 Poster: A snowHead
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Destination: Sauze D’Oulx
Date: 17th Jan’14 – 24th Jan’14
Tour Party – 3 x late 20’s/early 30’s, consisting of 2 x skiers and 1 surfing boarder, dude!!
Flight – 6.15am from Dublin to Turin with Ryanair, which allowed us to arrive in resort at 11am on the Saturday morning giving a bonus half day on the slopes. No real bad points except the excessive charges for checking on a board (€100)! It’s a real shame that no other commercial airline fly to Turin from either Dublin or Belfast.
Transfers – Taxi booked through sauzeonline, €50 per head each way, which saved the hassle of getting the bus and gave us that extra half day on the slopes.
Accomodation: Villa Besson apartments, which were booked through holidayhomesinitaly.co.uk. The Ritz it wasn’t, but credit the apartment was very central, spacious and incredibly good value for money. It could easily accommodate 6, so we were happy to get a room each and save the annoyance of drunken snoring! A Ski bus was available outside the apartment door, but being strapping youngish gentlemen we chose to walk up the hill each day (10 mins) and acclimatise to the high altitude and settle the hangovers, stopping off for coffee and water along the way. The apartment administration were very accommodating and allowed us to check in early on arrival and were very friendly hosts.
Slopes/Snow: FANTASTIC!!! After weeks of watching green webcams we could not believe our luck when winter arrived in earnest the day before we left. We arrived to a sea of white powder and it stayed that way for most of the week. It snowed almost everyday we were there, and only the lower resort runs were suffering from ice late in the afternoons. We really enjoyed the runs off the top of Mt Fraiteve and Black 16 in to Sportina. We went over to Sestriere on the Wednesday, and although the snow was in great shape, visibility was non-existent, nonetheless we had an enjoyable if not blinkered day. The Olympic run in Sansicario was tackled on the Friday, and as a moderate intermediate it has to be one of the highlights of my 7 weeks on the snow!!! The only downside to skiing in Sauze is the slow lift systems. Surely investment in a fast gondola from Clotes or Sportina would lift the status of the entire area?
Ski rental: 2 of us hired ski equipment from the hire shop at the Clotes lift. The older gentleman who provided my boots was outright rude on more than one occasion. After asking to change my boots on Day 2 he grumpily told me that I should think about buying my own in future, obviously he couldn’t care less. I was close to asking for my money back and walking down the road to his competitor. The other two in the shop were nicer however.
Après: A real mixed bag! After witnessing 2 unsavoury incidents in the space of our first 2 nights we decided to give Cotton bar a miss for the rest of the week. Mura, Village and Grotto took our beer tokens from then on, whilst the Friday night in Banditos was very late and brilliant craic. Craig from Big Brother fame must have had his head wrecked all evening lol! The resort could benefit from more early après, something on or just off the slopes like a Folie Douce or LDA’s Pano Bar. I’d rather get jolly from 4pm-7pm, than 1am-4am, just my thoughts on the matter!
Food: The quality, value and portion sizes both on and off the mountain were very good. I see now why people love skiing in Italy! The T-Bone and Wild Boar in L’Assiete were so good we returned 3 times, also sampling the Frenette Branco on too many occasions!! Also hats off to the team at L’Otriche who’s food was a rival to L’Assiete and provided some great banter and some very tasty alcoholic sugar cubes. Be careful though as the melon flavour is actually hot chilli!! On the mountain the food was also great and very good value, for example Lamb cutlets with roast potatoes and veg and a coke was €12 in Capana Kind up at Sportina.
All in all a thoroughly enjoyable snow holiday at a resort full of character.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Thanks for taking the time to do a report. Sounds great!
We are off to sauze in 3 weeks- I had been wondering whether to hire from clotes or eydallin- I often need to change boots so might give clotes a miss!
Can I hit you with some questions?
Would you say assiette was the best place you ate? we have a birthday while we are there so are looking for something a bit special.
Is the olympic run like any other run or do you have to sort of take turns?
any other tips for a good holiday in Sauze? - we have young teens with us so wont be doing nightlife other that eating.
thank 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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| Quote: |
| After witnessing 2 unsavoury incidents in the space of our first 2 nights we decided to give Cotton bar a miss for the rest of the week. |
Oooohh do tell us more you tease 
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I'm surprised you report that the apres could be better. There are a few bars up at Sportinia and when you come off at Clotes there are several starting at The Village and running down into town. Never had a problem finding good apres. Ghost bar was my fave.
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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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Nem, to be honest I didn't have one bad meal over there but Assiete was a bit special. I'm gluten intolerant so I couldn't eat pasta so I never gave Sugos a go but you'll have a great night regardless. In terms of the Olympic run its very wide in parts but steep in others and you really get the feeling of travelling from one area to the other!
