Cervinia and Valtournenche summer 2008-09 Produced by: Sport & Promozione S.r.l. (Breuil-Cervinia). Creative project and graphic production: Caterina Barale and Anna Mazzucchi: [email protected] Photographic archive: Cervino S.p.A. - Consorzio - A.I.A.T. - Fans de Sport - Guide del Cervino - Pentaphoto (Milan) - Riccardo Castellaro - Celestino Vittaz - Lonati. Data updated to June 2008. www.cervinia.it Index. air info Domaine Skiable 3 Insurance 29 Speed Skiing 4 Lift system tariffs 30 Aerial sports 6 Professional tariffs 35 Skirama 6 int Packages 36 Hotel tariffs 40 Maps 56 Consortium member companies 60 water Info and preview 62 Snowboarding and boardercross 9 How to get here 64 Entertainment 10 Addresses 65 Winter sports 12 Alpinism 14 The voice of water, the peace of the air, the strength of the earth and the ardour of fire: the four elements of nature tell of winter in Breuil- Cervinia and Valtournenche. A world that is more than just snow – a earth Tours 17 mountain full of life, culture and entertainment. A place where the Skipasses 18 most advanced technological performances live in harmony with Web 20 nature, and the winter chill blends with the warmth of traditions. Let the four elements tell how you can discover a unique district. fire Cuisine and flavours 25 Activities for everyone 24 Infrastructures 26 Types of skipass 28 1 In Cervinia and Valtournenche, the winter air is special. Not just because it’s so pure at an altitude of four thousand metres, but because the excitement Domaine Skiable: guaranteed fun. of the mountains is tangible. Classic or extreme, choose what’s best for you. If the air is filled with adrenalin, you’re in Cervinia, where kilometres of excitement await you. Discover all the numbers of this district, which attracts skiing enthusiasts of all ages every year. It’s waiting for you too. air 350 km of ski runs: 150 in Breuil-Cervinia Valtournenche and 200 in Zermatt. 132 downhill ski runs: 55 in Breuil-Cervinia Valtournenche and 75 in Zermatt. 118 km of ski runs with artificial snow: 57 in Breuil-Cervinia Valtournenche and 61 in Zermatt. 57 lift systems: 24 in Breuil-Cervinia Valtournenche and 33 in Zermatt. 89.752 passengers transported per hour: 40,552 in Italy and 49,200 in Zermatt. 147 ski instructors among the 4 different ski schools in Breuil-Cervinia and Valtournenche. 35 alpine guides: expert staff operating in Breuil-Cervinia and Valtournenche. 18 km of cross country ski runs: 3 in Breuil-Cervinia and 15 in Valtournenche. 3 valleys: Valle del Cervino, Valle d’Ayas to the east and Valle di Zermatt to the north. 2 countries: Italy and Switzerland. 1 skipass: just one skipass provides access to all the lift systems and ski runs in the district. 2 3 Speed Skiing: flying on snow. Kilometro lanciato or speed skiing: the name has changed but in over fifty years, the excitement has remained the same. It was in 1947 that Zeno Colò set the first record in the Kilometro Lanciato speed-skiing competition, right here in Cervinia. These are the very same ski runs that have witnessed the alternation of those with a passion for thrills of every age and nationality over the years. In 1977, the American athlete Mc Kinney reached a record time: 195.975 km/h. This really was an incredible speed for the time and no one could possibly have imagined that training, technique and material would have meant that, thirty years later, the Valdostan skier, Simone Origone, would fly at a speed of 251.40 km/h. This exceptional feat is still unbeaten. This year features an outstanding appointment: the Speed Skiing World Cup, from 1 to 3 April 2009. For more information: www.cervinia.it 4 Photo at the side: the aerodynamic suits and helmets of two speed skiing athletes. 5 A thousand emotions in the air. Paragliding. Get ready for an unforgettable flight in the company of the pilots of Valle d’Aosta Aeroclub: with skis on your feet and an instructor flying with you, you can enjoy the spectacle of a remarkable view, even if you have no paragliding experience at all. No worries, the utmost safety and great excitement. Kiteski. Have you seen the traction kite used by surfers on the waves for kite-surf? Well we’ve brought it to the mountains. With skis on your feet and this special kite strapped to your shoulders, you can perform hair-raising jumps and enjoy an experience like nothing you’ve ever tried before, suspended between earth and sky. Airboard. In this case, the air become a place to have fun: on the ski runs or, better still, off-piste, alone or in a group with friends, this big cushion guarantees breathtaking jumps, plenty of laughs and a soft landing every time. Easy to control, irresistible to try. And the fun continues as you climb back to the top with a snowmobile! For Paragliding, Kiteski and Airboard, data and information supplied by: Fans de Sport (see page 65). Heliski. Fly by helicopter to the mountaintop to reach uncontaminated peaks, breathe the purest air and enjoy a breathtaking view. This isn’t a dream, it’s the Heliski experience in Cervinia. Then the excitement continues with an unforgettable descent on skis, in the company of expert guides, for a unique experience in complete safety. For Heliski, data and information supplied by: Società Heliski. tel/fax +39 0166 949267 - mob.