 Poster: A snowHead
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We have bought flights to Turin for the end of Jan and looks like this will be our venue for a boys weekend away.
Have you any recommendations for accommodation and location as I've heard that you can be badly placed for lift access?
Would never have considered here but one of our group is championing it and the more I read about it the more it appeals.
We'll probably pick up a car at the airport for transfer, is there any ski in/out places?
Cheers in advance. Greg
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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northantsred, I've stayed in Hotel Gran Baita - reasonably priced , 5mins uphill walk from bottom of Clotes lift. Also stayed in an apartment at the bottom of Strada Provinciale near the roundabout about 15mins walk from the bottom of Clotes lift. But there is a ski bus which makes getting around easy. There are hotels right at the end of the Clotes piste but I've no experience of them.
It is a great place. The only downside is if the links to Sestriere are closed. Otherwise I'd say it's a great base for the Via Lattea.
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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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Can be a steep climb up to the first lift if you stay too far below it. Quite tricky when it is icy and you are walking in ski boots. Not much parking in Sauze, would not advise driving there. The drive there can be very steep into resort, and all parking is mostly on a slope. Check weather forecasts as it will be difficult in bad weather.
Cannot comment on accommodation, but there are plenty close to the slopes, also a lot more which are cheaper lower down.
Not too much of a problem if you are fit.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Wed 8-10-14 18:29; edited 1 time in total
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Hotel La Torre is great and has a private minibus that laps the resort constantly so yo'll never wait more than 10 mins for a lift. We've done the annual lads trip there for the last 2 yrs and wouldn't consider changing.
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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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Can recommend Chalet Chez Nous in Jouvenceaux (www.chaletcheznous.it). Lift a very short walk away, couple of good restaurants nearby.
Andrea, the owner, provides a taxi service up to Sauze (and back) if you want an evening out.
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great choice - can't really help on accommodation (we stayed in Sestriere) but I think sauze is lovely. Great tree skiing too.
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northantsred, I'm going there for the first time next March. As I've not actually stayed there yet, I can't comment on what the accommodation is like, but from the photo I've seen in the brochure, the small hotel we're booked into (The Hermitage) appears to be right next to a carpet lift which, in turn, leads to a nice ski down to one of the major lifts out of Sauze and up towards Sestriere.
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| Quote: |
Not much parking in Sauze, would not advise driving there. The drive there can be very steep into resort, and all parking is mostly on a slope
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Parking at Sportinia is on the flat.
Just to reiterate, the ski bus is really good.
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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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| deerman wrote: |
Can recommend Chalet Chez Nous in Jouvenceaux (www.chaletcheznous.it). Lift a very short walk away, couple of good restaurants nearby.
Andrea, the owner, provides a taxi service up to Sauze (and back) if you want an evening out. |
That's a good shout.
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| Quote: |
| Quote: |
Not much parking in Sauze, would not advise driving there. The drive there can be very steep into resort, and all parking is mostly on a slope
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Parking at Sportinia is on the flat.
Just to reiterate, the ski bus is really good. |
I have stayed in Sauze D'Oulx. I never caught the bus once, probably because it was not as frequent as is suggested. Maybe it did not go through the pedestrian only zone where I stayed.
I suspect that parking at some hotel car parks, and underground car parks, are level. If it is free without having to stay at those hotels, then that is really useful information. I very much doubt it is free, unless you stay at the hotel. Often there will be an additional charge, even if you do stay there.
I very much doubt there are any ski in/ski out hotels which have level flat parking which is free. The road is particularly steep next to the first lift.
I found the bus completely useless. Better to walk than wait for the bus, however I was only a 10-15 min walk from the piste. If you are further away than that, then I suspect taking the bus would be a better option.
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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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Bigtipper,
the first time i took the missus skiing we went to Sauze. cant remember why, maybe there was a deal. On the transfer bus she had to sit on a pile of luggage and skis in the aisle, and after a while asks me if transfers are always like this. lol. Never taken another holiday with Thomson. In the hotel they used to parade the desert around the dining room on a trolley, dunno why it was never that special!!!
after a couple of days we ended up on a steeper run and she wasn't happy. I insisted it was only a blue, until i realised the blue piste marker was actually an advert for martini !!! happy days
getting back to the thread, i do remember the icy steepish road and the packed little resort buses. it wasnt all bad though, she loved the lessons and is still skiing 20 years later. 
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| Quote: |
On the transfer bus she had to sit on a pile of luggage and skis in the aisle
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There speaks a gentleman.
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You know it makes sense.
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olderscot, ha ha, I genuinely cant remember if I was in the same boat, but good point, well made!
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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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Bigtipper, Wouldn't we all, wouldn't we all 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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We stayed near the bottom of Clotes and really enjoyed it. I can imagine that if you aren't very fit/willing that there are areas of town that you might find unappealing due to the bus/walk to the lifts, but on the whole I can't see it is any worse than most other resorts.
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I've been three times and really enjoy it in Sauze. You get used to the walk but the bus is pretty good to. Had some awesome fun in the powder there last March
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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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| lucinda.s wrote: |
| I've been three times and really enjoy it in Sauze. You get used to the walk but the bus is pretty good to. Had some awesome fun in the powder there last March |
We went last February and are going again next February; I've never seen so much untouched powder, it was amazing skiing fresh to the sides of the piste even into the late afternoon. I sat on a chairlift with a mad Italian who had a fat pair of powder skis on; he said he said that the Italians are much more into their graceful piste skiing than getting into the off-piste so there is very often huge amounts of untracked fresh to be had.
