 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm in Pila next week, staying in Aosta and taking the gondola up. Any favourite tips to share about the skiing or the town? I'll be restricted to nursery and easy slopes most of the time, but should have an hour or so to play at the end of the day. Anywhere I should see or avoid?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Pretty much all the slopes are easy. If it's not a black, it's easy. Presuming from your post that you're with beginners? Don't let them get the classic 'red means too hard for me, stick to blue' syndrome. A couple maybe are a like a stiff blue, most are like a normal blue.
That gondola ride up takes *ages* but is quite enjoyable in a funny way.
The views down into the valley are utterly dizzying. Anybody suffer vertigo in your party? They'll love it 
The Chamole chair generates massive queues, but the runs down from it are the best on the map.
I see from the piste map that the red road down from the top of "Couis 1" has been reclassified black. I was just about to post recommending not to go anywhere near it. Hideous, narrow, scary, precipitous bastard. Nothing to enjoy about it. Don't go there.
Great little area all round though, if a little limited. You'll probably come away liking it. Can't speak for the towns of either Pila or Aosta as was only there for a day, but Aosta looked a bit 'functional'.
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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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I thought it was a decent little area, quite varied unlike most small resorts. The blacks near the top were groomed billiard table smooth, which I loved but we saw one guy fall on the steepest and he slid virtually all the way down. Unhurt, so it was quite amusing. Nice bit of venison stew & polenta in the restaurant at the bottom (sorry, can't be more specific than that). Aosta a bit odd, historic centre surrounded by industrial outskirts. A bar we found was packed one night then empty the next. So there is nightlife, if you can find it!
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| paulio wrote: |
| The Chamole chair generates massive queues |
Not mid-week it won't, and not next week. Pila will be mainly populated by British school groups, and they will be mostly beginners.
The red back down beneath the Chamole chairlift is fun - usually very quiet so you can get a bit of speed up.
The Distillary in Aosta is probably the livliest bar, along with a place in the big piazza that has a surfing theme (can't remember the name).
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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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It was horrendous for me, mid week. Stood in line for 20+ minutes. Mind you that was during Feb half-term.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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rob@rar, BASI course ? Trees on either side of Chamole are good. The steep faces at the top of the resort (top of the Couis chair ??) worth a look to. As it's mostly populated by
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British school groups
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the offpiste doesn't track out that fast.
The Amphitheatre in Aosta worth a look - if you like history. Enjoy a good espresso almost anywhere ! 
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ski, no Interski. My first 'real' teaching. Not looking forward to the gondola ride (the vertigo sufferer will be me  ), but really looking forward to the Italian cuisine.
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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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rob@rar, Have fun ! If you get there early enough, you can get a run in down Chamole, and have a coffee before your children are ready ! The gondola doesn't go too high, but it does cross a motorway. Pila (IMV) is a nice place to teach, plenty of slow chairs, and very easy ways around the resort.
If you have enough snow (only been there in April) - skiing down to the intermediate gondola stations makes a fine finish to the day.
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Oooh, I'm going to Courmayeur in March and hoping to have a day in Pila. I think it's pretty easy as there is a free bus to Aosta to connect with the gondola up to Pila...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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queen bodecia, from Courmayeur, La Thuile is probably the more worthwhile day out (if you're only having one day out). It's just round the corner, takes about 20 minutes. Of course, Courmayeur is itself a very limited area, so days out to La Thuile and Pila would be my recommendation. Don't go to Cervinia though, unless you enjoy riding the slowest chair in the world down a hill and then poling back up again.
Last edited by And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports. on Tue 6-01-09 14:22; edited 1 time in total
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paulio, that's what I'm hoping for, one day in Pila and one in La Thuile. I don't think Cervinia is on the same lift pass, plus not accessible by free bus either by the looks of things. Only 9 weeks to go now, I'm extremely excited! 
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You know it makes sense.
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my daughter is there with her school at the mo
it has snowed today, and she is having great fun
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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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Does anyone know if the Pila liftpass requires a photo?
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Poster: A snowHead
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not as far as know she didn't take one
they are all electic cards you keep in your pocket these days
the turnstile recognises it and lets you through
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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rob@rar, I don't remember having a photo taken (although mine was a La Thuile pass giving access for one day each at Pila and Courmayeur).
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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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i really enjoyed 13 and 14 down from the Leisse chair, but we were the only ones skiing it at the time
Didn't need a photo for the lift pass.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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rob@rar, do let us know how you get on by the way. I was a big fan of Pila when I was there. Really underrated little place.
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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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We were in Pila last year during half term and I thoroughly enjoyed it.Nice wide slopes for the more novice like me, never crowded like other resorts we/ve been to.A week was long enogh for the chaps - had explored everywhere and had a day at another resort. The cable up doesn't take ages, admittedly its not quick but your'e up or down within 15mins.A free ski bus passed just by our hotel each day so we would hop onto that.We hired our ski and boots from the shop at the bottom of the gondola and left them there at the end of each day so it was all very easy.We stayed in Aosta itself and agree a bit odd but the main street had just enough restaurants to eat in and there was a bar in the centre square which we frequented every night which was welcoming,with friendly staff - had a dj on a weekend and sky sports for the hubby.( only a small place which faced the council/town hall building? which was all lit up)Enjoy - I did and now looking forward to skiing this year as skiing in Pila gave me more confidence.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Oh, forgot to say - you don't need a photie for your lift pass - at least you didn't Feb half term last year
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rob@rar, don't know the area of Pila but sounds a great trip...best wishes.. 
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Just back, and had a nice time, so thanks for all the advice. Stayed down in Aosta, just a minute's walk from the gondola station and a short walk into town. Good snow on piste, blue skies all week and I had a nice bunch of beginner girls to teach. The resort seems a good place for new skiers with some nice nursery areas and some easy pistes to progress to. Off-piste looked interesting if you were happy to traverse or hike a little, but those looking for lots of mileage may feel a bit frustrated there.
Had to call for a bloodwagon on Day 1 (twisted knee when she fell over standing still) and Day 2, (a different girl, twisted knee from a low speed fall). Very nerve-wracking on my first day of teaching...
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FAQ
and since the buses back to Courmayeur were every hour we had to leg it in our ski boots 
