Unmoored, exhausted, and heartbroken, I knew I needed to step outside my comfort zone. An Italian road trip with my rescue dog, Annie, felt like the perfect way to shake things up.<\/p>\n
My mom joined us for the first leg. An avid hiker, she suggested we stop for lunch in her favorite mountain town<\/a> in the Italian Alps. As much as I loved the relaxed, authentic vibe, I never imagined that eight years later, I’d be living here year-round.<\/p>\n Every time I returned to Courmayeur, it felt like coming home<\/p>\n I ended up staying in Courmayeur longer than I expected.\u00a0<\/p>\n Gemma Johnstone<\/p>\n I spent the rest of my road trip exploring Italy, then headed back up north and spontaneously stopped in Courmayeur again for a quick visit.<\/p>\n A few days turned into two weeks \u2014 and then turned into a few months, after I found a short-term, low-season rental and decided to stick around. Then, I extended my three-month lease to a yearlong one.<\/p>\n The peace, blue skies, and stunning scenery kept me here. I loved that, within minutes of stepping outside on a daily dog walk, I could be immersed in secluded nature with breathtaking views.<\/p>\n Plus, despite being surrounded by tranquil trails, the town is conveniently well-connected. It’s just a few hours away from Milan, Turin, and Geneva, making it easy for my much-missed friends and family to visit and for me to explore other parts of Europe.<\/p>\n Almost a year into my stay in Courmayeur, I took a short trip back to Scotland. I still wasn’t sure where I wanted to settle down long-term.<\/p>\n However, when I drove back into Courmayeur, I immediately felt such an overwhelming sense of being home that I began the process of securing residency<\/a>.<\/p>\n Italian Alpine life comes with challenges no one posts about<\/p>\n Living in the Alps is very different from visiting.\u00a0<\/p>\n Gemma Johnstone<\/p>\n During that first year, I realized that living in this picture-postcard Alpine resort year-round is very different from vacationing here.<\/p>\n Courmayeur’s population, which is typically around 3,000, swells significantly during the peak ski and summer seasons, and living in a tourist destination<\/a> has its downsides. I don’t love the traffic-clogging narrow lanes, and the scarcity and high cost of apartment rentals.<\/p>\n During the low season, the town feels deserted. Suddenly, there are swaths of shuttered second-home chalets and closed restaurants. It’s a change of pace that I appreciate, but for those who thrive in a bustling environment, it could feel jarring.<\/p>\n Then there’s the language barrier. My Italian has been embarrassingly slow to improve, and even basic interactions felt intimidating to begin with.<\/p>\n Locals were always polite and helpful \u2014 and many working in the tourism industry speak English \u2014 but I understandably had to prove myself before I was fully embraced by the close-knit mountain community.<\/p>\n The cost of living<\/a> is also a consideration; my winter energy bills, for instance, are much higher than I was used to in Scotland. I’m lucky to work from home<\/a>, but I know seasonal workers who have struggled with long hours, limited days off, and low pay.<\/p>\n Living here is still so worth it for me<\/p>\n Courmayeur isn’t perfect, but it was exactly what I needed.\u00a0<\/p>\n Gemma Johnstone<\/p>\n Despite the challenges, I don’t regret my decision to stay in Courmayeur.<\/p>\n Living here has confirmed how much I value nature, community, and calmness over status or city life. Moving doesn’t solve every problem, of course, but the right place gave me the space I needed to work through mine.<\/p>\n I find it grounding to live where the seasons dictate the rhythm of life. Of course, there’s skiing in the winter, but in the spring and fall, I help my neighbors with potato and apple harvests. In the summer, I hike to mountain refuges and swim in glacial lakes.<\/p>\n My community here is a mix of lifelong locals and a few expats, and they’ve all expanded my worldview. I admire the dedication and passion of hotel workers, lift operators, and mountain guides, and I love watching burned-out city slickers rediscover their joy for life here.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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