Hidden Secrets of Courmayeur in Summer

Discover the secrets of Courmayeur in summer. The ideal destination for all sports and mountain lovers, in summer, Courmayeur offers many activities to fill up with sensations under the big blue sky: mountaineering, rafting but also trekking in high and medium mountains to discover grandiose panoramas, not to mention golf and climbing.

Only a few minutes from the center of Courmayeur, a cable car open every day on a non-stop schedule, heads for the Plan Checrouit at an altitude of more than 1,700m from which many trails start crossing meadows, alpine clearings and run along small mountain ponds to hike or simply bask in the sun, have a picnic and take a splash in the highest alpine pool in Europe.

Far from the crowds, in the rivers, kayaking and canyoning sessions are a must for those who like new experiences. Finally, the forests and trails, the undisputed realm of freeriders in winter, become the ideal terrain for downhill mountain biking, thrills guaranteed. Learn more about sport in Courmayeur, click here.

Refined Franco-Italian-Swiss cuisine

Discover the local gastronomy with authentic flavors, showcasing regional products with elegant refinement. An exquisite Franco-Italian-Swiss culinary mix, the terroir is honored here through a series of gourmet and chic locations that have forged the reputation of the Aosta Valley. It must be said that after a long day of sporting activities, the typical dishes of Courmayeur (from polenta to local cheeses, including game) are a well deserved reward.

At the  Petit Royal , the gastronomic table of the mythical Hôtel Royal et Golf, in the heart of the historic center of the city, the young starred Italian chef Paolo Griffa leads the dance with great dishes pimped with a selection of aromatic herbs with a fresh and unique taste. At  the Aubergine , restaurant of the Auberge de la Maison, you can taste local specialties such as gnocchi with sylvatic herbs from the Aosta Valley, Jambon de Bosses DOP and cheeses from the Aosta Valley, in a room lit by light candles with a view of Mont-Blanc. Baita Ermitage  serves good traditional Aosta Valley cuisine, while  La Fourchette, restaurant of the Grand Hotel Courmayeur Mont Blanc, is distinguished by its refined cuisine and the Alpine and warm atmosphere of the place.

Unwind after a long day

Courmayeur offers a revised and corrected version of relaxation. Whether you want to treat yourself to a relaxing massage, performed with essential oils whose scent evokes the forest or alpine stones after a day of hiking or a complete cure, these moments of relaxation are lavished in the heart of the city’s hotels. , which offer breathtaking views of the valley.

Among these cocoon spaces, the spa of the Gran Baita hotel has a beautiful indoor and outdoor swimming pool heated to 32°, an indoor and outdoor panoramic sauna with chromotherapy, a hammam, emotional showers, as well as a relaxation area, and a beauty center with a wide menu of care and treatments based on regional products, such as honey, genepi or pippin apple.

At the Le Massif hotel spa , the energies of the forest and its essences give life to rituals and treatments during which you feel the benefits of nature.

Whether you want to take some time for yourself or slow down, La Maison d’Eau at Auberge de la Maison is an essential destination to rediscover the Glow of life. This well-being center nestled in the heart of Alpine nature offers well-being courses and tailor-made treatments: hydromassage and chromotherapy, while admiring the panorama of the Alps and the Entrèves meadows; Finnish sauna or steam bath to regenerate mind and body; Alpine aromatic massages on beds of flowers and mountain plants.

Face to face with the peaks of Mont Blanc

The Skyway Monte Bianco cable car offers an unforgettable experience between heaven and earth with breathtaking views of the Mont-Blanc massif, the Aosta Valley and the Alps. Unique in the world, this cable car takes you to Punta Helbronner at an altitude of 3,466 meters in the immediate vicinity of Mont-Blanc, in just 20 minutes. A true journey to the heart of Mont Blanc, this unprecedented adventure opens the way to the mountains that have made the history of mountaineering and to the most panoramic trails in the Alps. A suspended setting where nature is fully preserved.

To prolong the escape, head to the Saussurea botanical garden at an altitude of 2173m, located at the second station of the Skyway Monte Bianco, which includes nearly 900 plant species.

Created by Laurent Ferretti with the support of the European Union and thanks to the European Regional Development Fund, the project aims to highlight the flora and vegetation that inhabit the Alps.

To reinforce its commitment to sustainable development, Courmayeur Mont-Blanc has decided to repopulate the left hill that can be seen during the ascent by planting the cherry trees that once grew there, to restore its ancient and natural image, and offer everyone the spectacle of cherry blossoms against a backdrop of eternal snow.

The gardens provide oxygen at the foot of Mont-Blanc and is part of the #Savetheglacier project, an environmental and social project created by Skyway Monte Bianco to undertake concrete actions in favor of the alpine community. Cherry trees will help to mitigate the effect of global warming on glaciers and, by studying them, it will be possible to calculate the amount of CO2 that each plant is able to capture in a year. 

Article and photos courtesy Courmayeur Mont Blanc Tourism