 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all,
I'm looking for some opinions/experience on these two resorts please to help me book up a long weekend on the 19/20 March 2016.
We have a mixed group of intermediate and expert skiers and snowboarders, looking to travel from Gatwick to a decent hotel with great food. We normally travel to Alpendorf in Austria, but accomodation across Austria appears to be booked solid for this particular weekend. We're not looking for a St Anton maximum apres type experience but we are looking to find some local life in a resort.
What do you think?
Thank you, Keith
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hi @Keith_b, what a shame you can't go to Alpendorf this season.
I've been to Cervinia but not Sestrière. Good points are that it's high with a good snow record, it's a large ski area, good value, very nice mountain huts and food, stunning views of the Matterhorn, plus the best bit, the ability to ski in Zermatt without paying Zermatt prices. The bad points are that it's high, treeless and prone to bad weather and high winds, the ski area is generally very easy and a bit samey, until you get across to Switzerland that is. The town itself is pleasant enough, with a few decent bars and nice restaurants. Choose your hotel carefully as some are a bit of a hike from the lifts. The ones by the Plan Maison lifts are an uphill (and up stairs) walk from the main town.
I'm sure someone will be along to give you some information about Sestrière.
The other alternative is to ask Sue if she knows anywhere else in Ski Amadé that might be able to accommodate 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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@queen bodecia,
Thank you, Cervinia sounds good for what we're looking for - I'll put some effort into that option.
I've got a week over half term in Alpendorf planned to get my daughter and some friends and their kids up and skiing. There's no Gatwick flights to Salzburg the March weekend (Fri/Mon) and the Innsbruck resorts have no accomodation (good hotels in the resort) available.
Keith
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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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@Keith_b, yes I know Salzburg flights are a pain, most are on Saturdays only. I generally have to fly to Munich.
Enjoy your trips anyway, hopefully will catch up with you again on the piste some day. Glad to hear your daughter is getting the bug.
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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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I don't think you will find much local life in Sestriere it's a purpose built resort. I stayed in Sauze d'Oulx which is part of the same area and does have a few bars/restaurants.
I've been to Zermatt and Cervina would be a good way to ski some of the same area without paying Swiss prices.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I agree with r Griffiths, Cervinia would be the better bet, especially at that time of year, I was in Cervinia last Feb and the ski-ing was tremendous, we had full area passes for the week which we made good use of as we managed to get round most of Zermatt too. If you do have coffee/meal stops on the Swiss side use your credit card as on the one time we paid cash (euro) their exchange to the Franc was shocking. The nightlife in Cervinia wasn't great though, a few bars that were busy at tea-time but quietened down after that. It's many years since I've been to Sauze/Sestriere but do remember snow conditions weren't the best though the run across to Montgenevre was good fun. Having not stayed in Sestriere I can't comment on the night life.
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I've spent nearly a whole day in Sestriere some 15-20 years ago, so I can't offer any reliable opinions. (Tomba was racing that day, though... DNF)
Cervinia is a good all-around resort with decent prices. However, your experts might find it boring, since it's mostly reds and the reds would be easily classified blue elsewhere. Some really good lunch places are available, though. Chalet Etoile, for example (book in advance!). Igloo is also very nice for lunch.
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Can only comment on Cervinia. We are just back from a week over Christmas. Haven't been to Sestriere so can't compare the 2.
I've skied in a few resorts (albeit not for a few years) and I loved Cervinia. Its compact, there were quite a lot of bars and restaurants - although we were with children so can't comment how busy they were after about 9. We had to book every night for restaurants though. Really reasonably priced compared to what I was expecting. And we had Christmas Day lunch (and an afternoon pit stop every day) at Chalet Etoile. Loved it.
Skiing - previous comments were right about there being mainly red runs although some were pretty testing and perhaps the fact that they are very long (and lots of them) makes up for them not being more challenging. You have the bonus of Zermatt on the other side - which was fab and definitely worth paying for the international pass. We are definitely going back (haven't been for 10 years due to children and am now googling flights for Easter!)
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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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In the next valley East from Cervinia is Champoluc, a much nicer town with a decent ski area. I'm just back from two weeks there. During Christmas week there were only two runs open so a couple of days we got bussed round to Cervinia. I enjoyed the skiing in Cervinia but it is a bit disjointed and it's a bit inconvenient getting from the town to the gondolas. Champoluc is part of the Monterosa ski area so you can ski 3 valleys with a wide variety of pistes including some decent long blacks and plenty off-piste. Champoluc is a small place with the main gondola right in the middle of town so there's no time wasted getting on the piste each day. Have a look at www.ski-2.com as they specialise in Champoluc and do short breaks. I was very impressed with Ski-2 and will certainly use them again.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I would choose Cervinia
I will agree that the resort has it's share of long cruisy blues and reds but there is also some serious stuff and there is always Zermatt.
But the location is stunning and the town better.
Sestriere is a bit purpose built and the link over to Sauze is frequently closed. [ At least it was when I was there ]
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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 like the skiing in Sestriere-Sauze-Sansicario better than Cervinia. The tree skiing is a blast, and I love all the little refugios you can duck into - not as many in Cervinia - Cervinia has skiing around the Matterhorn going for it... but I just like the vibe better in the Milky Way.
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Skied both, Sestriere a number of years ago & was more water skiing than anything else - we were there in March & the snow wasn't too good. Was still good fun though!
Cervinia, went last Feb half term, it dumped with snow so had great conditions, & like others have said v easy to get over to Zermatt (incidentally where all the half term crowds were!). In fact, since Easyjet have released a new route from Glasgow to Milan Malpensa we got 1/2 term flights at an excellent price & we are going back again this year! If you go with Cervinia choose where you stay carefully - make sure wherever you book isn't a hike from the lifts as the whole place is on a hill. We were beside the gondola - a 50m downhill walk from our apartment in the morning & we could ski back to the door through trees off the Ventina run.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Keith_b, considering you're going quite late in the season, you may want to opt for Cervinia. When it comes to altitude, Cervinia has the clear edge and snow is guaranteed.
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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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Cervinia is now a skiing 'home from home' for us - staying at the family run Edelweiss hotel. We're there again on Sunday for a week. A short walk to the town centre and a courtesy shuttle to the lifts each morning. In fifteen years visiting I really can't remember a full day when we haven't skiied because of bad weather - ok there's sometimes high winds which close the higher lifts but there's plenty of skiing low down and into Valtournenche. Also an easy run into Zermatt - brilliant. Can't wait. We did Sauze/Sestriere last year which was a nice change but the slow uplift in Sauze and the VERY slow 2 man link to Sestriere did my head in!! pip pip ski fans!!
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Poster: A snowHead
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We off to Cervinia on Sunday too, 6am out of Doncaster. Not been before and with current snow we are really looking forward to it.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Cervinia, all day long
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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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Cervinia will be great unless its windy (which it frequently is) in which case take a good book!
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