 Poster: A snowHead
|
Hurtle, looks very nice - "Ambitious guests will find relaxation, silence, wellness and exercise." In that order....... 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
| DaveMcSki wrote: |
snowball, I dont really need lots of them, just a few leading from the village or from somewhere accessible by bus. basically cable cars are a definite no, Gondolas are next worst and chairlifts are possible if they dont go too high. In the 3V the altiport at meribel provided several days fun with just one drag that has several ways down. through trees etc
number9dream, Ive been to La Clusaz a couple of times and really liked it but i would like to try different places.
pam w, Dont know much about your area, but it sounds right for OH I,ll prob come back too you with some more questions if thats ok. |
Dave - copied this off another topic.
I just got back from my second lads weekend in Chatel, PdS. Cant fault it in anyway. We flew out on wednesday morning at 6.20am, arrived geneva at 9am. drove to Chatel, landed in apartment around 11am, crossed road to lift and we were boarding at 11.30. we are all between 36 and 42 (me) and we booked 3 aprtments with a total of 8 rooms (one room each, we like our space and hate sharing with a snorer). The flight cost was £80, the total cost of the apartments was 160 euro each for a week although we only stayed 3 nights and two people carriers was £55 each.
Chatel has a fantastic but yet very empty ski area although a lot of drags for the boarders. You can easily ski right round the PdS to take in avoriaz, morzine, morgine, champoussey and many others. There is so much skiing you could stay for a month and still want more.
Might suit the missus?
There is always Veysonnaz - drags galore - but I guess you have done that to death?
Or stay in Sion, lots of culture for the OH, shops etc and 20 minutes up the road to 1800 and take your pick from a T Bar or a Poma?
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Fifespud, I thought you had posted to share with us your knowledge of the 3V! Actually she originally wanted to go to the Pds and that would have suited the rest of us. but the geneva flights out of scotland are too expensive for us. seems daft to fly to milan and then drive to chatel.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| DaveMcSki wrote: |
| Fifespud, I thought you had posted to share with us your knowledge of the 3V! Actually she originally wanted to go to the Pds and that would have suited the rest of us. but the geneva flights out of scotland are too expensive for us. seems daft to fly to milan and then drive to chatel. |
DaveMcSki
Had a look on route michelin.
To Chatel from -
Milan 4 hours
Turin 3 hours 19 mins
Chambery 2 hours 17 mins
Grenoble 2 hours 47 mins
No problem to a man of your calibre (I am guessing) - you could probably shave a good bit off those times.
I am sure Chatel is not a spaghetti junction of chairs with ant like infestations on the pistes either.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Thanks to everyone who has answered. Although the dolomites dont have many drags the scenery seems so beautiful we really fancy going there.
One very obvoius difference between the 3V and the Dolomites is the quality of the websites and their ease of use for an English speaker. I have mostly done DIY holidays recently and the tourist offices, apartment agencies and apartment owners in France make things incredibly easy. I have spent a fair chunk of today and this evening trying to look at accommodation in the dolomites and I'm no further forward. i have to admit that my Italian is non existant, but i am really struggling, even using Saikee's google tip does anyone have a good recommendation for an apartment in or near corvara, arabba or even cortina?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
Fifespud, I'm not sure I would get her to go through the Mont Blanc tunnel. How far is it if you exclude major tunnels?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| DaveMcSki wrote: |
| i have to admit that my Italian is non existant, but i am really struggling, even using Saikee's google tip does anyone have a good recommendation for an apartment in or near corvara, arabba or even cortina? |
I don't, but do you have any German?
It is officially the second language in the Sud-Tirol, and is much more widely spoken than English.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| DaveMcSki wrote: |
| Fifespud, I'm not sure I would get her to go through the Mont Blanc tunnel. How far is it if you exclude major tunnels? |
Could you please try to include all critical criteria at the start of your posts so those of us who are spending our lives trying to help you are not constantly running down blind alleys?
