Pila – Chamole (Aosta)

Pila–Chamole, above Aosta in Italy's Valle d'Aosta, is a cross-country-friendly mountain site reached entirely by cable car, which makes it one of the more convenient alpine launches around. From Aosta, a cableway carries pilots up to Pila, followed by a second lift to the top; from there it's a short walk past a restaurant and onto a steep ski slope, where launching means walking slightly lower than the marked ski run to clear overhead cables safely. The site opens up flying across a wide range of wind directions, from northeast right around to west, which gives good flexibility through the day. Landing options change with the season and time of day: the area near the Plan Praz cableway station offers a fairly easy top-landing and works well in summer afternoons, when the valley breeze below becomes too strong for paragliders; a landing area near Gressan is the better choice in the morning or during autumn, winter and early spring. That Gressan landing area can be restricted at times due to airspace rules near Aosta, in which case a landing near Sarre serves as the alternative — worth confirming locally before you fly.

Launch & conditions

Reached via two cable cars from Aosta through Pila; launch from the ski slope near the top, walking slightly lower than the marked run to clear overhead cables.

Getting there & local rules

Take the cableway from Aosta up to Pila, then a second lift (seggiovia) to the top station; walk past the restaurant and onto the ski slope to reach takeoff.

Local rules & hazards

Landing choice depends on conditions: the Plan Praz side offers an easy top-landing and suits summer afternoons once the valley breeze gets too strong lower down; the Gressan side works better in the morning or in autumn/winter/early spring. The Gressan landing area is occasionally restricted due to airspace near Aosta — check locally, as a landing near Sarre serves as the backup when that's the case.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Pila – Chamole (Aosta), read the wind and thermals for the site itself, confirm the day's rules with the local club, and remember the standing rule — when in doubt, don't launch. In the free OutDare app you can open Pila – Chamole (Aosta) with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.