 Poster: A snowHead
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Mrs Golf is a perfectly good, competent intermediate skier (better technique than me often) who doesn't quite believe she is. She can easily navigate Chamois Marmottes, Biche and Creux in the 3V. For those who are in a position to contrast, how would she do on yer average red at La Thuille. It's in her head- she assumes with confidence that if it's marked a blue, she can do it sight unseen. Any advice welcome. Thanks.
CG
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Charliegolf, having skied in La thuile last season and the three valleys at Christmas (including creux) I’d say some of the blues in the three valleys are more similar to reds in La thuile. Ie most of the reds in La thuile would be classed blue in the three valleys as they only have short steeper sections. La thuile is also easier all round as the slopes are far quieter so there is less chance of coming across the soft moguls you get on pistes like creux as the day goes on.
The harder slopes in San Bernardo are below Les suches on the la thuile side and off Mont valaisan on the la rosiere side.
On the first morning start your wife off with the promenade piste above Les suches… it is a wide gentle blue ..more like green.
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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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@snowymum, Great, thanks for the reply.
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@snowymum, PS, does the lift pass cover both areas; or is it possible to make an error and just buy La Thuille? I'd like to try La Ros too.
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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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@Charliegolf, the passes all cover both areas. (Make sure you buy from the La Thuile side though, otherwise it might not work at the first turnstile.)
As always, some of the reds are harder than others. Red 7 is very gentle for example, but Red 34 to the Arnouvaz chair is appreciably steeper.
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"Espace San Bernardo" is the pass and covers both La Tu & La Ros. The only other options are like beginners magic carpets only and the Aosta Valley multi day pass that covers loads of resorts, but not really at any saving over buying a daily at the resort you are visiting.
Ive not skied 3V but remember Italy doesn't have greens (which are mainly a french thing), only blue red black, so a blue or a red on average* is slightly less demanding than France.
* usual caveats apply
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Thanks everyone, very reassuring.
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I am also someone who can ski but gets the nerves badly, and @denfinella kindly gave me this useful slope tip when I was in La Thuile last year:
For the La Thuile resort runs, I'd recommend starting with red 7 (avoiding the black shortcuts), then the un-numbered red from the bottom of the Piloni drag, then red 6, then finally red 4 which has a steeper section. Further up, I think all the reds on the left hand side (18, 19a, 2Cool are quite gentle. I would save the bottom of 34 on the Arnouvaz chair until you have built up some more confidence as that is quite steep.
On the back side of La Thuile, red 8 is probably steepest but still not too bad.
There are some nice wide blues to get confidence up, I really enjoyed those.
I managed to get over to La Ros, and actually found it not too bad at all, a couple of steeper bits going over but decently wide, dead easy coming back. But all wide and totally manageable. It was pretty windy when we went over and that was not so lovely, so maybe pick a nice calm day to go over with your wife. 
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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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@ElzP, I forgot about that not sure what I meant by 2Cool though!
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@denfinella, 2Cool for Skool? 
28 I reckon, nothing to do with 2 as that's the diretta and you wouldn't have directed me to that!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@ElzP, ahh, yes it's 28. Typing 8 ) without the space on snowHeads triggers the "cool" face!
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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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@Charliegolf, I'd say "Nervous Intermediate" is an oxymoron. An Intermediate skier should be able to ski most marked pistes with confidence.
My ski school seems to think I specialise in just such clients. What I've found is that going back to basics is the best solution and over a couple of hours we'll introduce a little more gradient. More often than not it is about having faith in your technique. Specifically that the rotation element of steering can get you down most slopes in control of speed and line. Might I suggest a morning lesson with a more mature instructor (without you present) could be the answer to happy skiing.
It will be worth it so you can access the amazing "Lo Tata" Pizza place just below Red 7!
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@RedandWhiteFlachau, Back in the day, Intermediates were taught Sideslipping, Stem turns and Kick Turns - which could get you safely down most things. I don't know if that is still the case.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Charliegolf, La Thuile is great for improving confidence, my wife is similar, blue, blue, blue and “I don’t want to do a red”, last time we were there, me and my son were ready to call it a day, my wife says, “ not yet let’s do that red a couple of more times it’s lovely”
It’s the blue/red numbered 24, 24a then 31 that runs along the Argillian lift, easy rolling piste, and best of all often deserted, there final bit back to the lift is a bit steeper, but there a run off to the right that loops round to avoid it.
