 Poster: A snowHead
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I've been to Zermatt over ten years ago, heading to other side of valley this time i.e. Cervinia, just looking for peoples views on it, I can sort of recall ending up in Cervinia one day during the last trip but memory is a bit hazy, this time I'll be doing the opposite, from looking at the piste map the majority of Cervinia side is predominantly reds and blues..........anyway I'd be interested to hear what other snowheads think...?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Good area. Lovely long wide pistes, nothing too challenging.
You can ski Zermatt too if you get an international pass.
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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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Hazy memories?
Cervinia was the destination for my first ski trip - many, many years ago.
I was in ski school (learning to side/heringbone-step up the slope and basic snowplough on the short return down) & whilst I could speak a bit of French (aged 6) there was no Italian in my vocabulary.
The sledging (on a sledge, not the cricketing kind) with my Dad most afternoons - great fun.
Also remember being challenged to jump into a snowdrift or snowpile. It had a soft surface & my Dad had a 'bit of a turn' before I emerged/he found me.
That was over 40 years ago and resulted in a life-long addiction to skiing.
Would love to go back, locate & nail that nursery slope!
Not much help but I have a soft spot for Cervinia for the reasons given above and I have no bad memories of it...
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@Sneachta2013, I’ve skied in Zermatt a couple of times and skied over to Cervinia on both trips. Cervinia has lots of red/blue motorway runs, so great for intermediates but I preferred the Zermatt side but it’s all good skiing. All in all a great ski area so plenty to enjoy and the Matterhorn views from the Zermatt side are worth the trek across if you’re in Cervinia. It’s not as impressive from the Italian side and I also like the restaurants on the Swiss side. Chez Vrony and Zum See are particular favourites and I’d say Zum See wins in my opinion but you will have to book at both.
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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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@HossDoc, "..Would love to go back, locate & nail that nursery slope!.."
And what looked horrendously steep to you then will be a gentle slope now.. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Sneachta2013, had my first alpine ski holiday there a long time ago. I've also skied there quite a bit in the last couple of years, and its changed a lot. I really like it. Good coffee, cruisey reds and blues, great scenery, efficient lift system. The down sides for me have been you always seem to be getting somewhere plus the wind can be brutal.
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I am based over the Swiss side but visit the Cervinia slopes frequently. As has been said it has great wide red slopes and quite a lot of blues for those who want slightly easier skiing. It is a great resort for boarders. It is also a really good early season resort. Being high it is pretty snow sure but it mainly faces south so on a blue sky day is gorgeous. You particularly feel the benefit of that over Xmas and in January.
Most of the storms so far this season have been coming from the south so Cervinia already has a good depth of snow.
Unlike the Swiss side it does not have any itineraries so that is a downside if you like that sort of thing. But there is some decent lift accessed off piste (although I don’t understand the Italian rules on off piste skiing).
Cervinia is really two resorts: the big Cervinia bowl itself; and the smaller Valtournenche bowl. Valtournenche is smaller and quieter but is absolutely worth skiing as well. The downside is that the link is not that great. It is not too bad going from Cervinia to Valtournenche. But the return involves sitting on a long drag lift that is right on a ridge – so not great if it is windy and/or cold. I understand that the road link is not particularly user friendly (although I have never used it).
The food (and wine) on the slopes is great. And much, much better value than on the Swiss side.
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We also ski Cervinia, and again from the Zermatt Side. The restaurants on the Swiss side mentioned are both excellent, but would add Findlerhof as possibly the best in my opinion. Both Findlerhof and Chez Vrony are pretty much next to each other in Findeln. A trip there for lunch from Cervinia is not impossible, but you need an early start, early lunch and early back over. Otherwise you will need a not too cheap Zermatt hotel for the night, as even this will be cheaper than any otherway back if the lifts have closed! In Cervinia both Chalte Etoile, and Bontadini are the picks for lunch. Both these table service restaurants are really excellent. 
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Hammerite sized it up right..........!
The skiing at Cervinia is relatively very easy going as you should recall. It's a lovely station, the people who make up the town and working infrastructure are always kind, v. proud of their region. While not as fancy and extensive as Zermatt, it has a great deal going for it trusting the conditions are nice. I have told many who are typically going to Zermatt for the first time to not overlook the possibility if they are so inclined to purchase the special ticket/pass at least one day and hoof it over to the other side, just reminding them to be back in time and not get stuck in Italy when the lifts shut down which does happen as many of you are well aware.
Enjoy your trip.
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There is a great run down from Klein Matterhorn This 20km run takes you down easy, wide red runs to the village of Valtournenche at 1524m – a total vertical drop of almost 2400m.Do this early and allow enough time to get back into the Cervinia bowl.
They do great hot chocolate too on the mountain.
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