I visited Italy’s ‘Little Siberia’

IS there such a thing as too much snow?

When booking a ski holiday in Europe, you’re usually panicking there won’t be enough.

But this month, my seven-year-old son and I travelled to La Thuile, in the Aosta Valley in northern Italy, and witnessed up to half a metre of snow falling A DAY.

The resort, which is part of the Espace San Bernado area that also crosses into La Rosiere in France, is nicknamed Little Siberia thanks to its high altitude and reliable snow.

In fact, the intensity of the snowfall meant that La Thuile had a level four out of five avalanche risk when we visited, with several runs closed.

Visitors were warned against off-piste skiing — something to be taken seriously as in nearby Courmayeur two skiers died that same week as a result of a huge avalanche.

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I was concerned we should steer clear of the mountains altogether, but the resort staff couldn’t have been more reassuring.

They were clearly working 24 hours a day to make everything safe — from the comfort of my hotel room at night, I could hear the controlled explosions as they worked to stabilise the slopes.

The ski school was excellent, too. I have no idea how instructors managed to keep control of hundreds of identical kids in blizzard conditions, but they did. And my son had a wonderful time.

For me, it meant off-piste conditions on your average red run, losing sight of my skis under mounds of fresh powder.

In an entire week, I didn’t come across a single patch of hardened icy slope.

La Thuile is an intermediate skier’s paradise, with lovely wide red runs that are more like dark blues, which wind all the way down the mountain.

There are plenty of blues and blacks too, and if you fancy a trip to France, the lift pass takes you over the border into La Rosiere.

The ski passes are considerably more affordable than in most of France though.

Despite the fact that Italy is the place to be this year, thanks to the recent Winter Olympics taking place there, a ski holiday in the Italian Alps is surprisingly easier on the wallet than other European countries.

In this year’s Post Office ski report, Italy boasted several of the top ten most affordable resorts in Europe, including our pick of La Thuile.

A six-day pass cost £265 for an adult and £187 for a child in high season. Ski and boot hire cost from £79 for kids and £126 for adults.

As we had travelled with ski holiday operator Crystal, they organised all of that for us ahead of the trip, as well as my son’s ski lessons.

In fact, they planned so much that it felt a bit like holidaying with a parent.

The Crystal reps were there to greet us at the airport, at the ski shop when we collected our equipment and at the ski school every morning.

And on the return bus to the airport they even told us the number of our check-in desk.

Their app was excellent too. It told me everything, from where and when to find my airport transfer, to the kinds of non-ski activities you could get up to and the best restaurants.

Much like the lift passes, the restaurants were cheaper than many in French and Austrian resorts.

Even on the mountain, a pizza, large beer and (the gloopiest) hot chocolate cost just over £15 — and came with the best service ever in a busy tourist ski spot.

I’d forgotten quite how perfect the hospitality in Italy is, I’m convinced nowhere does it better.

Our hotel, Le Miramonti, was a historic Alpine hotel in the centre of La Thuile, a ten-minute walk from the main ski lifts.

With a spa that became part of our daily apres-ski routine, comfortable rustic bedrooms, a lounge with a roaring fire and a bar with mountain views (and a very relaxed attitude to children), it was a great place to chill at the end of a day on the slopes.

But by far its best selling point was that aforementioned hospitality. A family-owned 4* hotel where the staff put most 5* properties to shame.

But the cherry on top had to be the waiters in the restaurant, where we had breakfast and a four-course meal each evening.

Every waiter was on first-name terms with my son, exchanging Pokemon tips, drawing him goodbye artwork and slipping him extra treats.

By the end of our stay, we felt like we were part of the family.