At the end of the day, download in the gondola is best option also.
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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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@RedandWhiteFlachau, Bad description my me- though I did say, 'she doesn't quite believe it'- it's a confidence thing. She is always open to a private lesson too, and probably will have one.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Charliegolf, La Thuile was great for my nervous wife. The pistes were so quiet that she didn’t have to worry about anything other than herself.
We first went maybe 16/17yrs ago. It is getting busier. There are lots of ski forum users and word spreads. It’s been 5/6yrs since we were last there, it was busier, but by no means crowded.
I’d avoid the runs back to the village in the morning. All north facing and hard/icy. With fewer users they stay that way for longer too.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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A quick Bombardino and I'm sure Reds will be the order of the day! We had a great time staying in La Rosiere and headed over to La Thuile a couple of times. The pomma over is a long one (if it's still a pomma) but can't remember La Thuile being overly challenging, maybe a couple of junctions which get lumpy and awkward, but apart from that it's just good skiing.
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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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Update: I forgot to come back and report we've booked! Fifth March for the week! Cheers all.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Another question..... Is "La Thuile" (only one l) pronounced "La Tweel"? I've often wondered.
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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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@Charliegolf, Glad you have booked and will look forward to reading how you get on.
@pam w, That's how I pronounce La Thuile..but no idea if it is correct! Some of the names on the piste map seem more french than Italian eg. there is a run called "terres noires".
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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It's supposedly a bilingual sort of area and the guy we're renting an apartment from in Aosta speaks French, which is good, because my French is much better than my Italian. Now I know the area better (and speak a bit of Italian) I am very cheesed off, in retrospect, with the guy who failed to fix my clutch in Aosta, years ago, and denied ALL knowledge of French. Reading a bit about Aosta today I read that lots of things are displayed in both languages, which will be handy. When I get to La Thuile I will ask how it's pronounced!
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Italians are bound to make something of the "e" on the end - they struggle to end a word with a consonant. My son Nick was always known as Neeker to rhyme with beaker.
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| pam w wrote: |
| Another question..... Is "La Thuile" (only one l) pronounced "La Tweel"? I've often wondered. |
Watched a vid with an actual Italian who did indeed pronounce it La Tweel.
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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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Yep. Going again in a week & it is ‘La Tweel’
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Hi all,
My wife is of similar disposition, she is more than capable but the thought of a red puts fear into her and then she becomes tentative and her technique suffers. I think it's attributable to some difficult Austrian reds when she was learning to ski - my bad! We are heading to La Ros in 2 weeks.
Anyway, I keep reading that it is an easy route from La Thuile to La Rosiere that can be completed on blue runs only. La Rosiere to La Thuile requires skiing the red Bouquetin from Fort which i'm sure she will manage in the morning with fresh legs.
But I cant for the life of me figure out the easy route back from La Thuile to La Rosiere, using blue only. I have posted on the forum but not got a definitive answer, other than it is easy. Can anyone on this thread who knows it tell me the route numbers / names from La Thuile to La Ros please? Any advice much appreciated.
Cheers.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Niederau aged 4 wrote: |
Hi all,
My wife is of similar disposition, she is more than capable but the thought of a red puts fear into her and then she becomes tentative and her technique suffers. I think it's attributable to some difficult Austrian reds when she was learning to ski - my bad! We are heading to La Ros in 2 weeks.
Anyway, I keep reading that it is an easy route from La Thuile to La Rosiere that can be completed on blue runs only. La Rosiere to La Thuile requires skiing the red Bouquetin from Fort which i'm sure she will manage in the morning with fresh legs.
But I cant for the life of me figure out the easy route back from La Thuile to La Rosiere, using blue only. I have posted on the forum but not got a definitive answer, other than it is easy. Can anyone on this thread who knows it tell me the route numbers / names from La Thuile to La Ros please? Any advice much appreciated.
