I recently got back from a week skiing in a little-known (but up-and-coming) resort in the Aosta valley. Two hours away from Turin airport (motorway most of the way), straddling the border with France, the former mining town of La Thuile boasts an enviable snow record - this last season began in early December, with the lifts closing on April 25th despite 300+ cm of good snow on the upper slopes).
Convenience is the watchword here, and what the modern resort lacks in Alpine charm, it makes up for in ease. The huge Planibel hotel/apartment complex is located at the foot of the gondola and quad chairlift up to the snowbowls; equipment storage is easy, and an escalator brings you from the depot to the lifts (so there's less of the clumping around in skiboots that you find in resorts such as Chamonix). The lifts themselves have state-of-the art hands-free technology, and queuing is rare (except maybe during Italian half-term. CCTV even beams pictures of the snow conditions up the mountain right into your apartment!
The ski-area is pretty big, and is also linked with La Rosiere in France, so it is possible to ski down there for lunch (but you must get on the last lift by 3pm, or face a £300 taxi ride back to La Thuile vis Switzerland!!) Most of the pistes are above the tree-line, and the open slopes can be a bit bleak and windy, but there are a couple of prettier runs (red and black) down into the village. Ski-school was adequate, but we felt we were getting little actual instruction (end of season-itis, perhaps?). There is a good range of skiing for all standards, though some of the pistes involve flat stretches needing vigorous poling.
Eating and drinking was surprisingly reasonable, with several pleasant wood-oven pizzerias etc in the older part of the town. Try the flavoured grappas - but not too many, unless you enjoy skiing with a headache!
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It's not shown as soulless in the borchures, so thanks for the insight.
mgmkibrg 14.02.2005 16:41
Went to La Thuile/Rosiere on a day trip from Courmayeur (half an hour drive). Really enjoyed the skiing there - N. American style easy-going wide open slopes, with fantastic views of the Alps (you can see Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn). It was a lot chillier than Courmayeur, especially when the wind got up (the slopes are pretty exposed) and I can imagine that on a grey day it can be pretty miserable up there.
There's a great restaurant on the way down to the resort which does an excellent 20 Euro tasting menu of local food including wine, dessert & coffee. Apparantly they lay on skidoos to take you up there in the evenings and you can ski back with a flaming torch - I've always wanted to do that.
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Advantages: Pretty village, great Mountain food at reassonable prices, very Italian Disadvantages: little for beginners or advanced skiiers, few English children in Ski school
mgmkibrg 15.02.2005 ·
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