Pila 2025 2026 skipass rates for every need

Last year, when I started dreaming about our first snow vacation with the kids, I wondered, "Where can we go without stress, with easy slopes and a friendly atmosphere?" The answer came almost immediately: Pila.

It's not the most famous Alpine spot, but that's why I loved it. You can reach it quickly with the cable car from Aosta (you start from the historic center, go up, and in 18 minutes you're at 1800 meters, with the kids wide-eyed looking out the window). That cable car ride is half the magic: below, the city fades away; above, the snow awaits, and in the distance, Mont Blanc greets you like an old friend.

As soon as you arrive in Pila, the impact is immediate: it's a car-free resort (no speeding cars), with wide slopes starting right from the village, and lots of family-friendly spaces.

There are about 70 km of slopes here, but the best part is that most are easy blue and gentle red runs, perfect for beginners. There's a huge beginner area near the center, with conveyor belts and well-organized school fields. Pila's ski school (especially the Kinder program) is a sure bet: patient instructors, small groups, and programs like "Mini Club" where kids ski for a couple of hours in the morning, then play, eat together, and go home tired but happy.

My wife and I tried it with our kids (one is 6, the other 9): the first day, we left them at the school field with some anxiety, but by afternoon they were doing "pizza-french fries," laughing like crazy. And us? We relaxed with a peaceful ski on the blue slopes around the village, enjoying the amazing view.

For the 2025-2026 season prices (opening December 6, 2025, closing April 12, 2026, weather permitting), here are the numbers to help plan:

Daily adult skipass (ages 25-64): about €58

Youth (ages 9-16 or 17-24, depending on category): around €40-46

Children up to 8 years: free if with an adult with a similar skipass (a big plus for families!)

Afternoon pass: cheaper, around €36-52 depending on age

If you're planning multiple days, multi-day passes are a great deal (6 days for adults around €300). And if you're a snow fan planning frequent visits, check out the season pass: for kids 0-8 years, it's only €379, for youth 9-16 about €1061, adults €1515. It offers unlimited access and lots of extra perks (like discounted entries to other Aosta Valley areas).

For online purchases, visit https://pila.it/skipass-pila/giornalieri

We chose the multi-day pass because with two kids, costs add up fast. Knowing our expenses in advance reduced our stress a lot. The view from the gondola is simply breathtaking. As you ascend, the valley and mountains unfold, with Aosta slowly disappearing below. It's one of those rides where you just stare out the window, speechless, because the scenery alone makes the trip worthwhile.

However, some details are disappointing. Many cabins have noticeable scratches on the transparent surfaces. These make it hard to fully enjoy the view, especially against the light. It's a shame because a bit of maintenance or replacing the most damaged panels could greatly improve the ride experience.

Another issue was the line management, especially when returning from the slopes. The lack of a clear flow at the turnstiles causes confusion and tension. I personally saw heated arguments over people cutting in line. With a bit more organization, like dedicated lanes or clearer signs, unpleasant situations could be easily avoided.

Overall, the day wasn't as memorable as I hoped. The weather started well but worsened with dropping temperatures, which didn't help. Buying tickets online was quick and easy, as was picking them up from the machine. The base facility in Aosta is well-sized, but at the top, reaching the slopes, the lifts can't handle all the skiers. The snow coverage was good and well-groomed, though not abundant. On the slopes, I noticed several stops, some normal, others quite long. The Couis 1 gondola was problematic most of the day, with no mention of a refund. At day's end, the lift back to the valley was insufficient. At peak times, lines exceeded an hour's wait.