 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi,
so we'll be driving from the UK to stay in Alta Badia arriving 18th Jan and I'm planning to leave the UK ca 11th Jan. to ski somewhere else en route.
I was thinking of going via Switzerland and stopping for a few days in Livigno or Bormio. We've not visited the area before but it looks like it would be a good place to stop few days and there is no shortage of accommodation for 4/5 nights. So a couple of questions for anyone with experience
1) are the roads from Zurich likely to be ok? it looks easy but any pinch points?
2) Bormio looks to be a bit of a nicer town, it would be nice to stay somewhere with character as Alta Badia doesn't really have any  is either better than the other?
3) do you have to drive between Livigno and Bormio or is there a bus service?
4) skiing - I'm intermediate, wife much better - is either better than the other?
any other constructive thoughts gratefully received
cheers,
R
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@richb67,
Hi, just did a weekender to Bormio (See my thread) and it is a really lovely place. Unspoilt, cobbled streets. I have skied in Livigo a couple of times years ago and while it's skiing is good, the town is really just a long ribbon, so I'd go for Bormio.
Sorry, can't answer your other questions. Recommend Hotel San Lorenzo in Bormio. Stunning hotel.
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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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@johnboy, yes, I saw that thanks, funny as yesterday we returned from a break in Italy (Rome and then the Apennines).
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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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Bormio is a nicer town than Livigno. It has three fairly local ski areas: Bormio itself (standard intermediate stuff, Cima Piazzi (a ot steeper) and Santa Caterina (a bit gentler). They're each good for a whole day, and there are buses.
Livigno has more expansive intermediate skiing than any of the above ski areas taken separately (though taken together, they might approach the size of Livigno). I think there is an infrequent bus, though it's a fairly long journey over a high pass which can close during snowstorms.
More info / pics about the skiing in my trip report from March 2023 - click any of the tiny links at the foot of this post.
The road access to Livigno is unusually complicated. Two possible approaches: from the north through a long tunnel which is only open in a single direction for hours at a time, or from the east over the aforementioned high pass. The third road - another pass - is shut during winter I think.
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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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| denfinella wrote: |
The road access to Livigno is unusually complicated. Two possible approaches: from the north through a long tunnel which is only open in a single direction for hours at a time, or from the east over the aforementioned high pass. The third road - another pass - is shut during winter I think. |
thanks for that, yes having looked more closely the last section getting there from Switzerland does seem to be more complicated than I'd envisaged. It looks like the tunnel is best avoided on Saturdays as this is when it can be one way (for up to 8 hrs!) Fortunately it would be mid week for us but I am wondering whether it's more trouble than it's worth.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Years ago (early 1990's), we drove to/through Livignio on the way to Madonna, with the intention of buying new skis in Livignio - Saloman Super Force 9 2S's IIRC. Way above our skiing limits, but cracking graphics, which is what really matters right? 
Anyhow, the route (from our night stop near Basle) to Livignio took us past Davos/Klosters and over the Fluela Pass (2384m). That was my first experience of having to use chains (no snow tyres back then). A few, mostly German cars realized the error of their ways on the way down the other side - slowly sliding into other traffic stuck going up. Low speed accidents and no-one hurt but certainly eye opening and mildly amusing. Once down the other side we were back to tarmac and the chains came off, not to be required again for many years.
We then got stuck at the tunnel for about an hour - it was one way for an hour, then t'other way for an hour. When we finally got through the tunnel all the shops were shut for lunch hour, so another hour wasted waiting for them to re-open. Had to buy skis in one shop and bindings in another - can't remember why. Then out of Livignio over the pass to Bormio and on to Madonna. It was very late when we got to our destination, so we had to beg/borrow some milk from other guests for a coffee the next morning.
AIUI "the Fluela" is now no-longer open in winter, and you have to take a car-train shuttle thing. Probably quicker than chains-on-chains off and driving slowly over the pass, but bound to be some delays if it's busy or you've just missed the previous train.
Anyway, point being there are lots of things that can add hours to the route into Livignio from the Swiss side.
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| Judwin wrote: |
Anyway, point being there are lots of things that can add hours to the route into Livignio from the Swiss side. |
Thanks for the info, that final line is pretty much the conclusion that I had come to! Maybe we'll stop in Innsbruck for a few days instead or maybe we'll try one of the smaller DSK resorts.
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I have a quite different alternative for you.
Do not drive via Switzerland, but via Aosta and then via autostrada in Northern Italy.
It is all motorway via Chamonix-Courmayeur; but beware the tunnel is closed until December 15th.
You then make a stop in Aosta.
Ski in Pila where they have just installed shiny new lifts. Direct cable car from Aosta town. Aosta is a VERY nice town, with lots of B&B and apartments.
And/or you ski in La Thuile.
Only problem being, once you have been to Aosta valley, next year you will want to return there, instead of Dolomites.
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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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@Onnem, great minds think alike as that was actually my first idea as we'd like to stay in Aosta town as it's the location of a TV show we watch and looks nice. 2 things put me off -
tackling the Mont Blanc tunnel in early Jan and potentially getting stuck for hours
having to drive every day - however just looking again and it appears that both Google maps and booking.com maps actually have the bottom of the Pila-Aosta gondola in the wrong position and it's actually in town near the station rather than a mile away... so at least you could walk to that and presumably there is a decent bus service.
So how is the tunnel in early Jan?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I would go the route that Google maps shows, Basel - Luzern - St Gottard tunnel - Milan. The tunnel is included with the vignette, there isn't an extra charge. Would cut cross-country from Chalons-en-Champagne to Colmar rather than taking the Autoroute via Metz and Strasbourg but either is fine.
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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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@Onnem, thanks will look at that
@rjs, thanks for the suggestion TBH that's probably too much of a long way round. The idea was to find somewhere to stop off for a few days without adding too much extra driving and ideally to be able to get from Calais in one day. (Interestingly Google maps doesn't give me that route even when the MBT is closed)
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@richb67, I had not entered Alta Badia as the end point. My route would give you the option of places like Engelberg and Andermatt as stopovers.
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You know it makes sense.
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I've stayed in Bormio twice, my brother now about four times. We really like it and I'm looking to go back soon. Bormio is a great place to stay, with lots of 3 and 4 star hotels that seem to compete with each other and the prices remain good value. I do notice that when I compare the costs of comparable hotels between Bormio and Livigno, Bormio is noticeably better value. I've never stayed in Livigno but, as a town to enjoy for a few days, Bormio is a great option. Someone else has mentioned the cobbled streets, there are lots of nice restaurants to choose from and some nice bars too.
We've driven over to Livigno for the day, it's nearly an hour but a really nice, scenic drive. Do it on a nice, sunny day and the drive is a pleasure. But for four or five days, I'd say there's plenty enough skiing available between Bormio, Santa Caterina, and Cima Piazza - the later is surprisingly enjoyable even though there are some old, slow lifts.
The skiing is all pretty much intermediate stuff, but you've got the Stelvio run in Bormio and the Deborah Compagnoni slalom piste in Santa Caterina - both of which seemed (to me) steep enough to get some genuine speed up. I've stayed at Hotel Eden and Hotel Rezia, and both we very good. My brother has also stayed at Hotel Sertorelli Reit twice and really likes it. There are just so many hotels to choose from, and they all look pretty decent to me.
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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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thanks all for taking the time to respond. we've decided to skip the potentially long or dodgy drive from the UK to Bormio and go for Aosta. @rjs, maybe Switzerland next year 
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Poster: A snowHead
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