Red27 I'll just say that on both occasions we felt the bouncer was extremely heavy handed without giving the 2 victims any chance to back away or plead innocence, the black eyes on show over the next few days are testament to that!
Halfhand, I suppose its a personal preference thing, but I prefer boots on tops of tables to the eagles and bar nibbles, although the band that played in both Ghost and Groto were very good.
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Deffo, no boots on table tops in Italy.
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@nem, just back from long weekend and our third trip in three years (annual pilgrimage for us now).
Would recommend L'Ortiche and Del Falco for something a bit special.
Would absolutely, definitely recommend a trip to Caffe' della Seggiovia (very close to both restaurants) for aperitivos beforehand (*or any evening tbh) - great wine selection and super atmosphere (it does get busy, full of locals which is always a good sign for us) but be careful not to fill up on the continuous free meats, cheeses and breads they bring you. Good spot for family too early on, your youngsters will enjoy it (and the hot chocolate is also brilliant).
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@debtors#2, spent a day in Sauze on the Wednesday of the same week as you, driving from Serre Che for a change of scenery... Started at the telecabina at Cesana (abandoned (?) luge track!) and it was a bit hairy getting into Sauze but was great once below the clouds. My partner is also gluten intolerant and we had a great meal at Orso Bianco - they did a gluten free buckwheat pasta thing which I was quite jealous of, and seemed to indicate that they could do a gluten-free pasta version of a few different things too.
I actually thought the lift system was pretty quick... but maybe that was compared to Serre Che. Just a couple of slow chairs getting in and out of Sauze but once in it was pretty good. It's certainly not Austria though 
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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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| Quote: |
My partner is also gluten intolerant and we had a great meal at Orso Bianco - they did a gluten free buckwheat pasta thing which I was quite jealous of
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maybe these - buckwheat crozets - very good to buy a few boxes, if you are gluten intolerant http://www.alpina-savoie.com/fr/produits/crozets-au-sarrasin
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@Curzonian, Thank you- Seggiovia added to the list.- love an apperitivo I do.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Just under 4 weeks until we go to Sauze; went loast year and absolutely loved it so we're doing it again. Bring on the bean bag bar (Miravalino), bombardinos in mountain bars, red wine in Il Lampione, wild boar steak in restaurant Assietta. And hoping that the Italians are a averse to off-piste as they were last year, bountiful amounts of untracked fresh all day!
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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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I've just looked up bombardino on wikipedia. I cant even believe that exists- fantastic- love advocat almost as much as aperativos.
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@nem, they really are a magic ingredient to a ski trip. I was only introduced to the beauty of a slopeside bombardino last year, and what a revelation that was. One mountain bar rewarded us for our constant custom by bringing out the "Super-Bombardino". Avocat, brandy and rum. It blew my flipping head off!
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You know it makes sense.
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Thanks for the report, I loved sauze both times I was there, pity you had flat light in sestreire, it has lovely views. Do you know do they still have the andy cap ski race in sauze? my little ones would love that.
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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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This is the joy of finding stuff out from lovely snowheads before you go- you dont need to spend a wasted minute in Italy without such a thing as a bombardino.
Lots of good ski info too!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Hate Advocat. Love Bombardino
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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driz, I would add that I had a wonderful duck ragu with gluten free spaghetti in LOtriche, it was a real bonus.
We finished each day with a bombardino or two at Bar Clotes, it was an interesting return to resort afterwards!
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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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Our little party of 7 SFT's (Sauze First Timers) arriving on Sunday 8th Feb - snow's lookin good and really looking forward to the apres - spittin feathers already!!
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Thanks @debtors#2, I'll be going to Sauze for the first time, in about 6 weeks. I read somewhere (in a brochure I think) that the lift system had been 'vastly overhauled and improved' as a result of the 2006 winter Olympics.... obviously some exaggeration there then by the sound of it....
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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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@nem, For something a bit special, try Gaute la Nata. We had a couple of birthdays while we were there and they really looked after us. The Fagioli was amazing.
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scubadancer, the lift system is fine but in need of a few high speed gondolas in my opinion. All lifts out of resort are on 4 person chairlifts and bring you to mid mountain. I think this is an upgrade on the previous lift system pre 2006. Once up on the mountain things are generally fine but there are a few drag lifts/2-man slow chairs and the odd bottleneck at the 4 man chair at Sportina, especially around lunchtime and at the end of the day.
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@debtors#2, Right ho, good to know... thanks again. I'm hoping to go across to Claviere and maybe even Montgenevre as it's all linked, but the quicker the better 
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Been a couple of times to Sauze, the first time on my honeymoon (what a guy!!!)
