With more than 60 restaurants in the village, 23 in the ski domain and over 100 shops and boutiques, Courmayeur is a prime tourist destination – especially for those who like long lunches and lots of shopping with some skiing thrown in. It is also an off-piste and cross-country mecca set on the side of Mont Blanc (or as the Italians call it, Monte Bianco), the tallest mountain in Europe.

All this means it offers the sort of skiing that Chamonix boasts about whilst also catering well for non-skiers and foodies, making it a lot more than just an extreme mountain resort. Whilst the on-piste skiing isn’t extensive and can be covered in a few days, other resorts such as La Thuile and Pila can be easily reached by car or bus and the village’s proximity to the Mont Blanc tunnel means Chamonix is just 24km away. The lift company has also invested heavily in snowmaking, with 80% of their slopes covered by snow cannons ensuring that even in snow-sparse times, Courmayeur is a safe bet.