 Poster: A snowHead
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We are a group of 4 who like easy off piste riding and are considering a 3 night trip to the Aosta Valley at the start of Feb, what's a good town with easy piste access, decent restaurants and affordable accommodation? La Thuile seems to have decent options? Thanks!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Not a snowboarder myself, a piste skier, but La Thuile is a great place.
Must be loads of bits between the pistes to play in and the chance to get over to La Rosiere in France if the snow's better over there.
You could base yourself in Aosta and day trip out to Courmayeur, La Thuile and Pila, but you would need a car ideally.
Plenty to keep you occupied for 3 days in La Thuile/La Rosiere though.
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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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@mrvinegar, check out Valtournenche/Cervinia. You don't have to ski Zermatt, there's plenty of good "inter-piste" all around the Italian side. Try to avoid a Thursday as it's school kiddy race training and they cram the very good pizza place at the bottom of the gondola. There's some nice eateries in Valtournenche and some pretty good bars in Cervinia. Prices are not expensive.
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| skimastaaah wrote: |
| @mrvinegar, check out Valtournenche/Cervinia. You don't have to ski Zermatt, there's plenty of good "inter-piste" all around the Italian side. Try to avoid a Thursday as it's school kiddy race training and they cram the very good pizza place at the bottom of the gondola. There's some nice eateries in Valtournenche and some pretty good bars in Cervinia. Prices are not expensive. |
Thanks! Valtournenche could be good!
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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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@luigi, I like Alagna, it has some great skiing when conditions are good. However, Alagna is in the "wrong" valley, just too damn difficult to get there with a car, at the end of a dead-end road, miles away from anywhere. Accommodation is slightly cheaper than Monte Rosa generally with some really pleasant Hotels/Self-catering. The piste down to Alagna is prone to become patchy/slushy but the top half is great. I've stayed a couple of times in Gressoney St Jean which is over the hill from Alagna, and has a bit more to do with easier access.
I'm going to be out there end of January/beginning of February skiing Valtournenche, Monte Rosa, and Courmayeur as a bit of a "fly-drive-ski-safari".
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| skimastaaah wrote: |
@luigi, I like Alagna, it has some great skiing when conditions are good. However, Alagna is in the "wrong" valley, just too damn difficult to get there with a car, at the end of a dead-end road, miles away from anywhere. Accommodation is slightly cheaper than Monte Rosa generally with some really pleasant Hotels/Self-catering. The piste down to Alagna is prone to become patchy/slushy but the top half is great. I've stayed a couple of times in Gressoney St Jean which is over the hill from Alagna, and has a bit more to do with easier access.
I'm going to be out there end of January/beginning of February skiing Valtournenche, Monte Rosa, and Courmayeur as a bit of a "fly-drive-ski-safari". |
Gressoney is good spot, as you say, puts you right in the middle of the Monte Rosa, so easy to access the top of Alagna. 
I did an Aosta Valley Ski Safari a few years back with my son, great fun, we skied 5 resorts and 3 countries in 5 days, then got the evening flight home!! 
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If you're going to Monterosa, Champoluc's a better town, livelier, with more restaurants. The system is not so big that it's a significant disadvantage vs. any Gressoney.
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Resurrecting this thread, so we are staying in Aosta next weekend and have 3 days, between La Thuille and Courmayeu where would you go?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Haven’t been to La Thuile but Courmayeur is a shorter drive, pretty and enough for one day.
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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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| mrvinegar wrote: |
| Resurrecting this thread, so we are staying in Aosta next weekend and have 3 days, between La Thuille and Courmayeu where would you go? |
Are you mainly on-piste, or off-piste skier?
If on-piste, then it is a no-brainer: La Thuile.
Courmayeur has a lot of history, nice town etcetera. But it's the least resort of VdA in my opinion.
I you're after off-piste, then they are about equal.
Accessible off-piste is far better in La Thuile. Plus you can do a heli trip, if your wallet (and conscience) allows. Only place in VdA where this is allowed.
And if you still have the flexibility to choose: Monte Rosa, every time.
https://monterosaski.eu/en/in-tempo-reale/skirama/monterosa-ski-3-valli
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Big fan of La Thuile, great ski area and LOTS of good places for lunch on the mountain. Bit quiet a night, but still some really good restaurants in town and none of it will break the bank.
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You know it makes sense.
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I'm a Snowboarder who likes easy off piste, monterosa is a bit of an extra drive from Aosta, so its worth it?
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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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@Onnem, we've heli-skied out of Cervinia. Chums out of Alagna (ok, that's not quite Aoste). Guide mate does so out of many places.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
Thanks! Valtournenche could be good!
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After last minute £40 Ryanair flights, we had a brilliant 2 night stay in Valtournenche in December - cheap but clean and comfortable digs (Hotel Etoile de Neige); excellent gondola access to the skiing; brilliant long run back down; pleasant enough village with great value food and drink options (€8 pizzas and €4 beers).
After booking even cheaper Ryanair flights (£30 return  ) a few days ago, we're back in Aosta for 4 nights from next Tuesday. This time, we're thinking Pila, La Thuile and Courmayeur.
Have you had a look at car hire @mrvinegar? Both our trips will be via Bergamo, which has ridiculously cheap car hire this winter. We paid £20 in December and this time will be £8. No idea how they do it, but I'm not arguing! See Travelsupermarket.com.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| mrvinegar wrote: |
I'm a Snowboarder who likes easy off piste, monterosa is a bit of an extra drive from Aosta, so its worth it? |
75 minutes to Champoluc, versus 45 to La Thuile.
When snow conditions are OK, I would always choose MonteRosa.
La Thuile is nice, especially the slopes on the Fourclaz slope.
But MonteRosa in the right conditions is a bucket list item. Of a different order. Something you will remember in 20 years.
I've been to both.
PS: also do not forget Pila. Since this season they have the new fast lift to the top. So the nicest part of the area now is suitable for repeat lapping, and also very good for offpiste.
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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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Yep stayed in Aosta for a few weeks with car - if good snow and lmited to a few days I'd invest in the drive to Monte Rosa too - epic big mountain scenery, which to be fair so are La Thuile and Courmayeur - all stunning - but more extensive sense of travel at MR. Just have to get up nice and early. Pila if you can't. If the snow's not as good Cervinia to get high.
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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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thanks for the info!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| mountainaddict wrote: |
| Quote: |
Thanks! Valtournenche could be good!
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After last minute £40 Ryanair flights, we had a brilliant 2 night stay in Valtournenche in December - cheap but clean and comfortable digs (Hotel Etoile de Neige); excellent gondola access to the skiing; brilliant long run back down; pleasant enough village with great value food and drink options (€8 pizzas and €4 beers).
After booking even cheaper Ryanair flights (£30 return ) a few days ago, we're back in Aosta for 4 nights from next Tuesday. This time, we're thinking Pila, La Thuile and Courmayeur.
Have you had a look at car hire @mrvinegar? Both our trips will be via Bergamo, which has ridiculously cheap car hire this winter. We paid £20 in December and this time will be £8. No idea how they do it, but I'm not arguing! See Travelsupermarket.com. |
Yeah car hire is crazy cheap with OKMobility!
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