Travel to Ayas with ski insurance from Essential Travel

Ayas Valley lies in the heart of the western Italian Alps, between Gressoney Valley on the east and Valtournenche Valley. It encompasses numerous picturesque villages, including the ski resorts of Champoluc, Antagnod and Frachey. The ski resort villages of Ayas are quaint and traditional, while simultaneously offering a modern sports and entertainment programmes to their visitors.

Together, Champoluc, Frachey and Antagnod offer 180kms of downhill slopes, generally well-protected with good snow cover. However, the pistes that link the different resorts are served by 400 installations of artificial snow, which give the possibility of skiing on 70kms of track even when there is little snow around. The three resorts in the Ayas Valley have an interconnected system of 18 lifts, and it is also possible to cross over into the nearby ski area of Gressoney-La Trinite.

Alternatives offered to the downhill ski slopes in Ayas are heli-skiing, mono-skiing, ice-skating, snowboarding and mountaineering. Those who still have the energy for nightlife after a full day’s activities can exhaust themselves at one of the numerous bars, nightclubs and discos in the resorts, or at the casino at nearby St Vincent.

Particularly worth visiting is Lignod, a village totally composed of ancient buildings known as ‘rascards’, and also featuring a little chapel. Alternatively, Graines is where the remnants of a 10th century castle can be found.

The ski season at the Ayas resorts runs from December to April. The most convenient means of reaching the resort area is by flying into Turin’s Caselle Airport - approximately one hour from Ayas. You can complete the journey by road.

Skiing in Ayas

The Ayas Valley is one of Italy’s best-kept skiing secrets, located in the western Alps and flanked by Valtournenche to the west and Gressoney to the east. Ayas encompasses three ski resorts – Champoluc, Frachey and Antagnod - featuring a vast skiing area blanketed by predictable snow. The glaciers of the Mont Rosa range provide a gorgeous backdrop to the beautiful valley of Ayas, and afford wonderful skiing on extensive slopes.

Champoluc, Frachey and Antagnod comprise a total slope distance of 180kms, with the various pistes linked by a system of 18 lifts, which also provide access to the neighbouring ski area of Gressoney-La Trinite.

The skiing offered at the Ayas resorts is predominantly suitable for beginners and intermediate skiers, with 33 per cent and 55 per cent of runs devoted to these levels. Advanced and expert skiers may find the area rather lacking, with only 12 per cent of slopes on which to strut their stuff. However, Ayas is an ideal destination for families, as child skiers are particularly well-catered for. Cross-country and excursion fans will also be kept happy, with 35kms of tracks at their disposal.

The ski season at Ayas runs from December to April. The valley can be reached by road, or by a combination of either rail and road, or air and road.

Après-ski in Ayas

There are numerous exciting alternatives to skiing in Ayas, including heli-skiing, mono-skiing, ice-skating, snowboarding and mountaineering. Fun in post-slope hours is offered by a diversity of restaurants, bars, nightclubs and discos in the various resorts, as well as a casino at St Vincent.

Visitors can choose their style of lodging according to their preferences and budget requirements – the valley has a range of accommodation options, including hotels, pensions, chalets, apartments, private residences and holiday villages. Services offered in the resort towns encompass a variety of shops, along with childcare and first-aid facilities.

Facilities in the resort towns include a variety of restaurants and shops, first-aid and childcare services, and a cinema. Accommodation is diverse and visitors can choose between a wide range of hotels, pensions, chalets, apartments, private homes and holiday villages.

In addition to the slopes and facilities provided by the ski resorts, the Ayas region offers excellent opportunities for exploration of the surrounding areas. There are a multitude of beguiling Alpine villages nearby that have done a wonderful job of preserving their history, traditions and culture.

Transportation to Ayas

The Ayas Valley is accessible by various forms of transportation, but can only be reached directly by car. Alternatives are taking a number of buses, or taking either a combination of rail and road, or air and road. As Turin’s airport is located only an hour from Ayas, the most convenient way of reaching the resort is by flying, followed by road transportation.

If you opt for driving to the Ayas region, you will need to take a car ferry to get to the European continent. Most visitors coming from the UK utilise the car ferries running to France, and continue their journey to Italy by road.

If you are travelling from France or Switzerland, the Ayas Valley can be reached via the Gran San Bernardo Tunnel, then the slip road to Turin and the exit to Verrès. Once you have turned off to Verrès, follow the signs to Champoluc. If you are travelling from within Italy, take the A5 motorway to Aosta and then the SS506, once again following the signs to Champoluc.

Alternatively, Ayas can be reached by rail transportation, and a short bus journey. The Eurostar runs from Waterloo station in the UK to Paris, from where you can connect with a direct overnight express train (run by a consortium of French and Italian trains known as Artesia) to Milan. From Milan, you can continue your journey by road, or connect with a local train to Verres, 27kms from Ayas, from where you can take a bus transfer to complete the journey.

Air travel is the most expensive form of transportation to the Ayas Valley, but also the quickest and most convenient – and advisable if you have time constraints. You have the option of flying into the international airports at Turin (one hour by road from Ayas), Milan (1 hour, 30 minutes) or Geneva (1 hour, 30 minutes). Whichever airport you fly to, you will need to complete your journey by car or bus.

Eurolines buses come to Italy from all over Europe. Once in the country, you can connect with local buses to Ayas

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