pendodave
Tour Rookie
Italy is fabulous. My last trip was to Valtournench, village just outside Cervina. Food and hospitality is great.Hopefully off to Italy in a months time enjoy Villard de Lans, not one I've been to.
As for VdL, it's not at all well known in the UK, but it has a decentish downhill area, as well as the XC. Main attractions are that getting to Grenoble on the train is easy, and being less well known to Brits it doesn't attract huge school holiday crowds.