Bardonecchia Ski Resort Italy

Nestled on the frontier with France, Bardonecchia ski resort (Bardo to its friends!) has more than just passing interest for Powderhounds. Popular with the folks from Turin, it boasts two contrasting ski areas, 1,400m of skiable vertical, reliable snowfall, 100km of piste trails, unparalleled transport access from major centres, affordable accommodation plus a sensational value lift pass making it a tasty proposition indeed.

Adding to the Italian skiing feast, Bardonecchia is just a short drive from the best value ski area in the world, the huge Via Lattea.

Pros

• One of the world’s best value lift pass prices.
• No lift lines mid-week.
• World class on-piste trails in the Colomion-Melezet sector.
• Long skiable verticals both on-piste (Colomion Melezet) & off-piste (Jafferau).
• Fun upper & lower mountain restaurants, bars & après ski.
• Perfect location to find your ski legs at the start of a European snow adventure
• Bardonecchia is a real town with plenty of interest plus quality food & drink options.
• Affordable accommodation generally available all season long.
• Excellent public transport access by train & ample free ‘ski-in’ car parking for day trippers near the lifts.
• Free local ski buses connect ski area bases & accommodation.

Cons

• Dated lifts in upper mountain areas.
• Many beginner pistes in the Colomion-Melezet sector are anything but (good for intermediates)!
• Car parks & base areas at Campo Smith & Melezet are bedlam on sunny weekends.
• Off-piste ski options in the Colomion-Melezet sector are limited (but backcountry from the top is good).
• Wind can scour the south-facing upper alpine sections of Jafferau (so be wary of rocks lightly covered by a new snowfall when off-piste).

Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)

• Ski area split into two separate sectors.
• Bardonecchia is a popular holiday town for locals from nearby Turin. It has loads of private holiday apartments throughout and can appear terribly busy on weekends.
• Very few 4 & 5-star accommodation options (if that matters to you!).

Skiing & Snowboarding, Lifts & Terrain

Comprising two contrasting ski areas on opposite sides of the valley, Bardonecchia provides world class tree-lined piste trails in its shaded north-aspect Colomion-Melezet sector, plus long skiable vertical off-piste on its sun-soaked & diverse Jafferau sector. Free ski buses easily connect the sectors.

Check out the ski trail map for Bardonecchia below.

Bardonecchia Ski Trail Map

Colomion Melezet is an intermediate piste skier’s paradise. The 800m skiable vertical across the entire face of the sector is all below treeline. The piste trails are outstanding. Well-pitched, consistent fall line delights, which if it weren’t for the four tough to ride surface lifts (Colomion, Clos, Seba & Vallon Cros) in the upper mountain, would make for a snowboarders delight as well. Most beginner trails in the sector are probably too steep to be rated such, but that only makes it better for intermediates. First tracks on Colomion-Melezet are deserted, mainly due to cold & shade. The middle zone from Les Arnauds is the quietest. The best off-piste in the zone is off the new(ish) Vallon Cros tow via the bosco double chair. Some limited inbounds off-piste terrain exists off the Seba lift, but the trees are generally too tight elsewhere. Backcountry bowls at the top of the sector look the goods for anyone inclined to skin back up to the ridge.

Jafferau has a more than respectable skiable vertical in the realms of 1,350m from its 2,700m summit. The southwest facing terrain can suffer from sun damage down to the relatively low elevation base, but Jafferau is vastly more conducive to off-piste skiing & freeride adventures than its opposite across the valley. The alpine zone has a mellow selection of intermediate pistes interspersed amongst often wind-scoured rocks. Views are marvellous & picnic spots at the top of Gigante chair are perfect for brown-bagging powder seekers. In good snow, the valley run all the way down through the light trees under the gondola is favoloso. As with Colomion-Melezet, old lift infrastructure in the upper alpine detracts from what could otherwise be a super ski area. We suppose the incredibly cheap lift pass price is for a reason!

Where is Bardonecchia Italy?

Bardonecchia ski resort is located near the town of the same name in the Piedmont, Italy on the border with France.

Situated on the main Paris-Lyon-Turin-Milan TGV rail line and the Italian end of the Frejus Tunnel on the E70 motorway, Bardonecchia is one of the more convenient ski resort destinations in the entire Alps. The town can be reached in a mere 4½hr by train from central Paris, and 2½hr from Milan.

Train is the recommended mode of travel to Bardonecchia; it is convenient, cheap & will help POW (Protect Our Winters).

Search & book train (or bus) tickets to Bardonecchia.

Gateway airports include Paris (CDG), Lyon (LYS), Geneva (GVA), Turin (TRN) & Milan (MXP). Turin is far & away the closest airport but is only accessible by flights from within Europe & the UK. In a post COVID-19 world, despite the efficiency of public transport to the region, many people may prefer a rental car or private transfer to get to Bardonecchia. Private transfers can be quite cost-effective if in a group of 3 or more people.

Search & book all airport transfers to Bardonecchia.

Once in Bardo, getting around is easy on foot or via the free bus system. Regular free buses connect the town & main ski area bases at Melezet, Campo Smith (Colomion) & Jafferau.

If choosing to drive to the resort, for more detailed information on renting cars & winter driving in the Italian Alps, see our Travel in Italy page.

Bardonecchia Accommodation

The village of Bardonecchia has ample lodging options in town. Ski lifts are no more than a kilometre from any point in within the village. Several well-priced ski-in lodging options are close to the base of the ski lifts around the quintessentially Italian named Campo Smith! The ski-in ski-out Hotel Rivè is the best located of them, just near all the novice lifts, Harald's bar & Smith chairlift.

Search & book all Bardonecchia ski accommodation.

Alternatively one could overnight in nearby Oulx, a short train trip or drive away.

Search & book all Oulx accommodation.

Modane is the closest French town to Bardonecchia but the Frejus Tunnel fee and/or infrequent trains, make anything other than a single day trip untenable. Modane, despite being convenient to the train & motorway, is itself a cold, low-brow location and anyone staying on the French side of the border would be better served at Aussois, La Norma or Lanslebourg & Termignon at the base of Val Cenis.

Ski Rentals, Lessons & Guiding

Ski rentals are available from our local partners in the centre of town. Receive a discount when you search & book via our Bardonecchia Ski & Snowboard Rental page.

Nearby Ski Resorts

Bardonecchia is a short 14min train ride from Sauze d'Oulx, the gateway to the best value skiing in the Alps, the Via Lattea (Milky Way) (Milky Way). Ski resorts including Sestriere & Montgenevre in France are part of the Via Lattea. Trains between Bardonecchia & Oulx run every hour.

Across the frontier in France, Modane (18min by train) is the entry point for access to a nest of cheeky ski resorts in the upper Maurienne valley including Aussois, Bonneval sur Arc, La Norma, Valfrejus & Val Cenis.

Review

The Powderhounds visited Bardonecchia in January 2020. We enjoyed the town, the affordability, convenience and the leg-burning pitch & run length. Click on the review link in the left column (or top of the page if on a mobile) to read its inciteful words!

See how Bardonecchia compares to the rest of the European ski resorts on the Europe ski resort ratings page.

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