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Sestriere or Courmayeur???

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
have the choice of going to sestriere or courmayeur on 17th of feb.-next week.

which should i choose?????
-hotel astoria, courmayeur
-hotel du col, sestriere.

thanks!!
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
The Astoria hotel is not in courmayeur itself, it's up in La Palud right at the foot of the Helbronner cable car (up Mont Blanc) and at the mouth of the Mont Blanc Tunnel. The hotel like most of the other outlying hotels runs a minibus down to the main gondola in the centre of town, and there's alternative lift access 5 mninutes walk away using the Val Veny cable car - there's also ski and boot storage at the cable car here so you can walk to and from it in your regular shoes if you like. This route is often less busy than the main gondola, although the ski schools meet at the top of the main gondola. A 6 day lift pass in courmayeur also gives you two days skiing in any other resort in the Aosta valley - there's a free bus to La thuile - and one day over in chamonix, although the bus to chamonix goes to the village not the ski areas and only arrives at 10am, and you have to pay.

For more info see my recent resort report here

http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewpost.php?p=847272

Oh and before i remember, the only "nightclub" in Courmayeur is Jimmy's in the basement of the Astoria, although the people I spoke to said they never heard it - and none of them had anything bad to say about the hotel itself, just other ignorant guests who adopted "french queueing" when it came to getting the minibus shuttle down to the lifts

never been to sestriere but the skiing is much more extensive as it's linked into the Milky Way
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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?
I have been to both and would go to Courmayeur. It is smaller in skiing terms but has options for other resorts, plus its a proper town. Sestriere is a bit of a purpose built on the French model, but with access to lots more skiing, if the links are open, if you go for the mileage option its worth checking.
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jbob,

What other resorts have you got in mind while staying in Courmayeur? by paying the Mont Blanc Tunnel toll to ski Chamonix?

French resorts will be full of mid term breakers in mid Feb.

Don't have information of Courmayeur but it should be similar to Chamonix which is between 1200 to 1500m level. It has 50km piste. On the piste map I kept the run No. maximum appears to 25 and the number of lifts runs from A to R.

Sestriere starts at 2035m level and is pretty high for a resort in the Alps. It probably have a smaller number of chairlifts than Courmayeur or similar piste length but it is part of the Milly Way domain (Vialattea) with a total of 400km piste. Sestrieve is directly linked with Sansicario by a gondola but as jbob already pointed out the link is liable to closed in high wind.

I tend to favour Sestriere myself because the Olympic runs there, both in Sestriere and Sansicario, are the best piste I have been on. In Mar 2007 we were among the first few coming down these newly groomed runs and it was really like a magic ride. I believe these runs served the 2006 Winter Olympic in Turin and so the facilities have been given a new lease of life or totally replaced making it a very attractive place to visit. Apart from just skiing in Sestriere one can spend a day in Sansicario, a day in Sauze D'oulx, a day in Claviere and can even try to reach Montgenerve the French side of Milky Way.


Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Sun 10-02-08 11:36; edited 1 time in total
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Hi Jolly Kay,

I have been to Courmayeur twice and absolutely loved it on both occaisions, but it may be useful to explain why!! I am a boarder and so I am not looking to cover a lot of miles in a day, for me boarding the same piste twice is not boring but an opportunity to improve my technique. Courmayeur does not have a lot of kms to cover but the pistes are beautifully laid out with the main Plaim Checrout area and the Val Veny being the more foresty area over the hill. Ther is plenty of off piste through the foresty bits and it can get a demanding as your skills will allow. Don't be casual with it there are plent of really dangerous bits. I love Italy and I really like Courmayeur. It is really quite authentic for a ski resort and there a re a coulple of bars and planty of good places to eat. BUT if you want lively evenings leading into nightclubs and dancing then it won't have much to offer you. Both times we stayed in La Palud and loved the walk to the cable car nearest to the village and back again in teh evening. We liked that you can keep skis in lockers on the mountain to avoid having to walk home with them. The lift passses allow one day in Chamonix and one da at La Thuille so it offers variety if you want to do that. We went to Morzine to visit friends and the snow was rubbish, we wihed we had stayed in Courmayeur where is snowed all day. In short Courmayeur is a lovely intimate resort with great but compact pistes. It is a really romantic place to take the wife to and there are any number of wonderful mountainside places to eat. We will certainly be ghoing back to Courmayeur, but I can see that it would not suit everyones taste or needs. I love it.

All best

Tom
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sorry about the appaling spleing I am a bit tored and emotional
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
saikee, as I said a 6 day pass in courmayeur allows you two days in ANY other resort in the Aosta valley, as well as one day in chamonix. Courmayeur itself is at 1224 but the main skiing starts at around 1500 and tops out @ 2664 according to the lift map
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
nbt,

I could be wrong but I doubt if there is any free bus ride to go with it to get to another resort. Courmayeur is a pretty isolated small resort on its own.

Many skiing resorts are selling region-like skiing pass. One can get a Dolomistes pass to ski 1200km pistes but it may take a good part of the day day just get from one to another. There is a Salzburg region ski pass to cover the whole region. Ski Welt can be sold with Kitzbuhel thrown in. Buy more than 3.5 day in Mayrhofen and you can only get the SuperZillertal Skipass that covers all 7 resorts in the Valley. Skiers buying Paradiski pass can get entitlements to spend a day in Tignes/Val D and another in 3 Vallee.....

