Chamois – And an Interesting Camping Experience

24/02/2026

We were excited to get back on our skis after our February holiday break, and we were particularly excited because we were going to try somewhere we have never skied before.

We have been to Chamois before, enjoying a trip in the gondola and a snowshoe around the valley, but we’d been unable to ski because it was after the end of the ski season. The other reason we’ve never skied here is because we aren’t allowed to park at the gondola station. There is a very restrictive ‘No Motorhomes’ policy at the car park. I can understand why motorhomes are not allowed to park overnight as there is a campsite right next door. But I do think it’s a bit overboard to ban day visitors.

Anyway, it is – as one of my friends would have said – what it is. In order to ski at Chamois we would have to stay in the campsite.

Camping Cervino

We were quite excited to try the campsite. It’s not expensive (the prices increased during the holiday periods but dropped back down to €25 per night for a pitch) and we had high hopes that it would be somewhere we could use to for a stay when we visit the Valtournenche in future.

We’d booked a asphalt pitch online. There aren’t many of these hard standing pitches so we felt quite lucky to get one. But after checking in we were a bit surprised to be directed onto a grass pitch. The campsite staff walked gingerly onto the sodden ground but nodded, we would be fine. This isn’t the first time we’ve regretted taking someone else’s word for it. We drove on to the grass and mud and immediately sank up to our tyre rims. Bear in mind that we aren’t even that heavy a vehicle. It was just a very wet pitch due to all the snow melt.

Cue a very typical Italian group discussion. Campsite staff, next door neighbours and pretty much any passer by got involved. We don’t have a towing eye on the rear of the van and there was no option to tow us forwards as other pitches were occupied. Paul was slowly reaching boiling point as various impractical options were bandied around. Finally Paul managed to get a substantial webbing strap from a member of staff and tie it around the rear axle of the van. We were towed out rather ignominiously. Now where’s that asphalt pitch?

The asphalt pitch was on the end of a row of nose to tail units. Behind us was a van far too large for the pitch size, it was obvious they would be unable to get out if we parked within the pitch boundaries. But no, we weren’t allowed to park any further forward. When the owners of the large motorhome got back from their day skiing and attempted to leave they were stuck. The campsite staff then tried to navigate them out inch by inch, back and forth. We offered to move a couple of times but were told ‘no’. After watching further attempts Paul finally lost it, throwing our screen cover off and shoving our chocks to the side he pulled forward the extra meter that we’d wanted in the first place. The other van got out easily, grateful to have saved their bodywork, although possibly a little traumatised by Paul’s temper.

And then…because these things always happen in threes… the chemical waste disposal point was blocked. As I found when I emptied our toilet into the bowl and watched our turds swirl around in a pool of effluent. Rather a disgusting sight. We managed to get rid of the worst of it with buckets of water and liberal use of a toilet brush before alerting the campsite staff who were about as effective as they had demonstrated previously. Cue lots of looking and deliberating and not much action Fortunately it was all resolved 24 hours later.

So it wasn’t the best start to our stay. Something to laugh about now but Paul’s blood pressure was sorely tested. The positives, some lovely hot and powerful showers (once you looked past the filth in the corners of the cubicles), a nice restaurant, and proximity to some very relaxing skiing.

Chamois

It’s never been clear to me whether the animal is named after the village or the village is named after the animal. I expect the latter as chamois, small and goat like, live in the mountains across Europe. In Italian they are called camosci, but the Valle d’Aosta has strong French connections from the time of the Dukes of Savoy and many French words have been adopted in the place names of the area.

We kept an eye out for chamois when we were on the gondola up to Chamois and managed to spot a few as we crested the cliffs and passed over the meadows below the village.

Look carefully and you will see a few animals dotted across the slope.

Chamois has a tiny ski resort. Three lifts (plus a beginners magic carpet) and 16km of trails mean that every run can be completed several times. That’s not an issue though, the runs were almost empty and the skiing was the kind of relaxed swooshing that makes you wonder if you’re using any muscles at all.

Quite a few people use the gondola just for a day visit, a long lunch in one of the restaurants or a snow shoe around the area. But it’s also a nice change for people who are skiing further up the valley at Cervinia.

Great views across to Cervinia and Monte Cervino

We spent a pleasant and relaxed day on the slopes before downloading in the gondola and returning to the campsite to blast ourselves in the hot water of the showers.

So overall, although we wouldn’t recommend the campsite unreservedly, it’s definitely worth a visit just to easily ascend to Chamois.

Motorhome Ski Chamois – the practical stuff:

Here is the practical stuff you can avoid reading if you have no interest in going skiing.

Where to stay

The campsite Camping Cervinio is right next to the gondola car park so in a very convenient position for accessing the slopes.

The rate for an asphalt or standard pitch was €25 a night outside of the peak times (Christmas, New Year, Carnevale and Easter) and weekends. The facilities, including EHU shower block and motorhome services, are included in the price.

The water and toilet disposal are easily accessed, but the drive over grey waste is in a corner of the site that is down by the river and surrounded by mud. It’s very impractical and I wouldn’t have been tempted to even try to access it. Given that we were using the campsite facilities it was easier to us the bucket-under-the-waste-outlet option.

The alternative to the campsite would be staying somewhere a short distance away and getting the bus. For example Antey-Saint-Andre. An Arriva bus runs between Châtillon and Cervinia which would make this possible.

Ski passes

Ski passes can be ordered online, bought from self-service kiosks, or bought from a manned kiosk next to the gondola. Ski passes either include or do not include the gondola, so make sure you get the right ones.

Skiing Chamois

From the top of the gondola it is a short walk to the first chairlift. The skiing in Chamois is lovely and sunny and when other areas might be closed due to high winds, Chamois is usually open due to it’s shelter from three directions.

The other great thing about skiing here is that it is pretty easy. The runs are blues and reds, and the reds are what we would call ‘progression’ reds so they are great for anyone progressing from beginner to intermediate.