The slopes of Cervinia are interesting, first of all, for intermediate skiers. A gondola and funicular lead from the village to Plan Maisons, from where you can head in any direction you like. You can enjoy both simple skiing and more difficult tracks – straight from the middle station, beginners should head to Furgen, from where a long blue track leads to the very bottom. For those who feel more confident, the red runs on Sim Blanche. On the Swiss side, in Zermatt you can enjoy glacier skiing. On snowy days, especially when the top lifts are closed due to the wind, off-piste skiing on the wooded slope above Celoalto is a great pleasure.
Also, Cervinia provides a unique opportunity for summer skiing – 30 km of slopes are provided for skiers in the summer season – from July 4 to August 31.
Ski schools and kindergartens
The resort has 2 ski schools. The new (non-ski) Kindergarten in Biancaneve accepts children from 2 to 8 years old, and young skiers can enroll in a children’s group at the same ski school as adults. The children’s area at Plan Maison is a playground where children can have fun under the supervision of their parents.
Sports and entertainment
The resort has a wide range of conditions for sports, there are: the highest golf course in Europe, tennis courts, an ice palace with a skating rink, an indoor pool, a bowling alley. In addition to skiing, the resort offers snowboarding (there is a well-equipped half-pipe), helicopter flights, rock climbing, horseback riding, rafting, and fishing.
In addition, Cervinia has one of the best snow parks in Italy – Indian Park, located at an altitude of 3000 m and occupying 40,000 sq.m (400 m long and 100 m wide). It offers a huge selection of all kinds of exciting snow rides.
Restaurants, bars, shops
Cervinia offers not only great opportunities for sports, but also many other conditions for recreation: there are about 40 restaurants and bars, nightclubs, numerous shops and souvenir shops.
So, restaurants located right on the slopes, next to the slopes, are a great place to relax, where you can not only eat delicious food, but also enjoy stunning views of the surrounding landscapes. For example, the restaurant/bar Bontadini with an outdoor terrace, located at an altitude of 3100 m, offers excellent Alpine and international cuisine, or the cozy family restaurant La Mota, located right on the track, where you can taste typical local dishes and homemade desserts, and in the Tuktu restaurant, located on the Plan Maison, it is pleasant to relax on the terrace, enjoying champagne and oysters. Excellent cuisine at Hermitage and Bistro de l’Abbee restaurants, La Tana is famous for wild boar roast and porcini mushrooms, Al Solito Posta and Matterhorn pizzerias serve excellent pizza, and Chalet Etoile,
Popular resort bars: Lino – a bar next to the skating rink, Imeletrob cocktail bar – the liveliest institution, Copa Pan bar, decorated in a rustic style, Yeti sports bar located in the heart of Cervinia, as well as Bianconiglio nightclub, where musical rhythms play on all tastes and first-class drinks are served.