Help with my shortlist

Ok, just planning ahead for next season. I intend to make 3 trips if possible, and my I will select from Austria, France, Switzerland and Italy.
I have done some research and checked out WTSS, and my shortlist has been drawn up. Here are my selctions for Italy. I would be most grateful if anyone who has been to all/some/any of these resorts would give me some feedback.
I am looking for info on the ski area in terms of ease of access, possibly ski back to resort, lift queues, snow, and any other useful info you wish to share.
I have selected the resorts based on their access to reasonably sized ski areas and offering suitable accommodation and atmosphere for me.
Heres the Italian selection:

Arabba
Selva
Corvara
La Thuile
Champoluc/Gressony

Thanks in advance.

As the Austria thread, haven't visited any of the others but La Thuile appealed to me to the point it is somewhere I now really want to visit. Eerily quiet on the slopes, options to ski to France. (Paradise of little north faces (sic) is how it was described to me).

Pablo,
I have been to the other half of La Thuile - La Rosiere, for a week's ski-ing. The problem with it is that it still has lots of drag lifts. One of them was so steep that the ski instructor asked us women if we thought we could manage it - at one point you were practically dangling by your arms. And another one has a very sharp bend in it. And there's a very long flat drag lift between La Thuile and La Rosiere. If you fall off it (like one poor person I saw) it's a very long walk. I don't know if there's another link in between. And sometimes the link is shut.

And the lower run at La Rosiere is very pretty through trees but often shut because of lack of snow, and the return chair lift is very slow. I skied it in a lesson and I couldn't believe it because at the bottom the snow was missing, so we had to take off our skis and walk.

I think the La Thuile side has the better ski-ing, and more modern lifts.

Ally

Tony, my wife, daughter and I have skiied at Champoluc 3 times - last Christmas and previously a couple of long weekends in late March. We rate it very highly indeed:-
- miles of fast cruising over 3 valleys on seemingly empty pistes
- good altitude for late season snow
- spectacular scenery
- friendly laid back Italian style
- reasonable prices

On the downside, its a quiet village and there's only one piste back down to the bottom which can get busy and worn and its a proper red - neither of which bothers us.

We travelled with "ski2" who we found quite simply superb, they do everything for you!

Hope this is helpful.

Tony_H wrote:Ok, just planning ahead for next season. I intend to make 3 trips if possible, and my I will select from Austria, France, Switzerland and Italy.
I have done some research and checked out WTSS, and my shortlist has been drawn up. Here are my selctions for Italy. I would be most grateful if anyone who has been to all/some/any of these resorts would give me some feedback.
I am looking for info on the ski area in terms of ease of access, possibly ski back to resort, lift queues, snow, and any other useful info you wish to share.
I have selected the resorts based on their access to reasonably sized ski areas and offering suitable accommodation and atmosphere for me.
Heres the Italian selection:

Arabba
Selva
Corvara
La Thuile
Champoluc/Gressony

Thanks in advance.

Out of those I can only offer advice on La Thuile, modern resort with with some great skiing, Me and Mrs W really enjoyed the skiing, and there are plenty of options to visit other resorts Pila, courmayeur and also there are some great blacks for a challenge. It is a resort I would return to. :twisted:

Hi Tony

I have stayed in Suisse which is near the Sellaronda, which Arabba and Selva are on. All part of the Dolomiti Superski area. We skied the Sellaronda both clock and anti clockwise, we did have to walk short distances through a couple of resorts. It's a great area with about 1200 km of piste, I believe.

I went January last year and the conditions were excellent. I don't remeber the queues being too bad at all, althought the Sellaronda circuit does get qite busy.

Arabba is near the Marmalade which is stunning.

It is in the Sud Tirrol area which used to be part of Austria, and there is a very strong Austrian feel about the area. Some places have two names and alot of German is spoken. (Apparently, the Italian government throw money at the area (to keep the peace, so I'm told) and consequently there are very few drag lifts.)

Get on line when you get home, and the ski pass will have recorded exactly which lifts you took and when, approximtley how far you skied, and other information including height. I managed 255km! :thumbup:

Just got back from Arabba and had an excellent time. Ques few and far between. Arabba is quiet so dont expect to much in the way of night life. At work so will say more later.

johnski96 wrote:Tony, my wife, daughter and I have skiied at Champoluc 3 times - last Christmas and previously a couple of long weekends in late March. We rate it very highly indeed:-
- miles of fast cruising over 3 valleys on seemingly empty pistes
- good altitude for late season snow
- spectacular scenery
- friendly laid back Italian style
- reasonable prices

On the downside, its a quiet village and there's only one piste back down to the bottom which can get busy and worn and its a proper red - neither of which bothers us.

We travelled with "ski2" who we found quite simply superb, they do everything for you!

Hope this is helpful.

Yes, thanks it is. I have looked at Champoluc sevderal times. I have also looked at ski2 brochures and their website and find their prices are extortionate: a 2 star hotel early Jan £700 half board, which only includes lift pass and transfers, not flights! Thats way too much for me. I was looking to spend £500 on a fully catered chalet inc flights (not including lift pass) which is simply no comparison for me. I do understand ski2 do offer an excellent service, but its too much to pay. A 3 star on the brochure was coming in at £930 for the week!!!!!

I have read good reports about the ski area, hence why its on my short list, but I will be giving ski2 a wide berth at those prices I am afraid.