 Poster: A snowHead
|
Hi all we have just booked for a week in La Thuille and just wondered if any reviews on the skiing there especially the runs back to resort
We are staying at the Planibel apartments, anyone been there? We are self catering so where's best to eat?
Any advice on the area would be appreciated
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
There's a restaurant and a pizza takeaway at the Planibel, but the best pizzas in the area are at Le Rascard.
The resort runs are mostly quite steep, a couple of blacks and a winding red. From the top of the gondola the lifts fan out in a bowl and most of the runs there are very easy, bordering on boringly flat. However there are also some more interesting runs over the back, plus the link to La Rosière.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Have also just booked same as Ramma666 (its currently cheapest option on W/E of 18th Jan) so any advice and tips welcome please. However if you are only going to tell me how functional/soulless/unattractive the Planibell apartments are please don't bother, that all other poster on another forum seemed to want to go on about. Its cheap, ski in and out, and I don't care how lovely and rustic the hotel down in the pretty village is.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Went to La Thuille a couple of years ago and had a great ski trip - also went in Jan and they had loads of snow.
The apartments are a good size and functional and close to the lifts - there is a butchers where you can order cooked chicken, beef etc which comes with roasted veg which is good and saves on cooking - it is slightly bizarre - there is also a takeaway burger joint
The complex is nothing special - it has a bar and a disco which were pretty quiet when we went
The village is a 10 minute walk down from the planibel complex and has a few bars and eateries - its quite nice and worth the walk to get away from the complex - plus it has cash machines
The skiing was good due to the snowfall and quite a bit of off-piste and runs thru trees - viz was poor when we were there and the 1st valley to the right had the best skiing for us
The ski hire shop is next to the pub and didn't have a big selection - but they also have a place at the top of the main lift which had a better selection and we got some good K2's from here
The link to La Rosierre was a pain - a long road and a drag back - this was really cold and wind blown so quite icy - we only went twice in the week
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
We stayed in the Planibel appartments and they were fine. We just wanted somewhere comfortable to sleep and to cook once or twice during the week and they provided that perfectly satisfactorily. We were not looking for 5 star luxury. The 'block' of appartments we stayed in was called Monte Bianco I think (strange how we call it Mont Blanc when it is in Italy) and we developed a habit of coming downstairs first thing in the morning to a coffee shop on the ground floor where you could get a coffee and a croissant and eat inside at the back of the cafe or eat outside depending on the weather.
We ate out probably more than 50% of the time. I'm trying to think of the name of the place that was recommended to us - I think it was called 'A La Lune' looking at the resort website - I remember walking along the 'back' road from the appartments and it was on the right, upstairs. I had goat and it was delicious. La Rascard was good as well. We walked into the old town to eat one night and there was a lot of choice.
In front of the appartments was a paved square with a pizzeria across almost opposite us and we ate there on the last night. At the end of the meal the waiter brought us a very large - about a gallon - bottle of home made Genepi as a digestif. He just left the bottle on the table for us to help ourselves which we duly did. It was only when the 'shot glasses' began to feel a little strange that we realised they were made out of chocolate and we were obviously intended to have a drink and then eat the 'glasses'.
There are plenty of shops, ski hire, etc all around this paved square, but the prices were slightly higher than in the old town. As I say, you can walk into the main part of La Thuile and pay less, but it isn't as convenient. Not a problem, just to be aware of.
Lunch time we ate on the hill. Lots of choice. Reasonable prices. Gulaschsuppe was good. Can't remember what that was in Italian. The best hot chocolate in the entire world was served at a cafe on the mountain just above La Thuile. As I remember it, it was not the cafe at the gondola top station, but was an old building / cafe situated over to the right (to the right when viewed facing up the mountain).
We ate lunch in France on a couple of occasions (more later).
Runs back to resort - I don't especially remember these except that there was a long winding run around the back and way over to the right hand side (viewed looking up the mountain from Planibel) which went past a cafe called the Roxy or something. I think it was a red but it can't have been too hard as we were a mixed group including some who had only skied one week previously and we all got down it. There were also runs more direct to Planibel and all I can remember of these is that they went through trees but again, as I remember it, we all came down these.
The trip across to France (La Rosiere) is good. There are a couple of runs you can choose to take you across, but we really liked the one from Belvedere on the Italian side, keeping to the right as you face France. I remember one of the runs to France has what seemed to us to be a sudden drop at the end. You just get going nicely along a lovely swooping blue run and just as you get near the end it turns a corner and drops suddenly. It probably isn't that bad a drop and we went and did it again for fun, knowing it was there, but for a group of inexperienced skiers, it was a memorable moment.
Don't go to France unless you can cope with long long drag lifts back. Watch out for weather forecasts to make sure the link is not likely to close due to winds. The start of the run back to Italy I remember as a bit of a challenge for the beginners in our group, but worth it.
If you can manage the trip to France, there are some lovely runs in La Rosiere and good eating places too.
Sorry if all of this turns out to be old and outdated - it's a long time ago.......
