Buon appetito!

I’m sure it’s possible to find food that is below par in an Italian ski resort, but I don’t know which one. Every time I ski there, I’m served the most deliciously simple fare, and it leaves a lasting impression.

Our destination is Champoluc, an hour or two’s drive north of Turin. The road zigzags up the side of the Aosta valley where Champoluc sits at the north-western end of Italy’s answer to Les Trois Vallées – Monterosa Ski (the other two linked resorts are Gressoney and Alagna).

Monterosa panorama

We’re staying at the Breithorn, an old and grand chalet-style building with creaky wooden floors and giant fireplaces throughout. Family company Ski Total has taken over the building for the season, and the meals follow their Europe-wide menu. It would be hard to beat their breakfast of cereals, fruit, pastires, cold cuts and hot options. Great for setting you up for a morning on the slopes.

Our hotel has rusty charm

We’re most fortunate with the weather, not to mention our guide Simone, who turns out to be the world’s fastest man on skis. He's keeping his need for speed in check today, though. I can't do piste-bashing without a mid-morning hot beverage to look forward to. 

Down to Gressoney

The fastest man on skis

Which brings us to elevenses. None of that watery brew here. The cup is filled with real melted chocolate, then filled to the brim with whipped cream. 

Hot choc heaven

Lunch is accorded just as much attention to detail. There's one very long and spectacularly delicious one at Le Rascard Frantze, in a tiny hamlet above Champoluc. There's no road to the place so we ski in… then ski out a few hours later. 

Scenes of the resort's farming past

A family owned place, the mouthwatering menu is happily tweaked for the vegetarian. There are guest bedrooms upstairs and the building's old farming details have been lovingly preserved, from the stone mushrooms to keep the vermin away from the grain, to the old bread oven with its handy wooden rack – again, to keep the animals off the loaves.

Rat catchers

Old bread oven

Bread rack turned glove stash

Another day we lunch at what must be Italy's only alpine restaurant with a Tibetan menu, at Campo Base, where the prayer flags flutter in the breeze. It's a slow ski down after that one. 

Taste of Tibet

Half way down I spot a piste sign that reminds me of Scotland – just the thing for my Happy Robert Burns Day messages. 

Ode to a moos