The resort
Breuil-Cervinia is a modern resort in a wide bowl at the head of the Valtournenche, directly beneath the Italian face of the Matterhorn: Monte Cervino, on this side of the border. Glacier skiing on the Plateau Rosà and Ventina extends into summer.
The skiing
The Italian side runs to 160 km, linking down-valley to Valtournenche and up over the glacier to Zermatt for a combined 360 km. The Cretaz and Pancheron chairs climb out of the village toward Plan Maison, and the Plateau Rosà cableway reaches 3,480 m: top of the Ventina, the 11 km long descent back to the resort. The border crossing runs via Cime Bianche Laghi and the Bontadini chair; the pistes here are broad and high, with the Indianpark for freestylers. The current winter season is long: October 24 to May 2 on the official dates.
Snow & weather
The resort sits at 2,050 m, with most skiing higher up and glacier terrain above it. Check wind and lift status before planning a cross-border day. The month-by-month record, in °C and °F, is on the Cervinia snow & weather page.
Lessons & ski schools
Cervinia has group and private instruction for different ages and abilities. Choose a lesson meeting point alongside your accommodation, and confirm the teaching language and where beginners will spend their first days.
Passes
The local Cervinia-Valtournenche pass covers the Italian side (with a variant adding the other Valle d'Aosta resorts); the International passes (2, 3 and 6-day, a 12-day open version and a season pass) add Zermatt. All sell through the operator's official shop at cervino.skiperformance.com.
Where to stay
Two bases in one municipality: purpose-built Breuil-Cervinia in the bowl, where most beds sit near the lifts, and the traditional village of Valtournenche at 1,500 m down the valley: with its own cable car into the shared area.
Getting there
Turin is the closest airport at 118 km (about 1h45), with Milan Malpensa (171 km), Linate (207 km) and Geneva (260 km) behind it. The railhead is Châtillon/Saint-Vincent on the Aosta line, with buses up the valley; drivers leave the A5 there and climb the final 28 km of regional road.
Beyond the pistes
The walk to the Lago Blu (with views of the Matterhorn) is a short outing; husky sledding runs in the snowy woods, and the Matterhorn Alpine Crossing offers a ski-free excursion over to Zermatt and back, weather permitting.
Who it suits
The broad pistes suit intermediates who want long runs. Compare the International pass if you intend to ski Zermatt, and Valtournenche if you prefer a traditional village to the high resort bowl.
Quick answers
Is Cervinia linked to Zermatt? Yes: over the Theodul glacier at Plateau Rosà: the combined Breuil-Cervinia–Valtournenche–Zermatt area runs to 360 km, and the International pass covers both sides. The Matterhorn Alpine Crossing cableways also let non-skiers cross to Zermatt and back.
What is the skiing like in Cervinia? High, wide and sunny: the Italian side's 160 km sit mostly above 2,000 m with broad, groomed pistes: the Ventina descends 11 km from Plateau Rosà (3,480 m) to the village. Experts cross to Zermatt for the steeper terrain.
How do you get to Cervinia? Turin is the closest airport (118 km, about 1h45), then Milan Malpensa (171 km) and Linate (207 km); Geneva works at 260 km. The railhead is Châtillon/Saint-Vincent on the Aosta line, with buses up the 28 km valley road from the A5 exit.