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
Great info, thanks Johnor and JohnHSmith, can I ask for any further info on ski hire as we've not included this in our package and would be interested in local options.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As mentioned I think the main and possibly only shop on the complex was next to the pub - you cant miss things as it is only a small complex. But if you cannot find anything suitable ask about hiring on the mountain - its all the same company - the shop in the complex was just a ran by kids and just wanted to get you in and out whereas the one at the top of the main gondola seemed to have a better selection and was more knowledgeable. Plus if you want to change or any reason it is easier up the mountain. I don't think it was overly expensive but I cannot remember the price now
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A long time ago, but I agree with Johnor in that it was the same company that dealt with ski hire at Planibel and on the mountain. See if there is a SnowHead discount - there is a page somewhere on this site that gives discount codes
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| JohnHSmith wrote: |
| I'm trying to think of the name of the place that was recommended to us - I think it was called 'A La Lune' looking at the resort website - I remember walking along the 'back' road from the appartments and it was on the right, upstairs. I had goat and it was delicious. La Rascard was good as well. We walked into the old town to eat one night and there was a lot of choice. |
Sorry to say that "a La Lune" is no longer operating the owners now run a place up on the hill (not nearly as good) although from what I recall it wasn't upstairs there was another one further along the road towards town which was always used by for the welcome meetings, but this too is no longer in use.
Best pizzas in my view are at the La Raclette which across the paved square from the Planibel. The must do is the a trip to Chocolat, amazing cakes and hot chocolate and the chocolate fondue counts as an evening meal on its own  . Other good places for food are La Fordze, walk through the Planibel hotel and walk down the road towards town.
Drinks wise Planibel hotel bar is nice (although not very warm) lots of sofas in the conservatory so you can mostly avoid the "entertainment" (singer in the main bar area). Angelas café on the main road down in town is also nice for drinks more locals that tourists.
For ski hire we always use Only ski http://www.onlyski.com/eng/index.html who have a shop in town and also one at the top of the gondola which I would recommend.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We are staying at the Planibel and does anyone know what the ski hire shop there is called?
Also looking on Youtube the red 7 down to the resort looked fairly easy (my wife is a nervous skier) is this deceiving and a little more difficult than it appears?
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
Hey, I have a friend working at la Thuille now. He says its amazing, completely undereated. The slopes are aweseome, he'd been there before a few times, I think through this site here. Re. info, loads of good restaurants, but lacking in good bars. And lacking people to drink in them too, apparenlty ...
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Mon 6-01-14 8:48; edited 2 times in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Unlikely to be 'completely undereated' if there are loads of good restaurants 
Seriously, I've skiied over there from La Rosiere several times and some excellent and generally empty runs. Watch out for the hot chocolate - you can order it in 'thick' or 'thin' varieties!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ramma666, Red 7 is VERY easy and I have no idea why it is classed as a red. The lower section is a road and it is fairly dull. If the Mrs is coping well with that then as the week goes on try and have a bash at red 6 as it really is a nice run, and not too hared. Avoid the blacks at all costs as they all have gnarly sections. If she is tired at the end of the day and doesn't fancy the climb back up to Chaz Dura summit the take the Chalet Express and do Red 4 (if it is open) and take the left fork half way down as it is very easy.
If the wind is up then Red 4 and Red 6 are your best bets from the top of the Les Suches Gondola. The Col and the tops can get VERY blowey when they are in the mood!. If you are going in a non peak week then you will find the place wonderfully quiet.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
Frosty the Snowman, Thanks for that my wife only becomes nervous when she can't see over the edge or there are steep drops to the sides!! but I thought that the reds I'd seen on Youtube looked more like steady blues
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
weve just come back from La Thuile, the snow is amazing, the SCGB report is rubbish re depths . The place is very quiet no queing and there are a variety of runs for all abilities, the blacks 2 and 3 get icy towards the end of the day, but my 9yr old sailed down the infamous 73 degree start to black 3, too wide to be that difficult!! Only Ski and Berthod are the main hire shops both present in the Planibel, whose position is fantastic. Weve been there twice now, first time we did SC this time we eat out all the time as the holiday (xmas week) was very cheap. The nursery slopes are across the road and the gondola is a couple of hundred meters away. Best place to eat, the 'Cage' in the complex is actually really good, freshley cooked best pizza i had all week, Copperpan do great food, and the 'Grotto' is large and a varied menu. Pleanty of other restaurants up the many side streets part of the fun is hunting them down. The Chocolat is a must, as said before the fondu is a meal on its own. None of the bars were that busy during xmas week, the trip over to France has some nice fast reds, the blues in 'the bowl' are great for practising technique, and you can get some nice long runs in from the very top all the way back down either cruising reds or mixing it with the blacks. Overall i would have to say its a gem of a resort, and b****y cheap to boot!!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
| 814man wrote: |
| However if you are only going to tell me how functional/soulless/unattractive the Planibell apartments are please don't bother, that all other poster on another forum seemed to want to go on about. Its cheap, ski in and out, and I don't care how lovely and rustic the hotel down in the pretty village is. |
Love this, glad I'm not the only one with more of an eye on function than form.
The snowheads sponsored link for ski hire at a discount is alpinresorts: http://www.alpinresorts.com/en/ski-rental/italy/valle-daosta/la-thuile
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
