 Poster: A snowHead
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I've just booked next February's trip to La Rosiere for myself, my wife and daughter. Unfortunately, for various reasons, we have to go the week of 17 Feb which I think is Paris half term so I'm guessing that it's going to be busy going in & out of the resort. I'm looking for pearls of  wisdom to ease the journeys as much as possible.
My opening gambit is to fly into Geneva on Friday night, stay in a hotel and pick up a rental car (from the Swiss side - to get winter tyres etc, willing to pay a bit more vs French hire to avoid hassle here) early Saturday morning, aiming to get ahead of the rush and hopefully get an afternoon's skiing as well. I don't know how early we'd need to leave Geneva though to avoid the worst of the traffic?
Option 2 is to fly to Turin and hire a car there; it looks like a similar length drive but possibly quieter as it's not Italian holidays that week? I've not driven in the Alps though so google maps might be misleading on this one.
Option 3 is to fly to Paris (we live in Sweden so the Eurostar isn't an option) then get the TGV down to Bourg, and a transfer (Altibus? Skiidy?) from there. This would actually be option 1, except that there doesn't seem to be a direct train from Charles de Gaulle any more and we really didn't enjoy the trip into Paris when we tried it a couple of years ago (I know, I know, it should be easy...it just doesn't work for us with skis & luggage).
Option 4 is....whatever can suggest!
Thanks in advance 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Option 1 - How much extra would it be to pick up the car on the Friday ? I would expect that you would need to book a hotel for that night but you could look for one anywhere on the route.
Option 2 - It is a lot further to fly into Turin. Google maps suggests a route that will be closed in winter.
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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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@mgrolf, Option one is the way to go. Turin is out as the road you would need to reach La Ros is a piste in the winter 
Ideally You would need to leave Geneva no later than 09:00 it's just over a 3 hour drive. Check what facilities your accom. has for early arrivals.
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@rjs, @boredsurfin,  I don't think I'd be very popular with my girls if I went for option 2 then!
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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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@mgrolf, Comparing the suggested times on viamichelin you would have an extra hour of driving from Turin plus the cost of going through the Frejus tunnel.
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@mgrolf, I've done similar to option 1 before. Difference being that instead of hotel in Geneva, I've collected car and driven towards Alps on Friday evening. Usually stayed in reasonably priced hotels around Albertville. That makes it much easier to beat the traffic to the mountains next morning.
Do you have any options from Sweden to fly into Grenoble, Lyon or Chambery? If so, that makes your rail to BSM option much easier. Transfers from BSM to La Ros easy and short. A car is not much use if you plan to ski only in La Ros. Very useful though if you fancy days out in Les Arcs, Val D'Isere or St Foy.
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@intermediate, good idea. We'd probably arrive pretty late into Geneva, but I'll look at hotels en route - that could work well and I don't think the car hire will cost more (still the same number of whole days).
Grenoble, Lyon and Chambery all involve at least 2 flights and cost considerably more than Geneva. 2 flights plus train plus bus starts to get into "too much faff" territory. It does seem a waste to have a car just for the transfers at either end though.
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@mgrolf, if not too keen on driving, there are coach transfers from GVA. Might be possible on Friday evening and certainly on Saturday morning. Driving mid Feb there not much fun, especially if snowing and tyre chains need fitting. The road up to La Ros quite wiggly. Then you need somewhere to park car.
For example, if I could get coach transfer to BSM Friday evening, overnight stay there, bus from station direct to La Rosiere Saturday morning. That might work quite well. I'm assuming your La Ros accommodation begins on the Saturday.
Or overnight stay near GVA followed by first direct coach to La Ros Saturday morning.
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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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It continues to annoy me that it does not seem possible to hire a car at Geneva airport then off hire it at BSM and repeat the other way round a week later. Given how many times we would have welcomed that option and how frequently folk need that transfer you have to think there is a business idea in there for someone!
We have done the Geneva airport to BSM by train, free train to Geneva Central (collect ticket in baggage hall), train to Chambery walk across platform onto train for BSM, then bus from station up to La Rosiere. (one year taxi up to Arc 2000) However we stayed overnight next to Geneva Central and all the main luggage went by car. But it is a 4th option and always possible the trains may work so that you do not need to change in Chambery.
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@CaravanSkier, it's also annoying that there aren't straight through trains from Lyon or Chambery to BSM. But apparently it's down to the French unions as so many bus taxi and transfer drivers would be out of work! The pollution levels in BSM do get worryingly high, but for now that's alright...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@boredsurfin, I wondered why there were not more through trains, always seemed daft to me!
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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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It may be possible to do 'one day one way' car rental. Europcar has an office in BSM, maybe other larger rental companies too. My guess is it would be very expensive if available.
Yes I think @boredsurfin, is right, too many vested interests would be challenged if more trains operated.
I have flown into Chambery, taken taxi to station, then train to BSM. I found that quite convenient and not too expensive.
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One summer recently we were caught up in a lorry drivers strike having popped down to Albertville, they simply set fire to 3 tractor tyres on a roundabout under the N90 at lunchtime. The roads in entire valley then ground to a halt, the Police simply stood and watched - such is the power of transport unions.
Fortunately for us we met some English friends who live out here and we drove back on the 'other' side of the river via forest tracks until we were able to join the N90 again.
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You know it makes sense.
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@intermediate, I have enquired, they would not do it! But it was a couple or so years back.
