 Poster: A snowHead
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Heads up for anyone travelling through Grenoble in next few weeks and booking onward transfers, its taking a ridiculous amount of time to clear passport control. 2 hours 20 mins today for my friend on one flight and 1h 30 for us, lots of missed transfers! On a positive note there are plentiful ubers available and they are cheap, saved us and allowed us to catch pre booked train.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The uber drivers have mates in passport control
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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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@alasdair.graham, what time did you arrive? We’re landing there next Saturday 
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The worst airport experience of my life was on change over day in Grenoble. I will never fly there again as they simply cannot cope with the increased capacity.
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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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On a week day Grenoble can be OK. But as a principle, I now avoid it, with Lyon my preferred airport when I am heading for Les Deux Alpes. It (Grenoble) is a hopeless airport.
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Sat 14-01-23 22:52; edited 1 time in total
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I once checked flight departure times from Grenoble before departing Les Saisies, taking some friends to catch a flight. On time. By the time we got there (and it's not THAT far) the airport was deserted and everyone was on some sort of strike.
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Grenoble is a hell hole. Both flying in and flying out.
Going to that part of the alps? Use Lyon....everytime.
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So… normal service has resumed. Grenoble. Starts the holiday in an argument 
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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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| Fridge03 wrote: |
Grenoble is a hell hole. Both flying in and flying out.
Going to that part of the alps? Use Lyon....everytime. |
Shhh or everyone will use Lyon!
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@surferrosa,
Landed at 9.30 approx, there is a family queue jump but only for use if under 2's in the group.
@Jaolchhu4, I was prepared for a wait but yes far too many flights arriving at same time
@Gored, Lyon is a great airport agreed, 3 flights arriving within just over have an hour from different parts of the UK for just my group must be much cheaper to land at GNB
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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When I was commuting between Nancroix and London (hi @alasdair.graham, hope you're well!) Lyon was fantastic. Now even better with the brand new terminal.
My only issue with it now is that public transport links are not that great unless you live in Lyon. If you want to avoid going through the city centre, it can be hard work getting from Lyon airport out to the Tarantaise.
Been trying out Geneva recently and found that a lot better for public transport links. And impressed by the actual airport too, which I wasn't expecting.
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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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If I am flying I will pay extra to change the airport to Geneva or Lyon. Grenoble (and Chambery) are disasters. Any time saved by transfer times is dwarfed by delays.
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You know it makes sense.
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I must’ve been lucky, having flown in and out of both Chambery and Grenoble many times, without ever encountering a major problem or delay.
Lyon I’ve used a few times and found it to be good but, as mentioned, not well connected transfer wise. So I’ve often rented a car from there.
I’ve used Geneva many times and found that the most stressful of the lot. Risky journey for unexpected traffic jams, way overcrowded inside airport, long hikes to departure gate, expensive to buy anything there. Well connected for transfers though.
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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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Whilst every airport can have delays (and I've heard plenty about Lyon as well), the difference is that Lyon actually has facilities fit for human usage.
Grenoble is literally a cow shed on the edge of a strip of tarmac. Flying in is always a queue, usually outside for a large part. I suppose the good thing about that is that you can stand in the rain, watching your checked bags sit there next to you getting soaked, whilst they wait to go onto the carousel. Toilets are pretty much a porta-cabin. Pick up hall is tiny and carnage.
Flying out is well....join the masses (hesitant to use the word queue as they all kinda merge into a blob) to drop bags off at check-in desks. You have more chance of winning the lottery than finding a seat, especially if there is more than 1 of you. Want to sit with the rest of your group.....bad luck. Security is usually 2 very bored and uninspired members of staff. And then the departure lounge is well...a bus shelter essentially.
It's that bad when you don't have delays....but having to spend more than 2-3 hours in the airport...I'd rather start walking.
Whenever I have issues at Geneva, Innsbruck, Lyon or Turin I always think...could be worse. Least it isn't Grenoble.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@PeakyB, I would say you are super lucky. I have flown using Grenoble 3/4 times. Every time a disaster. Chambery too. Last time I went Chambery they cancelled the flight after taking our bags. Then dumped all the bags in a huge pile in arrivals. Then we got on a coach to transfer to Lyon. The coach though was too tall to enter the airport area so we then had to walk from outside the airport to arrivals. Then we were whisked past all the food courts to sit in the gate for 2 hours starving.
After that I vowed to avoid those airports in future.
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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 just got back from Val Cenis on Saturday and flew to and from Grenoble. The queue for passport control on the way in was loooooong, and the queues for everything flying home were even worse. I'm not sure it was worse than Chamberey, but it was pretty bad. We only just made it onto the flight.
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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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Is anyone willing to offer an unscientific opinion how much of a difference a Sunday transfer will make in terms of passing through Grenoble airport and then the journey to/from Val D’Isère during half term week (Sunday 12th to Sunday 19th Feb)? I will be going on a Neilson package week, and they seem to have switched to Sunday transfers. TBH I don't really mind if it's still busy - I went through Chambery on Saturday half term week last year and it was comically over-crowded & slow, but a big slice of patience saw us through just fine.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I'd say, unscientifically, that Sunday will be better than Saturday, but not terrific.
