 Poster: A snowHead
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It’s intersting that a thread about a taxi journey turns back into that old chestnut which is better La Rosiere or La Thuile and brings the same old opinions , there are plenty of other threads on the subject .
@mooney058, Is correct sometimes as both resorts are on the main alpine divide , when the fronts come from the west La Rosiere see’s the action equally if we get fronts from the south/south west it develops into a Genoa Low and La Thuile gets an awful lot ofsnow and La Rosiere gets a Forhn wind and no snow .
Basically I’m in SainteFoy for a lot of winter and I love a trip to La Thuile for lunch and skiing, I bypass La Rosiere as I think it’s quite boring and too busy , if I hear the snow is average in La Thuile I won’t bother .
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We loved La ROs, but i have heard the developments have made it much busier. Some of the reds are quite interesting with lovely slopes and curves....IMV
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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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I like La Ros, but a trip there is made good by the additional skiing in La Thuile and a fab Italian lunch. More variety the Italian side. Black 3 and Black 5 are great challenges - steep but wide
The 2 resorts have very different weather microsystems - read sun in one, white out in the other. Big dump in one, sweet f.a in the other.
The cab option is a no-no.
Ski it and crash in his digs - just saying what I would do.
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| mooney058 wrote: |
The best ever ski week I had on European continent was in La Ros Jan 2023. While over in La Thuile wind stripped pistes and on higher lifts you could see grass and stones protruding.
Just to say that anecdotal evidence should not be presented as a universal truth. |
Totally agree as I've had some wonderful days skiing in sunny La Rosiere whereas you couldn't see past the end of your nose in La Thuile. Fortunately the international connection was open and being familiar with the route it was just about doable.
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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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Probably should add that whilst La Thuile is great that next time we'll probably stay in La Rosiere for a change. Having done a little bit of research I'd say there are still one or two good restaurants on the French side and the quality of the accommodation looks very good. Plus weather permitting we still get to ski and eat in Italy as well so personally can't see the downside other than maybe being more a bit more expensive.
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@Jammy 07, ha, there are a few good restos on the FR side - both for slope side lunch (antigel) and in the town
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| CosmoJo wrote: |
Looks like La Thuile gets thumbs up from a few people. …I could still change accommodation and stay in La Thuile. I thought (based on some limited reading) that La Rosiere might be more suited to intermediates (and we have one beginner), and there was more skiing in La Rosiere???? Have I made the wrong choice? |
If you can find accomodation that suits, La Thule village / town isnt that big, then it would make sense. Although the two reports are linked, if it gets very windy the links will close. there is more (2:1 ish) and more interesting / varied skiing on La thuile side, a good blue section for beginner and lots of good intermediate surrounding it, a bigger vertical diff and the option of long runs right back down to gondola base. Your food and drink will be better an cheaper on Italian side.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Been three times to La Thuile, 1st time with total beginner children and they were fine up on the plateau (and you can gondola down if not up for the run down). We've skied over to La Rosiere each time and always come to the conclusion that La Thuile is much nicer, cheaper and better skiing.
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Had a couple of day trips to La Thuile when we skiied Courmayeur, and on both occasions skiied over La Rosiere, once reached the far end of the domain at the bottom of Les Ecudets (I think). Would agree with the general sentiment that LR is (or was, it's been a few years since I was last there) in essence different routes down / around / across a large sunny bowl, while the skiing in LT is more varied. Lo Riodet was excellent when we stopped for lunch there, definitely worth a trip no matter where you would say. FWIW though I'd also agree with the suggestion of moving your booking to LT to make it easier to see your son
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@nbt totally agree re La Riodet, fantastic lunch stop!
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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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La Rosiere still appeals more for the accommodation choice (better priced options for 5 people self catering, maybe just because I am booking late?) but going to opt for La Thuile now - put family first 
I agree @mooney058, there are no universal truths, it is all very subjective!!! And depends on the week.
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Thanks all for the discussion!
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You know it makes sense.
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@CosmoJo,
Pepita is the best restaurant evening or lunch
Coppapan is fun family Tattoria
Hotel Eden , the skiers lunch is an absolute delight , but is upmarket with great wine list
Chez Larant is another good mid restaurant
I hear Tata is v good also .
Gives you some food for thought 
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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I’m a bit late to this thread but I like to stay in La Rosiere and ski over to La Thuile. I think the French self catering options are better, I prefer French food and I can speak French!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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La Rosiere at 1850m on the left, La Thuile at 1450m on the right, both images from about the same time this morning, sure there could be days when the snow and weather favour La Rosiere, but the La Thuile's Northern aspect more makes up for its 400m height deficit in terms of preserving snow from the warmth of the sun
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| rambotion wrote: |
La Rosiere at 1850m on the left, La Thuile at 1450m on the right, both images from about the same time this morning, sure there could be days when the snow and weather favour La Rosiere, but the La Thuile's Northern aspect more makes up for its 400m height deficit in terms of preserving snow from the warmth of the sun
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Can't really use this as a benchmark. Temps at this time of year will play the main factor in retaining the small dusting of snow both received.
