 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
The Aussois resort team have been advertising heavily on Instagram so I thought I'd take a look. I'm planning a motorhome tour in January so looking for other interesting resorts along the Maurienne valley. Gonna go to Val Thorens via Orelle while I'm in that area. Any other recommended places in the valley?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Try them all, Valmeinier, Valloire (same lift pass) then you have La Norma, Valfrejus, Val Cenis and Bonneval Sur Arc. All a bit different to each other - a weeks haute Maurienne valley ski pass allows a day at a different resort. You can also look at the Skiogrande ski card that costs €7 to purchase but gives discounts on the daily tickets and a free day of skiing after 8 days - this allows you access to the 17 resorts accessible from The Maurienne including Saint Francois Longchamp linked to Valmorel and the Les Sybelles resorts.
https://www.skiogrande.com/accueil/
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
| andmelffion wrote: |
Try them all, Valmeinier, Valloire (same lift pass) then you have La Norma, Valfrejus, Val Cenis and Bonneval Sur Arc. All a bit different to each other - a weeks haute Maurienne valley ski pass allows a day at a different resort. You can also look at the Skiogrande ski card that costs €7 to purchase but gives discounts on the daily tickets and a free day of skiing after 8 days - this allows you access to the 17 resorts accessible from The Maurienne including Saint Francois Longchamp linked to Valmorel and the Les Sybelles resorts.
https://www.skiogrande.com/accueil/ |
Thanks. That sounds good. I might be being a bit stupid but I don't quite 'get' the deal. The daily prices seem quite good but what is the usual advantage apart from price? Does it encourage one to try a few different resorts in the area? Does it allow a rest day here and there? I'm planning on spending about 3 weeks in the area and definitely want to go to Val Thorens for at least one day. I want to ski 2 days then rest for a day (I'm a bit old!). I plan on using a motorhome but may choose to spend a week in an apartment.
(I see your apartment is on your signature. What sort of broadband connection has it got? I may need to work for a week, I can work remotely but would need a fairly large space and a good connection.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| Deveron53 wrote: |
| andmelffion wrote: |
Try them all, Valmeinier, Valloire (same lift pass) then you have La Norma, Valfrejus, Val Cenis and Bonneval Sur Arc. All a bit different to each other - a weeks haute Maurienne valley ski pass allows a day at a different resort. You can also look at the Skiogrande ski card that costs €7 to purchase but gives discounts on the daily tickets and a free day of skiing after 8 days - this allows you access to the 17 resorts accessible from The Maurienne including Saint Francois Longchamp linked to Valmorel and the Les Sybelles resorts.
https://www.skiogrande.com/accueil/ |
Thanks. That sounds good. I might be being a bit stupid but I don't quite 'get' the deal. The daily prices seem quite good but what is the usual advantage apart from price? Does it encourage one to try a few different resorts in the area? Does it allow a rest day here and there? I'm planning on spending about 3 weeks in the area and definitely want to go to Val Thorens for at least one day. I want to ski 2 days then rest for a day (I'm a bit old!). I plan on using a motorhome but may choose to spend a week in an apartment.
(I see your apartment is on your signature. What sort of broadband connection has it got? I may need to work for a week, I can work remotely but would need a fairly large space and a good connection.) |
The idea of the card is, you can pick and choose where to ski depending on the prevailing forecast and not be tied in to a weekly pass and the daily cost is at least 20% lower than the counter price plus higher a day free after skiing 8 days (don’t need to be consecutively) You only pay for days you ski when you go through the first lift entrance (no queuing at the counter) so if you want to rest for a couple of days you also aren’t wasting a pass for days you want to put your feet up.
We currently have a 4g connection which is more than adequate for streaming HD films and I occasionally work from there without issue and currently we have some workers from the new Lyon-Turin tunnel staying there - as it’s a 3 bedroom apartment there’s plenty of space.
Happy to answer any other questions you have on the area.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
This is a good deal, but used to be you could only do one day in each of the other areas and any number you like in your "home" resort. Not sure if this is still the case.
Aussois is the least interesting IMHO (almost all green and blue runs, very flat). But the whole area is wonderful for off piste if you have a guide. Val Cenis/Termignon, La Norma, Val Frejus and Bonneval Sur Arc are the main ones but we usually used to climb up to a ridge on the right from an Aussois piste and ski a wonderful long valley down to Termignon. Transport helps though I think there are buses to all of them. Our wonderful guide had a van.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
PS. Looking at the piste map I see that Aussois manage to grade many runs red or even black but this is rather misleading.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TBH, Aussois is probably our least favourite Maurienne resort. South facing, so often has the poorest snow and uninteresting terrain.
Worth a few days’ visit: St Francoise-Longchamp, Les Sybelles, (Valmeinier/Valloire), Val Cenis.
Day hits: Albiez-Montrond, Les Karellis, (La Norma), Valfrejus, Bonneval-sur-Arc
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Mon 3-07-23 17:57; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@altis, yes, as you say, often icy, and uninteresting terrain.
We were always based in Val Cenis or somewhere nearby because our guide felt the Haute Maurienne had more interesting off-piste skiing than the lower Maurienne. Thus Bonneval was local and we never went to Albiez-Montrand which I must admit I never even heard of. What is it like?
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
@snowball, Albiez is a tiny resort with mostly easy greens and blues. There is one short black that is worthy of the name with some, more appealing, off piste next to it. However, what it lacks in piste length it more than makes up in charm. It's perfectly situated in a NW-facing bowl with fine views of the nearby Aiguilles d'Arves. You can ski right up to the road junction in the middle of the pretty village and, best of all, it attracts mostly families with young children so no-one is hooning about. Even so, it's still quiet at half-term.
A tall cliff separates it from the top of Les Karellis. There's talk of putting in a link but I hope they never go through with it because all the ski-bums that are attracted to Les Karellis would ruin Albiez.
I keep recommending it for absolute beginners but, because no-one's ever heard of it, none of them go. Their loss is our gain. It's probably our favourite resort.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@altis, thanks.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
Looking at the piste map I'd say if they put a lift in from La Plaigne to the ridge there might be some things I'd want to ski.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
@snowball, TBH, I suspect that you’d get more out of a day in Les Karellis. Loads of lift-served off piste to go at and a short bit of effort will get you to loads more.
It was built as a reasonably-priced family resort but the off piste is so good that it also attracts some skiers of a very high standard. I’ve seen more tele gear there than anywhere else and there are loads of campers in the car park.
I’ve written up a few trip reports that included Les Karellis if you want to search for them. This is possibly my most recent and it includes a view of your ridge:
https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=2649230
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thanks, good report. Did you ever go through the tunnel to ski Bardonecchia?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
No, I have never skied at Bardonecchia - although we have skied nearby:
https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=2027068
And we have been through the tunnel a few times including, notably, one summer in our big 7½ tonne camper. We must have spent ½ hour at the toll both trying to convince the man that it was a private camper and not a goods vehicle - for which the charge was something like €250. I was all for turning round and heading for the Mont Cenis pass but Mrs A was having none of that!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
We’ve gone through the tunnel to Bardonnechia, easy trip but is about €60 return trip. As you come out the Italy side you literally drop off the motorway into Bardonnechia. We’ve only done the one day trip from our apartment and ended up parking in the Camp Smith side which has a huge car park at the foot of the main lifts. Some nice runs up top but as with lots of places this year snow cover lower down was a bit patchy and we didn’t get to the Jafferau side for which you either need to jump on the bus or move your car.
Nice little town to have a wander around when you finish skiing for the day with a large choice of restaurants to eat in.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