Right final suggestion - Aviemore - semi pretty, drags galore, no major tunnels, flights extremely cheap - and I know of some excellent accomodation.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
Fifespud, yes but I don't speak the language. and whilst I would like to thank everyone else for there efforts, you have been less than useless.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Another advantage of the Dolomites is that during the last 3 weeks or so of the season under 8's get free lift passess and under 12's half price. This applies to hotels too (not all of them, but most) if kids are sharing with you. THis also applies in some hotel suites, so can make a family trip cheaper. Also discount on lessons for kids. Of course Nielson et al will still try and sell you lift passes on bus for your children.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
DaveMcSki,
Must admit I don't speak any Italian or German myself.
I use Bergfex a lot so give it a try.
You can copy most foreign text, paste it into a language translator like Babel Fish to convert it into English.
In your case I would concentrate on Alta Badia area (including Colfosco, Covara and La Villa) as it has a biggest beginner/early intermediate friendly area.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
| pam w wrote: |
| I do plan to go back to the Dolomites - maybe a camping trip from here, in the summer? Has anyone camped down there? |
Yes I spent a month there in 2005, not got time for details now but pm me any specific questions and I'll get back to you.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
| saikee wrote: |
rob@rar,
Your earlier post in fact brings out the very difference between the two major skiing domains between the French Tarentaise and the Italian Dolomites.
The French has 600, 425 and 300km piste in 3V, Paradiski and Espace Killy. The 1200km piste of Dolomites is made by 12 areas each in small size relative to the French. The Dolomites’ Selva, Cortina di Ampezzo, Alta Badia, Kronplatz, Civetta and Arabba have 170, 140, 130, 105, 82 and 62 km piste respectively. Thus while skiers can stick with one resort for the whole week in France they will have to venture out their resident skiing area in Dolomites because the smaller sizes of each areas. As the Super ski pass covers for it so it is natural to ski around the neighbouring areas.
This can be both an advantage and disadvantage. For example I would have difficulty in telling the difference between French Les Arc 1600 and 2000 or between Tignes and Val D my memory with each area of the Dolomites is more distinct, like Cortina has wide and open valley, Civetta is a lot tighter with many forest runs, Kronplatz is similar to Austrian Ski Welt where everybody meets at the centre peak, Arabba is more challenging having the highest peak of Marmolada while Alta Badia is full of blue runs for intermediates. The Hidden Valley is almost completely opposite to Cinque Torri because the former is shielded while the other is fully exposed to the sun.
Thus in France one tends to ski a large number of runs inside a single area in Tarentaise whereas in Italy Dolomites the skiing is conducted over multiple areas spreading over a large territory each having a relatively smaller number of runs.
It is up to the individual to choose the best for oneself and I hope this thread brings out the relevant differences and the choices available. |
Saikee, many thanks for a very interesting thread and in particular for this post. The lads I ski with one week each year are weighing up the Sella Ronda Resorts vs the 3v for next year so this thread has been very helpful. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Hi Saikee
Is there a way to use google maps, to display lifts and hotels, so a hotels proximity to a lift can be determined
"In Google just type the location of the resort, for example “Arabba, Italy”.
When the map of the resort is displayed then type in the search box “hotel”
The location and information of each hotel will appear at the screen. Some may provide their own web sites but all will have a contacting email address. One can zoom in or out to see how close the accommodation to the skiing resorts. Just send the emails to enquire about the availability and price. "
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
kendub,
Don't thinkj Google Map has the piste runs and chairlifts yet.
Bergfex is the best source of information as it should have piste map for every resort it has in the database.
