Champoluc Ski Area

jastem wrote:Many thanks for this Tony and you have probably summed up why our friends have suggested it.

Les Arcs it is then?

Yep - that should be far enough away :lol: :lol:

Tony_H wrote:
I am surprised Snapzzz said he didn't think it was my sort of place. It's everything I'm looking for.

I was surprised, as i said previously, because on paper it looks quite small and limited and that you had previously talked of looking at the Dolomites.
But i guess piste maps never tell the full story. I look forward to your return and review in Jan.

I think this looks interesting as well.
Will read Trip Report with interest.
:thumbup:

Just do it. You won't regret it!

The Monterosa ski area is well worth a visit. The lifts give access to a vast area of off-piste terrain with a large vertical range. The piste map doesn't really due it justice, a better idea of the potential can be obtained from the off-piste map http://www.monterosa.com/other-pages/piste-maps.aspx and the true size of the area can be compared with it's neighbours Cervinia and Zermatt by looking at the Swiss topo map http://map.schweizmobil.ch/ (enter Zermatt in the white box)

I prefer to stay in the Gressoney valley, because it's in the centre of the area. The downside is that there's very little night life and as the valley is quite narrow it can be quite dark early in the season. The best time to go is from the beginning of February to mid March.

As it's south of the main alpine ridge snow conditions aren't always perfect. Most of the snow comes from the south, usually via a Genoa low http://www.weatheronline.co.uk/reports/wxfacts/Genoa-Low.htm , but in a good year it's probably one of the best off-piste areas in Europe.

Wow! That brought back some memories. Stayed at Lo Scoiattolo two years ago (highly recommended); spotted 'our' table in the dining room. Sadly, the Guglielmina burned down last year, (bit of a recurring theme here as there is a burnt out, once quite grand hotel, called the Busch-Thedy, in Gressoney. It's just begging to be restored if anyone has a spare £20 million or so!!!

I recognized sections of La Balma and Canalino dell'Aquila, where our guide, Pierre took us. I would never have dreamed of tackling some of the sections he took us on, but what a sense of achievement we felt on completing them (even though we had the erm 'occasional' tumble -) . A word of advice to anyone wanting to improve off-piste here: Trust your guide. He quickly susses out your ability and just wants you to push yourself a little bit more. Although it may not always feel like it, he doesn't want to kill you. It's bad for business :). I can't wait to go back, with better off-piste skills, and get me a slice of that heli-skiing.

The best valley to stay in depends on individual circumstances. Champoluc is livelier, but is some distance from Alagna. Not a problem, for keen and fit intermediates, but don't forget to keep something in the bank for the homeward journey after a hard day's off-piste skiing. Gressoney is more centrally located but bear in mind that you have to ski the black down to Stafal to pick up the links to Champoluc and Alagna. The alternative is a 10 minute bus ride - no big deal.

While the nightlife in Gressoney isn't up to Austrian standards, there is a lovely little apres bar just around the corner from the end of the home piste with a great selection of Belgian and local beer, served with a smile and free nibbles. The bar in the centre of the village, in the church square, you have to catch at the right time. We went in there one evening about 9 o' clock and we were the only people in there; by 10:30 they were partying hard and swinging from the rafters!

Pros and cons in a nutshell?

Pros: Off the beaten track. A little bit wild and totally unspoiled.

After a good snowfall, off-piste to give La Grave and the Arlberg a run for their money.

Long, often wide, and always quiet pistes. We were warned about the weekend influx from Milan and Turin, but we hardly noticed a difference.

Chee-ee-ee-ap!

It's Italy. :thumbup:

Cons: Erratic snowfall. The off-piste is not in tip-top condition as often as it is in La Grave and the Arlberg. Not a problem on-piste; they have loads of snow cannons.

Nightlife can be too quiet for some.

Not ideal for beginners or nervous/lazy intermediates.

Not a huge amount of pistes. You will ski them all several times over in a week, but I doubt you'll touch the same piece of piste twice.

So, to sum up; I love it, Swingbeep rates it, Dids1 loves it, (see post re: This coming season), and Tony H is gonna love it too. Do yourself a big favour and get it booked :thumbup:

Gaz C wrote:Re:Champoluc - A little bit wild and totally unspoiled.

Just like you Tony ??
Sounds a great choice- will look forward to the report.