@Markymark29, very easy to get between all 4 areas. You simply go up a queue free lift and ski. I've only been during the last 12 years, but its the best resort I've been to in my 50 years, (Zermatt that is, but Cervinia becomes part of this).
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
We had a family holiday in Valtournenche at Easter last year.
The consensus was that it was terrific.
It just goes to show how people can have completely different expectations of what a ski holiday is, and how conditions can make a huge difference to a view of a resort.
Firstly, it is very definitely a later in the season resort (like Zermatt, imho). I would put this part of the experience down to user error.
Secondly, what we loved was the fantastic scenery, excellent late season snow, great restaurants, lovely long runs, decent prices and general Italian hospitality. There's no doubt that the lift system is not great. On balance, the pluses outweighed the minuses for us. I can understand why someone with different priorities might view things differently, but that makes a resort rubbish for them, not rubbish per se.
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?
Exacy that @pendodave. I'd like to go back to Cervinia again sometime in the future.
Thinking of it as a holiday overall one other massive plus is the food, had some outstanding food there for half the cost I paid for much less impressive meals in Courchevel. Also you can't go wrong if a young family on holiday as kids are very happy with all the pizza and pasta options!
And the 70 euro roaming bill my phone company tried to charge me for a few texts on hallowed swiss turf.
That's because the EU forced the mobile operators to drop rip-off roaming charges across the EU a while back. But not of course in Switzerland. When you ski backwards and forwards between Zermatt and Cervinia, you soon learn to switch data off, and use the wifi in CH, but go wild as soon as you see I-Wind or whatever on your phone...
Brexit will surely mean roaming charges for all the British skiers plus increased passport controls for uk citizens......they will no longer be able to go to the EU Citizen lines/q’s.......maybe there will be a specific ‘brexit q’...?
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Rowlski wrote:
Exacy that @pendodave. I'd like to go back to Cervinia again sometime in the future.
Thinking of it as a holiday overall one other massive plus is the food, had some outstanding food there for half the cost I paid for much less impressive meals in Courchevel. Also you can't go wrong if a young family on holiday as kids are very happy with all the pizza and pasta options!
Like a lot of things in life debating like/dislikes of anything with an individual is pointless....a decent sample size of opinion is required to get a proper view......I’ve been to zermatt/cervinia twice ten years apart and would rate both places highly but on both occasions the conditions were perfect no winds blue skies and plenty of snow....to rate a resort poorly due to being out of luck with weather is ‘bird-brain’ stuff.......my first trip to st Anton was plagued with windy snowy days with lift closures.....I would say out of six days I got barely 2 days full skiing in but it didn’t stop us returning another 3 times since over the years
@vipul, those 20 years did not change anything to pistes...the actual skiing in Zermatt/Cervinia is mediocre compared to Arlberg, 4V, Espace Killy and 3V
I'd have to disagree there. The pistes are kept in far better condition than anything you get in the 3V in my opinion. Last year and the year before in VT the piste bashers tended to get bored and leave runs untouched and unmanaged...pretty crap considering the amount to pay for a ski pass!
We love Cervinia too. Been lots and keep returning.
Us skiers moan about too much snow and then not enough snow - never happy are we
The downside of the height is that wind can close higher lifts. It the price you pay.
We went to Courchevel at Xmas but will go back to Cervinia next time!
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I’d go back to Cervinia too. We did 2 x half term trips there when the boys were still at school & they were both easily our best trips. Appreciate we were probably lucky with the weather, mostly sunny days, but the biggest eye opener for me was there were no half term queues at all like you’d get in France, generally busier on the Swiss side though. The best snow was def on the Italian side. The food was amazing & good value in Cervinia & the people themselves were so friendly & welcoming. We’d an apartment off through the trees at the bottom of the Ventina piste (the top run to have as your home run at the end of the day )
Has to be said, it is one of only 2 resorts we’ve had to scramble around at the edge of the road putting on snow chains to get there (both times!) & even then we had to all get out to push the car the last 100m up the side road to the apartment!
After all it is free
After all it is free
@caughtanedge,
Quote:
hat's because the EU forced the mobile operators to drop rip-off roaming charges across the EU a while back. But not of course in Switzerland
As well as my Swiss mobile I have and English one too and do not pay any roaming charges on it, in fact it works out cheaper to use the English one. (Vodaphone if that helps)
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.
what lifts in cervinia are not classified as 'modern'? (aside from the chair over to Valtournenche). I've been to all the major french resorts, austria and switzerland. Its not quite austria and its not quite switzerland but its by far and away better than 3-valleys and EK... and Les Arcs.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Kj82 wrote:
what lifts in cervinia are not classified as 'modern'? (aside from the chair over to Valtournenche). I've been to all the major french resorts, austria and switzerland. Its not quite austria and its not quite switzerland but its by far and away better than 3-valleys and EK... and Les Arcs.
