la thuille or brides les bains

LOTA wrote:I didn't mean anything to do with Russian clientele!

I thought the Planibel was a soulless, monolithic slab of a building, reminiscent of an apartment block in Potsdam or Belgrade!

I guessed that LOTA.

Typical of many blocks that go up in these kind of places. But as many testify, its the skiing you're there for.

That's why I stayed at the truly excellent - and good value - Hotel Du Glacier in La Thuile, lovely hotel and perfect for the skiing.

Bellfi

The choice is .......

La Thuile is a ski resort with lifts to the skiing right there.

Brides is a town down in the valley with a long gondola up to Meribel. You take this both up to the skiing and back down from the skiing.

La Thuile links to la Rosiere in France and has a good ski area available.
Brides links to the three valleys - one of the most extensive ski areas in the world - Meribel, Courchevel, Val Thorens

Hope this helps your choice.
Good luck and enjoy :D

La Thuile is also Italy, which means its likely to be cheaper and with better food IMO.

I understand the ski area locally is also not as busy at the 3V. That might be an important factor.

The La Thuile/La Rosiere ski area is nowhere near as good as the 3 valleys (I've been to both) and La Rosiere has loads of drag lifts. Plus, there is only one connection between France and Italy and this shuts fairly often because of strong winds etc. and then you're stuck ski-ing one side and if you happen to be on the wrong side you can't get back, whereas the 3 Valleys has loads of connections, and each valley is the same size as La Thuile and La Rosiere together.

But I think they're pretty much hanging in the balance. I'm not sure I could stand the time wasted each day travelling back and fore to Meribel from Brides les Bains in the gondola. I much prefer ski in/ski out.

And they're both cheap options much better (in my opinion) than somewhere like Borovets in Bulgaria.

Ally

AllyG wrote:The La Thuile/La Rosiere ski area is nowhere near as good as the 3 valleys (I've been to both) and La Rosiere has loads of drag lifts. Plus, there is only one connection between France and Italy and this shuts fairly often because of strong winds etc. and then you're stuck ski-ing one side and if you happen to be on the wrong side you can't get back, whereas the 3 Valleys has loads of connections, and each valley is the same size as La Thuile and La Rosiere together.



Ally

You read that in a book or online somewhere, didn't you? I know because thats EXACTLY what it says in WTSS.

You're right; 3V has lots more skiing, but from Brides its a long ride up just to the first area. At least in La Thuile you're right on the snow. And its not every day that the link at the top is closed either. You can often get the same issue in 3V - links between Val Thorens and Meribel were shut all but one day when I went there in 2001.

I'll agree with all you say Ally but La Thuille does have a wonderful friendly atmosphere and you can afford to buy lunch or a coffee on the slopes ...also you do have the option of skiing Courmayuer for a couple of days and going to Pila for the day...and La ros is ..boring,,I would have gone to La Thuille but they sold out on Sunday so off to Brides Le Baine next week...let you know

Tony_H wrote:

You read that in a book or online somewhere, didn't you? I know because thats EXACTLY what it says in WTSS.

Tony - I don't even KNOW what the WTSS is, or where to get one. I was just expressing my opinion. But it's nice to know that my thought are worthy of publication in whatever the WTSS is :lol:

You must have been very unlucky for the links from VT to be shut every day except one, when you were there. But I think the links from Meribel are more likely to be open because they're lower and you can go either way - to VT or Courchevel.

Ally