Aosta / Frankfurt am Main, February 16, 2026 | The Aosta Valley is experiencing a special Olympic winter: while cross-country skier Federico Pellegrino and alpine skier Federica Brignone represented their home region as flag bearers at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, Italy's smallest region is also setting new infrastructural standards. Since December 2025, the new Pila-Couis-Stella gondola lift connects the Pila ski resort with the Stella di Pila at an altitude of 2,723 meters. Winter sports enthusiasts can now reach one of the most spectacular viewpoints in the Alps in just under half an hour from Aosta city center – with panoramic views of Monte Bianco, Matterhorn, Monte Rosa, and Grand Combin.

New Gondola Lift: Direct Connection from Valley to Summit

In just 15 minutes, the new gondola lift takes visitors from Pila at 1,800 meters to Stella di Pila at 2,723 meters. From there, a breathtaking 360-degree panorama opens up over the highest peaks of the Aosta Valley. The modern 8-person cabins already offer impressive views of snow-covered fir and larch forests during the ride.

Combined with the cable car from Aosta city center to Pila (18 minutes), a unique connection is created – from urban life directly into the high Alps, completely without a car. The Pila ski resort offers 70 kilometers of slopes up to 2,750 meters in altitude, including six blue, 20 red, and four black runs. There is also a fun park for children and a snow park for snowboarders and freestylers. The proximity to the city of Aosta makes the ski resort particularly attractive for day-trippers.

Winter Season until May in 19 Ski Resorts

Pila is just one of 19 ski resorts in the Aosta Valley, currently offering excellent conditions on a total of 800 kilometers of slopes until early May. From family-friendly villages like Chamois (Italy's only car-free municipality) or Cogne to the large international ski resorts of Cervinia-Breuil, La Thuile, and Monterosa – the offer is diverse. In all ski resorts, the TeleSkipass allows direct access to the lifts without queuing at ticket counters – billing is automatic at the end of the ski day.

Sporting Highlights in March

March brings special highlights: Already on March 14, the charity torchlight descent "I light Pila" combines sport and solidarity. Participants can experience the illuminated descent on skis, snowboard, on foot, or with snowshoes – all proceeds go to Susan G. Komen Italia in the fight against breast cancer.

On the last weekend of March (March 27-29), the Aosta Valley becomes the stage for two sporting highlights: In Saint-Barthélemy, the Italian Cross-Country Skiing Championships will take place. Here, Federico Pellegrino will also celebrate his grand finale. The three-time Olympic medalist and flag bearer of this year's Winter Olympics will bid farewell to his home audience after his career ends at the Olympic Games. Simultaneously, the Millet Tour du Rutor Extrême, a spectacular ski mountaineering race, will start against the backdrop of the Rutor Glacier. Federica Brignone, five-time Olympic medalist and also a flag bearer, also hails from the Aosta Valley – the alpine skier grew up in La Salle.

As the home of Olympic champions, the Aosta Valley combines sporting tradition with modern infrastructure and offers diverse opportunities for unforgettable winter experiences until May.

Note for Editors:

General information about the Aosta Valley destination can be found at https://www.lovevda.it/de.

Images for the press release are available here. Images of the Aosta Valley as a destination are available at https://bit.ly/Aostatal_Allgemein. Please always state the copyright as indicated in the file name. Further image material on request.

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