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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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I have the fun to come again in a couple of weeks - but trips to L2A and ADH are worth flying there........just!!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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again, unscientifically, will landing around 9 be better than later ? it's Chambery not Grenoble but I'm hoping our early arrival will get us out relatively unscathed (but it's half term Saturday so not optimistic !) .
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@janed9388, have a look at the scheduled arrivals. Grenoble has a lot of arrivals from 930 to 11, not sure about Chambery. The earlier you arrive , the fewer flights will have landed and therefore (hopefully) a smaller passport control backlog!
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Sunday will be better (but likely not amazing). I just went through Geneva sat-thurs and very quiet both ways. Zurich at half term was a different experience and expecting the same again, yikes.
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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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not lots from what I can see, but any website seems to just show UK flights - surely there must be others. and I forgot the time difference, so my flight arrives at 10.10 not 0910 ! grrrrr... will make sure I stock up on snacks.
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Partially answering my own question about Saturday versus Sunday transfers... These are the flight arrivals into Grenoble last weekend according to https://www.airportia.com. Sunday arrival volumes less than 1/3 of Saturday. Obviously many other factors will contribute to how tolerable the overall journey might be, nevertheless it is interesting data.
Sorry the table does not format well, but easy to see the overall count per day.
Saturday 14th Jan
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Flight From Airline Scheduled Arrival
6H141 Tel Aviv TLV Israir Airlines 09:00 09:21
LS1231 Birmingham Jet2 09:40 09:18
BA2754 London LGW British Airways 09:45 09:26
U26103 Bristol BRS EasyJet 10:00 09:50
FR9782 London STN Ryanair 10:05 10:09
LS535 Newcastle NCL Jet2 10:15 09:47
U26986 Edinburgh EDI EasyJet 10:20 09:43
FR9735 Bristol BRS Ryanair 10:20 10:15
RK9658 Manchester Ryanair UK 10:35 10:11
LS1437 London STN Jet2 10:50 10:33
LS835 Manchester Jet2 11:00 10:40
BA2750 London LGW British Airways 11:15 11:00
BA382 1 London LHR British Airways 12:20 12:18
FR9713 Dublin DUB Ryanair 13:15 13:22
HV6021 Rotterdam RTM Transavia 13:30 13:40
W94483 London LTN Wizz Air UK 14:20
U26997 Edinburgh EDI EasyJet 14:30 13:57
W61333 Warsaw WAW Wizz Air 15:00 15:46
U26105 Bristol BRS EasyJet 15:10 16:22
FR5701 Edinburgh EDI Ryanair 15:30 15:27
FR9788 London STN Ryanair 15:35 15:31
W68047 Vilnius VNO Wizz Air 16:30 16:27
FR3709 Birmingham Ryanair 16:40 16:43
6H143 Tel Aviv TLV Israir Airlines 16:45 16:54
BA2756 London LGW British Airways 17:25 16:46
FR9715 Dublin DUB Ryanair 18:20 18:07
FR6667 London LTN Ryanair 18:20 18:27
BA2752 London LGW British Airways 19:45 19:06
U28639 London LGW EasyJet 20:30 20:15
Sunday 15th Jan
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Flight From Airline Scheduled Arrival
BA2754 London LGW British Airways 09:05 08:35
W94475 London LTN Wizz Air UK 09:05
U28635 London LGW EasyJet 09:40 09:43
LS1231 Birmingham Jet2 09:55 09:25
LS835 Manchester Jet2 11:00 10:45
FR9788 London STN Ryanair 11:00 11:08
U28633 London LGW EasyJet 14:20 14:01
U26997 Edinburgh EDI EasyJet 15:20 14:50
U27263 Liverpool LPL EasyJet 17:35 17:24
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Brill. Can't wait to fly in on the 18th Feb...... 
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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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ooohhh... just checked that website and Chambery on a Saturday looks like Grenoble on a Sunday so hopefully not too bad - except they are all scheduled to land between 0845 and 1015
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Never thought of flying to Lyon before :facepalm: transfer times to 3V look about the same flights are a good deal cheaper too ! What's the catch ? 
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You know it makes sense.
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Christ and car hire doesn't cost body-part level prices either 
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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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@ol_smokey, No catch, Lyon has upgraded a lot since the days of the Charter 'tent'. But Grenoble stole a lot of the charter stuff and they don't chase it it would appear. Only snag is there isn't many flights, especially from oooop North and there's not much in the way of shared transfers, other than Altibus 3 days a week. But if you are hiring a car no snags, but don't expect to get winter tyres and don't run it fine the hire cars are a bus ride away. And yes, there's only about 9km difference from the 3V to either Lyon and Grenoble.
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FAQ
