Courmayeur, a 35km (22-mile) drive northwest of Aosta, is Italy's best all-around ski resort, with two "high seasons," attracting skiers in winter and other active types who come to play in the mountain scenery in summer. Its popularity was given a considerable boost with the opening of the Mont Blanc road tunnel feeding traffic from France into Italy (estimated trip time: 20 min.). This vital link between France and Italy was closed by a tragic fire in the spring of 1999, and the Mont Blanc tunnel didn't reopen until 2002. The tunnel is now hailed by engineers as "the safest in the world." For motorists coming from Italy into France, the one-way toll for a car and its occupants is 31€ ($40/£21) or 39€ ($51/£26) for round-trip. The return half of the round-trip ticket must be used within 7 days of its issue. For more information within Italy, call tel. 0165-890411.
With Europe's highest mountain in the background, Courmayeur sits snugly in a valley. Directly to the north of the resort is the Alpine village of Entrèves, sprinkled with a number of chalets (some of which take in paying guests).
Even older than Courmayeur, Entrèves is an ancient community that's small and compact, a mountain village of wooden houses. Many visitors prefer its Alpine charm to the more bustling resort of Courmayeur; they ski the slopes at Courmayeur and enjoy its shopping, dining, and nightlife, but they retreat here to stay in a quieter, less congested setting. Entrèves is reached by a steep, narrow road. Many gourmets visit to enjoy the fare for which the village is known.
Just outside Entrèves on the main highway lies the Val Veny cable car, which skiers take in winter to reach the Courmayeur lift system.
Entrèves is 3km (2 miles) north of Courmayeur (signposted off Rte. 26). Buses from the center of Courmayeur run daily to Entrèves. For more information, contact Courmayeur's tourist office (tel. 0165-842060).