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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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What about staying in La Thuile - the Italian resort linked to Rosiere - makes the travel by car so much easier.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
it's also annoying that there aren't straight through trains from Lyon or Chambery to BSM
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When did the direct trains from Chambery to BsM stop? I thought you changed at Chambery for BsM from Geneva. But I agree the only direct train from Lyon is the one that goes from Paris to Bourg.
BTW what time do you get to Geneva, as others have suggested it may be better if you are hiring a car to do at least some of the miles done on the Friday and stay somewhere like Chambery or Albertville then get to La Rosiere really early on the Saturday.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@boredsurfin, the train line into Bourg Saint Maurice is effectively at capacity, not possible to run any more trains - mostly because it's single track from Moutiers onwards (maybe even from Albertville). Nothing to do with unions.
There are direct trains from Chambery, although not from the airport (which doesn't have a train station).
As above, to get to La Ros, I'd take the bus from Geneva.
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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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| boredsurfin wrote: |
| ... it's also annoying that there aren't straight through trains from Lyon or Chambery to BSM. ... |
There are still through trains from both places, just not from the airports
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@mgrolf, we hired a car from Geneva to get to Bourg in Dec 16. It was cheaper (!) to pick it up the night before (arrived about 10pm) - have no idea why 5.5 days was cheaper than 6, but there you go. We then stayed at
www.hotel-rey.com ,
which is about 25 mins out of Geneva on the motorway towards Annecy (St Blaise / Cruseilles). Stayed again this summer (you can see my two TripAdvisor reports), and will do so again: Heike the manager is an excellent host.
So overall, saving on the car rental AND the extortionate cost of an Airport hotel just to pick it up the next morning - our original plan, like yours - was significant. And we were 1/2 hour closer. Win-win.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
boredsurfin wrote:
... it's also annoying that there aren't straight through trains from Lyon or Chambery to BSM. ...
There are still through trains from both places, just not from the airports
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Probably because the railway line is not near Chambery airport hence the difficulty in getting any train from Chambery. Pity there is not even a regular shuttle bus from the airport to the train station,
@mgrolf, Sounds a good plan to me.
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| Quote: |
Difference being that instead of hotel in Geneva, I've collected car and driven towards Alps on Friday evening. Usually stayed in reasonably priced hotels around Albertville.
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I'd do that, but try to stay nearer - say Bourg St Maurice. BUT hotels likely to be busy on that Friday - so book well in advance. You will need to be prepared to ski from the car as pick up time for accommodation is usually well into the afternoon.
Equally important, on leaving day, either leave very early in the morning (8 am at latest) or ski for the nice quiet transfer day and leave afterwards.
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@mgrolf, Definitely option 1. Fly into GVA, rent a car from the Swiss side.
If you are arriving on the Friday, getting a cheap hotel at Albertville is a good option, so is Moutiers. Albertville is just over 1 hour from La Ros, Moutiers is about 45 minutes. Don't attempt to mess about with trains, transfer buses or one way car hires. For three people, the cost will be cheaper with a one week car hire, the journey is simple and having a car gives you other options during your stay, eg going to the spa pools at BSM, Tignes or Val, Skiing in other resorts for a day, leaving when you want rather than 5 hours before you need to.
Getting into the resort, if you arrive early morning, your hotel may have a room you can use to store your bags and change... and then get a whole extra day skiing. There will be traffic going up, as the coaches will be going up to take away those who are leaving. The climb up from Seez doesn't take long and the views are stunning.
My only other advice is to get a toll road fob before you go. You don't need a French bank account as most will bill any EU bank, or even your credit card. Using one can save a significant amount of time queuing at tolls, especially in busy holiday period weekends.
Keep the logistics simple and have a great trip.
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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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@mgrolf, not sure your return flight is Friday or Saturday, but if the latter allow plenty of time for the drive back to Geneva - it is going to be one of the busiest days of the season.
| barshaker wrote: |
| ...leaving when you want rather than 5 hours before you need to... |
Always a difficult one, but not sure it is resolved by self-drive. It is still the choice between leaving before the rush and perhaps getting to the airport 5 hours early, or leaving later and risk sitting in a jam wondering if you will miss the plane. The only things you definitely avoid are the time to pick up other guests, and if the operator has a coach swap en-route.
It can be worth finding out when other guests in resort with arranged transfers to Geneva and similar flight times are leaving, as that will be based on up-to-date local knowledge on weather, road and expected traffic conditions - not always easy info to get when in resort, depending on wifi, language abilities etc.
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We have access to our chalet (to park, drop bags and change) whenever we arrive, and the same on leaving day. So the plan is to get two decent Saturdays of skiing, without stressing too much. Flight home is on the Sunday, partly because of timings (Gothenburg isn't that easy to get to) and partly because I don't want to be worried about missing the flight home because of traffic.
@bar shaker, where do I get the toll fob from? I'm up for anything that makes life easier on holiday
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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mrgolf,
get the toll fob (télépéage) from any of the French motorway operators. Ours is from SANEF, but check out the different deals from two or three. The tolls are the same, but the usage terms can vary.
For a list, search Wikipedia for Autoroutes_of_France#Administration
DJ
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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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https://www.saneftolling.co.uk/
Tag is the best way through the tolls, probably a Euro20 deposit for the tag and Euro6 per year to have an account.
But you can drive the Tag lane at about 30mph instead of fumbling around for change and queuing up to pay.
They don't charge you until the month following your trip so Interest Free Credit!
Good luck.
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But you can drive the Tag lane at about 30mph instead of fumbling around for change and queuing up to pay.
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I would not do that. 30kph is the limit. As for fumbling for change, why? Use a debit card. I am not even sure there are any manned booths anymore
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