 Poster: A snowHead
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I’m planning on going skiing in the three valleys over new year 2022 (COVID permitting, of course). I’ll be going with some family as well as my girlfriend. After last time driving out through the night she has decided that the drive really isn’t for her which is fair enough. As a compromise, i am planning on driving out with my brother and then collecting her and his girlfriend up from Lyon airport on the way in the evening, going out for dinner then staying in a hotel around Lyon before driving the last few hours up to the resort in the early morning.
Has anyone had any experience doing this? Any dos and don’ts re Lyon airport, restaurants and hotels would be much appreciated. Also, the plan was concocted after a few glasses of wine so if it sounds like a bonkers idea, please feel free to tell me!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Sounds like a plan depending on timings and dates. But if they fly in the day before the big transfer day I would then move closer to the Alps as the traffic will build early on transfer day on the Motorways around Lyon. Somewhere east of Chambery perhaps, maybe even Albertville.
Unable to recommend a hotel, as I normally go straight my pad.
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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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@PrinceJohn, Sounds a good plan. I believe Lyon is famous for its restaurants. Picking up at the airport is straightforward, but they could simply get the shuttle bus into town and go straight to the hotel. You could then arrive either earlier, if you get a quick shuttle crossing or later if there is fog on the way.
What do you mean exactly by "over New Year" Are you planning to arrive in Lyon Christmas eve or New Year's eve? In either case expect the restaurants to be only offering special feasts at very high prices. My experience of New Year's eve meals is that they start about 20:00 and finish about 01:30 the next morning, have 6 or more courses and lots of alcohol. I haven't felt like eating for days afterwards.
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Lyon is famous for food but central Lyon is somewhat of a diversion from the airport and the Alps, basically a backtrack. Going out to the Alps we aim for Chambery if it's a full day plan, or Lyon airport/Borgouin Jallieau area with a stop for nosh first if it's an afternoon getaway. I'd shoot for Chambery and the reliability of a Courtepaille type place for eating (good enough for most French travellers) but I guess it depends how much of an event the meal needs to be. Of course your attitude might be influenced by whether you are expecting to be up the hill the next morning and on the slopes until check in time or not.....
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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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It all depends on the exact days and your planned timing for the drive, which might have to take account of the possibility of severe delays, especially if there's "weather". The suggestion of @johnE that you and the two girlfriends rendezvous at the hotel is a good one, and less susceptible to disruption. But DOTM's point about central Lyon is pertinent too - my own instincts would be to get nearer your final destination, just eat to keep body and soul together and enjoy Saturday changeover day (if that's the timing) which is fairly quiet on the slopes. But skiing from your car, with no access to your accommodation till later in the day, is an activity for keen skiers.  Depending on your destination, you might have to think about where you can park, climb into your ski gear, rent skis if you need to and get to a lift. Much easier if you know the resort well, of course.
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Yep, As a few posters on here are saying......
Grab the girlfriend from the airport and get closer to the mountains.
Lyon Airport (St Exupury) is on the east side of Lyon and really easy to get to.
The 3 x valleys are east of the airport so seems a bit daft to grab the girlfriend from the airport and then head the wrong way (west) into a busy big city (Even if Lyon is lovely).
Alberville would be a good shout and the Ibis Budget is just off the N90 and would be an easy stop over and easy start to get back on the road again the next morning.
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@@247snowman, not an area I know very well but I'd concur, depending on flight timings, pick up at airport and find one of those nice boutique hotels that France (other than Paris) is so very good at, near to one of those lovely rural restaurants that France is so very good at, have a nice relaxing meal and an earlyish start for a sharp first lift.
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I often go to St Expury from Serre Chevalier, in fact just drove past it an hour or so ago, did it in a really quick 2:30.
My brother lives only 40 mins away.
Google places to stay eat off the A43 Chambéry direction around La Tour du Pin or Le Pont Beauvoisin.
Unfortunately many places will be closed in the winter as there are some great places around the lakes, Paladru, Aigubillette and closer to Chambéry AIX les Bains on Lac Bourget but sure you'll find somewhere open to suit your tastes especially in Aix.
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There are frequent trains to Aix les Bains from Lyon, so the ladies could get a train from the airport and meet you at a hotel there. Once again just check what is running Cristmas/New Year's eve.
