 Poster: A snowHead
|
I am staying in Les Houches in late February and am keen to explore around the valley. I have a full Mont Blanc pass but no car. I can see lots of buses from Chamonix, but any idea if they stop in les houches or do we need to go to Chamonix first?
Also any recommendations for reasonable priced and reliable transfers from GVA.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
I don't actually know the bus company's name but if you google "Chamonix buses" you'll be able to download a PDF of all the bus routes and timetables within the Chamonix valley.
The transfer companies are much of of muchness – there are so many of them that their rates are competitive. I've always booked through ski-lifts.com (they don't provide transfers themselves but act as an agent).
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
Thanks I found these sites useful. Has anyone been it was a bit farther afield like courmayeur and vernier by bus from Les houches? Timetables seem to suggest we have to try to Chamonix first to drive back through Les houches!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
To go down valley and beyond take the train - For Courmayeur take the train to Cham and the bus for Courmayeur goes form the railway station.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
As Idris, said, get yourself to Chamonix train station, which is the departure point for the Courmayeur bus. The Verbier bus leaves from Cham Sud bus stop. While the Coourmayeur bus is daily, the Verbier bus is only on Thursdays. If you want to go to Verbier on any other day of the week, you could take the train to Martigny and then the bus from there to Verbier but that may end up being a bit of a mission.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Do NOT mess around with buses. They can take absolutely ages there, especially as they stop so often. And the queues can be horrendous.
If you really want flexibility, hire a car. If there's a few of you, it isn't that expensive - do it at Geneva and use it for your transfers too.
I did Chamonix on the buses once. Never again, ever. Every time since I have hired a car and it has improved the experience immeasurably.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@Harry Flashman, can I ask when you were there? As I understand it (we always have the car) the service is recently much improved...
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
I stayed in Les Houche last March and the bus's were great.Not as crowded as i expected + staying in Les Houches we were some of the first people on.The bus numbers can be confusing though.We got the wrong bus and ended up in Le Tour at 9pm and it was an absolute ghost town.Nowhere open,no one to be seen,no sign of a bus coming and two taxi's failed to show up.After about 2 hours one eventually came which cost us 120euro back to Les Houches.Was a complete nightmare.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@FullyTucked, you what? Deary me that's a mistake.
But hardly the bus's fault?
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
I never said it was.I just said the numbers can be a bit confusing.It showed Les Houches as a stop for the number of bus we got on but it didn't go there.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Quote: |
It showed Les Houches as a stop for the number of bus we got on but it didn't go there.
|
perhaps it had already been?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
I have form tbh.I once drunkenly got a taxi from Amsterdam to Rotterdam which cost me 180euro.Was by myself as well.That almost ended in me getting arrested 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
@FullyTucked, i must look at the buses, I'd be pretty sure the destination was marked, mind you, Les Houches isn'ta lways the end of the line...
I'm guessing you got on a 01 in the wrong direction. (I'd have thought it would have said Le Tour on front as well).
Bummer. You could at least have got the train back into Cham...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
| Quote: |
you have to be pretty... erm... drunk (?) to get it wrong
|
 Even with my sketchy knowledge of the chamonix valley I think I'd notice that a bus on which I'd been expected to travel towards Les Houches was trundling along in the entirely opposite direction.
But maybe it was a very foggy night.....
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Thanks all. There's only 3 of us and Car hire from GVA is about 450 euros ( unless anyone can recommend any decent cheap ones?)
Transfers are about 160e and buses pretty cheap so think much better value - if we get the right one!
Will let you know how we get on!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
@nicoledan1, i was randomly looking at car hire from Geneva and a Megane type for a week was around £250...
Which would appeal to me...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
@under a new name Definitely who was that with?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
@nicoledan1, thru holidayautos.co.uk. Mind you, can't recall dates. Big weirdness as I haven't used them in ages is they now show the rental company, (good) but there appeared to be multiple different prices for the same offer 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We have gone to courmeyer from cham. If you want to take the train, book in advance, we were shut out and needed to go with a griup tour which was much more expensive. Having said that, we loved couymeuer, so definitely go. Was sketchy snow year in cham, but tons of snow on the other side of the tunnel. Ahhh, and the pasta on the mountain at courmeyer, plus chestnuts cooked in lard, oh yes, lardo. Good fun.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@Redwine, no train to Courmayeur from Chamonix.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
@under a new name, really? Maybe it was a public bus? There was a cheaper option than the group coach we took, that much I remember. But my god the food was good in Italy.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@Redwine, there is a public bus service.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
We are seriously looking at car hire now thanks. I found a good price through holiday autos with thrifty Switzerland.
Has anyone else booked with them before?
I can see snow tyres are included.
Does anyone know if thrifty cover you for driving in Switzerland, France and Italy with no extra charges?
Also does thrifty include all things necessary for France driving like breathalysers etc?
Their website and holidayautos isn't helpful....
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| under a new name wrote: |
| @Harry Flashman, can I ask when you were there? As I understand it (we always have the car) the service is recently much improved... |
March last year. In a car, but buses and queues still looked rubbish.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@nicoledan1, you don't need breathalysers in France, that bit of legislation was dropped or they decided not to enforce it.
The car I booked from Geneva last week through money supermarket was provided by Europecar. It came with winter tyres but we had to pay extra 42chf for them (£35). That charge was pointed out on the website and in the contract so not a surprise. At the pickup I asked about chains and was told they were in the "trunk". Which they were. All in all a good hire experience.
Last year I had a hire car from a different company at geneva that had a limit on the mileage. Fortunately I looked at the speedo and noticed the reading was about 200km more than on the hire agreement. I went back to the office in the car park and got a new contract issued with the right mileage, as otherwise I would have ended up with a surcharge.
It's difficult to say if some of the things that happen are the result of deliberate sharp practice to boost profits but it's always worth carefully looking at the contracts during the booking process, at the pick up and not being too hasty on the return to try and minimise the chances of surcharges.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
Ah, ok, while a fair point, not exactly direct experience is it? @Harry Flashman, ?
Last edited by You know it makes sense. on Fri 6-02-15 12:48; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
went in January last year. buses where really easy and efficient. They had electric board showing you were you are so you dont need to worry about getting off in the wrong place.
the bus was free with the lift pass and you can get between all the areas on the mount blanc unlimited pass without issues. I wouldn't bother with courmayeur.. just go to the different areas on the mount blanc unlimited. There is loads to do
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
depending on where you are in les houches the train can be a much better option. I always take the train if i'm going to le tour or grand montets from town.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
In argentiereast spring, I don't like taking busses but try we're reasonably regular and easy to use.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
