 Poster: A snowHead
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Thinking of a new year trip based out of aosta town.
We have our non skiing grandparents with us too.
Got a place lined up in the centre 600m from the cable car
If anyone can add a bit of background it would be appreciated.
I'll be hiring a car so - guessing we could do a couple of trips beyond Pila.
Much appreciated
M
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Mattmulkeen, you must go to La Thuile and either Champoluc or Gressoney.
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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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cool - easy drives? looks it like?
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Mattmulkeen, there are a number almost certainly >2 of really very nice and gvfm restaurants. It's a pleasant town although I'm not sure quite what being in Aoste adds vs a nice alpine village (in winter) , but then we usually only visit the discount shoe shop for t.o.h. Some Roman ruins and a museum of something that I keep meaning to pop into.
Aosta - Champoluc ~45 mins, Gressoney a bit further and I wouldn't bother as I'd rather ski - as in, while driving to Gressoney gets you into the "centre" of Monterosa, it's more fun IMV to ski more than drive more.
Would not expect even NY crowds to be terrible, although Pila may attract more day trippers. NY day typically v. quiet. But all a bit unpredictable 
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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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My outlook on Aosta was a bit jaundiced after I spent three hours waiting for a breakdown truck, with a broken clutch, on a roundabout outside one of the entrances to the various large steelworks followed by another two hours waiting in some out of town garage wasteland for the hired car to turn up. But I dare say it has some pleasant corners which are not apparent when one drives hastily past, on the autostrada, with crossed fingers, the next time.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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under a new name,
ok ... i'd love to do champoluc but we can't leave the old dears behind so trying to give them something to do.
pam w, thanks pam ... sorry to hear about the car problem 
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Mattmulkeen, what will the old dears be doing in Aosta? Personally I'd rather be up somewhere pretty in the snow. Even as an old dear. 
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Mattmulkeen, can the old dears drive? Quite a few things locally that may be open in winter if they want to day trip eg Fort de Bard. (Several forts nearby, not Roman and some restored) also probably some NY events, maybe even a game of the suicidal Sunday village pursuit of tsan.
Last edited by After all it is free  on Thu 21-08-14 23:12; edited 2 times in total
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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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Been a while since I've been in Aosta, but a few years back I spent a summer working down the valley from there (in Villeneuve). Lovely city and some incedible, cheap restaurants. Trying to work out the public transport was a nightmare/lottery, but I dare say it's better (or at least more frequent) in winter. Don't know anything about the skiing though, sorry. Some incredible mountains in those parts, though.
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Mattmulkeen, the Bard Fortress & Pré Saint Didier spa are pretty good non-skiing activities (both about 30 mins drive from Aosta). I'd recommend Courmayeur (30 mins) over La Thuile (40 mins) for a day skiing somewhere else, and Gressoney over the others but it's a good bit further (almost two hours). There's plenty for your grandparents to do in town if you go skiing somewhere else for the day, it's quite big and full of touristy stuff.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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pam w, ha ok I'll knock the "old dears" tag 
They are my mum and dad too ... just got that used to calling them "The Grandparents"
Last time they came with we were in Scheffau Austria. They used the local buses to mooch about the valley.
I was kind of thinking that from Aosta we could take trips up to Courmayeur and La Thuile etc and they could come with.
Tbh i had a google image search of aosta and it looked like a pleasant little town but the feedback here suggests its a bit industrial.
clarky999, thanks
moseyp, thanks also
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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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under a new name, cheers for the info.
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| Quote: |
Tbh i had a google image search of aosta and it looked like a pleasant little town but the feedback here suggests its a bit industrial.
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Only the outskirts - and you're not going to be hanging around there (I assume). The town itself is a beautiful old Roman town and there's plenty to do there for a week
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You know it makes sense.
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We stayed in Aosta a couple of years ago, in the lovely old part of town. It was quiet but we found a couple of regular bars and a lovely restaurant and had a great week. Friends came down from Courmayeur to ski at Pila with us and rated Pila higher. The gondola trip was quite fun, we had a laugh on the way up and down but I would be wary of queues during New Year week. Get there a couple of mins before opening time. La Thuile will be quieter than Courmayeur during New Year.
