San Domenico di Varzo

The praise goes to the modern gondola and the immaculately prepared pistes, to the panoramas, and to how uncrowded the slopes are. Staff are called professional and welcoming, and the school is a good place to make a first attempt on skis. One plus almost everyone mentions: parking in the village is free and there is usually plenty of it.

The access road and the management both draw criticism. The climb up from Varzo is narrow and unnerving in icy conditions. Plenty of complaints concern what the new gondola construction left behind: abandoned work sites, potholes, crash barriers and makeshift signage. The sorest point is announcing closures at the last minute - over the summer visitors were assured the link works would finish on time, then days before the season it declared it could not open them and ran only the gondola and beginner carpets. Steadily rising prices round out the list.