 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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charlieduff, Anywhere on the main Sella Ronda area, Reason = Beauty!!!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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charlieduff
Been to (in order of visit) Courmayeur, Cervinia, Selva, Sestriere. I would go back to (in order of preference, for various skiing and apres reasons) Cervinia, Selva then another country. But Turin is a better starting point for Cervinia.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Charlieduff
Welcome to the snowheads. It's great to see new people on here asking questions about resorts and wanting to get the low down. You will find that you get a very different response to the 'favourite/best etc' depending on what people value as important. To some Val Thorens (2300M, modern 'plonked on hill' french purpose built resort') is the do-dahs, for others then somewhere like Alpbach (austrian on the valley floor, quiet, small number of runs but utterly charming) is the bees knees.
At lot of the basic 'factual' information can be found on some other websites - for example http://www.ifyouski.com/resorts/ allows you to select resorts based on criteria that's important to you - e.g. snowsure, beginners, off-piste and then makes recommendations for you based on that criteria - also "Where to Ski and Snowboard" (WTSS) - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Where-Snowboard-2008-Chris-Gill/dp/0953637190/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1224189315&sr=8-2&tag=amz07b-21 provides additional information, and really should be on your xmas present list - although it has come in for some criticism on here for update speed on certain resorts in the past.
The power of snowheads is not neccessarily to get the basic factual information but is to get those extra 'tips' on restaturants/bars, sneaky back routes/roads, who the best boot-fitter is, tips on driving to the alps and other things that you can get from real local knowledge, as a good number of people on here are often frequent visitors to the same pleace or property owners in various places, as well as perhaps the social side.
Good luck with your searching, frankly for a 4 day trip - I would focus on (a) Resort size (don't want to ski it out on the 1st day) (b) Transfer times (keep it less than 2-2.5 hours) and snowboard friendly (not too many drags) and then just get on with it. I can't imagine you go too far wrong with any of cervinia, sauze or sestriere (but I haven't been to the last 2 personally)
Enjoy the trip.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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cheers for that bertie......people on this site are so helpfull it really is great !! i was supposed to fly to turin but the flights are all booked out heard alot about this cervinia place would love to give it a go but best way to get there is thru turin right ? well either way i shall book somewhere and soon then just watch the live webcam for the next 4 months !!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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La Thuile 
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Of where I have been in Italy:
1) Madonna di Campiglio (Stunning scenery, fast lifts)
2) La Thuile (Small but interesting resort, good scenery, relaxed atmosphere, good food)
3) Passo Tonale (Excellent snow, fast lifts, good value)
4) Livigno (Good snow, very cheap, but long transfer)
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charlieduff, I've skied in Livigno, Passo Tonale, Bardonecchia (twice), Sauze D'Oulx, La Thuile. Really liked La Thuile although it's not a party town (some nice relaxed restaurants though), Passo Tonale had great snow, nice wide, open pistes and is all pretty convenient (Hotel Orchidea was very nice), Bardonecchia has two sides for skiing and the snow on the Jafferau was better both times I've been, Livigno was great for apres and the skiing and snow were also fab (early Jan), but the transfer is a bit of a killer, from wherever you fly into and it's certainly not worthwhile for 4 days. Sauze was OK but very busy (early January), not great snow, very lively nightlife but not especially 'Italian'  - you could be anywhere! If I was under pressure to choose somewhere to go again, I'd go with Passo Tonale (and it's pretty handy for Bergamo) or La Thuile (not sure that's so handy though).
I've always enjoyed skiing in Italy, for the skiing, the apres and the general atmosphere. Good Luck!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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One to avoid - Claviere - it was a sh**hole, quite literally - all the toilets were holes in the ground!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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boabski, that's not a very fair review of Claviere. Yep, some of (not all) toilets are holes in the ground, but that's culture for you, eh? I can actually only think of 3 places (one on mountain and 2 in the village) that still have toilets that are the old french/italian style hole in the ground...
Claviere is a brilliant quiet wee village with ski/lift access to some amazing skiing/boarding on the via lattea. The place has culture in abundance, something that is sorely lacking from a lot of resorts in the alps.
It also maintains a superb snow record and, along with Montgenevre, holds snow long after many other resorts are struggling.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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For your criteria i'd go along with Cervinia.
Shortish transfer from Turin but about 2.5/3 hours from Milan, lots of piste (plus you can go over to the dark side in Zermatt weather permitting) nightlife ok and the view of the matterhorn is just superb!!
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boabski, I think the majority of people who have been there would disagree with you. Not all the toilets are holes in the ground.
It is a small resort linked to a very big ski area. The only Italian resort I've skied through in winter, therefore the only one I can accuratly review.
