The favorite mountain spots of the stars

Audrey Hepburn sitting on the terrace of a luxury mountain resort, in a very up-to-date chocolate-colored Givenchy catsuit and oversized sunglasses. An image so iconic (from the movie Charade) that it completely catalyzes our attention, making us forget the wonder of the snowy landscape behind her. Have you ever wondered what that place was? Simple, the answer is Gstaad, the popular Swiss ski resort that has always been synonymous with luxury and celebrities. Yes, because, scattered around the world there are corners that seem to attract actors, music stars, business tycoons and royalty more than honey bees. It's impossible not to include Saint Moritz, Chamonix, Courmayeur, Cortina d'Ampezzo and Madonna di Campiglio in this elite list, even if, currently, the coolest are in Colorado. Ever heard of Aspen? Here on the slopes you might run into Kendall Jenner e Hailey Bieber.

Read on if you want to discover the secrets of the favorite mountain spots of the stars.

Aspen

The Kennedys, Clintons and Obamas spent every Christmas there. Dakota Johnson basically grew up here with her mother Melanie Griffith and never misses a chance to go back, even in the company of her boyfriend Chris Martin. Kate Hudson and her family have always had a home here, as has Mariah Carey, and walking through the streets or shopping in the downtown stores during the winter season it is easy to run into the Hadid sisters or Paris Hilton. Every season the celebrities who frequent this small town of about 4000 residents, nestled between Red Mountain and Burnt Mountain, multiply making the nickname of "Hollywood of Colorado" perfectly fitting. There are plenty of activities to do here: pick one of several trails to take in the breathtaking views while hiking; ski the snow-covered slopes of; picnic on the shores of Maroon Lake; dine at a gourmet restaurant; shop at luxury boutiques or visit the Aspen Art Museum. And when you are tired of mountains and city glamour, the must is to be pampered in an exclusive hotel, following the example of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West who, a few years ago, rented the most beautiful suites of the St Regis Hotel, with their custom furnishings designed by Ralph Lauren, for the entire Kardashina-Jenner clan.

Telluride

Save this name well because, if you're on the hunt for celebrities, this Colorado town is the right destination for your next winter vacation. Forbes Magazine's word that, after praising the paradisiacal natural spots of the "true mountain West" wrote "Aspen is unabashedly a place to see and be seen. But Telluride is the place where celebrities can kick back and blend in." The reason is not only the popular Telluride Film Festival (which this year hosted the reunion of Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan), but Oprah Winfrey, Ralph Lauren, Tom Cruise, Sandra Bullock and all the other stars who have chosen to buy homes here. Are you starting to save money?

Gstaad

Here you won't find screaming moms chasing their kids down the slopes, cheap daily menus for tourists and people sitting in the hotel lobby massaging their feet after wearing boots for hours. Gstaad is not for common people. On the terrace of the Wasserngrat restaurant, you might find yourself eating cheese fondue and rösti with fried eggs next to Valentino and Anne Hathaway, and your room neighbor at Le Grand Bellevue Hotel might be Madonna. Because the luxurious Swiss resort has always been the favorite destination of the jet-set, princes and queens, heads of industry and international stars. Some names? Audrey Hepburn, the royal family of Monaco, Brigitte Bardot, Jackie Kennedy, Lady D and Prince Charles, Elton John and Olivia Palermo. And please, if you plan on going, remember: don't pronounce the "G"...quelle horreur! The locals call it "Staad."

Cortina d’Ampezzo

In the '50s and '60s, the days and nights were animated by Sophia Loren, Ingrid Bergman and Marcello Mastroianni. Then there was the era of yuppies and paninari, the bourgeois Italy, but with a coarse soul, of the films with Boldi and de Sica. Recently, more than the usual local celebrities and Hollywood stars such as George Clooney, it was Miu Miu Mountain Club, the FW21 fashion show of Miuccia Prada's brand, that made Cortina d'Ampezzo the protagonist of the event, choosing as its location the snowy Dolomites around the town. So, while waiting for the next winter season to shine the spotlight on Cortina again, everyone was able to look back on this magnificent area, the valleys where you can walk, the peaks where you can go mountaineering and the lakes where you can go kayaking or canoeing. Because la dolce vita is much more than luxury and exclusive clubs.

Madonna di Campiglio

The Pearl of the Dolomites has many things to offer: more than 50 lifts, 150 km of slopes, 50,000 square meters of snowpark and even 40 km dedicated to Nordic skiing. Not enough? Add to this uncontaminated and luxuriant nature, woods and lakes, paths that climb up Adamello and Presanella, good food and places where you can dance until dawn. The first celebrity to notice the beauty of Madonna di Campiglio was Empress Sissi (yes, the one in the movies with Romy Schneider) who, seduced by the breathtaking views of the town, in the summers of the late 1800s moved with part of her court to the Hotel des Alpes. The latest? Chiara Ferragni who opted for the more modern, but no less prestigious, Lefay Resort & Spa Dolomiti and spent Christmas 2019 between the slopes of Grostè and Rifugio Boch. The result was a shower of selfies and ski chic outfits like those that periodically fill the profile of Erika Boldrin, influencer and founder of Honieh Beauty who has a special bond with these areas. 

Saint Moritz

Back in the day, it was called the place with the champagne atmosphere for its sparkling, exclusive allure. Today, as then, St. Moritz, the mountain resort in the heart of the Swiss Engadine valley, still retains the unique charm that has made it a favorite with royalty and celebrities: breathtaking nature, snow-capped peaks, ski slopes, luxurious hotels and glamorous parties where you can party until and beyond the crack of dawn. In the past, the hub of the nightlife was the Palace Hotel, Club Dracula and Café Hanselmann. Here it was easy to bump into Brigitte Bardot, Rita Hayworth or Marlene Dietrich, but also the Ranieri family who continue, with the new generation headed by Charlotte Casiraghi, to spend their free time in the small town between the Alps. The international and Italian celebrities who choose it for their winter holidays are many: from Ilary Blasi to Claudia Schiffer, from Michelle Hunziker to Bella Hadid. 

Chamonix

Chamonix is a small French town located about an hour's drive from Geneva airport in the north-western region of the Alps. Considered to be one of the most famous ski resorts in the world, it offers perfect spots for winter sports enthusiasts: from the toughest slopes on Mont Blanc to hiking on the Haute Route, 180 kilometers from Chamonix to Switzerland. Other tourist favorites include the Crystal Museum, the Argentière Glacier and the Aiguille du Midi cable car, one of the highest in the world, which starts in the center of the country and flies over the Vallée Blanche to the summit of Piton Central at 3842 meters. When you're tired of skiing and exploring, it's time for some local food. Where? Try La Remise for a velvety onion soup with homemade sage brioche; the Plan Joran chalet restaurant for bruschetta and pizza; or the Rider Cafédalla for tartiflette, a classic Chamonix dish of potatoes, cheese and bacon.

Courmayeur

The most important center of Alta Valdigne, Courmayeur is a jewel on Mont Blanc. Dolonne, Entrèves, La Palud, Villair Dessus, Larzey, Entrelevie, La Villette and La Saxe are the centers to get to know and discover, as well as its chalets and snow-covered slopes or the boutiques in Via Roma. The town is ideal for typical winter sports, but also for pampering yourself with good food, chocolate with cream in one of the many café terraces or perhaps an eccentric butter d'Alpe and polenta scrub massage at the spa of the Auberge de la Maison. To enjoy the view, try a ride on the Skyway, the extraordinary rotating cable car.