THE LOWDOWN: LA THUILE

La Thuile is a ski resort in the Aosta Valley, in north-west Italy. The nearest major airports are Geneva and Turin, both a two-hour drive away. There are loads of places to stay, plus numerous restaurants selling delicious locallysourced food at great prices. The town has a bike park full of graded, waymarked routes (www.lathuile.it), plus plenty of backcountry riding. Two lifts are open in summer, with an adult day pass costing 22. We can highly recommend doing your riding the Italian way – starting the day with co ee and a brioche, stopping at 11am for a cappuccino and finishing things o with a gelato!