 Poster: A snowHead
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getting those itchy holiday feet....found a great deal to Bardonecchia. Anyone got any comments?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Had a nice piza there once.
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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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driven past it on the motorway through the Frejus Tunnel twice and driven through it in the summer to get to the Val Claree. Not far from Turin at all, its an absolute cruise down the motorway.
Can't be anymore helpful I'm afraid.
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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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snowlamb, Skied there absolutely yonks ago and had a blast. As I remember it was a bit spread out but still had lots to offer for a week. Agree with the comment about good pizza - I remember having some of the best ever there.
I think it was the base for the snowboard events during the Turin Olympics, so I'm assuming they tarted up the infrastructure a wee bit for that little event.
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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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Skied there about 10 years ago over Christmas and had shocking snow so can't really comment on the range of skiing. They had pretty decent snowmaking...  Bus-able to Val Thoren if worst comes to the worst.
Town itself was pretty cool - quite lively and good food as you'd expect. Quite close to Turin so expect weekend crowds.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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as posted elsewhere :
| kittya wrote: |
We went in march. Unintentionally really, but turned out good. I really enjoyed it, but it was the end of the season, so, apart from some (a lot) of race training going on, the place was pretty empty.
We stayed at campo smith in an apartment, it was more than sufficient. Ski lockers in the basement and lift just round the corner-ish. Food was mostly taken at the restaurant next to the swimming pool (convenient, good quality and reasonably priced) couple more places to eat just a toddle away. Nothing wrong with any of it.
Main shopping street (with, tiny, supermarket) was quite a trek away, so only went up there twice.
Good skiing (for me  ), we did ski school in the mornings and went all over in the afternoons, until conditions got too slushy and the legs too jellyish
Before going we were warned it might be a bit limiting (small and tame) but it was more than enough for me (ms rubbish), the child (ms steady) and the ex (gung ho). |
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snowlamb, we've been there twice now - once when I was a very beginnery beginner and again more recently. Yes, it is all a bit spread out, but the ski buses are pretty good. We stayed in hotels near the town centre so that we could be wheeched off to the slopes in either direction, and we usually found Monte Jafferau almost empty. I did find the skiing a bit limited the last time I went as the snow wasn't great (FANTASTIC snow the first time we went), but we were able to go for a day trip to Sestriere, and we took the train to Turin one day as well (when it was pouring with rain everywhere and no-one wanted to ski). So we were all more than happy in the end.
Quite a variety of apres ski too -with the old town and the modern ski resorty bit too. But as kittya says, if you're staying in one area, it's a bit of a trochle to get to and from the other area at night. Best slopeside cocktails I have ever had tho!
I loved the town itself, quite pretty, and there is a sort of everyday Italianness about it which was lovely.
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Just back from Bardonecchia - a few warnings.......
If you go with Crystal they put you in "Crystal ski school" - 5 instructors for about 60 people of varying standards, some on 3 days ski school, some on 6 days. I had 4 different instructors over 6 days as they kept moving people from group to group; the only people who had one instructor for the week were the complete beginners and the experts. It was NOT good - book the Bardonecchia ski school direct yourself!
The one chair that goes up from the village is a nightmare in the morning; usually took us 30 mins to get up to the ski area after a chaotic queue to get through to the chair. Even though it was extremely busy, some chairs were going up with one or 2 people on them.
The single run back down is equally chaotic at the end of the day with a toxic mixture of boarders, children (millions!), kamikazi skiers and nervous beginners.
Many of the blue runs have some very steep sections; once beginners shift from the tiny nursery slope at the bottom it's all a bit challenging and BUSY on the one easy slope!!
We won't be back!
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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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hi!
ime going on sunday to bardonecchia and couldnt find anywhere online to book the lift pass.
where do you buy the pass from in bardonecchia?
thanks
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snowlamb, i've skied in Bardonecchia twice - both times were before the Turin Winter Olympics in 06, so facilities may be different/better now. We enjoyed it, but the snow was a bit dodgy when there in March (it's not a high resort) - better in late January for the 2nd visit. Good range of runs on one side of the village, and for a change the Jafferau side can be reached via the ski bus, in just a couple of minutes, and it was lovely there both times - big wide pistes, blue skies and sunshine, when on the main side the weather was yuck. Be warned though that (when last there......) the uplift from the base station was via a single rickety chairlift which was pretty scary  Village is quiet, Italian, not wild nightlife, but a couple of OK bars, restaurants etc. What accommodation have you been offered?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Sorry I can't help with lift pass advice - mine came as part of a package. I would agree with Aninepen's comments about Jafferau - quiet and sunny and a free bus that takes you there.
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