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Thanks for all the tips. The dates in question would be Friday the 31st of Dec with a view to start skiing on the following morning, then returning on the 8th. I hadn’t factored in the French love of NYE so that might curtail dinner plans somewhat (although that might be a selfish attitude on my account as I’m very much in the every-possible-minute of skiing time mould so would be willing to forgo at least 3 of the 6 courses at dinner).
On the face of it, it probably would make more sense to try to get a little closer to the resort that evening to make sure we beat the mad rush on the Saturday morning up the mountain.
The only issue is it would then become a very early start from Perfidious Albion in order to get there at a decent time for dinner, especially as we live a good 2.5 - 3 hours from the tunnel. No pain, no gain I suppose 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@PrinceJohn, if you want to maximise your skiing, how about all of you flying evening of Thurs 30th and then spend Friday 31st on the slopes rather than the Autoroute? Might mean a very late night transfer, but when I'm trying to maximise skiing time I don't spend it driving.
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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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| johnE wrote: |
| There are frequent trains to Aix les Bains from Lyon, |
There are "occasional" trains from Lyon St Exupéry (note the spelling guys, try and make an effort) none of which go directly to Aix les Bains which would not even be en route for the 3 valleys, it would a detour for nothing.
Taking the train would make a huge rod for your back. Pick up from the airport and head on to the Alps as others have said: Chambéry or Albertville. A hotel with secure parking if you intend to leave any gear in the car.
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@PrinceJohn, coming at this from a different angle....
Has the gf ruled out driving in totality - or just driving through the night?
What are your reasons for driving rather than flying, given she is flying?
I/we drive for a number of reasons - some/much of which is negated by your plan... hence I am wondering...
There is nothing wrong with the plan per se but yeah it seems a bit bonkers but you may have good reason I haven't considered. Usually when I've known people to get picked up from the airport it may be because the car is full, hence driver drops everyone at resort and goes back or because someone is flying from a vastly different start point to the others.
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You know it makes sense.
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tell them to get ben's bus.
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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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| Layne wrote: |
@PrinceJohn, coming at this from a different angle....
Has the gf ruled out driving in totality - or just driving through the night?
What are your reasons for driving rather than flying, given she is flying?
I/we drive for a number of reasons - some/much of which is negated by your plan... hence I am wondering...
There is nothing wrong with the plan per se but yeah it seems a bit bonkers but you may have good reason I haven't considered. Usually when I've known people to get picked up from the airport it may be because the car is full, hence driver drops everyone at resort and goes back or because someone is flying from a vastly different start point to the others. |
I think it’s the driving full stop that she wasn’t too keen on last time, this will only be her second time skiing so I don’t want to scare her off! Also, it will likely be her/ our first holiday since the COVID outbreak so I’m keen to make it as easy as possible for her.
As for the reason behind driving; both my brother and I, as well as some other family members have our own skis, boots etc so putting them in/ on the car is a lot less expensive and less risky than taking them as additional hold luggage in the plane (offset by some extremely good prices on flights for those dates from Sleazy Jet and BA).
It also allows us to take more clobber than might be allowed or economic when travelling by plane. Also, it basically gives us an extra day skiing on the Saturday morning when ordinarily we would be dealing with airports, coach transfers etc.
Finally, and if I’m brutally honest, most crucially; I really enjoy the drive *down. It’s a bit more of an adventure than just hopping on another plane to Geneva and getting a coach up.
*the drive home, not so much.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@PrinceJohn, Have you checked whether you can find somewhere in the 3V that will do Sat-Sat over NY ?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@PrinceJohn, thanks for the extra information. Makes a lot more sense. The reasons you give for driving are similar ones to why I/we drive.
Only flown to Lyon once (and it was some time ago) but you, well certainly we do, go virtually past it on the way down (out of the City, just off the motorway) and I don't see any issue picking up/dropping off there.
We visited Lyon coming back from skiing once. I have a niece whose been working and living there for the last few years, so it was a good excuse to visit. Lyon is a massive City but very nice in the centre. And personally I would avoid it unless I was going to sightsee a bit. Instead I would head closer to the where you are staying and then have an early start and get on the slopes Saturday. I presume none of you are bothered about celebrating NYE in a big way. Might be a bit of an issue getting a Hotel/Dinner reservation though - but I'm sure you can find something. I would imagine the more basic, out of town places will be a better bet.
