Pila

Fun, nature, beauty and convenience. Towns rarely own all these elements, but Pila has them all.
Fun, because both is summer and in winter the resort offers a variety of activities to live unforgettable moments, always surrounded by an unspoiled nature. Trekking and skiing lord it, but there are also other modern and thrilling sport possibilities, such as downhill and freeride, in which Pila has become a true reference point since it hosts international contests every year.
Beauty because Pila offers a view over the highest peaks of the Alps, from the Mont Blanc to the Grand Combin, from the Matterhorn to the Monte Rosa. Plus, this town dominates the city of Aosta: a truly stunning position!
Convenience both because the town can be reached rapidly by gondola and because it offers a direct access to the ski slopes from all the hotels and residences of the resort.
Finally, the town has various welcoming and typical bars and restaurants to relax after skiing or during the hikes.

WHAT TO SEE
● The architecture of the ski resort: built during the 1970s, the big complex which includes both houses and hotels was realised by taking inspiration from the architectural and town planning canons of the French Alpine resorts. It was modelled keeping in mind the orography, the landscape, the shapes and the colours of the hamlet.
● The Saint-Grat hermitage: even if it officially belongs to the municipality of Charvensod, this nice chapel dedicated to the patron Saint of the diocese can be reached from Pila through an easy, flat and panoramic route.

NATURE AND SPORT
Pila is certainly the ideal spot to practice some sport while being surrounded by a flourishing nature, both in summer and in winter.
This resort proposes a series of routes with different difficulty levels, suitable for families with kids – the ski facilities are open in summer too, so the hike is definitely lighter – expert hikers and climbers. The Chamolé lake is remarkable. It is a sheet of water surrounded by a green valley offering an exceptional view over the Mont Blanc, the Gran San Bernardo valley and the Grand Combin.
More experienced hikers can try the route to Col de Tza Sèche, to Becca di Nona (3.142 m) or the ascent to Mont Emilius (3.559 m), where there is also a via ferrata.
There are also some tracks that can be done on horseback or by mountain-bike.
Pila owns a spectacular Enduro and downhill track for truly rash bikers. Gravity fans can find here a Bike Stadium with 16 tracks of different levels of difficulty. The Pila-Aosta Enduro trail is a real must-see: it starts from the higher tracks and stretches down for 15 km, with a positive drop of 2100 m. Finally, some tennis courts are available.
In winter Pila welcomes thousands of winter sport lovers. Skiers and snowboarders can enjoy a ski resort with more than 70 km of ski slopes suitable for both beginners and experts, from 1500 m to 2800 m of altitude. The offer is completed by a snowpark, some slopes for freeriding and some itineraries for snowshoeing.

EVENTS AND TRADITIONS
● New Year’s Eve torchlight procession: it is a traditional rendezvous held on 30th December which proposes fireworks and a spectacular torchlight procession with music and fun.
● Plan de l’Eyve en fête: summer event to discover Alpine pastures and try local foods and tastes.

FOR THE LITTLE ONES
Pila has a lot to offer to its younger guests all year long. In summer, they can try a variety of easy walks, such as the hike to the Saint-Grat hermitage or the ‘marmots path’: along this route there are some panels giving information about local ecosystems and, if you are quite lucky, you can even meet a funny animal… a truly unique environment view a stunning view that culminates view the Chamolé lake, that can be reached by chairlift too.
The Adventure Park in Pila, thanks to its 5 routes of different difficulty level guarantees strong emotions with Tibetan bridges, gangways, ropeways and net bridges. And if it is not enough, there is also an open-air heated swimming-pool.
In winter kids find the perfect spot to start skiing thanks to many easy slopes and areas specially conceived for them.
Pila also owns two baby snow parks, the Fun Park Chacard with its magic carpet, snowtubing tracks, inflatables, sledges and bobs, and the Pila Crazy Park. The offer for families with children is completed by a baby club.

IDENTIKIT
● Inhabitants: 3400 (Pila is a hamlet of Gressan)
● Altitude: 1800 m
● How to get there by public transports: after reaching Aosta by train or by bus, take the bus to Pila from the bus station or the gondola from the large car park behind the train station.