 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm planning a trip to Courmayeur or Zermatt for 7 days the last week of March 2006, but need your insights into which place to pick? We are interested in abundant sun, dry weather and not too cold. Good intermediate to advanced skiing, long cruisers with beautiful sights.
Low key nights with great food and wine, little cafes, not into the disco scene. This trip is a suprise 40th birthday present for my wife. Any insights you all can give me into these two resorts would be apprciated. The travel company we are using has both trips booked at almost the same price. In Courmayeur lodging is at the Hotel Crest Et Duc, in Zermatt it is at the Hotel Perren.
Thanks everyone, have a great season!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Zermatt, no doubt about it.
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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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Why would Zermatt be your pick?
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Binobear,
For me Zermatt as it is a top resort but I can see why you might be looking at Courmayuer. I have been there a few times mostly commuting from Chamonix but the times I have stayed the Italian side of the tunnel I stayed up in Val Ferret so only know a few eating houses in Courmayuer. But the skiing is wide and cruisey and will be in the sun a lot at that time of year and has good little eating huts all over. The Italians have a very relaxed way about skiing so it could suit you very well. You will have to contend with lifts up and down the mountain here though. There are ways down but you shouldn't think you will be able to do this very often.
Zermatt is a fabulous place with majestic mountains all around. Usual Swiss way of doing things which means everything works as well as it can. Huge choice of terrain with jaunts over to Cervinia which can be a cruisers paradise.It is quite a way to go so you don't want to take half a day getting there. Overall I would say Zermatt as it can be the perfect place for an all round holiday and I would take someone special there almost above everywhere else. All things considered it would be the scenery that would clinch it. Thats not to say Courmayeur is a great place too but given the choice between the two, Zermatt
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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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Binobear, Courmeyer is smaller than Zermatt but does have the advantage that skiing is on Mont Blanc, so you could ski the Vallee Blanche down into Chamonix and catch the bus back to Italy. It has great charm, lots of nice bars and restuarants but is a tad inconvenient, there's a fair bit of walking involved but you can arrange to leave your skis and boots at the gondola station on the mountain so you don't have to clump about in ski-boots.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Binobear, I don't think there is enough skiing in Courmayer to keep you occupied for a whole week. Did 90% of it on a day trip from Chamonix.
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Binobear, Both are chic towns in a beautiful settings.
Zermatt is probably more dramatic in its rugged scenery with a lot of its skiing going higher above the tree line than Courmayeur - and of course it has the Matterhorn which is a classic and far more distinctive view than Mont Blanc which is just massive.
Courmayeur is probably smaller and possibly a little more upmarket, whereas Zermatt caters for all comers and probably offers a lot more variety. We saw more furs in Courmayeur in one evening than on our last trip into the African veld! We also struggled to find a restaurant that wasn't fully booked out on the night we arrived!
In terms of ski area and variety, Zermatt offers more. Courmayeur maybe wins with a few more wooded runs below the treeline, but nothing is particularly long and a lot of the slopes are very similar. I suspect that the snow conditions will be better in Zermatt at the end of March as well due to its greater proportion of high slopes. If you are looking for long and cruisey, then Zermatt links to Cervinia which as JT says, must be the capital of long and cruisey with a 12km easy Red run (#23) with various variations to keep you entertained for a long time. Zermatt itself has some great long intermediate runs as well.
The mountain restaurants in Zermatt are also excellent - possibly better than those in Courmayeur.
Zermatt for a week - definitely (Keep Courmayeur for a long weekend to celebrate another event  )
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What agavin said.
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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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Courmayeur is a lovely place that sounds right up your street. Italian charm, i.e. relaxed, stylish, and friendly. Beautiful views and decent skiing for a few days. But no challenging runs. Not been to Zermatt (yet - going in Feb), but from what I've read the skiing there should be better. Having said that, Courmayeur would be a good romantic choice, and you can do a day trip to La Thuile for free on your lift pass, which is a quiet cruisy place with a couple of steep blacks thrown in.
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Binobear,
I have never been to Courmayeur but would echo what most say about Zermatt, loads of great runs at the standard you are looking at. From time to time in Europe we can get very warm spells at the end of March and for me if booking well in advance this would make me go for Zermatt as there are lots of runs at altitude and north facing thus virtually guaranteeing decent skiing even if you are in the middle of a warm spell.
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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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I've skied both, and Zermatt is infinitely superior.
But that's not to say that Courmayeur lacks appeal. They just don't stand comparison.
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I've been to Zermatt but not Courmayeur, but from research I did before that trip Zermatt had more to offer, especially regarding piste area and variety. Zermatt had a massive piste area and when you link it with Cervinia (on same ski pass and lift linked) I think there are 400-450kms to keep you happy! Try ski that in a day. Price wise I don't know which is better value? 
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You know it makes sense.
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I've been to both a few times, although never actually stayed in Courmayeur, and Zermatt will win by a mile in late March for advanced skiers, unless you're in a car and want to spend several days going to other places from Courmayeur - Chamonix obviously, but some other places are close by. Courmayeur's a lovely place, and if you haven't been then you should eventually, but ski Zermatt first!
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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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And lets face it, most resorts would lose out to Zermatt. A top 5 destination in europe, certainly, in my book..
I do have soft spot for Courmayeur tho'
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Poster: A snowHead
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Bump.
Well, when they offered me a deal to Zermatt next week with 50% off, all this reminiscing made me take it.
I guess that Kitzbuhel and Verbier will have to wait until later in the season...
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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 was last yeat in Zermatt and I am thinking of going for a romantic long wkd to Courmayeur...Do you think it is better to choose again Zermatt, bearing in mind however that I have not been in Courmayeur?
Do you have any tips for Courmayeur?
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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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kuuklos, you old softy. I'd go to Courmayeur, since you've already been to Zermatt. It's v. pretty, you can go up (and ski down if you wish) the Mont Blanc lump and there are some good restaurants on the slopes and in town. The town is charming, and predates skiing by hundreds of years. Not as spectacular as Zermatt (absence of Matterhorns, for example), but probably more romantic (but what would I know, I'm married)?
Hello, by the way.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thanks a lot Richmond!
Do you have any tips on Courmayeur, restaurants, bars, hotels??? I have a hard time getting a clear view as the web sites are not that clear...Apparently there is a new spa etc.
I admitt I found Zermatt village quite romantic last year....a good place for a couple...but if you say Courmayeur is also nice then I am up for it. My fear is that Cervinia was really not nice compared to Zermatt as a village and I am a bit scared Courmayeur might be similar...
Thanks again!
PS You can still be romantic in a marriage and spice things up! 
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FAQ
you'll love it!!!
