Easter ski destination in Italy / France

Just a note ..when I went to Courmayeur there was a free shuttle bus to La Thuille ..and the lift pass gave you two days there plus access far a day to Cervinia or Pila '''but it was a few years ago

daved wrote:Just a note ..when I went to Courmayeur there was a free shuttle bus to La Thuille ..and the lift pass gave you two days there plus access far a day to Cervinia or Pila '''but it was a few years ago
[/Daved
That sounds great. Would be nice to check the o5er local resort ! Thank you

I never got a sense of la thuile as a village as only went as far as the bottom lifts in the first instance, so cant say how big or strung out the resort was.
La Ros is small..two main areas, 1 the main village and Euchert, which is a 10 min walk through the 'forest'.
Linked by bus, most u.k chalets are in Euchert and even the worse position is only 5 mins from the lift up which is a modern chair, ski school and never really busy.
A strong fast advanced piste skier might think there isnt enough but if you want big mileage be prepared to share everything else with crowds.

Reasonable chalet ops start with Ski Beat in a good location. Attractive resort for France, modern buildings but they've tried to be sympathetic.

The only problem you'll have is if the weather closes in all week...

If the snow is not great, I'd bet it isnt much good anywhere else close.

As i said, cover has been good recently...and 3 to 4 mtrs at the top takes a while to disappear.

La thuile access from Turin unless the package goes via gva which wouldn't be bad if you had a car but the tunnel would be expensive..??

Hi Sonofapreacher,
Thank you for more advice :)
At the moment we are considering both self-drive and flight options. It sounds like both bases in Espace San Bernardo are great options. We would also love to visit Courmayuer or Chamonix for a day or two if at all possible.

La Ros is not really accessible.
Chamonix through the tunnel or ski from helbronner via the vallee blanche, but youd have to get transport back to Courmayuer.

To have a chance to do that, you'd have to be located in La thuile or Courmayuer.

For me, the best lift in Chamonix is the Ag du midi. Argentiere without the bottom cable car (Fire damage) is a severe compromise so i cant see you driving all that way from Italy to do that..?

On another point, Monterosa goes high but the main weather comes up from the Med, so for me, the valley would be stellar if it had snow, but i was never that lucky in 5 years of trying.

Cervinia is also high and snow sure and has the link to Zermatt and whilst it is largely a piste resort, there are lots of avenues you can access for easy off piste. In that regard, a bit like La Ros. It depends how the Italians patrol off piste, in bounds.

Sonofapreacher wrote:La Ros is not really accessible.
Chamonix through the tunnel or ski from helbronner via the vallee blanche, but youd have to get transport back to Courmayuer.

To have a chance to do that, you'd have to be located in La thuile or Courmayuer.

For me, the best lift in Chamonix is the Ag du midi. Argentiere without the bottom cable car (Fire damage) is a severe compromise so i cant see you driving all that way from Italy to do that..?

On another point, Monterosa goes high but the main weather comes up from the Med, so for me, the valley would be stellar if it had snow, but i was never that lucky in 5 years of trying.

Cervinia is also high and snow sure and has the link to Zermatt and whilst it is largely a piste resort, there are lots of avenues you can access for easy off piste. In that regard, a bit like La Ros. It depends how the Italians patrol off piste, in bounds.

Ok, so La Ros great base for Espace San Bernardo, La Thuile better base for a day trip to Courmayeur. I will bear in mind warning about Monterosa snow! Thank you again, Sonofapreacher.

Yes. The drive to Chamonix from la ros would take hrs and we've found if you get too ambitious driving, it takes a large part of the day.

La thuile to Courmayuer is doable, as not that far if they run regular buses, but to get over to Chamonix is another 40 mins or so...and then which lift..?
I think Chamonhx would have a congestion problem with the argentiere problem.

You could go the valle blanche from Courmayuer on an organised trip but you'd likely have to do it from Courmayuer in the first place.

If la ros, Courmayuer are your goals, then la thuile is the central position.

Sonofapreacher wrote:Yes. The drive to Chamonix from la ros would take hrs and we've found if you get too ambitious driving, it takes a large part of the day.

La thuile to Courmayuer is doable, as not that far if they run regular buses, but to get over to Chamonix is another 40 mins or so...and then which lift..?
I think Chamonhx would have a congestion problem with the argentiere problem.

You could go the valle blanche from Courmayuer on an organised trip but you'd likely have to do it from Courmayuer in the first place.

If la ros, Courmayuer are your goals, then la thuile is the central position.

Thank you again, Sonofapreacher. I think it is going to be either La Ros or La Thuile snow and coronavirus permitting :) Will try to call La Thuile Tourist office to find out about bus service to/ from Courmayeur. Either location sounds very exciting. Have a happy Easter skiing everyone !