 Poster: A snowHead
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I have read lots of posts and am still confused, because of the constraints on my problem and my limited information. As a first-time poster (and just signed up) please be patient!
In short, my wife has agreed to let "us" (meaning me) ski for a week, about Dec 27-Jan 3. We'll be in Paris for Christmas (so TGV possibilities to the French Alps). We have to be in Rome Jan 3 or 4 (so Dolomites or Italian Alps a possibility). Criteria:
1. Decent chance at good skiing for me. (I haven't skied in a few years, so probably red and black pistes and some off-piste.)
2. French or Italian speaking. Prefer NOT Switzerland because of the cost. So France or Italy (and not in the German-speaking parts of Dolomites)
3. A charming and beautiful town, ideally with transportation to other charming places, since my wife might not ski at all
4. Not too high altitude as a base, since my wife is sensitive to altitude. I know this conflicts with #1 given it's early season.
I don't know the Alps, so I'm having trouble getting a clear vision.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Chamoluc? (Italy)
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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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@under a new name, typo...he means Champoluc! 😀. Pretty (but not overly so). Lovely atmosphere, and seems like a good place to be a non skier...nice walks, with a new pool and spa complex. I'm not sure how easy it is to get to other places, though there must be buses down the mountain. Resort height 1600m.
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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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Champoluc wasn't even on my radar screen. Now it is. It looks like it might be a little less of a good base for my wife to "hang out" (and go to lingering Christmas markets, etc.) What about Aosta itself? Looks like a larger town. Not sure if it's charming, though it's supposed to have a nice Christmas market that would still be in operation. I guess I'd be on a gondola to Pila, or driving/bus to other resorts from there.
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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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@fernald21, Aosta's a nice enough town. Pila skiing is intriguing.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Plenty going on in Aosta but it's a sizeable place with huge steelworks. Maybe not what she had in mind and snow on the ground far from guaranteed. Madonna? But it's late. Accommodation for your dates could be an issue.
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Okay, Aosta steelworks don't sound ideal.
What about the French side? We could take the train from Paris to somewhere (Geneva? Annecy?) and if needed rent a car. Megeve is supposed to be pretty around Christmas--maybe crowded? We could also easily reach Courmayeurfrom the French/Swiss side.
Then it's easy to fly from Geneva to Rome when we're done.
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@fernald21, anywhere in France or neighbouring is likely to be mobbed, highest week of the season.
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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, Yes, this is another reason I find it logistically challenging (especially since all the resorts are just abstract "names" to me). Are the "less convenient" locales in Italy going to be less mobbed? Madonna, Champoluc, etc?
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@fernald21, Champoluc for example is typically only mobbed on the 30th/31st and last year was apparently surprisingly quiet on the 1st and 2nd although not in town. I was laid up with a broken hand so can't detail personally. It was certainly not too terrible on the 31st....
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Courmayeur is a nice town worth a visit . The 7 day ski pass allows you to ski twice in la thuille,you can catch the bus free with your ski pass either down at the bus station or outside cable car station twice a day.this would also allow you to ski across the border in la Rosierre in France .you can easily get down to Aosta to ski Pila and its motorway all the way.A trip through the Mont Blanc tunnel brings you out in Chamonix and also half way between Courmayeur and la thuille there is the spa complex at pre st didier with indoor and outdoor spa pools .There is also a railway line that ends I think in pre st didier ,not sure how many trains there are each 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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It would be a lot simpler, possibly cheaper and certainly quieter, if you looked at a standalone ski trip later in the season. Late January or mid March, for example, if you were looking at France.
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@fernald21, Your list of requirements are not straight-forward. France does not have many attractive resorts for non-skiers. Chamonix is a proper town and has snowsure skiing at new year but will be very crowded. French side of portes du soleil has some pretty resorts at low altitude. The ideal though might be somewhere like Zell am See in Austria but guess that will be problematic with travel. however, you can fly to Munich from Paris and hire a car then fly to Rome from Munich. Ticks 3 of your 4 boxes the lack of German won't be a problem though.
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You know it makes sense.
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@fernald21, have a look at Serre Chevalier. Lots for non-skiers and not a typical purpose built ski resort. Old atmospheric villages (Monetier, Le Bez). Briancon old town, thermal spa, and lots of ways to meet up for lunch on the mountain. Night train from Paris or daytime TGV to Oulx. Back to Oulx again for the train to Rome via Turin. Villages at anything from 1200-1500m so not too high. I have had a cancellation at my apartment, and could offer 6 nights from 27th Dec to Jan 2nd. PM me if you want details.
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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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@fernald21, that's a great suggestion and suitable accommodation for your dates won't be easy. I'd go for the offer from @Hells Bells,
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Poster: A snowHead
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@fernald21, great shout and even better offer @Hells Bells,
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Snowsartre, I agree the requirements aren't straightforward! That's why I realized I needed expert advice  My wife speaks Italian and French, and she wants to practice one of those languages--which is why she's not so keen on German.
@pam w, that's a terrible suggestion...since I was hoping for both! My wife read your post and she said, maybe we could go to the Loire Valley for New Years instead! In late Jan and March, we'll be in the U.S. I can plan a standalone ski trip to Utah or British Columbia for then...but I was hoping for both (We've done a lot of touring together in the past year, but I haven't managed to get a ski trip in a while.)
My current thinking is to see if I can find a nice hotel, in a good location, with transportation that works. With some searching of the options suggested so far, Cormayeur is looking like the front runner. (Others, like Madonna, are expensive--probably because I waited so long to get focused on this.)
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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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@Hells Bells, our messages crossed. I'll PM you to get details.
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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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Just closing the loop on this, it looks like it will all work out, thanks to Snowheads and, in particular, @Hells Bells! She found a way to tick all the boxes!
@Pam W, your suggestion of skiing later in the season is a great one--I've actually never skied Christmas before, for exactly this reason. But I managed to get "special dispensation" to add a ski trip at Christmas and didn't want to miss out. I am definitely hoping to add a second one later in the season.
As a new member of Snowheads, let me thank all of you for helping find a great solution!
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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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@fernald21, glad to be of help.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Ser re Che has fairly low towns with high skiing. there's also plenty of challenging g stuff and off piste.
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