A day in Vigezzo Valley

The premises are excellent: the sky is blue, the sun is shining and the temperature is mild. Our first day dedicated to Neveazzurra reportage could not begin better.

It’s thursday, January 29th and the appointment to the office with our photographer Giancarlo is at 9.00. Destination Vigezzo Valley: we expect a short break at the Baitina of Druogno, a trip to the ski center of Santa Maria Maggiore, a visit to the offices of Comunità Montana Val Vigezzo and then, at 11.00, the cable car to reach the Piana di Vigezzo where we want ski, try the slopes, observe, lake picture and explore all that this resort offers. We are approaching a busy day, the mood is high and we know that it will be unforgettable.

Vigezzo Valley and the mountain

The Vigezzo Valley, so popular in summer, with superb landscape and views, the traditions, food and wine, history and culture, in winter is the ideal destination for families and for those who want to spend a day, a weekend or a holiday by the mountains in the snow. The offer is really wide: cross country skiing, alpine skiing, downhill skiing, ice skating, paragliding, hiking. Stations on a human scale, with short courses for beginners and challenging for experienced skiers, attractions for those who do not ski, prices more than affordable, and special attention to the needs of families with children. All these and many more are the ingredients that make the Vigezzo Valley a perfect location from all points of view.

First stop at the Baitina of Druogno

Reach the Vigezzo Valley is very easy, thanks to the national road that you can take directly from the Simplon Freeway (exit Masera - Vigezzo Valley). You can reach it easily also by train from Domodossola, with Vigezzina rail. Driving 15 minutes we reach Druogno and, at the old center, turn right to Baitina.
The Baitina is a real snow park which offers many opportunities. There are only two kilometers of downhill slopes, the snow, always very joke, is guaranteed thanks to the snowmakers (but this year there is not really need) and the treadmill are perfect for beginners. Even a bobsleigh run is served by the treadmills and so the slope is effortless. The same goes for the track of snow tubing.

At Baitina you can rent all equipment: skis, boots, poles, helmets and snowshoes, bob and deck chairs for sunbathing. You can learn to ski on your own, or follow the lessons with ski instructors, or group lessons. For this reason Baitina is loved particularly by children, who can approach the snow safely. But it is also ideal for those who want to become familiar with the skis. It’s what I did in recent weeks. I didn’t ski since 1990... and so, the first time with the teacher and then alone, I began to take confidence on skis.

At Baitina we meet a class of a school for children: they are planning a beautiful morning at the park and sledding. In addition to the bobsleigh run, children who go to this station have access to a playground with many attractions: slides, swings etc.. I stop at the ticket office to book ski lessons for Alessia for next Saturday and than away to our second stage.

Second stop at the head office of the Comunità Montana Valle Vigezzo

We reach the seat of the Comunità Montana Valle Vigezzo, the body that houses the company that runs the cable car Piana di Vigezzo, and where we are expected by the Head of Tourism Susanna Giorgis. While Giancarlo takes some photos to the cross country skiing Center, the assessor gives me all the technical information to reach the Piana di Vigezzo, hire equipment and ski. The appointment with her is for lunch, when we can talk about the territory in front of a steaming plate of polenta.

Finally here is the cableway

In few minutes we reach Prestinone of Craveggia. In the square, with easy parking, there is the departure of the cableway. This is a modern cable car, with 8 seats, which in just ten minutes reaches the ski resort at 1726 meters. Weekdays races are limited (9, 10, 11, 12.30, 13.30, 14, 15, 16, 17) but during the weekend they are continuous from 8 to 5.00 p.m. We withdraw our ski pass: 10.00 € for a day. A very low-cost ski station, thanks to the policy undertaken by the Comunità Montana Valle Vigezzo that, in this period of generalized crisis, decided to reduce the cost of the ticket to allow everyone to ski really spending few € uro. There are many offers and promotions, especially for families and children.
A cableway leaves at 11.00 and with us there's a fair number of skiers, who, despite the work day, decided to take a day off and enjoy all this sunshine and this snow.

And now we think about the equipment

I have not my equipment with me and so I go to the rental. At the Piana there are two rentals, located a few meters from the cableway, the area called Ratagin, and from the baby slope. One shop is run by the ski school and the other by the sole master of snowboard at the Piana, Antonello Bergamaschi.

I go to the first, where Franchino welcome me. The cost of rental is available: 15 € uro on weekdays and 18 € uro for the holidays in full equipment: skis, boots and ski-sticks. Within minutes I’m ready to go.
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Let’s ski!

