If there is a better resort than Cervinia for those who like easy cruising in spring sunshine, we have yet to find it. And then there's more easy cruising on the gentlest of Zermatt's slopes just over the Swiss border.
And for the rest of us? Well, to be frank, the rest of us are better off elsewhere. In particular, those with an eye on bumps or powder over in Zermatt should stay there, not here - access to its best slopes is still time-consuming.
The village was branded Cervinia when it was developed for skiing, but these days harks back to its mountaineering roots by prefixing that with its original name, Breuil. Ever heard of that? No, quite. So we'll stick with Cervinia.
Cervinia is on the Italian side of the Matterhorn (or Monte Cervino), at the head of a long valley off the Aosta valley. The resort gets a lot of Italian weekend business, and quite a lot of Russian January business. We get a good flow of reports from mainly satisfied British visitors.
The slopes link to Valtournenche further down the valley (covered by the lift pass) and at high altitude to Zermatt in Switzerland (covered by a daily supplement, or a more expensive weekly pass). Lifts at Valtournenche may be open when Cervinia's are closed due to wind - but a reporter warns the bus service is infrequent.
Day trips by car to Courmayeur, La Thuile, Pila and the Monterosa Ski resorts of Champoluc and Gressoney are not easy, but possible (and some tour operators offer excursions). A six-day lift pass covers two days in these other resorts.
Pros
Miles of long, consistently gentle runs; ideal for intermediates wary of steep slopes or bumps
Slopes are sunny, but high and pretty snow-sure
Spectacular setting beneath the towering Matterhorn
Excellent village nursery slope
Cons
Bad weather (especially high winds)can close most of the higher lifts, severely limiting your options
Very little to interest those looking for challenges
Not a notably attractive village
Few off-slope amenities