+39 335 6948316 e-mail: [email protected] 6 Photo at the side: to practice kiteski, you need wind and an obstacle-free snow-covered ski run. 7 Water is magical in Cervinia and Valtournenche: tiny star-shaped crystals come to rest gently on the ground, becoming an immense, white cloak. Cold Snow-bike not to be missed. snow covers everything and warms the winter with breathtaking views and The fun of mountain biking, the excitement of the snow and the spectacle of the night. You can enjoy all of this in just one snow-bike excursion: from Champlève to Cheneil a thousand sporting emotions. across a suggestive wood, then traditional dinner in company and return by night. Registration includes: mountain-bike, instructor, head lamp and dinner. Data and information supplied by the Consortium - Consorzio per lo Sviluppo Turistico del Comprensorio del Cervino (see page 65) water Everyone loves the snowmobile. Riding a snowmobile is as easy as it is exciting. You can hire one to take an unforgettable trip through nature, surrounded by bright white snow. More enjoyment can be had by night, accompanied by expert instructors. And for young snowmobile lovers, mini-snowmobiles are available to try out on a safe and easy route, dedicated especially to them. Snow dinghies, hair-raising descents. Ever tried a snow dinghy?! You can choose between single versions for solo fun or 8-seater versions for laughs with friends. Then shoot off down the mountain, for 280 m of pure joy. The climb back to the top with the snowcat is another fantastic experience. For snow dinghies and snowmobiles, data and information supplied by: Motoslitte Breuil-Cervinia. Tel. +39 0166 940 127 – Mob. +39 335 565 06 35 8 9 All-round snowboard. Announcement for all those with a passion for thrills: take your board and fly to Cervinia’s Indian Park, the highest snowpark in Europe and the most exciting in the world. Almost 3000 m high and 1000 ways to have fun in over 40,000 square metres of snow: 400 m long by over 100 m wide, to satisfy all levels of riding. The Indian Park, offers different jumping lines, for riders of every level, from beginners to experts: kickers of 3, 6 and 11 metres, alongside jumps which get bigger and harder, until you reach the legendary “Decolletor”, 18 metres high! And the thrills continue with an infinite series of rails: from the easy 4-metre flat box to the double pipe descent measuring over 10 metres. The bravest riders can tackle the fearsome Doggy House, which is nearly 3 metres high. You’ll also find plenty of special events: from the exclusive “RED BULL SNOWPALIO” to the numerous Coppa Italia contests and the INDIAN CIRCUIT, which is open to everybody, completing the season with the Dèsfass week-end. Those wishing to arrive at the Indian Park with an advantage can study the jumps, rails and boxes on www.cervinia.it or visit www.indianpark.it. A daily skipass is available and there is also a seasonal skipass available for all riders at a very convenient price. Data and information supplied by: Indian Park - Mob: +39 347 670 48 74 - +39 349 404 34 03 Boardercross shows off. A new freestyle speciality warms up the snow in Cervinia: Boardercross. Four athletes race, parallel, down a track with woops, parabolic curves, spirals and jumps. An often complicated course, characterised by continuous changes in direction, for a show not to be missed. During winter 2009, the ski runs of Breuil-Cervinia will be hosting an FIS contest and a European Cup one. To find out more: www.cervinia.it 10 11 Freeride in freedom. Soft, frothy snow: with board or skis, the thrill of fresh snow awaits you wherever you wish and whatever level you’re at, because you’ll be accompanied by the experience of one of the Cervino Guides, on a skiing trip in complete safety. Cross-country skiing: a great classic. The district really offers a thousand different ways to experience snow, starting with the great classics. For cross- country skiing enthusiasts, there’s a double choice: the Breuil-Cervinia ring, 3 km of peace immersed in nature, and those at Valtournenche, where the much-appreciated areas of Champlève and Maen offer about 10 km of beautiful ski runs.