It isn't the same since the Mafia sanitised it before the Olympics in Turin - the place never really recovered from losing the Andy Capp bar.
Staggering through the streets still in ski boots at near to midnight is obviously the domain of the young and foolish, but it was nice to be a part of it.
The old single chair across to Sestriere in a blizzard remains the most scary lift ride I have ever had, small wonder it was known as the freezer (or something like that)
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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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Dont waste time trying to get to montgenevre by skiing. It takes a long time and the vast majority is on chairs and gondola, not skiing. By time you get there it will be almost time to head back. We got a daytrip there by bus with crystal and arrived for 0845 and skiied it all. Worth going to as some lovely runs
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| mikeelsa wrote: |
| Dont waste time trying to get to montgenevre by skiing. It takes a long time and the vast majority is on chairs and gondola, not skiing. By time you get there it will be almost time to head back. We got a daytrip there by bus with crystal and arrived for 0845 and skiied it all. Worth going to as some lovely runs |
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I'd disagree. I've done it a couple of times. You have to get a bit of a wriggle on but you can be in Montgenevre for an early lunch (way more expensive than the Italian side though) ski about a bit and be back in time for Apres.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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@Cinsha, And you point in relation to this thread is 
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| halfhand wrote: |
| mikeelsa wrote: |
| Dont waste time trying to get to montgenevre by skiing. It takes a long time and the vast majority is on chairs and gondola, not skiing. By time you get there it will be almost time to head back. We got a daytrip there by bus with crystal and arrived for 0845 and skiied it all. Worth going to as some lovely runs |
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I'd disagree. I've done it a couple of times. You have to get a bit of a wriggle on but you can be in Montgenevre for an early lunch (way more expensive than the Italian side though) ski about a bit and be back in time for Apres. |
I don't think mikeelsa was saying it's not possible to do it. Simply that it takes a long time to get over there and back, which it does. By getting the coach you don't have to "get a wriggle on" and you can enjoy the whole day at leisure on different slopes, making the complete maximum of the runs available without worrying about heading back early. And I'd agree, it's a much better way to do it IMO (if only for a day of change, I prefer the runs and off-piste around Sauze and Sansicario).
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You know it makes sense.
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@halfhand, the OP went to Italy and has mentioned earlier in the thread that he/she is gluten intolerant and there have been various suggestions for suitable restaurants/foods. So an article about gluten free eating in Italy is not exactly unconnected?
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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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| pam w wrote: |
| Quote: |
My partner is also gluten intolerant and we had a great meal at Orso Bianco - they did a gluten free buckwheat pasta thing which I was quite jealous of
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maybe these - buckwheat crozets - very good to buy a few boxes, if you are gluten intolerant http://www.alpina-savoie.com/fr/produits/crozets-au-sarrasin |
Whilst they contain buckwheat flour they also contain wheat flour (as the first ingredient), so they are not suitable for someone who is gluten intolerant!
Liste des ingrédients : farine de blé tendre, farine de sarrasin (20%) , œufs frais, sel.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@halfhand, gluten is mentioned 4x previously in this thread, including by the OP! Perhaps you didn't read it properly before picking on me?
Many people out there might not be aware that Italy is gluten intolerant friendly and it would make it a great destination for those with concerns/stresses related to their diet and condition.
Thanks @Gämsbock, for pointing out same to halfhand. 😀
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Cinsha, It's a trip report not a dietary advice thread. A bit sensitive today are we?
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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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@Dav, and @halfhand,
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I don't think mikeelsa was saying it's not possible to do it. Simply that it takes a long time to get over there and back, which it does. By getting the coach you don't have to "get a wriggle on" and you can enjoy the whole day at leisure on different slopes, making the complete maximum of the runs available without worrying about heading back early. And I'd agree, it's a much better way to do it IMO (if only for a day of change, I prefer the runs and off-piste around Sauze and Sansicario).
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We are staying in Montgenevre, so going the other way, any estimates you can give on how long it takes to get to Sauze and Sestriere, if you get a "wiggle on" ?
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@bruisedskier, Think we did it in about 2.5hrs.
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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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@nem, When exactly are you heading out?
We arrive on the 20th and leave on March 1st...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Think we did it in about 2.5hrs.
Er, were you walking on snow shoes?
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@Maersk, You are ted Ligety and I claim my £5
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Montgenevre to Sauze D'Oulx in less than 2.5 Hrs @halfhand,
@Maersk, what is your estimate??
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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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@halfhand, Thanks. Looking good over the next couple of weeks weather wise.
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FAQ
since clock watching is not my main activity except maybe towards the end of the day. The point is that you can get from Sauze to Montgenevre and back in a day and still have time to ski about a bit and it is a great way to see the whole area as opposed to this quote:
