Tom Goodwin from ITALY writes:
I've just got back from Pila where the snow was the best for 20 years. The resort had 3 metres at the top, and enough at the bottom to last past Easter. Reading other reviews, it's true that there is no life in Pila at night - you have to make you own fun after the lifts stop, and the week-ends, peak times are particularly shocking, as Milanese and Torinese day-trippers ascend in their thousands. The British schoolchildren are no longer a nuisance and the locals are very welcoming. On the plus side, it has one of the best views in the Alps, and a short 'Bubble' ride takes you to Aosta, a city small enough to explore easily yet big enough to have good shopping, culture and amenities.
I would say Pila is a great mid-sized resort with plenty for beginners and intermediates, and if you know where to look, experts, like myself, keep coming back. For variety there is always the option of an international day trip. These resorts are under two hours away: La Thuile/La Rosiere, Cervinia/Zermatt Courmayeur/Chamonix or the cheapest heli-skiing in Europe. The ski school and creche are well run and compared to France or Switzerland, everything is absurdly cheap. Now it is time to come clean - I have been going for 30 years and with two young sons, I will probably still be there in another thirty.
In fact, I enjoyed the last trip to Pila so much, we're going back next week.
2009-03-26 |