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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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The two restaurants we've liked are "Borgo Antico" which we've lunched in a few times and (I think) the Caffe' Italia dal 1904. At least on street view it looks like the same place. I had a very fine steak.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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moseyp, just what weird detour did you take to make Gressoney 2 hours longer than Champoluc? Even Alagna is only an extra 90 mins Gressoney's about 10 minutes extra time from Aoste than Champoluc but I don't see what the extra drive gains you.
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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.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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under a new name, no detour, straight along the motorway for about 45 minutes until Pont Saint Martin and then turn off for Gressoney - the road to Gressoney La Trinite takes another hour or more. It's a different exit for Champoluc.
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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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Pedantica, thank you for that
I think we'll give it a go ... bit different and looks there is enough to do for the non skiers
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Mattmulkeen, I'd say it's a good choice. Enough in the town for your Mum and Dad and if they are feeling confident the train station links to Milan or Turin for the day. Skiing wise Pila is up on the hill if you don't fancy driving, plus all the other resorts in the valley are viable as day trips.
For the Monta Rosa drive to Champoluc and head East until the lifts run out. Skiing Champoluc to Alagna and back is should be easily doable in the day depending on your level.
Asside from the usual suspects, Crevacol is a nice little 2 lift resort up the road towards Switzerland, as is Chamois on the road up to Cervinia.
All in all a lovely part of the world 
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moseyp, I know it's a different turn off, we know the area rather well...
Have I misunderstood you? Aoste to Champoluc is about 35 mins to Verres then 30 mins on the mountain*. You're suggesting Aoste-Gressonney is 2 hours longer? Or just 2 hours, which is still definitely going via Luigi's ale and pie shop for ale and pies.
* although the other half alleges that, in outstanding contribution to road safety, she and her father did in in 15 minutes racing Alfa GTV V6s... Many years ago
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Fri 22-08-14 15:51; edited 2 times in total
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AndAnotherThing.., much of the time, e.g. Esp at New Year, I'd not continue till the lifts run out as the home run into Alagna is often not worth doing. Better to start the route home at the bottom of the Pianalunga cable car.
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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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under a new name, Fair point. The last time we did it there were Spring conditions, so pretty soft towards the bottom of Alagna but amusing non the less.
You gotta love Italian's
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Mattmulkeen, i have being looking for accommodation in that part of the world, have you found a chalet in?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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ajc2260626, are you looking for a holiday place or long term?
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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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under a new name, do you take a different route than mine?
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moseyp, after somewhere for new year potentially i have found some stuff but have yet to get anything nailed down....
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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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under a new name, That's a different route alright.
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Poster: A snowHead
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moseyp, what route would you take? That one is definitely the most direct (to Champoluc)- Gressoney St Jean is here http://goo.gl/maps/Gj6xR
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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under a new name, as before - straight along the motorway for about 45 minutes until Pont Saint Martin and then turn off for Gressoney http://goo.gl/maps/sVta4
1 hour 50 mins, closer to two hours if you allow for a little traffic in Aosta
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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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moseyp, OK, you meant 2 hours or so total to Gressoney. I interpreted you to mean 2 hours extra. I think.
But oddly, Gmaps is showing a very reasonable 1 hour to Champoluc which is what I'd expect versus 1hr 3 mins to Gressoney (St Jean) which is quite far off your 1hr 50 ??
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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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So, moseyp, which Gressoney did you mean?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
under a new name, no detour, straight along the motorway for about 45 minutes until Pont Saint Martin and then turn off for Gressoney - the road to Gressoney La Trinite takes another hour or more. It's a different exit for Champoluc.
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moseyp, I am still confused.
Per Gmaps Aosta to:
- St Jean - 1hr5 (sounds about right)
- Stafal (Tschaval) - 1hr19 (maybe a little snow on the bends)
And as La Trinité is right in the middle of the two, I estimate 1hr12.
How can it take you 1hr50?
It's those ale and pies that you don't want to admit to isn't it?
Or, are you just taking Gmaps on faith and trying to drive up to where it thinks La Trinité is? Either Google has it wrong http://goo.gl/maps/fwa4D or the Monterosa lift map does - (well, it's entirely possible from a mapping pov that that's where it might be, except it's not.) Looks like the owners of the (new?) refuge on the itinerary from Punta Indren lift have been a little clever.
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Just back! Worked well. Different in a good way and Aosta knows how to do NYE!
Will write it up when I'm not wrecked from travelling.
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