Tucked away in the heart of the Italian Alps, Pragelato has quietly become a winter escape of choice for South African celebrities and sports stars craving something more refined than the typical ski hotspot. Whether it’s the rise in ski-tourism or the athletic enthusiasts jumping into uphilling, snowy getaways are not limited to getting a taste of a white Christmas.
Leaning into the slow trend of the season and rising popularity of Pragelato as the go-to for many South Africans, Ryle De Morny has recently been spotted soaking up the crisp mountain air and postcard-perfect scenery of the Italian Alps.
The presenter, actor and athlete joined the Expresso Morning Show in 2021 and is also a familiar face from the jet-setting Top Billing. We catch up with him on his Alpine adventures.
What has been your favourite dish in Italy?
I’d have to say it’s a toss-up between the pizza and the pasta. The pizza dough is made fresh from the start and some of them make you look good afterwards. Like, you don’t get fat. It’s such an incredible thing, there’s a secret going on in Italy they’re not telling us about. I’ve never tasted pasta so fresh, fluffy and airy. They make it live in front of you. You’ll see them twirl the pastas in the cheese and how they infuse the flavours in a gnocchi that absorbs it all. Those stood out for me, as clichéd as it might sound.
What three items should fans of ski towns such as Pragelato always make sure they pack in their suitcase?
You need to make the most of the snow.
- The essentials I pack are a nice pair of waterproof shoes or boots. Why? Because that will unlock the adventure and keep your toes dry during hikes and going out into the Alps, building snowmen or snow angels.
- Pack a camera. Something you can mount on a helmet or put on yourself that will allow you to capture every moment while you’re out in the snow. When you’re out in that environment, you want to capture every moment but also be present. Having an action camera allows you to do both.
- Pack a lot of gees and adventurous spirit. Bring the nature boy or girl within you on the trip. Everything you do is so different when you’re doing it in snow. Everything is whimsical. It feels like you’re in a movie.
Everyone knows you for your summer-ready style, but how did you approach grooming and styling while in a much colder region?
Summer style is easy for me, but with this one and being out of my comfort zone, I kind of got caught off guard. I did do a lot of layers, which I enjoyed doing whenever I could. But between being outside, which is freezing, and inside, which is cosy with the fireplace, you have to have the best of both.
When you’re adventuring, it’s quite easy because you have to go with pure functionality — those layers. What I found to be quite cool is that I started incorporating a lot of wool. It’s such a great fabric for insulation and so practical, so I had a lot of woolen pullovers and jackets. They came through and saved the day, and I’m a big fan.
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