 Poster: A snowHead
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Have flights booked into Geneva next month for a short trip.
Undecided on Chamonix (been several times) or Courmayeur (never been).
Leaving options open for at least a few days to see what transpires re restrictions. Would like to try courmayeur to try somewhere new.
Have seen some decent looking accomodation in Entreves down the road.
Just wondering if anyone would be kind enough to share some advice, is Entreves a decent base for Courmayeur, both for access to the ski area and the town?
Does the cable car and subsequent lifts get you up into the main area efficiently?
Are there any public transport options at night?
The arriva bus timetable appears to finish early evening but I did read in an article that there are later buses?
Does Entreves itself have enough bars and restaurants to alleviate the need to go into Courmayeur every evening?
Thanks in advance!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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following as have flights into GVA in a few weeks and never been to Courmayeur so it's on the shortlist!
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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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@Brooky, I can't say I know it terribly well but I don't think there's much in Entreves itself, and I don't think there's any particularly good bus services - we almost always have a car.
The only navette service around Courmayeur itself stops around 19:30. The one recent-ish weekend we did we stayed in the Hotal Mont Blanc which is an easy walk from the centre.
We usually park at Dolonne as cabins always seem more efficient to me than cable cars. That said, a friend is a fan of the Val Veny cable car.
Courmayeur skiing is not that extensive - we skied all lifts and most runs yesterday by 12h30. But it's Italy so great food and wine - although you need to be a little selective on prices!
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@under a new name, how were the conditions on/off piste??
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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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Don't really have any answers to question, but for info, if timings work, there's a super cheap flixbus from Geneva to Courmayeur.
Worth checking out.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@swskier, we were unlucky with that - the return bus from Courmayeur was delayed 4 hours, resulting in a 300 euro taxi to make our flights! Hopefully an isolated event.
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@under a new name, thanks. Perhaps for a short (overdue) trip we should pay a little bit extra to get in the centre. Not put off too much by lack of runs, as only gonna be looking at 3.5 days skiing max and could spend one of those in La Thuile.
@swskier, Thanks, yes I had spotted this and looks great value but as we are hoping to ski the day we arrive, we really need to get there asap. One of the reasons we are probably leaning towards Cham, as even that extra half hour transfer makes a difference.
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Entreves is great for skiing access- the Val Veny lift is much quicker and quieter. There’s a huge car park and a ski
Hire at the bottom.
You do need to go into Courmayeur proper for apres off the mountain. On arrival we found our hotel had a little shuttle minibus and they often dropped us in and occasionally collected us. Otherwise they would always ring us a taxi in bar Roma. I did get a bus once but can’t have been that late.
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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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I'd echo @skimum1's comments - it's s great location for skiing (we did along weekend based there) but if you want to go out at night then a place closer to town would be better.
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Great advice both.
Many thanks
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Just back from Courmayeur and would echo comments above re: locations and also size of resort. If you are on-piste only then the resort whilst great is relatively small. The day trips to La Thuile / Rossiere, Chamonix and Pila are good to expand the resort and accessible by bus. (2 other resorts included in a 6 day Cournmayeur pass.) But, if conditions are right and you are competent off-piste the picture changes dramatically with additional routes and also the Monte Bianco lifts, albeit you are looking at Guides...
Be careful booking guides in advance. We had a tiring day's ski touring rather than off-piste vertical despite checking with them that the conditions were fine the day before. Amazing views and experience on Mont Blanc, but skiing part way down Vallee Blanche and then skinning back up to the top lift was not really what we were expecting.....
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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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@Richie456, cheers, was hoping to do a bit of touring, how come you weren't expecting to skin back up??
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| kitenski wrote: |
| @Richie456, cheers, was hoping to do a bit of touring, how come you weren't expecting to skin back up?? |
The route proposed was down from Punta Hellbronner with small skin up to the Toula Glacier entry, ski down to Pavillion and then repeat. So two descents making use of the lift. Not Vallee and then walk back to starting point.....Amazing views, just not much skiing.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Richie456, thanks! One to watch out for if I go then! Did they explain why??