Axsman,
I think Dolomites is a different experience to the French mega resorts and more area-specific. The Sella Ronda, Hidden Valley/Cinque Torri and the World War I ski tour are a few examples of its variety of offers. It may not be every skier's cup of tea as some skiers like to ski the same run repeatedly for the run of a slope whereas others may prefer travelling around to sample the embience and the variations in screnery, infrastructure and terrains offered by each area.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| DaveMcSki wrote: |
| snowball, I dont really need lots of them, just a few leading from the village or from somewhere accessible by bus. basically cable cars are a definite no, Gondolas are next worst and chairlifts are possible if they dont go too high. In the 3V the altiport at meribel provided several days fun with just one drag that has several ways down. through trees etc |
Staying grounded in most resorts is near impossible. Resorts recognise that at times they may not have enough snow to open pistes back to the village and the task of keeping drag lifts out of the village open can be very labour intensive. Resorts prefer to use detachable chairs lifts, detachable gondolas or cable cars to handle the base lift load and also allow download from a higher altiude when snow is scarce.
However there are still some resorts that have funiculars.
For example Davos still has a funicular on the Parsen and it seems that being the first resort to install a T-Bar in 1936 also wants to be the last to get rid of them.
Tignes Val Claret has a funicular that goes inside the mountain before emerging on the Grande Motte glacier.
There are a few T-bars on the glacier as T-bar's construction makes them the most tolerant of glacier movement.
Then there are the swiss rack railways.
The Jungfrau region has railways from Grindelwald and Wengen which go up to Kleine Scheidegg.
Zermatt has a railway that goes up to Gornegrat and an underground funicular that goes up to Sunnegga.
With full snow cover all these resorts provide some quite long runs back to the valley floor.
That may be sufficient to keep the lady with vertigo happy enough to give you permission to go and fully explore the rest of the ski areas.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Choosing between the two is an almost impossible task. For my money, the 3V has the best lift-served piste skiing I have experienced and Dolomiti has the nicest character and is a class of its own for sheer jaw-dropping, yelling-out-loud beauty.
Depends what you want then. For thge best piste skiing 3V: for the all round experience Dolomiti. I think I'll plan for a week in both next year!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Quote: |
The main disadvantage of the Dolomites is it really needs a car to explore it properly. What is more the car needs a good set of winter tyres and ideally has a 4WD mechanism too.
|
My 2WD Leon Cupra made it over the pass OK in the snow, *BUT* definitely need winter tyres and chains in the back.
Would agree that transport required to explore the entire Dolomiti Superski area, but you'd need to be considering at least a 2week holiday, or going to different areas within the dollies over 2-3 holidays before you run out of things to do in say the Sella Ronda.
Never done 3V but have done PdS a few times. Weird thing is the Sella Ronda area "feels" a lot more expansive than the PdS even though the quoted piste km is less (assuming 500km vs 620km) and the 2 loops are ca. 40km vs anything up to approx 65km for a PdS loop (depending on which deviations you take).
What I did like was the ability to ski entire loops, both ways, and to/from Marmolada, without ever needing to get the piste map out of the pocket. You can't do the same with PdS (except for the "follow the white rabbit" resort exploration itineraries in Avoriaz/Chatel-Linga and Les Gets/Morzine).
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| Chris Bish wrote: |
Choosing between the two is an almost impossible task. For my money, the 3V has the best lift-served piste skiing I have experienced and Dolomiti has the nicest character and is a class of its own for sheer jaw-dropping, yelling-out-loud beauty.
Depends what you want then. For thge best piste skiing 3V: for the all round experience Dolomiti. |
100% agreed
Everyone is looking for different things, hence the passionate comments in this thread, no one is right or wrong, it's a subjective thing!
FWIW, the well-respected Where to Ski and Snowboard guide tries to be objective by awarding a max of 5 stars for different aspects of ski resorts, here are the results for my selected criteria for Sella Ronda vs Meribel vs Courchevel:
Snow 4 3 4
Extent 5 5 5
Intermediates 5 5 5
Mtn Restaurants 4 3 4
Scenery 5 3 3
Totals 23 19 21
Clearly these areas all have huge amounts of intermediate skiing, the Sella Ronda pips the post with it's outstanding scenery and plentiful, characterful mountain restaurants. But I have subjectively selected the criteria that I find important to make this comparison.
Also interesting to note that on these criteria no other ski area in the world matches the 23 out of 25 scored by the Sella Ronda.
