Skier & Snowboarder-Submitted Reviews for La Norma
Planning a ski trip to La Norma? Browse our collection of visitor-generated reviews that rank the mountain and ski town on a scale of one to five stars in the following categories: Overall Rating, All-Mountain Terrain, Nightlife, Terrain Park and Family Friendly. See how La Norma stacks up to others in terms of skiing and après, and read up on pros, cons and comments from fellow skiers and snowboarders. Don't forget to submit your own La Norma review! Scroll to the bottom of this page to let other travelers know about your ski area experience.
Skier & Snowboarder-Submitted Reviews for La Norma
Total (3.3)
A ski resort's overall star rating displayed here is not calculated based on a simple average but takes several factors, including the age of a review, into account.
Came here as a family group - 4 skiers of various abilities and 2 newbies. Really easy access from the autoroute and covered ( free ) parking. Suggest winter tyres if driving - the access road is quite steep. Compact - nothing is much more than 5 minutes walk from anything else and all the main services ( Pharmacie excepted) are available. Beginners very well catered for with nice nursery slopes and then some good long greens / blues to progress to. Lifts never too busy. More advanced skiers a bit bored by the end of the week and couldn't be bothered tangling with the pretty rigid arrangements for using the skipass elsewhere. Probably wouldn't come again as have 'done' the resort and runs now, but would strongly recommend as a place to bring beginners and get them hooked.
This is a fantastic resort for families, all the runs go back to the village, it's got dedicated learning areas at different hights so there's always snow, the centre is car free, everything is slope side, ski hire, restaurants, crèche and so on. The lift pass is amazing value, as is the ski hire and food/Drink prices. It has a bed capacity of around 4000 and a lift capacity of 6000 per hour so hardly any waiting for lifts. Another advantage of this is the off pieste lasts won't get skied out. It's north facing and so is snow sure. Snow canons up to 2000 metres. You don't get ripped off like you do in the big resorts. There are several other amazing ski areas a short ski bus / car ride away The Three Valleys , Val Cenis, Valloire. Only 6 km off the motorway so easy to get there.
A very friendly and family orientated resort. Bottom of the slopes, play park, creche, ski school meeting point and toddlers ski school (piou piou club) all within a 100 yards area. Two nice blues and a very short green for the kids (9 and 7) to play on whilst mum or dad could keep an eye on them and play with the three year old in the play park.
Used ESF for all three childern and have nothing but praise (Paschal for the older girls) and piou piou club instructors for the youngest were very patient.
The ski area has some nice reds, a couple of blacks, one of them a challanging unpisted mogul, and some nice runs through the trees. I visited in late March and found that there was still plenty of capicity on the slopes.
We flew into Chambery from Belfast and hired a car. Easiest transfer ever. The journey is just over an hour, mostly moterway and main road with only the last ten minutes of the journey involving not very twisty mountain road.
Your lift pass entitled you to a free nights flood lit skiing which is the first time I ever did it and was good way to pass the night.
The resort has to be the friendliest I have ever been to, winter or summer, and given that it is not geared up for the English speaking market, I found only one shop/cafe were they did not speak passible English to compensate for our less than adequate French.
If the roads are not snowy you are only an hours drive from val d'isere, and many other resorts.
We booked through snow trex and along with our own flights, carihire, lessons for three childern, boots and skis all round and two bedroom appartment we did it for less then £1,800, not forgetting that brochure prices for Northern Ireland are usually £50 a head dearer than Gatwick; a bargin all round. When the kids get bigger we will go the bigger resorts but for now and 23 Jan 2010 it's La Norma for us.
Stayed in Les Chalets de la Vanoise, clean and functional.
Met a group of younger men (late 20s) who enjoyed the resort and seemed to find some enterainment at night, judging by their appearance at breakfast in the cafe up the road. But in the main a family resort.
Went to La Norma in march 2008, mainly bacuase of price (exceptionally good value accomodation), all the accomdoation is convenient to the slopes, the people are friendly with high levels of service (which i have found it unusual for french resorts), standard of tuition is equally high, much better than elsewhere in the alps. The week we were there, we did not queue for a ski lift once. Also very clsoe to the motorway, so if coming from grenoble or Turin it is a pretty straight forward easy drive.
Down sides are it is fairly limited in extent, however it is very easy to get to neighbouring resort if you have a hire car, including the three valleys (Access to val thorens via the fourth valley).
We have been going to La Norma for several years and every time we see an improvement in facilities. Snow machines on most of the runs have extended the season. The Child care facilities are excellent making this an ideal resort for families yet providing good skiing for the more experienced.
If you would like more information about La Norma or would like to rent our apartment then please visit our website www.la-norma.co.uk
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