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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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@Roscoe, What? Why would the air temperature be higher at La Rosiere than La Thuile? And if your answer is that they are in different locations take a look at the Tignes Les Lac webcams, North West facing slopes have a light covering of snow down to resort level, South facing slopes are basically bare up to high altitude
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| rambotion wrote: |
| @Roscoe, What? Why would the air temperature be higher at La Rosiere than La Thuile? And if your answer is that they are in different locations take a look at the Tignes Les Lac webcams, North West facing slopes have a light covering of snow down to resort level, South facing slopes are basically bare up to high altitude |
Chill. I'm talking about the time of year and the amount of snow fall. You cant use pictures of pistes in early November to compare resorts against each other. We've already had people mention conditions being favourable in one and not the other for both resorts. If there is a dump of snow in the area both will benefit and the difference will be marginal.
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@Roscoe, It is a good demonstration that aspect often trumps altitude for preserving snow. If there is a good dump of snow fall then you would expect both to benefit but you would also expect the snow in La Rosiere to become slush much faster than in La Thuile
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| rambotion wrote: |
| @Roscoe, It is a good demonstration that aspect often trumps altitude for preserving snow. If there is a good dump of snow fall then you would expect both to benefit but you would also expect the snow in La Rosiere to become slush much faster than in La Thuile |
I appreciate the differences in south & north facing slopes. But when its -5c on a blue bird day in LR, the direct suns rays impact on the snow will be marginal by comparison.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Every time I've been the snow/pistes have always been worse in La Rosiere mainly due to the sun shining directly on the slopes but sometimes La Thuile can be a bit dark and gloomy so very much depends how you like it.
Hey here's an idea...just ski both
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Why's there no gondola or something connecting La Rosiere and La Thuile ?
I kind of know the answer but would like to hear more ?
It is usually colder in La Thuile for some reason and from my experience snow is much better in LaThuile. But it seems that La Thuile is lagging behind in infrastructure. Italian food - La Thuile, French food - La Rosiere. Ski school - I would give the advantage to La Rosiere, sun tanning - La Rosiere. Nicer self catering options - La Rosiere. Off piste - La Thuile. Steep and fast piste - La Thuile. Deep powder days are more frequent in La Thuile.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Cheapski wrote: |
Why's there no gondola or something connecting La Rosiere and La Thuile ?
I kind of know the answer but would like to hear more ? |
I would imagine that it's to do the the potential wind closure issues for a gondola and that a surface lift is like to stay open longer. Also a gondola there wouldn't probably of much use in the summer so there's a cost element there as well.
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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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@stevew, €€€€
Everyone loves a connection to bolster a reputation for wide selection of runs etc
But who would pay many millions to give their customers an opportunity to escape .
These inter resort agreements are very complex let alone across a border
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| Roscoe wrote: |
| rambotion wrote: |
| @Roscoe, It is a good demonstration that aspect often trumps altitude for preserving snow. If there is a good dump of snow fall then you would expect both to benefit but you would also expect the snow in La Rosiere to become slush much faster than in La Thuile |
I appreciate the differences in south & north facing slopes. But when its -5c on a blue bird day in LR, the direct suns rays impact on the snow will be marginal by comparison. |
Not sure you do!  
Sun exposure and slope aspect are critical to snow preservation and quality.
A good article here explaining the differences, it's with regard to off-piste and avalanche risk, but same principles apply...
https://straightchuter.com/good-snow-hunting-aspect/
The key quotes:
South – South facing slopes take the brunt of the sun, which means they will often be mushy.
North – North facing slopes get the least amount of sunlight, which means they stay cooler, and thus preserve their fluffy snow longer.
When I was in La Ros, the snow quality was consistently better on the La Thuile side. On sunny days, by the afternoon La Ros was getting very soft and chopped up and we're talking early Feb, so peak winter. The main difference would have been the aspect of the slopes and sun exposure. La Ros tends to benefit more from the prevailing westerly Atlantic weather and gets more average snowfall than La Thuile on the lee side, which really is it's only saving grace, as it suffers more from sun exposure. So potentially more snowfall, but more likely to turn to mush.
In winter in the Alps, a south facing slope has the sun near perpendicular to it. A north facing slope has the sun at a very oblique angle, that's makes a huge difference. Have you never felt warmer with direct sunlight on your skin? It's why meteorologists take air temps in the shade! 
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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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Just jumping in on this Snow argument between the two and knowing the area very well . La Rosiere sees a lot of snow when we have plenty of westerlies fronts coming down the valley that get stuck on the corner of the Tarentaise valley (same as Ste Foy) La Thuile also benefits from these as they push over the pass especially the slopes on the main Alpine Ridge but less so towards the village . However when the fronts come from the South/South West La Thuile is the big beneficiary as they turn into Genoa Low that gets stuck in the Arc of the southern alpine ridge , these are less frequent but can produce some very big snow falls on the other hand however they do produce strong foehn winds on the French side, it’s quite normal to see Snow in La Thuile at 1400m whilst the rain /snow level is at 2000m on the French side . On the border where the double drag is expect to see very deep depths as this area get hit by both systems .
I tend to go to the area a lot in spring when I ski La Rosiere in the sun in the morning before I move to the Italian side as the pistes soften before a late ish lunch .
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FAQ
We are staying in La Rosiere for a holiday but my son is working in La Thuile for the season. I was trying to work out if we would be reliant on skiing between the two resorts or if we could manage an evening together. He has to be back in resort early each morning for work and first lifts in the morning would be too late.