Only Zermatt comes close with 22, losing out on extent of intermediate terrain, but gaining an extra star for it's restaurants. Having visited Zermatt this year, those nice restaurants are also charging nice prices that I'd rather not have to pay.
I guess these are the reasons why the Dolomites are the only place I genuinely hanker after returning to.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Where to Ski and Snowboard" don't cover everything that may put a person off a ski resort.
I suffer from "when you got to go, you got to go". Finding a clean loo anywhere in Italy is near impossible = 1
I know the 3 valleys well, it is one of 4 areas, I consider my home range and I know the location of every clean loo = 4
Pasta and pizza make me vomit so I struggle to find agreeable food in Italy. Italian mountain restaurants 2, other alpine countries 4
The guide also does not take into account school holidays.
When the Germans go on holidays they head for German speaking Switzerland and Austria.
When the French go on holidays they head for their own mountains.
But the Italians, well mostly they don't have mid term holidays, although Bolzano does.
Val D'Aosta and Veneto take a half week (3 days)
That means that Italy is a better mid term holiday propositon for a Brit than the other alpine nations.
Of course the same applies to USA and Canada.
You can check out French, German, Austrian and Dutch school holidays at http://www.holidays-info.com/School-Holidays-Austria/school-holidays-austria.html
You can check out Italian school holidays at http://www2.tecnicadellascuola.it/index.php?id_tip=23&id_region=13&y=2009-2010 - Unfortunately you need to click on every province one at a time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
abominable,
| Quote: |
Finding a clean loo anywhere in Italy is near impossible = 1
|
This is not my experience based on the 30 and 18 French and Italian skiing facilities I visited, though I have no problem in awarding the top mark to either the Swiss or the Austrian. It is possible at some smaller Italian resorts close to the French border the sanitary provisions could be similar to the French. However a significant part of the Dolomites is South Tirol and is heavily influenced by the Austrian for competing for visitors. I did not find any disappointment when it comes to the sanitation facilities in this part of Italy.
Admittedly the following French experience wasn't in 3V but nowhere in the world have I seen in a resort in which a porta cabin was provided for both male and female skiers. Both the female and male skiers queued inside the same porta cabin. The females were queuing on one side for their cubicles watching the males doing their business at the urinals at the opposite side, literally 1.5m apart!
If a rating of 5 is entered it could only be by the female visitors to that French resort. To be fair the above arrangement could have been a temporary one but I need a second visit to confirm.
I totally in agreement with you on the number of visitors during school holidays in the Alpine countries though. It has always been my view that queues tend to disappear once I step outside France during the mid terms holidays.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| abominable wrote: |
"Where to Ski and Snowboard" don't cover everything that may put a person off a ski resort.
I suffer from "when you got to go, you got to go". Finding a clean loo anywhere in Italy is near impossible = 1
I know the 3 valleys well, it is one of 4 areas, I consider my home range and I know the location of every clean loo = 4
Pasta and pizza make me vomit so I struggle to find agreeable food in Italy. Italian mountain restaurants 2, other alpine countries 4
|
Have you ever visited the Sella Ronda area?
You'll find that Teutonic plumbing standards are pretty much ubiquitous, the majority German visitors expect nothing less.
In this bi-cultural area you'll find a variety of fare from both Italian and Austrian traditions, click on the menu button at Baita Daniel in Val Gardena, I'm sure you could find something there that you wouldn't have to regurgitate!  :
http://www.seceda.cc/eng/rest.htm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| abominable wrote: |
"Where to Ski and Snowboard" don't cover everything that may put a person off a ski resort.
I suffer from "when you got to go, you got to go". Finding a clean loo anywhere in Italy is near impossible = 1
I know the 3 valleys well, it is one of 4 areas, I consider my home range and I know the location of every clean loo = 4
Pasta and pizza make me vomit so I struggle to find agreeable food in Italy. Italian mountain restaurants 2, other alpine countries 4
|
have you ever visited the Dolomites?
In those things, they are more like Austria than they are like the rest of Italy.
