 Poster: A snowHead
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Finally managed to book a chalet in Morillon and some flights to Grenoble for our group during Feb 2014 half term
Thought I would book the hirecar now before the price goes up and noticed quite a few warning me when I said I wanted to pick the car up at 21.00 that the hire care office shuts at 20.30! We land at 20.00 so I am a bit worried by the time we get our luggage etc that the care hire places will be shut
I looked at the Grenoble airport website which listed 3 hire companies but not sure if its uptodate
Can anyone who has been there recently (late at night) confirm if they got a hire car okay and who it was with please?
Also anything to be wary of when travelling from the airport to Morillon please?
Many thanks
Yoghurt
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Can`t help on closing times - tho` I`ve never heard of anyone not being able to get their hire car (and our guests use Grenoble all the time).
Why not drop the hire company/ies an e mail ?
Also, I generallly shoot straight out to nab the hire car whilst my other half deals with the luggage (also beats the car hire queues).
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Why not drop the hire company/ies an e mail ?
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I'd phone them.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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GNB is tiny. The car hire cabins are about 50m from the front door (aim slightly right). Assuming the plane isn't late it should be no problem - especially if you leave someone else to collect your bags.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Yoghurt, Normally, if you put your flight number on your car hire booking in the relevant section, they wait until you arrive. I was told this by the Europcar staff at Geneva very late one evening. If you don't indicate to them you are on a flight when you book your car hire they just assume you are a no show and go home.
But as pam w, mentions why not check with them first.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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It's a real scrum getting through GNB though at busy times. The queue for passports (which is outside) can take quite some time to clear. Reclaim (there are only 2 or 3 belts) takes some time too so sending someone through to pick up the car is a good idea.
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Thanks-I have contacted Europcar who said it was open to 10pm so should be okay
Has anyone done the journey? I am going to ask for snow tyres but not sure if there are any dodgy bits!?
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It's a simple enough journey, but as for dodgy, that depends on the weather. Snow tyres are all very well but you could well need chains (which will come with the car). The local council clears the roads, obviously, to a point, but it can be dicey.
It's well worth learning how to put chains on, too. Years ago I drove to Les Carroz in a hire car with snow tyres on, thinking that would be OK. It wasn't, but I had no idea how to fit the chains, so we just ploughed on. My brother in law and I nearly died. OK, that's an exaggeration, but it was hairy. (I was a complete moron as a younger man, instead of just the occasional one I now am.)
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Cheers
Yes, I recall trying to put snow chains on whilst it was snowing/bitterly cold in Switzerland and struggling!
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which will come with the car
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should do, but by no means a foregone conclusion. Essential to check.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I was told by Europcar to check back in November to see about adding snow tyres but still cannot find that option on line (only chains) so I have asked them again.
Do they actually supply hire cars in France with snow tyres (even as an optional extra) or are they not legally required/offered? I will be ticking the box for snow chains too
Many thanks
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Should be better in the evening but Grenoble can be chaos when all the flights arrive on a Saturday morning
This includes the car rental desks
All the brokers & most of the airlines go with Europcar so the queues can be 20 to 30 deep & with only a few staff it can be a long wait
Avis & Sixt are usually much shorter and therefore quicker.
Only other advice would be to be careful driving through Grenoble - the signage to Chambery is not that great
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Thank you janner-we are with Europcar so may send someone ahead to get in the queue-we do not land until 8pm so it may be a bit quieter ( although it IS half term!)
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You know it makes sense.
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Just planning our car journey..
Since we do not land until 20:00 we do not anticipate arriving at Morillon until 23:00. Along the route (I just googled Grenoble to Morillon) is there any supermarkets that may be open after 21:00 so we can get some provisions?
Many thanks
Yoghurt
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Yoghurt - I would suggest looking up the larger of the two Carrefours in Cluses and seeing how late it is open.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Directly opposite GNB is a huge supermarket (24h petrol for the way back too). Just proceed out of the airport and at the roundabout under the dual carriageway keep going. It's on the right on the other side. No idea of opening hours though.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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99 percent of supermarkets in France close @ 2000 so unfortunately you will have to shop in the carrefore just before Samoens Sunday AM
Andy
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I'm sure it is due to cheap flights but why fly to Grenoble if you are skiing in Morrilon. GVA would be a much more sensible option. As for the route when you hit the Lyon Grenoble road just head north towards Lyon then chambery, simples
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thanks everyone I will check the opening times though it sounds like carrefore just before Samoens on Sunday morning!
Yes Greoble because of cost and availability and flying from Bristol. Thank you for the directions too
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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The supermarket by the airport is a Super U. They close at 7.30 pm. Most supermarkets in France open 9 - 12.30 on a Sunday, even the big town/superstore types. After 11 years of travelling France up to 5 times a year I've never found a supermarket open after 12.30 on a Sunday. Petrol is 24 hours but pay by card only in the automated machine. If you intend to use these have two different types of card as some seem to have a dislike of MasterCard, electron and American Express.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks jellybabe.
I did use google street maps to ID it was Super U and they close at 7.30 in the evening and the Carrefour's en route close by 8pm so we will have to do our shopping on Sunday.
Thanks for the warning about closing at 12.30 on Sundays!
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Yoghurt - You could use the Carrefour near Samoens on the Sunday. You can access it easily from Morillon without going through samoens.
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Just a word of warning, when I say close I mean they literally shut up shop, the tills turn off and the staff go. It is not like tesco arrive five mins before and carry on shopping. The French take their working time/time off very seriously. Either plan to eat out or pack a few emergency supplies.
On another note having done Grenoble to Tignes las year the drive was pretty easy, head out of the airport, turn left at the roundabout, head down the dual carriageway left onto the ring road. The trick to driving in France is to know the next city/town on your route and just follow signs for it.
Do a reverse route on rac back to Grenoble, the exits are not so clear and we nearly dropped peeps off late for their flight, good luck.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Thank you jellybabe
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Most supermarkets in France open 9 - 12.30 on a Sunday, even the big town/superstore types.
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Not my experience - for example if you go to the huge Etrembieres shopping centre in Annemasse on a Sunday it is completely closed (unless that's changed just this year).
On the other hand some of the shops nearest resorts do stay open all day Sunday now; the times they are a changin'.....
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Yoghurt, driving up to resort very late should be far better than driving up in the afternoon - just make sure you know how to get access to your accommodation after hours.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Shopping centres will be closed. Supermarkets generally aren't but the max they are open is 9.00 to 12.30. That goes for super u, auchan, Carrefour and even some lidl. I spend 3 months plus a year in France and they are pretty consistent. I was moe warning that that was all they'd would be open for..
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Thanks Pam-I managed to phone the chalet reception and they say they leave a letter for us in reception explaining how to get access etc.
Yes hopefully it will be a bit quieter on the roads (although I do not enjoy finding an unknown place in the dark!) once we get the hire car sorted.
Will look out for anything open en route otherwise its a Sunday morning shop/ski hire/ski pass etc!!
Getting excited now-I know its half term so am expecting it to be busy
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You know it makes sense.
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Yoghurt, if you are on the autoroute, some of the service stations have basics, we've bought bread, cooked meats, cheeses and milk in some of them before.
It would keep you going if you needed it to.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Thats a good point, thank you
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