La Thuile: history of passes, fortifications, mines and sport
The history of La Thuile is intertwined with the civilisations that have passed through it, leaving their marks in the form of passes, roads, fortifications and hospices.
From the Celts, reminding us of their close connection with their French cousins on what later became the consular road to Gaul during Roman times, to the Romans themselves, who chose the Little St. Bernard Pass area to establish one of the most important communication routes in the Alpine chain.
Tangible evidence of this history includes the Roman mansiones, early rest areas where travellers were recorded using primitive passports, and the medieval hospices built by monks as a refuge for travellers and pilgrims.
But La Thuile also has a history marked by fighters, battles, trenches and bunkers, with remnants spanning from Hannibal's crossing to the 17th-century Savoy, from Napoleon's Second Italian Campaign to the Second World War.
However, it wasn't until the end of the 19th century that La Thuile began to develop an identity less tied to its vocation as a strategic passageway. It was during this period that La Thuile's “mining” history took shape. Albeit low in farming potential, La Thuile's rich deposits of argentiferous lead and anthracite were vital to the community, leading its population to double to 1,400 at the peak of its mining activity. The remnants of mining machinery can still be seen near the village centre in the hamlets of Villaret and Pera Cara.
It wasn’t until after World War II that La Thuile began to transform into the winter resort (and more) it is today, when a far-sighted common shareholder saw skiing as the future of the new generations.
From the first chairlift to the Espace San Bernardo international ski area, La Thuile rapidly grew into one of the most important Italian and international ski resorts hosting three Women’s Alpine Skiing World Cups in 2016 and two Telemark World Cups in 2017. Competitions that led the legendary No. 3 Franco Berthod – symbolising the wild and challenging side of Mont Blanc – to become the Olympus of slopes.
Today, La Thuile offers a comprehensive experience for both winter and summer tourism. It attracts a discerning and selective clientele with activities such as skiing, trekking, mountain biking, metabolic walking, horse riding and yoga, all set against the backdrop of majestic and regenerating nature, encouraging visitors to challenge and surpass their physical and mental limits.