I think I only ate pasta once during the week, and no pizza at all when I was there. And I never came across a loo that wasn't clean.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
alex_heney, yes, I keep forgetting I'm in Italy when I'm in the Val di Funes. It's rather weird in that way. It's the one slight blot for me, as I can just about get by in a bit of pidgin Italian, but my German is hopeless.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
What about ski schools in the dolomites compared with the 3V. Will i find native english speaking instructors and if not will i find a fluant english speaking instuctor? I suppose this is me asking for more help again  .Almost settled on Corvara,(or maybe Selva), but my two teenage boys(Skiers) want snowboard lessons. Anyone got any one they would recommend?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
DaveMcSki, No problem in Arabba with English speaking instructors. Generally the younger instructors seem to speak more English. We use the "Scuola Sci Arabba", which is the offical Italian Ski School. Compared to their French equivalents, they seem to be far superior. We have private lessons as it's relatively cheap. In fact we are returning in 2 weeks and already have a 2 hour private lesson booked for our first day. The cost is 88 Euro for 2 people for 2 hours (37 Euro per hour for the first person and 7 Euro to add another person).
Arabba feels more Italian, with Selva feeling more Austrian in comparison. Corvara is somewhat in between but I suppose they are really all Tyrolean. As Arabba isthe smallest of these and has many English speaking instructors, I don't think you would have a problem in either Selva or Corvara but you could always email them directly. Interestingly the Selva and Arabba websites have an English option but the Corvara doesn't.
http://www.scuolasciarabba.com/index.php?lang=en
http://www.scuolasciselva.com/eng/index.html
http://www.corvara.altabadiaski.com/start.php?page=benvenuto&lang=EN&preloading=close
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
DaveMcSki, these guys in Selva also have a good reputation.
My youngest sister did a week's English-speaking ski school with them. The following year, her 2nd week on skis, she skied all over the 3 Valleys, steep reds included, so either she is a natural or the tuition was good, probably a bit of both.
The guy who taught her was Claudio Novelli.
http://www.scuolasci-selva.it/en/
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Thanks guys. Im not that hung up on having a british ski school as long as the instructor has good english. We will have our own transport, would the road from corvara to selva (ss243) be ok if i booked a days private lesson in selva? I cant tell from the map if its a fierce mountain pass thats not open in winter. or if its like a stroll in the park. I would have chains with me anyway.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
DaveMcSki,
On the last day of my visit the wife was tired and so after skiing from Arabba to Canazei we turned back to do the Sella Ronda in a car. That went round the four passes of Pordoi, Sella, Gardena and Campolongo. This allowed us to lunch in Ortisei town centre which we visited in a previous trip. The next day we left Dolomites by driving through Campolongo and Gardena agian. That is the two passes between Arabba, Alta Badia(Colfosco and Covara) and Selva. We didn't have to put chains on as we were on a AWD Subaru with snow tyres. There were a lot of 2WD cars in the passes but they had winter tyres instead of snow chains.
The passes do get cleared regularly but the wind could blow drift on the roads which weren't always free of snow. These passes are not steep but Pordoi (between Arabba and Canazei) pass has most hair pin bends. The Gardena pass between Selva and Colfosco has slightly less less. The Campolongo pass between Corvara and Arabba is the easiest with nearly all the bends at Corvara.
