17 March 2025
The empty ski slopes of Bardonecchia
Or, In search of queue-free skiing
Skiing’s Holy Grail? For some, it’s deep, untouched powder snow, or first tracks carved into freshly groomed corduroy slopes. Others insist on extensive networks of pistes stretching well into triple figures, or the flawless brilliance of bluebird skies that imprint skiing trips indelibly into memory. Hedonists chase après ski parties pulsating with energy, foodies seek gourmet mountain cuisine, and fashionistas flock to resorts abundant with boutiques stocking this season’s Moncler.
But for this correspondent, the criteria are simpler and singular: no queues. Despite being British (and therefore inherently skilled in queueing), it’s an activity I loathe, whether at ski lifts, airports, or the local supermarket.
Skiing, above all, should offer escape—not endurance tests of patience.
Once upon a much simpler time, the solution was obvious. You headed to expansive ski resorts such as Val d’Isère, La Plagne, the Three Valleys or Ischgl, where sprawling lift systems and vast piste mileage effortlessly dispersed even the biggest crowds.
Alas, over recent decades, this logic has crumbled under the sheer weight of popularity, creating gridlocked bottlenecks and dispiriting queues at base stations.
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Bardonecchia, tucked quietly in Italy’s Piemonte region just a couple of kilometres from the French border, is something of an Alpine anomaly.
Hosting the snowboarding events for Turin’s 2006 Winter Olympics briefly thrust it into the spotlight, yet it swiftly returned to its sleepy, under-the-radar status. While the neighbouring Vialattea—home to Sestriere and Sauze d’Oulx—draws the skiing masses, Bardonecchia retains its tranquil charm, making it ideal for those craving space to ski without the hassle of queues or congested pistes.
Divided into two separate ski sectors—Colomion-Les Arnauds-Melezet and the high-altitude paradise of Jafferau—Bardonecchia offers 100km of varied pistes, more than enough to occupy most skiers comfortably for a week.
While the lower Colomion sector can see occasional pockets of weekend bustle, Jafferau is a revelation. Here, the skiing feels like a private indulgence: no queues, no crowds, just gloriously empty slopes that seem set aside purely for personal pleasure. Even the sudden arrival one evening of what felt like half the UK’s schools didn’t create any queues of note.
Indeed, one morning, while riding a chairlift back to the peak of Jafferau, I paused mid-conversation simply to absorb the astonishing silence. I glanced beneath my skis, taking in untracked corduroy stretching downward in an untouched blanket.
I skied for hours, unhindered and uninterrupted, until my legs protested the indulgence. It was skiing as it should always be but rarely is—an experience that has become increasingly rare in Europe’s ever-expanding mega-resorts.
True, Bardonecchia’s two ski areas require short bus rides from the centre of town, but the service is efficient and frequent (and free). Rarely did I wait more than a few minutes, and the journeys themselves were mercifully brief. Bardonecchia is genuinely effortless, with none of the tedious logistical challenges typical of resorts boasting more scattered layouts.
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If this blissful solitude suggests exclusivity, Bardonecchia delivers yet another pleasant surprise: exceptional value. Indeed, in December 2024 Bardonecchia was again named as Europe’s best value ski resort, ahead of more traditional budget destinations in Eastern Europe.
Unpretentious and authentic, the town eschews glitz for genuine Italian charm—family-run trattorias and cosy pizzerias replace overpriced alpine restaurants. Ski hire, lift passes, and accommodation costs are notably lower than comparable French or Swiss resorts.
A six-day lift pass costs just €190 for adults, significantly lower than comparable resorts in France, Austria, or Switzerland. Junior passes for under-16s cost an even friendlier €163. Accommodation in Bardonecchia is likewise relatively gentle on the wallet, with numerous small apartments, chalets, and studios offering comfort without demanding exorbitant prices.
My morning espresso stop at a slopeside café was an affordable €1.30 rather than an extravagance, and dining out at night felt joyously reasonable rather than painfully expensive. Lunch on the mountain remains a simple yet satisfying affair—expect big panini (for which you’ll pay no more than €6 even at the top of the mountain) rather than overpriced fondue or tartiflette.
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That’s not to say Bardonecchia entirely lacks sophistication—it simply wears its charms more subtly. Après-ski here leans towards relaxed aperitivo sessions over rowdy Austrian-style partying, and the locals seem refreshingly indifferent to alpine fashion trends.
The Bardonecchia approach, it appears, prioritises the quality of the skiing experience above all else—a perspective one suspects other ski resorts might learn from.
So, is Bardonecchia skiing’s Holy Grail? If you seek sprawling mega-resorts, champagne-spraying après-ski, and high-end boutiques, perhaps not.
But for those who, like this correspondent, see virtue in empty slopes, quiet lifts, and excellent value, Bardonecchia might just represent something even better—a ski resort that delivers exactly what it promises: uncomplicated, queue-free skiing that’s memorable for all the right reasons.
So why does Bardonecchia remain underappreciated? Perhaps it lacks the glamour that defines resorts like Cortina d’Ampezzo or Courchevel, or the hedonistic après scene that draws crowds to St Anton or Val d’Isere. Yet this is precisely what makes it attractive to the skier whose joy lies purely in the skiing itself.
Bardonecchia represents a skier’s resort (snowboarders are few and far between, perhaps put off by a couple of long drag lifts that serve some of the upper slopes), where the simple, unadulterated pleasure of sliding down mountainsides is enjoyed without distractions, fuss, or queues.
If, like me, your ski trips are dictated not by flashy parties or brand boutiques but simply by the desire to ski freely on tranquil slopes, Bardonecchia might just be the best discovery you’ve yet to make. It’s an understated gem of the Italian Alps, quietly offering empty slopes and stress-free skiing—rare luxuries indeed.
Just don’t tell everyone.
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Notes
Bardonecchia is easy to reach—a direct train to the resort leaves Turin’s Porta Nuova station every hour (every two hours on Sundays) and the 90-minute journey costs a bargain €8.50.
There are several ski rental shops at the base of the Colomion chairlift. I rented mine (some of the best equipment I’ve ever hired) from Snowspace and paid €100 for five days.
I stayed here—one of the many reasonably-priced apartments in the town. It is simple, clean, and just a couple of minutes walk from the nearest ski bus stop. It is also close to the town centre with its restaurants and supermarkets.
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I ate at (all can be thoroughly recommended)
In town:
On the mountain: