Bardonecchia

Bardonecchia is not only a small fashionable mountain town or a popular all-year-round holiday destination, but also rated in the top ten of Italy’s resorts. Skiers have been flocking to these slopes for many years, bringing with them all the razzle dazzle of the Italian ski world, indeed one of Italy’s past Kings was said to be a regular visitor to this part of the Susa Valley.

In 2006, Bardonecchia played host to all the snowboarding events during the Turin Winter Olympics, so its a great opportunity to try out that crazy boardercross course they built.

As a town, this place has been around since the time of the Romans and although a lot of what you find here is old, clapped-out and in need of immediate repair, the place can still cut the mustard with a well set-out series of mountain slopes that are connected by some twenty-nine lifts.

The 140 kilometres of marked pistes cover a series of mountain faces that are split either side of the valley floor, and take in the hamlets of Campo Smith, Melezet and Jafferau. The main runs on the slopes of Bardonecchia will suit all levels, but overall are best for intermediates. Campo Smith and Melezet are pretty evenly split between beginners and intermediates, although one thing that is common with all areas are the constant lift queues, which at weekends and over holidays can be stupidly long.
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