 Poster: A snowHead
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Having not skied since 2019, and having severed our link with the PdS which is the only place we have skied since 2007, we hope to return to the slopes in March 23, and the world is our lobster but ...
My wife and I are experienced skiers, and can get down pretty much any piste, although our days of burning down blacks in one hit are, I think, behind us.
My son and his gf (late 20s) are fitter, faster and better.
As I am now semi-retired, cost is a consideration. We skied in Italy quite a bit before nailing our flag to the PdS' mast, and we are tempted by Pila.
My big concern is that, especially for the younger element, the ski area just won't be big enough. Can anyone tell me what is actually involved in skiing in, say, Cormayeur or La Thuile for a day? I see that there is a 20 min gondola to Aosta, but after that?
Or would we be better off going for Cervinia? Any other Aosta valley recommendations?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@sanman, personally, I'd be looking at Monterosa. Pila does look pretty small. Most people I believe stay in Aosta and take the bubble up - not the other way around. There are inter-valley bus services, but no idea how good/frequent/reliable.
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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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I used Aosta / Pila as a base for skiing almost the entire valley in March 2022. Trip report is here with detailed descriptions of several ski areas if you scroll down far enough.
A few words of warning. Firstly, the other ski areas in the valley are a fair distance away and I would recommend having a car - although a fellow snowHead did a season last year and managed mostly by public transport. In the same vein - staying in Aosta would be better than staying in Pila, as it would remove the need to use the gondola or the multi-hairpin road each time you wanted to ski somewhere else. Aosta itself is a beautiful place, and very convenient for using as a base - including free overnight parking in the city centre.
Pila itself is a neat ski area but pretty small and you may indeed grow bored of it after a couple of days. Cervinia, La Thuile and Monterosa are all significantly bigger. Courmayeur is also great, though small. (There are several other ski areas, but with a single week I would prioritise those above.)
Overall I would say go for it, as long as you are happy doing a reasonable amount of driving. Stay in Aosta and spend a day in each ski area (Pila, Courmayeur, Monterosa Ski, La Thuile, Cervinia...). There's a (pricey) valley lift pass which covers all of them. If that sounds like too much driving, it would be better to stay in one of the bigger ski areas and make just one or two day trips - e.g. La Thuile with a trip to Courmayeur, or Cervinia with a trip to Pila.
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@sanman, None of the Aosta resorts are that large, they are great if you fancy a multi resort trip which we’ve done 4 times, staying in Courmayuer, but you do need a car which at current rates will push your price up.
If your looking to keep costs down, I’d suggest looking for a good TO package to the Dolomites, a resort with access to the Sella Ronda will meet everyone’s requirements. I stayed in Alba, near Canazei this year, and will be returning hopefully next year.
I am going to La Thuile in Jan, I’m going solo and found a really good deal for a single room with a TO.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Not too much to add to what others have said, I was based in Courmayeur and did a couple of day trips on the bus. I found them to be well priced, but more importantly well timed (for lift opening and closing) and punctual. Very do-able from the Courmayeur perspective. IIRC the bus station is only a stones throw from the base of the Pila gondola base (maybe <5mins stroll?)
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@rogg, yup, you just take the little underpass to go under the train station and head right for the big car park (I realise you know this - but for the benefit of the OP!).
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Thanks everyone. We have decided to look for somewhere with more extensive pistes
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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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| sanman wrote: |
| Thanks everyone. We have decided to look for somewhere with more extensive pistes |
Sounds like a good decision. There are plenty of places with easier access to more skiing. Staying in or near Cervinia would be one of them with the links over to Zermatt. One of the Sella Ronda resorts in the Dolomites would be another. La Thuile would just about be OK for a week as it's quite a big area when you include all of La Rosiere as well.
I did an Aosta Valley Ski Safari in 2020. Stayed in the valley just East of Aosta and skied a day in each of Courmayeur, La Thuile, Pila, Monte Rosa and Cervinia. You can pretty much ski out the pistes of Pila and Courmayeur in a day each, the others have a bit more going for them. There are a handful of even smaller local resorts tucked away in the valley too.
The cheap accommodation in the valley does somewhat offset the cost and hassle of commuting. But I would say it's only worth contemplating a ski safari with a car, even then commute times are 45-60mins each way to the further flung resorts. I suppose staying somewhere like Pre St Didier and sking the 3 resorts of La Thuile, Courmayeur and Pila would cut down on the driving.
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