Last part of our family half term trip – Picture-perfect Courmayeur Mont Blanc.

Waiting for the funicular to go down into Courmayeur- Courmayeur Mont Blanc- Picture perfect Courmayeur. Photo by The-Ski-Guru

So we left Pila that afternoon, came down the gondola to Aosta, drove to our house in Charvensod and packed the car. Off we left when the sun was setting down and said goodbye to Aosta, ready for our next adventure on our family half term trip– Courmayeur Mont Blanc.

Picture perfect Courmayeur - Plan Chécrouit. Photo by The-Ski-Guru. Last part of our family half term trip – Picture-perfect Courmayeur Mont Blanc.
Picture perfect Courmayeur – Plan Chécrouit. Photo by The-Ski-Guru

We were not going to be long in Courmayeur, only a couple of nights. I have been there previously with the family every year having breakfast the last Saturday of the week, and recently visiting in November for a couple of nights during a working trip.



Booking.com

But I wanted to be feeling what is to be there, staying overnight and sharing it with my family. We arrived in Courmayeur and we had a reservation in the Edelweiss hotel, a 2* hotel right in the middle of town. As this was carnival week, it was extremely difficult to find a place where to sleep, more for only two nights, when the hotel owners could sell the full week. But thanks to some contacts within Courmayeur, I’ve got this hotel, which is very simple, but really nice. I would say it is more a 3*. Maybe the breakfast is simple and that gets it down to a 2*, plus the restaurant does not open for lunch and dinner (it opens for all meals only in the summer), and that might affect the star count.

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Our first part of our family ski trip in Pila- Aosta

Family trip to Pila, Valle d'Aosta - Photo by The-Ski-Guru.

So we made it to Aosta, back in the flat we always rent in Charvensod, at the outskirts of Aosta, and we went for dinner to meet our family friends that are also with us during this week. Dinner in this family restaurant and Pizzeria Millenium is always fun, easy with the kids, and good on the wallet!

The tram to piste 15- Pila- Photo by: The-Ski-Guru.
The tram to piste 15- Pila- Photo by: The-Ski-Guru.

We went to sleep ready for the first day of going skiing – for me it is always a bit of a nightmare to organise the first day of skiing – more if I am carrying my family with me.

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The family road trip ski holiday started – a trip to Italy via France

France was all covered in snow during our trip to the Alps - Photo: The-Ski-Guru

Finally the day for our annual family ski trip started, and we’ve left home at 4 AM in the morning to take a 7 AM Eurotunnel. It was freezing cold and the motorway seemed a bit icy. We made it in great time to the Eurotunnel in Folkestone and we were allowed to board in early – Just a quick coffee and porridge for me, a bacon butty for my husband and some croissants for the boys with some good coffee before boarding on the train.

The Eurotunnel Folkestone roof was decorated with a ski theme. Photo by The-Ski-Guru.
The Eurotunnel Folkestone roof was decorated with a ski theme. Photo by The-Ski-Guru.

We were before 8 AM in Calais -first thing to do is to remember to drive on the right! I dare not drive on the other side of the road, I needed to learn how to drive on the left side in the UK and it confused me a lot. Luckily, my husband is better for doing so.

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I have been away on holidays – will post about it in the next few days

Mum and kid riding the chairlift together- Pila Ski in the Sky, above the city of Aosta - Photo - The-Ski-Guru.

I am back from holidays with backs full of dirty clothes, have done three full loads and I am not ready yet to put all away…. but promise that will make a report of our fantastic trip… when I feel human again!

Going up the gondola, one happy child - Photo by The-Ski-Guru - Pila, Aosta Valley.
Going up the gondola, one happy child – Photo by The-Ski-Guru – Pila, Aosta Valley.

I need a holiday from my holidays! More soon!

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Featured Image: Mum and kid riding the chairlift together- Pila Ski in the Sky, above the city of Aosta – Photo – The-Ski-Guru.

In the meantime, you can keep on reading more ski news at The-Ski-Guru

Follow us through our hashtags #theskiguru and #skinewsatyourfingertips in social media.

Or you can read more on driving to the mountains tips here.

If you want to choose where to go and ski in Europe, you can start by comparing the resorts’ ski passes rates.

Packing list for your family ski holiday

Skiers Over New Year Prepare for a £450 Wipeout at the Car Hire Rental Desk. Photo by Adrian - Unsplash - taken in Mont Saint Helens, USA.

Going skiing with the family is great, but you need to plan your bag ahead, and be sure that your little ones will not be suffering from the cold, or if not, your holiday might be jeopardised if they are too cold for skiing.

A stop in the way when driving - Photo by Easton Oliver - Unsplash - Estes Park, Colorado
A stop in the way when driving – Photo by Easton Oliver – Unsplash – Estes Park, Colorado

When you are packing, I suggest thinking on your ski clothes first, and doing the normal clothes later. You will not need too many normal clothes if you are self catering, a couple of trousers, shirts or t-shirts and warm jumpers if you are planning to dine outside, unless you are staying in a hotel or chalet and you have to go out for dinner or you have included half or full board, that you might want to look smart every evening.

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Earthquake triggers tsunami warning for coastal Alaska, Canada’s British Columbia and a warning for the US West Coast. – Tsunami warnings cancelled- updated

Massive storm - photo by John Fowler - Unsplash

Updated 1:45 PM GMT time – News from CNN.com

Tsunami warnings canceled after magnitude-7.9 earthquake off Alaska

(CNN)Forecasters canceled tsunami warnings for Alaska and the US and Canadian west coasts Tuesday after an earthquake in the Gulf of Alaska stoked fears of damaging waves.

The tsunami alerts were canceled “because additional information and analysis have better defined the threat,” said the National Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer, Alaska
Tsunami warnings in Alaska and Western British Columbia and US Coast. Photo by Michael Dam - Unsplash
Tsunami warnings in Alaska and Western British Columbia and US Coast. Photo by Michael Dam – Unsplash

Continue reading “Earthquake triggers tsunami warning for coastal Alaska, Canada’s British Columbia and a warning for the US West Coast. – Tsunami warnings cancelled- updated”

Zermatt, Andermatt and Davos affected with massive snowstorms.

The avalanche risk due to massive snowstorms have again prevented the access by road and rail to Zermatt ski resort. SWI – swissinfo.ch informs that Andermatt and Davos are also affected.

The police of Valais has asked everyone not to travel unless necessary in its territory. The Insitute of Investigation of Snow and Avalanches had elevated the danger of avalanches to the maximum level (5 “very high”) in all the north Cordillera of the Swiss Alps. A combination of very heavy precipitations and winds up to 130 km/h in the mountains have created a very insecure scenario for travel.

In the low lands, very big precipitations have considerably increased the risk of flooding and mudslides.

If you need to travel in the mountains, you can check our tips here.

The risk of avalanches (in the picture black and red, is level 5, the maximum) by this morning.

Switzerland Avalanche risk - SRF - SWI
Switzerland Avalanche risk – SRF – SWI

Now is not the time to go skiing off-piste please – you can check another grim article we covered on avalanche deaths in this region in Switzerland here.

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Driving to the Mountains

Snowy landscape - Photo by Khurt Williams - Unsplash. Driving to the mountains.

Driving to the mountains, in this case to the Alps from the UK is a very good option if you are carrying your family and you do not want to break your bank account to go skiing.

Driving to the mountains - Daniel Kainz photography - Unspalsh.com
Driving to the mountains – Daniel Kainz photography – Unspalsh.com

There are two ways to cross the channel – via a ferry or using the Eurotunnel- the Eurotunnel is great as it only takes 35 minutes to get to Calais from Folkestone.

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