Given that I have skied only two times at Baitina, we assess that it is worth a bit warm on baby slope.

Everything goes well and so we go to the chair lift. Giancarlo ahead of me: he’s good at skiing as much as with the pictures.

We climb to the top and get ready to face the Trubbio slope. The view from here is incredible .... framed by snow-capped mountains set against a blue crazy sky.

I approach my first descent not without problems ..... The tumbles are not counted .... but anyway, we must take courage though, no?

The following descent goes better and I begin to enjoy the thrill of the wind on my face and what surrounds me. We move on the slope Cima2 .... also here is good. Few people, few queues .... truly a day for few lucky chosen people.

The best beaten ski runs of Italy

The snow is incredibly beautiful and there is nothing out of place .... smooth as a table. Think that the snow-cats of the Piana last year won the national championship in Trento reserved for prepares of tracks. I believe it......

Lunch time

The fatigue is beginning to be felt and it is time to bring us a stop for lunch. At Ratagin, at the arrival of the cableway, there are two restaurants offering typical menus at prices of "skier."

With little more than 10 € uro a rich dish of polenta with the delicacies of the area (cheese, game, or meat) and you can restart refreshed in spirit and stomach. We have lunch with the Assessor Susanna Giorgis who explains that at the Piana of Vigezzo you can ski in the sun, surrounded by a fairy landscape with few queues and plenty of warmth by the staff of the ski station (the station's employees are 14, 4 fixed and 10 seasons). I confirm that is what I have been able to see directly. Do not stress, there is no crowding at the start of the chair-lift, the tracks are so wide and long and with so few people that they are almost all at my disposal. An ideal situation for me because I might not feel so confident on skis. Obviously during the weekend there are more skiers, and some queues is inevitable, but who ski mainly in Sunday is used. We enjoy the dishes: polenta with cheese, with braised beef, stew, sausage and the specialty Vigezzina, polenta with milk and cream. All the restaurants of the Piana (two are located at Ratagin, other two at Arvogno) offer menus at reasonable prices and typical dishes. But who wants to stop for a few minutes, can always choose a sandwich or a piadina to eat in the sun on the terrace.

Susy inform me about the various initiatives organized at the Piana. The most beautiful is certainly given to school children of the Valley, which are unique to the "day in the snow." All children, from elementary to middle (about sixty) follow every week free ski lessons organized in collaboration with the School of Professional Ski Instructors of Piana. A laudable initiative, which allows all young of Vigezzo Valley to learn to ski but, above all, to love the mountains where they were born and live. Students, but not only: the Piana will also organize courses for ladies, and courses for future ski instructors. For Carnival special packages, subscriptions and promotions, have already been defined.

A day in the Piana for those who do not ski

At the Piana you can go up and spend a day even if you do not ski.
From Ratagin starts a scenic walk, to be done with simple or apres-ski boots, long almost a km and a half and a balcony overlooking the valley below. There’s also a small sledge and bobsleigh track, where children can have fun. In short, you can go with the cable car, take a walk, eat, sunbathe, let children play with bob .... not bad!

After lunch, let’s ski

We say good-bye to the assessor Susanna Giorgis who, last but not least, gives us 15 weekdays and 5 ski lift pass for children to be put up for grabs in our concourse of pictures and video. We still have a couple of hours to spend at the Piana, and so we put ourselves on track, though the polenta weighs on my stomach (and the level of my performance on the ski dying down dramatically).

The sun is high in the sky and we meet a set of paragliders who launch themselves from the slope of Trubbio.

The Piana di Vigezzo is a favorite destination for this sport because of the particular updrafts that allow long flights at high altitude. We meet even the elementary school children, accompanied by their teachers and struggling with the ski course.

Then it was the turn of the lessons for aspiring ski instructors. The slopes are alive, and the number of skiers rises dramatically. There are many children and teenagers who, finished school, have risen for skiing.
We can not get off until Arvogno, because the track is closed during the week, but we go to have a look at the snow park. It’s located on the ski run Cima 2 and allow movements and jump on the snowboard.

We come back

The day is coming to its conclusion, and we come back to the cableway. I return my equipment and we wait for the departure of the cableway. It's 4.00 p.m., we return home, happy for the wonderful day in the snow and with our faces reddened by the sun.

Now we know better because Vigezzo Valley and the Piana in particular, are so loved by the community of Neveazzurra.

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