We’d been watching the forecast and most of the Alps was going to remain dry. A decent snowstorm took us to Sestriere and the Retour d’est was set to intensify and drop the motherlode further south in the Limone and Prato Nevoso area. Retour d’est forecasting can be fickle, especially a couple of days out, and this return from the east was true to form as the models kept moving, especially with respect to temperature. Keen to visit the area after having watched the two massive snowstorms in December including one around Xmas (e.g. video & video) when my colleague was there, we took the punt to drive south to Limone with our fingers crossed for cold temperatures.

Zero regrets but unfortunately the temperature didn’t drop as much as hoped (and hyped), and with its southerly latitude and proximity to the Med, Limone got the motherlode of sloppy wet snow instead of powder.

We were joined by Chad and Leroy at breakfast who were peaking and keen to get out there, however we needn’t have rushed to get up to Limone Quota 1400 for a few reasons. Only a couple of lifts were running initially, the snow was snotty, and visibility poor and skiing by braille kept all but the hardiest away. It was tricky to find the balance between skiing in amongst the trees for vis, but also trying to get higher to find better snow. It was great to watch the small band of local skiers who found the sweet spot and were charging on super fat skis with brave knees and thighs of steel.

I only skied the right hand side of the trail map, so clearly only “saw” (or didn’t see) a small part of the terrain, so this review obviously has some major limitations. In addition to the propensity for wet snow, one noticeable con was that a couple of lifts evidenced the long history of the ski resort. The lack of crowds and cheap lift tickets were major pros.

Affordable lodging was another advantage. We stayed at Hotel Edelweiss, which was positioned between 1400 and Limone Piemonte town. The deluxe junior suite provided very good value for money, although the stairs of the neighbouring suite were a bit noisy, sort of like me after a couple of cocktails in the lovely bar onsite.

The town of Limone Piemonte was another big pro of the area, and we had a designated driver to ferry us for dinner. After feeling “pillaged” in Sestriere, the food and beverages in Limone Piemonte were delightfully economical. We enjoyed classic Italian fare, including bruschetta and pasta as well as pizza (face) for the Board Goddess. The town had plenty of personality and it looked particularly pretty at night where the main square was illuminated with all sorts of colourful lights.
See our video here

After a marathon journey by public transport from Switzerland (a story for another time but suffice to say that any travel around Christmas time is always something best avoided!), I spent Christmas 2025 at Limone Piemonte chasing a BIG storm. After a few days of low visibility, increasing snow depths, and varied snow quality (due to major temperature fluctuations), a bluebird Saturday after Christmas brought not only an incredible powder day, but also a hefty crowd. After skiing the resort almost totally bereft of any other humans, the crowd was a shock, but thankfully they predominantly stayed on the piste, leaving this resort's fantastic freeride terrain to very happy band of powder-seeking foreign interlopers (me included!).

One would think from the photos that the snow here would rate more than a 3 powder paws, but like everywhere, whilst it is great on its day, the resort’s southerly location, relatively modest top altitude and proximity to the Mediterranean Sea can act against. Take a close look at the forecast temperatures before heading on a Limone storm chase and you wont be disappointed. But of course if a storm doesn’t work out, you can still has a great time here on mostly deserted pistes mid-week and a pleasing village where sitting in a few local’s bars will bring a nice dose of travel joy.

More to follow when I find the time.

See our video here

Limone is a romantic village with great skiing and proximity to the Riviera.

The ski area stretches over three valleys and the lifts consist of a mixture of museum pieces to modern lifts/gondolas.

There are about 10 restaurants/rifugios on the slopes and you will spend a considerable amount of time at these outdoor cafes 🍺☀️

There are even more restaurants in the village, from luxury and Michelin to traditional restaurants. Regardless of the price level, it is really affordable (compared to Sweden)

The slopes are located in the north and are relatively snow-sure.
Easily accessible off-piste where the snow lies untouched for weeks after snowfall (the Italians stay on the slopes)

There are nice summit tours in the area. The easiest way is to pull on the skins at the top lift and you will reach a fantastic valley. usually stable conditions (low avalanche risk).
From the peaks you can see the Mediterranean shimmering in the distance.

There are also four forts at the 2,000m level from the Napoleonic era. Clearly interesting tourist destinations.
When the snow is good, you can go down to the French side to Vievola and take the train back to Limone

It is about 40 minutes by car down to the Mediterranean so Après ski on the beach is completely possible ☀️

Getting here:
The easiest way is to fly to Nice.

From there you take the train to Ventimiglia where you change trains to Limone. Or 100 kilometers by car from Nice

You can also take the train from Turin or Milan (the train stops in the middle of the village)

Best time to go to Limone?
They usually open around December 8th and the sun is already warming up nicely during midwinter. But the skiing is usually better in February-March
See our video here