That's a big call. Haven't skied in Les Arcs, but have skied in EK and 3 Vallees and I rate the skiing there. Great run variety, ability to get away from the crowds (EK especially) and good facilities. Cervinia was good fun for a weekend. Enjoyed getting over to Zermatt for a couple of days. I think its not a good comparison to the 3 big French resorts. It would be better compared to mid sized resorts etc. If I had a criticism of the skiing in Cervinia is that there was a sameness about the runs. Still good fun and the food and general price was pretty good value.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@fredikanoute, i guess 100 different people will have 100 different opinions. EK much much better than 3V, i recommend you give it a try. Cervinia/Zermatt is epic. Not perfect but epic. Think the reason i dont like 3V is i was there after skiing in austria where the lifts were vastly superior to the old slow lifts in 3V. this was 2005! so i would hope its changed. generally as a rule i find Austrian & Swiss resorts invest more than their French & Italian counterparts.
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.
@Kj82, if the only thing that you didn't like about the 3V was outdated lifts then I suggest that you go back, there are now very few slow lifts there
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Kj82 wrote:
generally as a rule i find Austrian & Swiss resorts invest more than their French & Italian counterparts.
You really need to visit the Val Gardena/Sella Ronda area. I have not seen infrastructure spending on such a level anywhere else. Verbier on the otherhand, runs some pretty tired old kit.
@Kj82, @rambotion, @Mollerski, I'd suggest the best lift systems are found in German-speaking areas (or nearby). So that's Austria, Germany, the Dolomites, and a large part of Switzerland.
Generally there are older / less comfortable lifts in western Switzerland, France and western Italy, when comparing similar-sized ski areas.
3 Valleys lifts are generally fast but not as comfortable as the larger ski areas further east (not that it would really bother me - I'm not particularly fussed about heated seats, weather protection bubbles, WiFi in gondolas etc.).
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
I prefer the actual skiing. Lift infrastructure doesn't worry me too much. Yes there are queues sometimes, but its easy to find places to ski with little people around. Cervinia for me was fine and I would go back. I didnt enjoy the implied pressure of not going too deep into Zermatt in case you missed the last lift back. I thought the lifts in Cervinia were fine. I just think compared to EK and 3 Vallees, the pisted terrain has a sameness about it. Its a cruisy blue resort which is great and was what I was expecting and was perfect for the group.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Mollerski wrote:
Kj82 wrote:
generally as a rule i find Austrian & Swiss resorts invest more than their French & Italian counterparts.
You really need to visit the Val Gardena/Sella Ronda area. I have not seen infrastructure spending on such a level anywhere else. Verbier on the otherhand, runs some pretty tired old kit.
That is great! Though i do find myself trying to avoid lifts where I have to take off my skis......
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
We had a great week in Cervinia a couple of years back, at Club Med. It snowed a lot that week, but the advantage for us is the guided skiing every day you get with Club Med, our instructor got us to so many places in conditions that might have put us off otherwise, I didn't even really notice it anymore. So it's a place that is what you make it I suppose. Day 1 was high winds so the lifts all closed.
I'd forgotten about that huge long button long lift though! Just brought it all back. Oh, and the toilets... on the mountain it's french style hole in the ground style - I really didn't like them, nor did any of other female skiers. Compare and contract to Mayerhoffen this year, with self cleaning, heated, toilet seats. Bliss! If you've been on the Hinterglen you'll know
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?
Quote:
Oh, and the toilets... on the mountain it's french style hole in the ground style - I really didn't like them, nor did any of other female skiers. Compare and contract to Mayerhoffen this year, with self cleaning, heated, toilet seats. Bliss! If you've been on the Hinterglen you'll know
If you have a toilet fetish then try Japan. Lots of buttons to press for warious water jets etc. I didn't dare try any in case one was the dreaded wire brush and detol
@Russbost, A brief google of the resort would have warned you of the obvious drawbacks of Cervinia when the weather is bad and, if you're not keen on skiing in bad weather, then it should have been an immediate red flag and a hint to go elsewhere. In my book 'too much snow' is a rather unfortunate translation for 'conditions were nearly perfect', and had you chosen a lower resort, then the week would have been epic!
But thanks for the trip report and at least you've thoroughly cemented Cervinia as the darkest place to be in a whiteout week!
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Kj82 wrote:
@fredikanoute, i guess 100 different people will have 100 different opinions. EK much much better than 3V, i recommend you give it a try. Cervinia/Zermatt is epic. Not perfect but epic. Think the reason i dont like 3V is i was there after skiing in austria where the lifts were vastly superior to the old slow lifts in 3V. this was 2005! so i would hope its changed. generally as a rule i find Austrian & Swiss resorts invest more than their French & Italian counterparts.
yes, lots of different opinions. Definitely be cautious of judging a resort on the speed or quality of lifts and infrastructure from 15 years ago. First went to the 3V (Val Thorens) 6 years ago, and the rapid rate of lift modernisation on an annual basis is seriously impressive. Every year numerous lifts were updated, additional lifts/gondolas added and new runs in new areas added.
@Handy Turnip, good point. When I first went skiing we went to Kitzbuel. Most of the lifts were slow two or 3 man chairs with telephereques and busses to get you from the town to the skiing area. Not a single high speed lift anywhere. Using @Kj82, argument I should never go skiing in Austria again because the lift infrastructure is so poor.
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Poster: A snowHead
