 Poster: A snowHead
|
Hi people i cannot make my mind up about which resort to visit next Tignes or Courmayeur. I am a beginner to intermediate can hand blues and easy reds.
I have been to La Thuile and understand thats a short bus ride from Courmayeur so if i fancied a change could go over for the day.
Any comments would be welcome
thanks
Andrew
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Both are lovely. It depends on your priorities. Courmayeur is a real working mediaeval town with some nice bars and restaurants. The skiing is very good but it is quite a small resort. (A thrusting intermediate would do it all in a couple of days.) There is a good variety of runs and prices are much lower than Tignes. You can, as you know, get very easily to La Thuile or, and I think you would love it, Pila. Pila is almost perfect for early ski experiences.
Tignes is part of the Espace Killy and links to Val d'Isere. As such it is one of the world's great ski resorts and has every kind of challenge. It also has an excellent network of blues and reds. It is a purpose-built resort and, as such, lacks the charm of Courmayeur. It is also considerably more expensive for eating and drinking.
You cannot go wrong really. Just decide whether you want folksy character or super-efficient ski machine.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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've been to Courmayeur once - on my honymoon!!!!
to Tignes 15 times - for the skiing
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Bergmeister, LMFAO
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
As I suggested,it all depends what you want from your holiday!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Chris Bish wrote: |
It is also considerably more expensive for eating and drinking.
|
think that might be the decider i am a tight g*t
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
andybabes, I've never been to Courmayeur so can't comment on this particular resort.
However, I might think twice before recommending Tignes to a beginner-intermediate. I'm sure others will put me right / disagree (!), but I always think of Tignes / Val D'Isere as being quite 'steep' resorts (if you know what I mean).
Yes, there are plenty of blues and reds and a few 'ski tranquility' areas - but (to me) they seem tougher than equivalent marked pistes in other resorts I've been to.
Having said that, Tignes is a cracking place and if you're an adventurous beginner-intermediate, I'm sure you'll have a good time.
Hoper this is helpful.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| Quote: |
I've been to Courmayeur once - on my honeymoon!!!!
|
So, unusually, no complaints when it was boilerplate rock hard all week? 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Courmayeur isn't really a beginners resort. The ski area is rather small and mostly red (just 4 blacks and 4 blues if I remember rightly). However, on the plus side, it's a lovely town with nice accommodation, shops, restaurants and bars.
Tignes has an amazing ski area with something for all abilities, although it could be argued all that pisteage would be wasted on a beginner/early intermediate. However, as a resort it's a soulless collection of high rise apartment blocks and very expensive hotels with little in the way of nightlife.
Pretty difficult to compare the two resorts on a level playing field.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
Having done both, I think Courmayeur would be the better choice for an aspriring intermediate. This is not to say Tignes would be bad - just that you would benefit more from visiting Tignes when your skiing has improved.
A 6 day pass in Courmayeur gives you 2 days in La Thuile and / or Pila (and may other resorts in the Aosta valley I seem to recal), and there is a free bus from Courmayeur to La Thuile.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Haven't been to tignes but courmayeur is a lovely resort and worth a visit.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
What we haven't asked, and it is important, is when? Courmayeur is quite low and this could mean icy later in the season. Tignes will have great snow until May. nbt, makes a good point. Early intermediates might enjoy the variety of a small tree-lined resort more than the wide open spaces of the mega-resort of Tignes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Having been to both resorts it is difficult to compare as they are so different.
One thing to be aware of is that most accommodation in Tignes is near the slopes whereas you are likely to need to walk or get a bus to the cable car or gondola to take you up to Plan Checrout which acts as a base for the ski area. You can leave your skis and boots overnight in a ski garage here which is fine except if you want to go over to La Tania as you will need to carry them down to resort anyway.
The food in the mountain restaurants in Courmayeur is some of the best I have ever had.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
| abj wrote: |
However, I might think twice before recommending Tignes to a beginner-intermediate. I'm sure others will put me right / disagree (!), but I always think of Tignes / Val D'Isere as being quite 'steep' resorts (if you know what I mean).
|
I don't agree at all and have taken several early intermediates with me on the 5 visits I have made in the last two years.
If you think Espace Killy is steep for the run designations, don't go to Chamonix!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
Tignes is ideal for intermediates, loads of big, wide, easy blues. Not steep overall, Val d'Isere seems to go in more for the butt-clenchingly-steep-with-mahoosive-icy-moguls=blue kind of thing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
andybabes, I'd been to Courmayeur very early on and have never been back, have skied at Espace Killy maybe 25 weeks since which maybe tells me something. Courmayeur is undoubtedly a pretty, small cozy ski area and didnt push me whereas, Tignes/ Val D'Isere, St Anton, Kitzbuhel, Ischgl, Zermatt, Verbier and others have all done the latter and will always get the shout versus Coumayeur. Its only my view but if you are looking for rolling pistes that are challenging at the same time give Kitzbuhel a go, been there many times and keen to go back maybe next year, whereas Courmayeur never crosses my mind.........too busy at St Anton, Verbier and Tignes this year. IMO its all about best bang for your buck! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
| SCollier1 wrote: |
| The food in the mountain restaurants in Courmayeur is some of the best I have ever had. |
I have only been there once a long time ago and I agree. There are a lot of great places to eat in the evening as well, at pretty reasonable prices I recall.
For a friendly resort with good Italian food - Courmayeur.
For miles of skiing - Tignes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| Quote: |
I don't agree at all and have taken several early intermediates with me on the 5 visits I have made in the last two years.
If you think Espace Killy is steep for the run designations, don't go to Chamonix!!
|
Oops ** ducks for cover** 
Just basing this on my experience, and also of comments made by other friends/beginners who have been to Tignes ... but as you rightly point out, it of course depends on what resorts you're used to.
I would still tend to agree with nbt that you'd get more out of Tignes/Espace Killy once your skiing has improved.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
will be travelling 23rd january
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
I'm off to Tignes the week before, the rest of my group are out on the 23rd.
In order to keep the lift queues down, can you please go anywhere else.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I went to Val d' isere the first time skiing and to Courmayeur the second time skiing. My honest opinion is Courmayeur is lovely but small skiing area and not many runs. if you can ski reds (which I couldn't when i went) get yourself to the Espace Killy. I enjoyed Courmayeur but can safely say I would book a return holiday but I definitely intend to revisit Espace Killy and hopefully this coming March. You know I've been to Serre Chevalier and Morzine snce and they are fantastic ski areas for beginner/intermediate. Hope this was useful.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Apologies, just read my previous post, I meant I would NOT return to Courmayeur.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