The walk to the lift in the morning is a bit of a bind but a decent warm up; the buses seemed a bit random but we walked most of the time in any case.
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We've been to sauze the past two years. First time we went with a TO and stayed in the Hermitage which is next to the Clotes lift. You may struggle to get in there if not with a package but we also had a car and were able to park right outside since everyone else was using transfers. If you can do that you're laughing, it's a cheap cheerful hotel perfect for lad weekend.
The chalet chez nous is fantastic and only a short walk from the jouvencaux lift but it is quite a trek from sauze (though Andrea Is brilliant at dropping off and picking up) and I would say it's a little more the sort of place you go with the OH.
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Sauze is great, we are hoping to return there in March for our lads trip. The walk up to Clotes is no bother really unless you are super unfit. Its actually quite good to clear a hangover before skiing and gets the blood going. We used the boot room at the ski shop at the lift so you really don't need to walk in boots anyway. I recall the buses being fairly frequent up to the lifts and used them once or twice without problem.
Ski area at Milky Way is good with a wide variety of runs for all abilities. Can't wait to go back there
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The walk itself is not a problem, walking up hill on icy pavements in ski boots is a problem. It is even worse going downhill in ski boots on icy steep roads.
Most skiers do not carry a spare pair of shoes, and a rucksack to carry boots in. I almost always do now, especially if you want to climb up to an off piste area.
The parking in Sestriere is ample, level, and there is a separate campervan parking area.
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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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Bigtipper, ha - reminds me, the OH's first experience in ski boots on her first day was having to jump out of the way of a car that had lost grip and was sliding back down an icy road...she was mightily unimpressed
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Stayed at hotel florida prata few January's ago
Is in centre, 10 min walk up to lifts... As others have mentioned wasn't so bad.
Hotel we booked independently. Food was good. Fairly basic hotel but worked for us. There was car park out front but we used bus from oulx station.
Ski room was basic-*a shed!
Skis were safe tho.
Would Def go back, if with OH would perhaps chose a different hotel.
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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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you will love it in Sauze. went in March and going back again in March 2015. stayed in Miravalle which is at bottom of hill but we all managed to walk up in ski boots every morning although it is steep and takes about 10-15 mintes. Streets were clear in March though and don't know if i would fancy it in snow/ice. Staying at Hotel Splendid next year which is next to Clotes lift. Would advise staying in the centre of sauze as opposed to lower down in Joveneux. would also advise gettign transfers instead of rental car. enjoy
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You know it makes sense.
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having walked it every day from the miravalle i will gladly do it from halfway. i couldn't think where the splendid was and thought it was the one right beside the magic carpet. Still not booked for Sauze in march yet. Got Ellmau in Feb and OH now fancies Saas Fee as we have never done Switzerland but i still think we will end up back in Sauze (hopefully)
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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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I went to Sauze three times in the early 1970s - I can remember lots of walking to the Sportinia lift - and haven't been back since. However, I've been to Saas Fee several times and really like it despite the drawbacks of lots of walking (if you stay in the wrong part of town) and high altitude weather that can bring the lift system to a standstill.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I should have used Clotes but on two of the three visits it wasn't operating due to lack of snow!!
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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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that is a long walk, a very very long walk
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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so what hotels or apartments would you nominate as most convenient?
As a reference, convenience to lifts is important but also being near the après bars at the end of skiing is too.
And is it so bad to stay down in Jouvenceaux as it looks like there is a good uplift and a piste to ski home?
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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 what hotels or apartments would you nominate as most convenient?..."
For me -- Hotel Holiday Debili ; Stella Alpina ; Savoia Debili ; Hotel Sauze ; Hotel Hermitage
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I've been to Sauze 4 times and love it there. Jovencaux is good if there's snow right down to there, as you can get the lift up to the main area and can ski back down later on. It is some way out of Sauze though and you'll be better off staying in the town itself if you're looking at après ski and nightlife. I've stayed at the Relaise twice and that's a great place but seems really expensive now. Hotel Sauze was basic but perfect location. Stayed in Jovencaux with OH and we were not hitting the bars so was not a problem but did walk into town on a couple of nights which was quite a trek.
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I love Sauze, the only thing I hated was that first lift up the mountain, last time I was there it was a slow one, have they changed that.
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lift system across the milky way is all a little antiquated but the scenery is great so i think it is bearable, the clotes lift up will not have changed but i thought it was okay the long two man up the mountain was the slowest and also went on one in montgenvre up to the top where Italy meets france which went on forever and ever and ever but worth it for the ski down.
Jovenceaux is a fair bit away if you are looking to spend time at apres and going out at night and i would defo recommend staying in Sauze if looking for this.
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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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Dragging up an old thread that answers almost all of my questions.
Major one is that the whole ski area appears to be pretty much red. Is that red by Italian standards, very variable between green/blue and black but all groomed to within an inch of their lives, or is it really all proper red runs everywhere that early intermediates will struggle with?
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FAQ
I stayed in a hotel in 2006 so didn't need the bus but the walk aint too bad and I'm not a particularly fit person. Yes it's up hill but if you are a skier that even attempts some fitness training prior to your trip then the walk from the village centre (or anywhere in town) won't kill you.
