Skiing in Courmayeur with Mark Warner – a summary
Well, a summary for the trip:
Mark Warner: We were the first clients of the season and it was noticeable as there were a few rough edges. The ski reps did a good job, but they were obviously still ‘finding their feet’. This was not really their fault as it appears they were not given sufficient training/information before starting the season. Three problems, which occurred as a result of their lack of information:
- Poor advice on ski tickets: Several of the group got lift tickets that didn’t offer the coverage they asked for, and when they visited another ski area had to buy new tickets.
- The reps did not know that the lift passes that covered Chamonix also included free transport to and from Courmayeur.
In addition the reps were provided with ski jackets that were old and faded (they had done at least 2, if not 3, seasons), and were not water-proof.
All of the above was not helped by consistently confusing and contradictory instructions from the head ski host.
Hotel: The hotel was very warm and comfortable. In fact, my first room (31), was too warm as it was directly above the boiler.
Food: Food was very good at the start of the week, but did deteriorate as the week progressed.
Courmayeur: Interesting town. Very quaint, and very expensive. One thing that really annoyed me was the ‘Boxing Day Price Hike’. For example, a beer in Bar Roma (on the main street) cost €6 (£6 or $9) before the 26th December, however, on the 26th (or 27th) it went up to €8 (£8 or $12).
Nightlife: There did not seem to much night life (the cost?). There was rumour of a nightclub, but I never found it. The three main bars in the town seem to be Bar Roma, The American Bar, and the Post Bar.
The Skiing: Skiing was great. The piste was in excellent condition and very well groomed. At first I didn’t like the idea of leaving my skis and boots at the ski rental (Ski In) place up the hill, but I must admit that by the end of the week I had ‘warmed’ to the idea, and it was quite nice not having to lug ski gear through the town. The ski area is rather small and can easily be skied in a day (possibly 2).
Food on the mountain: In a word – expensive. A small piece of lasagna typically cost €10 (£10 or $15). However, most of the restaurants were very picturesque with wonderful views. Food was also variable in quality and quantity between restaurants.
Solo Skiing: It all worked very well. I met some very interesting people (all the ‘solos’ were put on the same table for meals) and had a great deal of fun skiing with them.