My point is a multi-day ski pass permits a taste of the neighbouring resorts but the access of them are only viable if one has car. If one tries to use the Courmayeur ski right to do Chamonix the toll of the tunnel is 45 Euro for a return.

Sestriere is different is that it is one arm of a fully linked large Milk Way domain. One is free to ski to anywhere of this 400km domain, although one needs to buy a pass for the whole of Vialattea instead of just for Sestriere.
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saikee, I was there last month. there is a free bus to la thuile. you do have to pay to get the chamonix bus, and there's also the fact that it's not convenient for sking due to drop of point and location. most tour ops run a chamonix day trip though which takes you direct to one of the the ski areas (Brevent I think they went to).
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I skied quite often in Courmayeur and La Thuile when I ran a mobile home in Chamonix. La Thuile (140km if The French La Rosiere is included) is larger and more intermediate-friendly whereas the main area of Courmayeur is nearly as steep as the Chamonix resorts. Sestriere is more like La Thuile and is the entire Milky Way. Thus to me it is a choice of picking a wide but relatively easy area or a small but slightly tougher place to ski. Experienced skiers probably would like the Chamonix side more because there are several big and challenging areas. They would spend an easy day to ski Courmayeur for variety and in a different country. Doing the opposite way of skiing Courmayeur and get a day in Chamonix is possible but not popular as Chamonix is 3 times larger than Courmayeur.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
jollykay, sestriere - the Milky Way rocks... (never been to either resort though Laughing )
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
as it turns out ,i booked courmayeur:D

nbt, as you were saying can you ge that cable car down in the afternoon, is possible to take it up in the morning and ski to the base area?
any have more info on going for the day to pila and la thuile?

thanks:)
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So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
and and also what the shops like in courmayeur?
---say designer..


haaaha.; Razz
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
designer is the right word for the shops in courmayeur - think Hilfiger and Gant.

You can get the Val Veny cable car up but the have to ski down to take the Zerotta chair up and ski down to the gondola. I'd reckon on 30 minutes skiing at full pelt all the way
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
ohh okay.
what the slopes like from the val ceny cbale car?
-- on the piste map looks red
not something too difficult first thing!
haaaa


thanks.Very Happy
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
not it's a nice blue. If you;re a reasonable skiier you should find it easy. Tuck all the way Smile
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Jollykay, do by all means ski down to the town but its not really worth it. The ski areas are up the mountain. If you stay in the Astoria you should get a discount from the ski shop at the top of the Val Veny cable car it is called Savoie Ski or somesuch. They have lockers for your skis and boots so you can take the cable car down to the entreves base station and have a romanic walk back to your hotel in you nice comfy shoes. The runs on the Val Veny side are all very manageble with some nice blue runs as well. You will love it I am sure. all best Tom
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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?
sorry missed the question about the bus to la thuile. There's a bus to La thuile whic is free with a multi-day pass - I know it leaves the bus station in the center of town at 8.30 and gets to La Thuile at around 9.10. It may be possible to get the bus from closer to your hotel, but if not, then you could probably arrange to get dropped off in town early enough to catch it. If all esle fails there's another one at 9.15 getting to LT at around 10am


Return buses are something like 16.10, 17.15 and 19.15, from the point where you get dropped off.

There's a schedule service down to Aosta for Pila I beleive, but I don't know if it's free or what the times are as I didn;t investigate. HOwever, the ladies in the tourist info centre all speak very good english (far better than my Italian!) and are very helpful.
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I've just had a couple of days in Courmayeur and would wholly recommend it. true the skiing area isn't as extensive as sestriere but courmayeur will keep you busy for a day and definitiely go to La thuile which, if the links to La Rosiere are open will sort you out for a few more days.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
halfhand,


Just find it curious.

What's wrong with staying in La Thuile and ski Courmayeur on a day trip?

It would be far more relaxing to get the same thing.
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saikee, I'm staying in La Thuile next week and planning a day trip to Courmayeur. Does anybody have any information on
a) Is there a similar bus that takes you from La Thuile to Courmayeur, and return. If so, any idea what sort of times?
b) Whats the parking like mid week in Courmayeur, and where is the best place to park???

Any info greatly received!! snowHead
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
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I love Courmayeur!!!

There is a superb creperie for a wee snack after a hard days ski-ing in the town. There is one on the main street, but there is a wee one in a tiny side street just off the main street which has an obvious hole in the wall - takeaway style! They're to die for...especially the ones with a sort of sweet chestnut puree type thing loaded with rum!!!
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
saikee, Nothing and not a bad idea in fact. There are a couple of hotels right at the bottom of the lift. I'm not sure what the night life is like in La Thuile. Admittedly its not exactly raving in Courmayeur but I thought it was pretty good for lively apres ski and late evening bars.

We stayed in Mont Blanc village hotel in La Salle about 13kms from Courmayeur. This is a great hotel but a bit remote however they did run a shuttle bus to and from town during the day and early evening (50euro in a taxi at night tho' Shocked )
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