Cheers. |
Its a quite confusing piste map to look at, but makes a bit more sense on the ground. Chaz dura / chaz dura express chair, red 7 down to Belvedere lift (this make most sense looking at the little 'col de petit St B' inset on the piste map) then its the long blue along side the long drag lifts to the Chardonnet lift up to Fort and thus down to La Ros. I cant remember how steep gentle or otherwise red 7 is. We had a pretty in experienced although quite fearless skier with us and it didn't trouble her. Belvedere at 2640m is higher than Chas Dura 2579m, so there is no other route than using Belvedere chair which means doing red 7.
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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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Thanks @t44tomo, I thought as much but wanted to check I wasn't missing something. So one red either way, can cope with that.
Am hoping to use this trip to grow her confidence on some easy reds so if anyone has any recommendations for easier / less steep reds to start with, would be much appreciated.
Many thanks.
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The secret (as in some other resorts) seems to be to download in a lift at the end of the day. Worst combination - end of a tiring day, difficult pistes, too many people determined to ski down who would be well advised to take a lift).
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You know it makes sense.
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| Origen wrote: |
| The secret (as in some other resorts) seems to be to download in a lift at the end of the day. Worst combination - end of a tiring day, difficult pistes, too many people determined to ski down who would be well advised to take a lift). |
Sadly I do not think that is an option when getting from La Thuile back to La Rosiere.
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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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There are I think three ways back. 1. Take chaz dura express, ski down red 7 to Belvedere up belvedere and down the gentle blue next to the drag. 2. ski down to Piccolo San Bernando, take that lift up and then ski down to the chardonnet chair.
The top of 7 is a narrow path but normally the snow is good there so it isn't difficult. It then widens out and if I remember correctly you need to get a bit of speed up to go slightly uphill to Belvedere. If you do the second route I mentioned when you get off at the top of Piccolo San Bernando there is a short wide steep blue section before it turns into a gentle run.
I think there is a third way which involves skiing down 4a to the Fourclaz express then doing options 1 or 2 above. However don't make the mistake I once made of going down the black instead of the red at the top of Fourclaz - it was very icy in early season the day I made that mistake probably ok mid season but you wouldn't want to take a nervous skiier that way.
In going through all these options I've probably made it sound harder than it is. If your wife is ok on the Bouquetin she will be fine coming back. From the fort there are blue and red choices. They are all wide runs but the Blaireau is I think the steeper option and might get chopped up and mogully on a warm afternoon.
There is a downloading option to get to the village in La Thuile. In la rosiere there is probably the odd chair that takes pedestrians but I'm not sure which one and if you have managed to get to la thuile and back you will be fine skiing back from the Fort.
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Poster: A snowHead
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It's surely not needed on the La Ros side? No problem getting down to base there?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Origen, Downloading is not needed in la rosiere. You were the one who suggested it above 
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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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Thank you all so much for the helpful advice, much appreciated.
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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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| snowymum wrote: |
There are I think three ways back. 1. Take chaz dura express, ski down red 7 to Belvedere up belvedere and down the gentle blue next to the drag. 2. ski down to Piccolo San Bernando, take that lift up and then ski down to the chardonnet chair.
The top of 7 is a narrow path but normally the snow is good there so it isn't difficult. It then widens out and if I remember correctly you need to get a bit of speed up to go slightly uphill to Belvedere. If you do the second route I mentioned when you get off at the top of Piccolo San Bernando there is a short wide steep blue section before it turns into a gentle run.
I think there is a third way which involves skiing down 4a to the Fourclaz express then doing options 1 or 2 above. However don't make the mistake I once made of going down the black instead of the red at the top of Fourclaz - it was very icy in early season the day I made that mistake probably ok mid season but you wouldn't want to take a nervous skiier that way.
In going through all these options I've probably made it sound harder than it is. If your wife is ok on the Bouquetin she will be fine coming back. From the fort there are blue and red choices. They are all wide runs but the Blaireau is I think the steeper option and might get chopped up and mogully on a warm afternoon.
