Champoluc - December 2012 report

Geno, I'm staying at the hotel champoluc right next to the crest gondola, any decent bars in that area?

Met some Brits who normally stay at Hotel Champoluc which they rate highly. Definite ski in ski out at the moment.
As for bars I can't help you as we don't party hard nowadays and it was very quiet when we were there. Lo Bistrot, directly opposite Crest lift looks popular with locals. Lots of pub type things such as Hotel Breitorn where you can sit and drink beer and have a chat.
Let us know how you go. I hope you enjoy it and I haven't pumped it up too much.

Excellent Report. Very timely personally as self & wife after some hesitation plumped for Champoluc over a few other possibilities for our January trip. Thanks.

Admin wrote:Excellent report - thank you!

Sounds like they've upgraded a few lifts in recent years, but it's a good ski area. Look forward to your next trip...

Only my subjective opinion on lift speed. The quads aren't super high speed but they are decent. In cricket bowling terms I would rate them as fast medium pacers. Not express like Brett Lee, more like Jimmy Anderson, which is quick enough.
Bear in mind I didn't et out of Champoluc valley. Maybe other valleys have clunkers.

Alagna served by state-of-the-art cable-car. Gressoney by two older, but efficient two-man chair-lifts. No Geno, you are not over-selling it. Tied with St. Anton as the best place I've ever been to!

Gaz C wrote:Alagna served by state-of-the-art cable-car. Gressoney by two older, but efficient two-man chair-lifts. No Geno, you are not over-selling it. Tied with St. Anton as the best place I've ever been to!

Blimey, now you really are pumping it up

Love the Brett Lee, Jimmy Anderson analogy!

Relieved they're not like Steve Harmison: wild, moody and always breaking down!

Tony_H wrote:

Blimey, now you really are pumping it up

I really do believe it is that good! For quality of skiing, I thought St. Anton and Monterosa were similar. For nightlife they were poles apart. Now I like to party as much as the next guy but somehow, the lack of action in the evenings didn't seem to matter. My mate and I dropped on with a great crowd at the Scoiattolo so I suppose the 'craic' was laid on. No reason to suppose you shouldn't do likewise at the Champoluc.

The area isn't ideal for beginners and low intermediates as easy blues are few and far between (trips to Antagnod and St Jean may mitigate the problem) but for anyone else it's ideal. Higher intermediates who are into covering high mileage may start to tire of the same pistes by the end of the week but this is the point where, if you want to progress as a skier, you hire a guide and check out the incredible off-piste.

I guess the word that best sums up this area for me is 'authentic' and the reason I am not returning this year is twofold: 1; the steeps into Stafal and Alagna are just too big an ask of my kids (won't be for long though :-) ) and 2; I want to improve my off-piste skiing in order to really do the place justice next time (which was the point of the early trip to Tignes -) ). Have a good one when you go: I really can't see how you could fail to :thumbup:.