Courmayeur: Serious Skiing, Endless Fun

In Northern Italy, right at the foot of the world-famous Mont Blanc

, the town of Courmayeur sits like a quiet little old friend awaiting your return. Its breathtaking beauty and grandeur are such that whatever challenges you had in wrestling over your Geneva airport ski transfers are well worth it. And if youre in town to enjoy a weekend or maybe a full week of gliding over its powder-fine snow and modern facilities, you should know Courmayeur is not all about skiingthe town has much more to offer if you know where to look.

The Botanical Garden in the Clouds

Self-described as the highest botanical garden in Europe (after all, nobody has had the courage to challenge that claim), the Giardino Botanica Alpino Saussurea is an unforgettable destination during the warm months when its various species of flora are in full bloom (or at least, not covered in metres of snow). Located at an altitude of more than 2000 meters above sea level, it is highly accessible right at the first station of the Mont Blanc cable car that serves the area. For eight or nine months a year, however, going straight to this garden from your Geneva airport ski transfers might be less fascinating because the whole place is usually covered in up to four meters of snow! But still, youll enjoy a privileged vantage point.

A Haven for the Culturati

If you happen to be in Courmayeur in December, then youre in luck: youll be able to visit and participate in the annual Courmayeur Noir Film Festivalan event that celebrates literature and noir films. You can go straight to the film festival from your Geneva airport ski transfers if you like, to put you right in the middle of the action. This December, the 22nd edition of the film and literature festivals theme is The Mafia and Us, while the movies to be screened include some of Alfred Hitchcocks big screen masterpieces. In the aspect of literature, youll be able to take part in exploring John Katzenbachs (renowned author of Harts War, which was made into a Bruce Willis movie in 2002) The Wrong Man, as well as the exceptional works by other literary luminaries such as Kate williams (The Pleasures of Men), Roberto Costantini and Massimo Carlotto.

A Skiers Paradise

Of course, any discussion of the many virtues of Courmayeur would not be complete without the usual bated-breath description of its natural beauty thats just perfect for skiing. Courmayeurs various skiing options (all of these options absolutely fantastic and available all year round) are made even more attractive by the ease of the Geneva airport ski transfers that will get you here. And because skiers will need some pampering at the end of the day, theres the famous thermal baths of the Thermes de Pre Sant-Didier, located just a few kilometers south of the town and overlooking Mount Blanc. There are also a good number of great dining places and bars that are open till late at night or early the next morning, such as the much visited Le Prive, the Le Coquelicot or the Zerotta.

by:Lukas Johannes

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