 Poster: A snowHead
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Guys need some more info on Courmayeur. What is the apres ski like? and the skiing/boarding - how good is it on Cmyr and how easy is it to get to other nearby resorts? Looking for some good bars to finish off a grand day on the slopes. Reading varying reports on all aspects and pricing of drinks/food.
Cheers
Marcus
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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croskemj, I went this year for a long weekend and had a great time. A few good restaurants in town and Bar Roma is excellent for Apres (especially the free food). I would recommend a car as I don't think Courmayeur itself will keep you amused for more than a day or so. With a car you can get to a host of other resorts in the Aosta valley. We spent a day in La Thuile which is only about half an hour away.
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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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Cool - thats what the websites do not tell you - how far the other resorts are are to drive to. Been to La Thuile before coming over from La Rosiere. Some great runs down to the village if I recall. Out of interest, where did you stay? We have been offered cheap accomodation at the Centralle - do you know it?
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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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halfhand, bored with Courmayeur after one day?? You obviously don't go off-piste:- if its fully open and the conditions are good I could just about handle a week there. But would agree that La Thuile is a good day trip as it is so easy to get to - I am sure there is some way of getting a bus there. Get a guide and ski the Vallee Blanche down to Chamonix as well. Cracking bombardinos and free grub in Bar Roma. The American Bar(?) was good too.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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It's pronounced; Callmybluff or Comebyyaa
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Have booked a trip to Courmayeur at Xmas time. Apparently they have loads of snow cannons so there will at least be some snow even if its not the natural stuff.
Our lift pass includes 2 days at La Thille or Pila and have been told there is a free bus service between all resorts. Hopefully thats true. Looks like I'll be off to Bar Roma most nights. 
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Only ever had a car there so not stayed in the village. Can be very piste oriented in the Italian way but you can get out into some spectacular stuff if you know what you need to know. Helbronner is an option as is the Cresta D arp... and you can get down to St Didier but you'll need to be pretty sorted and pref with a guide.
So, the limitations there are your own...stick to the pistes and you'll be ok for about 4 days...venture further and it is a great little base.
The Vallee Blanche is an option ( guided) from the Italian side but maybe not with a board...and maybe not with a split group, ie boarders and skiers.. The run out on the Italain side is not board freindly IMV...too long and even skiers will pole for a few hundred mtrs....
Snow shouldn't be a problem as most don't ski down anyway...so downloading will take out the bottom 400mtrs that is likely to be marginal snow-wise anyway.
Often stay in Val Ferret so don't know about apre..but they say it is lively.
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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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Drluvski, Yes there is a free bus as i have done it the other way, La thuile to courmayeur. (its "the bus that like to ski" according to the timetable).
It has a ski cage on the back, and considering how many hairpins there are on the way up to la thuile your skis do get a bit banged about. I used a thin ski bag that stuffed into my backpack.
In pila it drops you next to the very long gondola from aosta.
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carroz,
Good to know. Thanks for that .Will make sure I protect my skis with something, I'm pretty fussy about caring for them. Is it a regular bus service or will I end up waiting in the snow ( hopefully) for ages? I like the look of La Thuile and plan on going for a couple of days.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Bar Roma is the place for apres ski late afternoon - free food comes out about 5pm!
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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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Bar Roma apres is good enough to not bother about food later. Really. But even after a nice dinner its worth going back to, and its open late.
There is a restaurant in town the name of which I cant recall but remember it has a yellow image of the sun as its logo. Easily found as its very central. Not the cheapest place in town but perfect for that treat meal mid-late in the week. Been twice and it has amazing Italian food.
I presume you have had a lot of feedback on the skiing? Zarrotta (sp?) over the back is a fantastic long red (I think) which you may well find yourself doing over and over. The run off the highest point is a bit of a trek in a James Bond cable car for a steep takeoff that flattens out pretty quickly. Worth the view though. The main bowl gets tres busy. Oh, the sun is a big factor. In the morning everyone skis the bowl, has lunch and moves over to the back in the afternoon. I tended to ski the back first while it was quiet and not chopped up, but sure you will work that one out as to your preference.
I tend to agree that probably 3 days skiing is an absolute maximum in a row there. Break it up with a trip elsewhere after day 2 to keep yourself feeling good about Courmayeur otherwise you may find yourself getting agitated.
Ski lockers are at bottom of chairs so you can wear comfy shoes on the walk and shuffle to the cable car and swap footwear up top. Makes apres comfy too.
There is an ice skating place in the sports centre that has ice hockey mid week. Courmayeur are/were a very strong team and its a pretty good night out with a couple of bars over there too.
I have spent about 10 days there in total so feel free to ask more if I can help, although haven't been there for about 5 years. I have fond memories for it is a lovely Italian place thats not all about the skiing - thats just something they do in between meals 
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Sorry for shamelessly dredging up an old thread but it's now 8 weeks until I go to Courmayeur and it's pretty much all I can think about...
Anyone been recently? Anything to report...?
I'm not the most ambitious skier so please warn me if there are any black runs that I should refuse to follow anyone down. On the whole I am perfectly happy on blues and reds, I just have a pathological fear of black piste markers. Having said that though, there were a couple of blacks in Passo Tonale, Madonna Di Campiglio and Kitzbühel that I actually liked. Maybe I should just try and be more adventurous...
Also hoping to make the most of the lift pass and have a day each in La Thuile and Pila so any advice there gratefully received too...
Did I mention 8 weeks 'til take off...?
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You know it makes sense.
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We were in Courmayeur over Christmas - and had a cracking time! We were at the Hotel Tavernier, situated by the Dolonne Gondola station, just out of town. Really nice place.
There aren't a lot of blacks - although I did manage break the land @rse speed record on one, after my skis decided to nack off  . There are plenty of nice cruisey blues and reds to enjoy.
Lots of people have mentioned the slow gondola up from Aosta to Pila (on other threads) - this has been replaced by a brand new one this season, so it may be a smidge less than the usual 20 mins.
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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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chrisdavis, thanks for the info. I'm staying a bit out of town too (Hotel Astoria in La Palud). I hope the bus services are good as the only lift within walking distance is the Punta Helbronner, which I'll only use to see the views as the only ski routes down are off-piste...
Did you go to Pila and La Thuile as well...?
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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| queen bodecia wrote: |
| Did you go to Pila and La Thuile as well...? |
Not this time. We usually do Aosta/Pila over Christmas, and do a day each in La Thuille and Courmayeur. We use Interski, who put the buses on for the connections - so it's smooth as. We've not done the connections on our own.
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