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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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| rjs wrote: |
| @PrinceJohn, Have you checked whether you can find somewhere in the 3V that will do Sat-Sat over NY ? |
Yep, it’s all booked. A bit of a gamble but I’m glad it’s been done, so many places have no room at the inn already.
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@PrinceJohn, your problem will be finding somewhere for a "normal" dinner on the 31st.
Think trying to find a normal lunch in any nice restaurant in the UK on xmas day 
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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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Not everybody's cup of tea but I think "Buffalo Grill" would be fairly normal. That's our go to place when driving around France.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Layne wrote: |
| Not everybody's cup of tea but I think "Buffalo Grill" would be fairly normal. That's our go to place when driving around France. |
The question is whether a Buffalo Grill will be open on NYE, I guess you could email one somewhere like Chambery and ask.
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| Quote: |
There are "occasional" trains from Lyon St Exupéry
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I forgot there is actually a station at the airport. I was thinking of the shuttle to Lyon Part Dieu and getting the train from there.
To quote from the piste hors website
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Lyon-Saint Exupéry (formerly Lyon Satolas) is a mid-sized international airport with all the services you would expect including car hire. The regional government has tried to develop the airport as a transport hub with the building of an expensive but underused high speed train (TGV) terminal in the shape of a giant concrete swan. Some have suggested a white elephant would have been more appropriate.
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The best western Alexander park just off the motorway just before chambery is a good bet. Secure parking and you can wander across to the shopping complex which has buffalo grill plus many others....or eat in the hotel restaurant. It had a nice bar when we were last there
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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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| stefoy4me wrote: |
| The best western Alexander park just off the motorway just before chambery is a good bet. Secure parking and you can wander across to the shopping complex which has buffalo grill plus many others....or eat in the hotel restaurant. It had a nice bar when we were last there |
That sounds like a good shout with the hotel. I think ultimately the flight times don’t look like they’ll work out for dinner (most suitable flight leaves LHR at 3pm ish and arrives in Lyon at approx 6pm.) There are earlier flights of course but in order for us to get there in the car for when they land we’d have to set off at ridiculous o’clock. As such it might be a case of le Big Mac at a service station - no bad thing as without a dinner stop for an hour or two it means we can get a lot further east that evening to either Chambéry or perhaps even Moutiers before we keel over.
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hi @PrinceJohn, you could try this place in albertville on booking.com
Résidence Lawawi prés de la gare au calme
its a 2 bed s/c apartment (£81 for the night), we are staying there overnight on our way to les menuires for feb half term 2022
you will have several food options in albertville, and worst case (or "best case" when it comes to my daughters) scenario, there are 2 mcd's to choose from.
you can then leave early on the saturday morning to get up to the alps before the mad transfer rush begins, that has been our plan the last few times we have visited the 3V's and will be the same again next feb
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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| Layne wrote: |
| Not everybody's cup of tea but I think "Buffalo Grill" would be fairly normal. That's our go to place when driving around France. |
That could well be a very good call, hadn't thought of that, can't believe they'll have €75/head 16 course dinners on!
Also, Courtepaille, Pomodoro, ... Another (bizarre) thing the French seem to do very well. Restaurant chains in retail parks just off the autoroute.
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| terrygasson wrote: |
@PrinceJohn, also, are you planning to take the 2 plane passengers luggage out with you?
obviously, this would save on hold luggage fees, and a speedy departure from the airport on arrival!!!
like you, I also love the drive out to the alps, and look forward to all the planning involved.
we will be flying next season as the deal last year with EJ was too good to turn down, including several hold bags (so carriage of our skis and boots not an issue). we are flying out on the friday eve, hire a car at geneva then stay at albertville on the way out, then staying in geneva on the return saturday evening for a sunday morning flight.
hopefully this will mean 8 days skiing  |
That’s a good stroke of luck with the flights. Yes we’ll be taking their luggage, made easier by the fact that they don’t have their own skis and boots.
We had thought to do a similar thing to you on the return but the students amongst us start their term dates on the Monday so it’s not looking possible unfortunately. There’s always next season though... 
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