La Rosière - Slope

The size of the Espace San Bernardo, which links the ski areas of La Rosière in France and La Thuile in Italy, is such that it offers plenty of skiing for all ability levels. The season lasts from mid-December to mid-April and the resort has a good snow record.

Intermediates will want to take the long Bellecombe drag lifts across the border plateau to access the vertical down to La Thuile. The runs on the Italian side offer some contrast to those in France, with the resort lower and somewhat older, meaning there are some narrow runs cut through the forest here, whereas in La Rosière, almost all trails a wide, open and above the treeline.

Advanced skiers have more than a dozen black runs to enjoy on each side of the border, including the 3.6km-long (2.3 miles) Franco Berthod piste, regarded as one of the toughest at the resort. Heli-skiing with a high mountain guide, reputed to be some of the world’s most exciting and affordable, will be a temptation with popular routes down from Miravidi and Mont Ouille (both providing vertical descents), or from Ruitor, which offers a huge vertical of virgin powder snow.

La Rosière has fully embraced new snow sports and operates a snow park with various lines for different ability levels, as well as offering activities such as snow kiting. There are also ski cross and boardercross courses and a speed-riding school in La Rosière.