Skiing in italy

grigg

Hi guys, thinking of going to Italy skiing with the family. The kids are all under 8yrs old. I’ve had a recommendation for livigno but the nearly four hours transfer is not desirable at all. The resorts closest to Turin are all two hours or less transfer times but I don’t know anyone who has been and the travel agents are more familiar with France and Austria. Any recommendations would be much appreciated

Bloody Nipples

Haven't been myself but have heard good things about Sauze d'Oulx, handy transfer from Turin.

skinnyfries

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058317895/skiing-in-italy

We went to Bardonecchio in January 2022. Really enjoyed it, mountain rollercoaster the kids (young and old) will love!

grigg

Thanks for your replies. We had narrowed it down to Bardonecchia or La Thuile.

skinnyfries….you found Bardonecchia family friendly? Was ski school and rest of resort good for non Italian speakers? Good selection of shops and restaurants if we decided to go self catering? Is there a swimming pool for public use?

skinnyfries

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121232164#Comment_121232164

We stayed in a hotel opposite the gondola and were half board. Hotel had a pool so I’m not sure about public pool.

Our ski instructor didn’t have great English. The ski gondola is about a 15 minute walk out of the town, we only ventured down 1 afternoon and to be honest, there weren’t many bars/restaurants. My daughter still complains she went to Italy for a week and didn’t have a pizza!!

navigator

La Thuile is really gorgeous, both for skiing (one of the best resorts of the Alps, even if underrated) and landscape

prunudo

@grigg you haven't said if you plan to go tour operator or diy, so that will have a bearing on options. For some reason the Irish tour ops love Livigno, but as you say its a long bus ride. I've been twice, first time 15 years back it was near 6 hours to resort due to snow fall. Second time about 7 years ago we drove but was still about 4 hours.

Also noticed, where in the past it was marketed as a more affordable resort, it definitely had a different feel the second time with not as friendly clientele and nationalities more interested in posh shopping and being obnoxious on the slopes.

Personally wouldn't go back, I'd look at resorts to the west, resorts off the Aosta Valley, Cervinia, Sauze D'oulx, etc. Was in Champoluc a couple years back which was nice. Gressoney could be an option too and La Thuile as others have said.

a148pro

Skied La Thuile last year and always keep an eye out for somewhere I'd ski with the kids. It looked good for this as there's a large apartment complex (Planibel I think it was called) right opposite the slopes and lifts at the bottom which seemed good value and convenient.

While I really enjoyed the resort and its chilled atmosphere in particular, I wouldn't bring my kids there as the runs down to the resort were either super steep blacks or thin awkward red / blue. I prefer ski in ski out with blues on the doorstep if I can. The blues in La Thule are up the mountain so you'd have to get the gondola up and down with beginners I think. Also the lifts up there were fairly slow.

If flying to Turin I'd consider Pila or Cervinia with kids. Cervinia has a lot of ski convenience with ready availability of apartments and lots of gentle slopes. Pila would also be good option for gentle slopes I think. I think the milky way resorts are said to be good also but have never been.

DoraDelite

I did 3 days in Sauze D'oulx the winter before last as friends were there for the week so I popped over from France for a long weekend. Honestly I would not go back, it seemed to be marketed to late teens/early twenties groups of English. The town itself wasn't bad but it was the first time in a very long time that I thought the slopes were dangerous as the amount of out of control skiers just straight lining down the slopes was a sight to behold. I spent the 3 days looking over my shoulder while skiing in order not to end up getting wiped out. The lifts are small and slow as well so I wasn't a fan.

I'd second the posts above for Cervinia or Pila, much nicer slopes. I'd probably swing for Cervinia as Pila is north facing so is in the shade for a lot of the day and can be pretty cold. You could also try France, just over the border and within 2 hours of Turin, you've got Montgenevre and Serre Chevalier, both are good family friendly spots as well.

The lips

Great thread and info, thanks.

I am thinking of going DIY over new years with two kids 10 and 6, kids are first timers.

Trying to minimize commute from the airport as much as possible.

The Davestator

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121399493#Comment_121399493

I've done Italy a few times. Fly to Milan Bergomo and its about a 1 hour drive to Montecampione, Presolana etc. Some are big and some are small. Most of the on piste accom is sat to sat, but we stayed a little further and drove and it was very good

trashcan

OP, any reason it has to be Italy ? Would you consider Austria ? I’m a regular in Westendorf and it’s very good for beginners and kids. An hour and a half by coach from Salzburg airport. There is also a train station just outside the village I you are going diy.

edit - Nursery slope is very convenient to the village also. No bus needed. Just a couple of minutes walk from the Main Street.

a clanger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121399493#Comment_121399493

Get a couple of lessons for the kids at ski Ireland in Kilternan. I did it for mine a few years ago ( 2 weekends from what I recall) made a huge difference when they hit the slopes as they were off on the pistes from day !.....and not with the 'bangers' learning to stand up !