At the Origins of La Thuile
La Thuile: a story of mountain passes, fortifications, mines, and sports
The history of La Thuile is the story of the civilisations that traversed these lands, leaving their mark in the form of mountain passes, roads, fortifications, and hospices.
From the Salassi, a Celtic people whose presence reflects the enduring connection with France along the route that would later become the Roman Via delle Gallie, to the Romans themselves, who chose the Little St Bernard Pass as a key Alpine route.
Tangible evidence of this history can still be seen in the ancient posting stations — the mansiones of Roman times — where travellers were registered using early forms of passports, and in the medieval hospice built by Mauritian monks as a place of rest and shelter for wayfarers and pilgrims.
It was not until the late 19th century that La Thuile began to emerge with a new identity, less tied to its role as a strategic passage. This marked the beginning of its mining era: a village with limited agricultural potential but rich in silver-lead and anthracite deposits, precious resources for a community whose population doubled at the height of mining activity, reaching 1,400 residents. Mining machinery can still be seen near the centre of the village, in the hamlets of Villaret and Pera Carà.
After the Second World War, La Thuile truly blossomed into its modern identity as a winter resort — and much more — when a visionary local cooperative recognised skiing as the future for the next generations.
From the first chairlift to the international Espace San Bernardo ski area, development accelerated, establishing La Thuile among the most important ski resorts in Italy and abroad. It hosted the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup in 2016, 2020, and 2025, and two Telemark World Cup competitions in 2017. The legendary Franco Berthod piste no. 3, symbolic of Mont Blanc’s wildest and most challenging terrain, remains part of this legacy.
Today, La Thuile is synonymous with an all-season tourist destination, offering a wide variety of activities — skiing, trekking, mountain biking, horse riding, yoga — set against the backdrop of majestic, rejuvenating nature that challenges visitors physically and mentally. From 2014, La Thuile hosted the Enduro World Series, and between 2025 and 2027 it will welcome the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup.