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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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@Brooky, I have stayed in Entreves many times. Auberge de la Maison, La Grange are my favourites. I've always had a hire car and usually take the cable car at Val Veny to access the skiing rather than main Plan Checrouit from Courmayeur town. Entreves is a very quiet village with precious little "apres". However, Courmayeur town itself has many good bars, restaurants, shopping, (especially Bar Roma!). The piste skiing whilst limited (80 kms) is pleasant, some very good on mountain restaurants, and other areas in easy reach of Courmayeur. La Thuile is defo worth a day away trip, Champoluc is quite a drive (1 hour 45 - 2 hours). I tend to ski short breaks at Courmayeur 2/3/4 days, been going there on/off for 30 years. Planning to return there probably March sometime this season, most probably will stay in Entreves , but I'll fly into Turin rather than Geneva and miss the Mont Blanc tunnel transit.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Brooky, for a short trip, and if you want to go into town each night, yes stay nearer the centre, Entreves is out on a bit of a limb. There’s 2 main lifts up to Plan Checruit, a big 200 person gondola from the town, and a 6 man bubble from Dolonne, which has a free car park and is my preference. The sun is on Plan Checruit in the morning and a lovely little area to ski, locals go over to the Val Veny side in the afternoon as it will have been in the shade in the morning, there’s a great place to eat over there, Pre Pascal just below the Val Veny lift, on the other side Chez Olier does great pizzas, you’ll see it as you go up on Pre Pascal Chair. My favourite run is the red under Gabba lift, usually nice and quiet.
If your do go over be aware that the 2 man chair from the bottom of Val Veny area up towards Pre Pascal is very slow, allow time if your doing laps after lunch and need to get back to Plan Checruit lifts.
The Youla lift give access to off piste. A day trip to La Thuile is easy there’s a bus from centre about 8.30am
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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With the latest French news allowing us to travel again (and I am supposed to be going to La Thuile for Feb half term) are they checking Covid status through the Mont Blanc Tunnel? And are the queues therefore horrendous?
Thinking of cancelling and rebooking in France...although the thought of the lift queues kills me
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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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@skimastaaah, and @geoffknight,
Thanks for insight.
Rightly or wrongly we have booked accom in Chamonix. I have mixed feelings about it as was keen on Courmayeur, but decided to stick to what we know to hopefully maximise slope time!
However after all the helpful advice and good reviews, I am determined to get to Courmayeur sooner rather than later, ànd may even try a day trip from Chamonix if the conditions favour Courmayeur.
Accom is free cancellation if any more spanners are thrown in anymore works........
Thanks all
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Think I'm leaning towards a weekend in Courmayeur as never been and potential to do the Vallee Blanche which I've also never done, or a decent bit of skiing combined with a bit of touring.
Any recommended accom in Courmayeur? Clean and comfortable B&B with en suite vs super flash expensive is fine for us, then we can hopefully experience some decent local cuisine for Fri/Sat night.
and interested in you find out any info on the tunnel @collyman2000, !
Cheers,
Greg
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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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There were no checks either direction thru tunnel on Wednesday.
If you go to Courmayeur, the pizzeria du Tunnel in the centre is rather excellent.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@kitenski, I have stayed at the Albergo Petit Meublè several times. Stayed other places too but it is a bit cheaper while still nice.
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@kitenski, In Entreves the La Grange is half decent, as is Hotel Vallee Blanche, and Hotel Dente del Gigante.
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I've had three trips to the Albergo Dei Camosci. Clean and comfortable, plenty of food (starter, pasta, main and pudding - the pasta course is usually the best so load up on that)
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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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Two years ago the parking there was v convenient for the lift if in a car (as it was for all the Aosta valley ski areas)
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@kitenski, I'd go back to Courmayeur for the pizzas at Fuori Pista alone!
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