If your wife isn't keen on gondolas and wishes to stay on easy blue then the Cortina area between Socrepes and Pecol would be recommended. You can drive there via La Villa/San Cassiano and head for Cortina di Ampezzo direction. This actually take you through two passes of Passo Valparona and Passo Falzarego. The Cortina area is accessible along the Passo Falzarego. This is a trunk route and take you pass Lagazuoi which is the peak and is the cable car station for the Hidden Valley. I take it would be out of the question to get your wife inside the cable car and then ski the long red run inside the Hidden Valley, otherwise it is an experience of its own. Before you reach Pocol you will pass the two car parks to the Cinque Torri circuit, which is enjoyable but has some steep red runs. The Pocol has a large car park and a chairlift next to the road. That part of the Contina is worth a visit even if you do not ski at all. The wife found that area our best skiing experience because everything was easy and smooth. The majority of the runs are blue and well spread out. It is really a fantastic area especially you hit good weather. Cortina is a very wide valley and endowed with good sunshine. Contina is supposed the top Italian skiing resort of the same status as St Anton/Lech of Austria or Zermatt/St Moritz of Switzerland. The other two major areas in Contina, Mandres and Tofane, are accessible mainly by cable cars. One can ski from Pocol to Tofane too. By visiting Pocol you get at least an important part of Cortina that your wife can enjoy.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
DaveMcSki, the roads are generally open, however, it depends on snow. When I was last there in winter a couple in our chalet (in Selva) got stuck in Corvara and the Passo Val Gardena was closed due to snow, the other passes were open but would have cost them a fortune for a taxi. In the end it was cheaper for them to get a room in Corvara for the night.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
DaveMcSki, you can't rely on those passes being open when there's a snowfall, it can take a while to clear them, best to book lessons in the valley where you are staying, most of the younger instructors under 40 speak English.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In my first visit to Sella Ronda the Passo Gardena was closed on the day we wanted to go from Selva to Alta Badia. Didn't check what happen later but I second luigi's recommendation.
I did grab the opportunity of driving round the 4 mountain passes in my last trip just to satisfy myself with the general condition there. In my week there was no heavy dump and I was able to go freely anywhere within the 7 designated areas of Selva, Alta Badia, Arabba, Canazei, Contina, Civetta and Kronplatz in Dolomites.
Dolomites is infested with mountain passes and this should be respected. I was fully prepared with a 4WD Subaru Outback, a new set of winter tyres, a towing rope, 10-litre extra fuel in can, blanket/sleep bag, a spade to dig myself out, a car powered kettle set and snow chains.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We went to the Dolomites a few weeks ago and have been to the 3V a few times with another trip scheduled for the end of February. Having read about the Dolomites being mostly for intermediate cruising I wasn't expecting much but was very pleasantly surprised. Most runs are wide sweeping blues and reds, but there are some decent blacks including world cup downhill courses at Alta Badia and Selva. 3V has something for everyone and, as others have said, the runs interlink will meaning that a group of varying abilities can ski together by taking different routes to the same place.
We stayed in Corvara and never missed out from not having a car. There was more than enough skiing within easy reach for a week or three. I suppose if you returned time and time again then you may want to ski all 1,200km but if that's your plan then stay somewhere different each time.
The Italians like their pistes groomed. Every slope is groomed to death every night - there was seldom a mogul to be found. 3V, on the other hand, usually has a healthy sprinkling of ungroomed runs.
The scenery in the Dolomites is amazing with some of the ski runs exposing you to the best views (e.g. hidden valley). The villages are typically picturesque with churches and south tyrol villages nestling between the mountains. 3V is not the ugliest, with St Martin fairly easy on the eye, but Les Menuires, VT and Courchavel 1850 are pretty grim.
The two biggest positives for the Dolomites are the smaller crowds (with 5min a really busy day) and the prices. On the terrace of a mountain rifugio with stunning views you can get a big plate of food and a beer for €10. In the 3V you'll be paying double that.
Our transfer from Innsbruck to Corvara took 2.5hrs whereas 3V resorts can be 3-4hrs from Geneva on a good day.
There are very few English folks so a few words of Italian or German will be very useful. 3V is very English in places - especially Meribel where ordering in French will get you a blank look!
Last edited by After all it is free  on Wed 10-02-10 15:41; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| evanski wrote: |
| ... 3V is not the ugliest, with St Martin fairly easy on the eye, but Les Menuires, VT and Courchavel 1850 are pretty |
pretty... what? You missed off the last adjective there - Grim? Foul? Abominable?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
going to the dolomites this march as my dad lives in northern italy  i cant wait ive not been to italy for 2 years as i have been going to germany and austria
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