Good food, variety of slopes, traditional village, snow sure and France next door. An area I will return to.
Has a lovely night out to a mountain restaurant by skidoo ride.
Claviere shouldn't be overlooked. Although I went to the dolomites in the summer, and that is somewhere I'd very much like to go sking.
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I've only skied in la Thuile so can't compare to others but I can say I liked it a lot. Quite open pistes up high with great views and very little queing for lifts. The town is small and quiet on the street but there are good places to eat. Parts of the planibel complex can be noisy (a couple of my friends asked to be moved further from the bar area) but is very convenient for the lifts.
I have a secondary question, unless I should start another thread - can anyone recommend an Italian resort that would also suit non-skiers (my OH and my mates OH have stopped skiing but still like a winter break in snowy mountains)? Somewhere that is nice enough to spend time and/or convenient for day trips to somewhere nice.
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Poster: A snowHead
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It's got to be La Thuile.Great skiing,links to France.Food and beer alot cheaper than other resorts.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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been to Claviere, Champoluc and Campitello no idea why its all ones with C.. Claviere is nice and like people have pointed out the access to other areas and snow is really good. Champoluc is nice with godd access across 3 other resorts and makes for a good days long skiing. But I must say I enjoyed Campitello and the whole Sella Rhonda access the most..okay the village is very quiet and you needed hotel bus to ge tto the lifts..
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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The Dolomites are my favourite - stayed in Selva 3 times in a row - fantastic.
Also been to loads of other Italian resorts - Pila is one of my favourites - its good for a day out - not too big and not too small. La Thuile is good too, although the button/drag lift that links La Rosiere is a bit of a nightmare!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Must have had a bad experience then in Claviere.  Only decent thing I can remember about the place was Kilt restaurant (which I incidently wore my kilt to on New Years Eve 2 years ago) for the best pizza ever and the wee restaurant at the foot of the slopes selling the best gluhwein ever. We were pretty restriced to Claviere due to the age and ski ability of our 3 kids but hated the following about the place;
1) horrendously busy road which you could not really avoid and had to walk on due to parked cars and snow 2) food in mountain restaurants was really disappointing and like motorway food in a lot of instances 3) having to queue to order food, them to pick up drinks then to pick up food - so you had to queue 3 times just to get your lunch! 4) pretty old lifts, and one of them I could not even rest my weary legs on, as it was made for midgets. Managed to get to Montgenevre one day and everything improved significantlly just by crossing the border - better lifts, signposting and restaurants.
Was probably exaggerated by the fact that I went to Oberlech a few weeks later with the Mrs and another couple which was complete oppoulance compared with Claviere. Think Selva sounds and looks like a much better option than Claviere. Have been to Courmeyeur years ago and really liked it. Only downside was the cable car and cable car down scenario
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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boabski, You point no. 1 has been improved already since you've been there. A tunnel has been completed which bypasses Claviere, similar to Montgenevre's tunnel.
If you're refering to La Coche in point no.2 I dont know how you concluded that. I have had the best 7 course traditional Italian meal ever up there. No comparisons with motorway food. There are other mountain restaurants, but I havent tried them.
and Point 4, due to the Olympics there are no drag lifts in Claviere that are arterial routes. Beforehand there were way too many draglifts.
I do prefer Montgenevre though, but thats France not Italy.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Favourite..?? Not sure, but ones I'd go back to would be Alagne, but just a pig to get to and now they have pisted Olen...hmmmm
Gressoney, to be central for the Monterosa and it owes me some great snow.
Courmayeur..lots to do there for me..
Cervinia..not just a cruisers paradise
Places that are calling and I am sure I'll get there..
La Thuile
Grand St B... seems to straddle the border so that counts I think....ditto Montgenevre.
Arraba
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How about staying in Aosta itself and then you can ski in Pila which is linked to Aosta by a gondola. Courmayeur and La Thuile are a bus ride away. Non-skiers can do the culture bit looking round the Roman ruins in Aosta, enjoying the shops, cafes and restaurants, or going to the Nike outlet! Favourite area has to be Madonna/Folgarida,Marilleva though.
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Have been to Andalo (dolomites) and courmayeur. Really liked both. The only drawback about Courmayeur was having to get the cable car across each morning.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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That place at the bottom of tyhe slopes in claveire also makes the best Bomberdinos out of anywhere. Never tried the mountain resturants as just got some nice cheese and ham from the deli and had lunch on the fly while trundling along that blue from sanalonga down to the san sicario link
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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luigi,
Thanks for tip on discounted WTSS. Just gone and bought one.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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FAQ
I should ski somewhere truly Italian - any opinions .
