Sauze D'Oulx Lifts

We are thinking about Sauze D'Oulx for February 2020, one of the factors being the short-ish transfer time from Turin.
Have read some trip advisor comments that the lift system is old, slow and closed at the slightest hint of wind.
Anyone like to comment please?

One of those reviews are likely to be mine! We went to Sauze in March '19 and unfortunately it was not a pleasant experience. In Jan '19 a terrible accident happened when a young italian girl fell off the side of a run and died (the news story is on this site). That made the resort very twitchy.

The blue and red runs back from sestriere were closed all season, this meant that if you are not competent on steep icy blacks, you couldn't ski the full area. However there's no refund/part refund on your lift pass

Whenever there was the slightest breath of wind, all the lifts would close meaning that if you were staying in Sauze you could only ski in the main area. One day there was only 1 lift open - the previous evening it had snowed a lot. It seemed the whole of Italy was on the one run!

The lifts are pretty old fashioned and slow. No moving caprpets, stand there and lose the back of your thighs. No lids to cover from the elements. Under normal circumstances I could live with this, but with the other issues it made things worse!

To make things worse, the ski bus service is 2 euros per trip (not per day!). I don;t know any ski resorts that charge for a ski bus.

My wife learnt to ski in Sauze about 6 years ago and we loved it. They now need to invest some money to make it competitive with the rest of Europe.

We won't return until things improve - it may not be what you wanted to hear.

Drop me a message if you want to know more!

sempreski wrote:Post removed.

Advertising your own place on a thread about something not even linked to the resort. Sure that is against rules or the spirit of them....

[It is! Post removed, thanks for your understanding! The staff...]

Thanks staff. Have to be fast to get past Icy :)

Thanks Iceman, not keen on going for a week and lifts possibly being shut 3 or 4 days.
As an alternative we have looked at Gressoney, any experience or thoughts?
Cheers

not didier wrote:As an alternative we have looked at Gressoney, any experience or thoughts?

Gressoney itself is small and quiet but it's in the valley between Alagna and Champoluc so has some fabulous skiing all around (and is well connected with modern lifts).

I've had a couple of trips to Champoluc and love the whole Monterosa area (basically these three valleys and surrounding peaks); interesting and long pistes, brilliant freeride terrain (mild to wild) and all with Italian prices and hospitality...

If you're looking for party central then Gressoney's not for you, but if you're going for the skiing then go!

TonyH wrote an excellent write-up a few years ago (sadly now missing the photos) :- TonyH's Champoluc report

And our last trip was an Easter blast :- Champoluc at Easter

We're very likely to opt for Gressoney for our next trip to the area - if I'm not out-voted by the family whose main criteria will be the excellent pizza to be found in Champoluc... :lol:

Thanks Admin, our night clubbing days are so long ago that vinyl was still in use (still is at home).
Sounds just right so will keep an eye on the white stuff and look at accommodation, much appreciated, cheers.

Does anyone know if the link between Sauze and Sestriere will be back in action - last year some of the runs were closed by the Local Authority which meant that the only way back was bus or black.
Taking a 1 week on snow skier and certainly not taking him down a black for obvious reasons (Nor Mrs M who has a thing about blacks.

Been to Sauze a couple of times over the years and like Italy for the ease of gluten free foods for my daughter who has coeliac disease. But Sauze alone is a bit limited and whilst Sestriere is good as is Sansicario (there is the pain of a very long drag lift out) which takes you back to the top of the return to Sauze that was partially closed last year/