CERVINIA ITALY
Ski & Snowboard Resort Review
The Italian resort of Cervinia is located in the Aosta Valley on the backside of the spectacular Matterhorn. Cervinia has a long winter season with an excellent snow record and is open from the end of June until September for summer glacier skiing and snowboarding.
Cervinia Ski and Snowboard Terrain
The skiing and snowboarding terrain at Cervinia consists of very long linking corduroy groomed trails through open powder bowls, gentle beginner slopes and extreme off piste steep terrain supported by a fast and efficient lift system.
Cervinia is lift linked to the neighbouring Swiss resort of Zermatt giving the two combined resorts over 300 kilometres of fantastic skiing and snowboarding terrain. For more information on Zermatt click here
Advanced Skiing and Snowboarding
Advanced skiers and snowboarders at Cervinia can choose to stick to groomed fast trails or head off piste into very challenging terrain.
The groomed, long leg burning, fast and steep Gran Pista di Valtournench trail leading from Plateau Rosa down to the neighbouring resort of Valtournench is over 10 kilometres long and will test even the very best skiers and snowboarders endurance skills.
The off piste terrain surrounding the Gran Pista di Valtournench trail is powder filled and littered with cliff drops, chutes and even the occasional crevasse! It is highly advised to explore the off piste terrain with an experienced guide who knows the area well as it is not unknown for an unexperienced off piste skier or snowboarder to perish on Cervinia’s surrounding peaks.
Purchase an international ski pass and head to the neighbouring Swiss resort of Zermatt for demanding and sheer mogul runs.
Intermediate Skiing and Snowboarding
The skiing and snowboarding terrain at Cervinia is well suited for intermediates who can happily cruise the entire resort on long, wide, fast and powder packed groomed trails.
One of the most magnificent and challenging fun runs at Cervinia is the 8 kilometre long cruise down from the top of Plateau Rosa to the Cervinia lift base area. From Plateau Rosa take the Ventina Ghiacciaio trail which intersects with the Ventina Goillet trail before finally linking with the Ventina Bardoney trail ending at the base of the Plan Maison Gondola and Cable Car.
The Gran Sometta 3 run under the Lago Goillet Chairlift is fast and steep as is the Rocce Bianche run on the right hand side of the Rocca Bianche Chairlift.
Purchase an international ski pass and explore more groomed intermediate trails on the neighbouring linked Swiss resort of Zermatt.
Beginner Skiing and Snowboarding
Cervinia is a great resort for beginner skiers and snowboarders with many wide open gentle slopes on the lower mountain areas.
First time skiers and snowboarders head directly to the Baby Cretaz nursery slope to learn the basics before catching the longer Cretaz II Chairlift up to practice on the wider Cretaz run.
Once confidence grows take the Plan Maison Gondola followed by the Plan Maison Chairlift to the upper mountain Fornet area. From here turn left to access the long winding and thrilling Plan Maison 1 trail which eventually links with the Plan Maison Cervinia trail leading back down to the base area.
Cervinia has three ski and snowboard schools offering group, private and day long lessons for all ages and ability levels with professional bilingual instructors. Freestyle and off piste powder lessons are also available.
Skiing and Snowboarding the Matterhorn Ski Safari from Cervinia
To get a good feel of the interlinked resorts of Cervinia and the neighbouring Swiss resort of Zermatt take part in a day long Matterhorn Ski Safari trip.
The Matterhorn Ski Safari covers over 32,800 vertical feet (10,000 meters) of skiing and snowboarding terrain without using the same trail or lift twice. A Matterhorn Ski Safari Piste Map highlights the sequence of trails starting from Cervinia leading all the way to Zermatt and back again. To do the trip you need to purchase an international ski pass which gives you unlimited access to the Zermatt terrain.
Occasionally the link to Zermatt is not open as high winds can close the Swiss side's upper slopes. Be sure to allow yourself enough time to get back from Zermatt to Cervinia as if you miss the last cable car a road taxi back to Cervinia is a long and costly experience!
Cervinia Terrain Park
The Indian Park is located on the left hand side of the Fornet Chairlift just below the Theodulpass in the Fornet area. The large and impressive terrain park has large boxes, rails, kickers, lines and jumps suitable for intermediate level and above freestylers.
Other Activities at Cervinia
Other activities available at Cervinia include ice skating, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, paragliding tobogganing and hiking.
Indoor activities include swimming, climbing walls and receiving massage and beauty treatments.
Cervinia Shopping
Cervinia’s main street is lined with ski and snowboard shops stocking the latest equipment and rental gear, fashion boutiques, gift and souvenir shops, toy shops, shoe shops, home-wares shops and photography galleries. There are also grocery markets, delicatessens, butchers and wine stores.
Cervinia Restaurants
Cervinia has more than forty excellent restaurants, pizzerias and cafes to choose from.
La Chandelle Restaurant in the Hotel Hermitage serves traditional and local gourmet Italian dishes complemented by an excellent local and international wine list.
The beautiful candlelit dining room in Le Vieux Grenier Restaurant serves wood fired pizzas, home made pasta dishes and delicious desserts while the restaurant in the Hotel Lac Bleu has weekly speciality nights serving only local pork dishes, Italian cheeses and wine sampling.
For food on the run the English pub in the Dragon Hotel serves good hamburgers and French fires.
On the slopes don’t go past Restaurant Tuktu, located at the top of the Plan Maison Gondola. The restaurant has a dining room, self serve cafeteria and a large outdoor sun deck with fantastic views. The food served is delicious; choose from hot steaming bowls of seafood pasta, carbonara, speciality duck pasta and meat dishes. The restaurant also has a full bar with a good wine list.
Cervinia Nightlife
Cervinia has an active nightlife with small busy bars, loud pubs and nightclubs lining the main street.
The popular Irish Pub has an après ski happy hour every night attracting large crowds. The pub has a wide selection of beers on tap and different cocktails and is open until 2am every morning for late night dancing.
The Dragon Pub has a small Welsh Pub upstairs and a typical fun and friendly English pub downstairs serving beers and bar snacks remaining open until 2.30am every morning.
For a quiet drink sit by the open fireplace in the cosy bar in the Hotel Bucaneve.
One of the most glamorous and trendy bars in Cervinia is the Bianconiglio nightclub, it is spread over two stories with large bars and huge speakers playing the latest house, R&B, international and classic music as well as live band performances throughout the season.
The only other nightclub in Cervinia is the L’etoile nightclub which doesn’t open until 11pm on Saturday nights with the dancing and good times continuing until the very early hours of the morning.
New for 2007/2008 at Cervinia
Additional snowmaking equipment has been installed throughout Cervinia's slopes ensuring deep snow coverage throughout the long winter season.
The Italian Speed Skiing Team will be training at Cervinia during the 2008 winter season in preparation for a Speed Skiing World Cup competition being held in Cervinia from 7th to 9th of April 2008.
More About Cervinia
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