 Poster: A snowHead
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ive just booked an apartment in chamonix in mid january with my daughter for 9 days , flying to geneva. Any advice or tips on the area most welcome. Not arranged transfer yet but thinking of a bus, anyone used alpybus? how often do they run? Also lift passes, and getting around the valley, how easy is it by bus? We are intermediates, been on 8 ski trips before, can ski easy blacks, but a bit slow/cautious. Thanks very much in advance
Mark
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I've a mate who spends quite a bit of time in Chamonix. If he hasn't driven there, then he always uses (and recommends) Cham Express for transfers.
www.chamexpress.com
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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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Chamexpress/Easybus/Alpybus are one of the same and bottom of the barrel. Recomend Chamvan/ChamonixValleyTransfers/HauteTransfers/MountainDropoffs, there is normaly only a euro or 2 in the price difference and the lightlyhood of getting stuck at GVA for 3 hours is greaty reduced.
Getting around the valley by bus is easy - Free bus every 30 min. But go early to avoid the crowds, take the bus that will get you to the lift for opening and you will be fine. Line 1 for Les Houches and Flegere. Line 2 for Flegere, Grand Montets and Le Tour. Walk to Brevent and Aiguille du Midi.
Skiing start with Les Houches, progress to Le Tour then Brevent/Flegere. Grand Montets if you are feeling like a challange. Recommend taking to bus (sorry don't yet know this winters arrangement) to St Gervais/Megeve for a day. Take a trip up the Aiguille du Midi to see the view and the brave/overconfident/nutters/experts skiing the Valley blanche (only go up here when the weather is realy nice).
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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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@MY, have a look at Chamonix using the search function. There is a ton of information.
My family come and go all the time in the winter between Chamonix and Geneva airport. The buses have been fine. Easybus, Alpybus and the like are all ok. My last transfer was BlaBla bus/car which was equally good. No doubt someone will come on with a tale of woe but we only had 1 problem in 7 seasons. The timetables vary so check their websites.
Unless you are tucked away in some remote spot the free busses up and down the valley are perfectly fine. You just have to allow a little more time.
From the description of your skiing it doesn't sound as if you need the more expensive Unlimited pass. You are very unlikely to want to go up the Midi skiing (though you may want to go up for a look round). The only exception is if you were wanting days out at Megeve, St Gervais or Les Contamines or through the tunnel in Courmayeur. Mmm. Maybe you might need the Unlimited pass! Plenty of time for you to weigh it up. .
It's a fantastic place
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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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Oops, I appear to be a slowcoach (no pun intended)
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@MY,
Train from Geneva to Chamonix may be worth considering.
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@Kenzie, train is pretty slow …
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Mountain Dropoffs....based in Chamonix so may be worth a look.
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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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@MY, The biggest variance in the minibus providers IME is that some of them (e.g. CVT) use 9 seater buses, and some have 12, 15 or 17 seats. That makes a difference in the chance of a late departure, and going round 12 chalets in Les Houches before you get to Cham. I'd choose on that basis, not price etc.
In January, I'd go for the unlimited pass so that you get Les Houches - it's not unusual for everything else to be shut or late opening due to a storm. However, IIRC you can buy the cheap one then pay the difference to upgrade if necessary.
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Nothing but good things to say about CVT for transfers.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Be aware that (although this might well change) currently the companies are co-operating so who you book with might not fulfil the booking. My suspicion is that come winter and volume of business it'll go back to +/- normal, but worth bearing in mind ...
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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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thanks a lot for the replies. How easy is it to get to Megeve? we will be there for 10 days so it may be nice to visit somewhere else too.
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It'd be a lot easier to get to Courmayeur for some Italian hospitality I'd think...
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You know it makes sense.
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Do you want to go to megeve town for shopping or Megeve for skiing
If it’s the latter get train to La fayet then free shuttle bus up to Saint Gervais, gondola and top & ski down to megeve
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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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@Jonny996, I'd still go to Italy ... Lunch!!
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Jonny996 wrote: |
Do you want to go to megeve town for shopping or Megeve for skiing
If it’s the latter get train to La fayet then free shuttle bus up to Saint Gervais, gondola and top & ski down to megeve |
The shuttle bus is now really convenient, last winter it went every hour (at xx30) from the Post Office in Le Fayet, about 30m up the road directly opposite the station. (However previously - well in 19/20 - it was much less frequent).
Otherwise there is the Y82 bus, assuming the winter timetable is the same as previously it goes from Chamonix Sud at 0900. Won't give you an early start! Arrive St Gervais gondola station at 0942 and Megeve bus station at 1005 (OK for shopping/sightseeing but to ski you then need to take a shuttle).
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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MMM i may just buy a ski pass for chamonix valley if megeve is a bit away, we will have to use public transport. Are you better off buying from a lift station on your first day? does the pass cover the whole valley?
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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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@MY, there are two passes that cover the whole valley (Le Pass and Unlimited), and also a few for very small beginner areas (e.g. Planards, Savoy, La Vormaine) which might be ok for half a day getting your legs back but no more than that.
If you buy daily passes in advance it can work out cheaper... but might not. The advance purchase system has dynamic pricing, from E34 to 41/day at present for Jan. https://www.chamskideal.com/products/chamskideal-1-day?type=1&start_date=2022-12-17
There's also the Rapidcard https://www.montblancrapidcard.com/en/ which charges you E44-60 for each day you ski, but not for days you don't. If you ski every day it works out more than a weekly pass, but if you don't, it might save you money. Rapidcard includes Megeve. Little advertised bonus of rapidcard is that you get cheap rates for 18-30yr olds, unlike the normal pass where they are full price.
Summary - it's complicated, and you'll end up either building a spreadsheet, or just capitulating and buying the top end pass 
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