There is a downloading option to get to the village in La Thuile. In la rosiere there is probably the odd chair that takes pedestrians but I'm not sure which one and if you have managed to get to la thuile and back you will be fine skiing back from the Fort. |
"
That is potentially just more confusing, especially as the question was to minimise red / stick to blue.
Your "2" is exactly same as "1" to base of Belvedere chair, and then involves skiing more of red 7, which ends up as a blue, down to Piccolo San B. Then take P San B chair up to join one of the Blue route options that started at Top of Belvedere. So yes an option, but involves much more on the red 7. It does emphasise that when you head off down red 7 from Chaz Dura, you need to look at the signs where the piste splits / intersects (and follow "Belvedere") as there are a few possible ultimate destinations, including a couple of black sections which Mrs Niederau wouldnt thank you for.
Your "third" way would involve skiing uphill: where 4a joins 7, downhill is down to La Thule village, you can't ski to Fourclaz.
From what i recall of skiing back down to La Thuile village, the red 4 -> 7 route (RHS of piste Map) was relatively gentle and the red 6 down the other side (Arnouvaz) was more challenging and narrow in places.
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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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| t44tomo wrote: |
| snowymum wrote: |
There are I think three ways back. 1. Take chaz dura express, ski down red 7 to Belvedere up belvedere and down the gentle blue next to the drag. 2. ski down to Piccolo San Bernando, take that lift up and then ski down to the chardonnet chair.
The top of 7 is a narrow path but normally the snow is good there so it isn't difficult. It then widens out and if I remember correctly you need to get a bit of speed up to go slightly uphill to Belvedere. If you do the second route I mentioned when you get off at the top of Piccolo San Bernando there is a short wide steep blue section before it turns into a gentle run.
I think there is a third way which involves skiing down 4a to the Fourclaz express then doing options 1 or 2 above. However don't make the mistake I once made of going down the black instead of the red at the top of Fourclaz - it was very icy in early season the day I made that mistake probably ok mid season but you wouldn't want to take a nervous skiier that way.
In going through all these options I've probably made it sound harder than it is. If your wife is ok on the Bouquetin she will be fine coming back. From the fort there are blue and red choices. They are all wide runs but the Blaireau is I think the steeper option and might get chopped up and mogully on a warm afternoon.
There is a downloading option to get to the village in La Thuile. In la rosiere there is probably the odd chair that takes pedestrians but I'm not sure which one and if you have managed to get to la thuile and back you will be fine skiing back from the Fort. |
"
That is potentially just more confusing, especially as the question was to minimise red / stick to blue.
Your "2" is exactly same as "1" to base of Belvedere chair, and then involves skiing more of red 7, which ends up as a blue, down to Piccolo San B. Then take P San B chair up to join one of the Blue route options that started at Top of Belvedere. So yes an option, but involves much more on the red 7. It does emphasise that when you head off down red 7 from Chaz Dura, you need to look at the signs where the piste splits / intersects (and follow "Belvedere") as there are a few possible ultimate destinations, including a couple of black sections which Mrs Niederau wouldnt thank you for.
Your "third" way would involve skiing uphill: where 4a joins 7, downhill is down to La Thule village, you can't ski to Fourclaz.
From what i recall of skiing back down to La Thuile village, the red 4 -> 7 route (RHS of piste Map) was relatively gentle and the red 6 down the other side (Arnouvaz) was more challenging and narrow in places. |
Dont worry - wasn't left confused as it essentially confirmed what I had thought from staring at the piste map for a few hours The advice about red 7 being narrow then widening is helpful. Thanks @snowymum and @t44tomo.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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I'm sorry as there wasn't "an only blue route" I ended up describing them all and warning of the pitfalls. The area these routes are in normally has excellent snow and I've never seen it crowded. If your wife is ok on the red over from La Rosiere I think she will be fine.
@t44tomo, I've also just noticed your comment about Fourclaz. Thank you for clarifying that it isn't possible to ski down to it from the la thuile side. Looks as though there are two options 1. go straight to Belvedere or 2. Ski down to Piccolo san bernando.
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FAQ
