 Poster: A snowHead
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We visited Bourg in May and loved the area, so are returning in February half term to check it out during ski season.
I think I remember reading that the funicular only runs late one eve a week (Thurs?) Does anyone know if it runs later on other nights during peak season?
Related to this, our older teen wanted to know how late return buses run from Val d'Isere to Bourg and roughly how long it takes. Does anyone know?
Thanks,
Hayley
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Bus from Val d'Isere to Bourg takes about an hour. Bear in mind that it is not an intra-resort shuttle bus, but a commercial service aimed primarily at people arriving at or departing from Bourg St Maurice by train, so the last bus down the valley may be scheduled to tie in with the last train departure. Midweek perhaps no later than around 17-18:00, perhaps later on Saturdays.
(Summer timetable is here: https://www.altibus.com/en/les-fiches-horaires/. Last bus Mon-Fri is at 13:15  and even that needs a reservation! Winter timetable will probably appear at the same link)
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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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@HarperG, I recall that you were wondering about buying a place in Bourg St M (there are other places called "Bourg... something in France, such as Bourg en Bresse, so you need to specify) and getting about on public transport. I think for skiing, especially, you'd be really very severely restricted if you rely on public transport.
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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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I'm looking at last winter's timetable and the last bus Mon-Fri from Val D'Isere was 16:15, Saturdays 17:00 and Sundays 16:00
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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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@HarperG,
Your older teen looking to have a night out in Vd'I, or some apre-ski?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@HarperG, I love Bourg (in the summer), but can't recommend it as a ski holiday base. The Les Arc funi will very quickly become boring (even if you are walking distance from the funi station, which you probably won't be), and the commute to and from Val is wildly impractical without a car.
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The Les Arc funi will very quickly become boring
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I cannot help but agree, standing there for 7 minutes then walking all the way to the Mont Blanc lift will become boring. I'm serous about that. My 5 minute walk to the combettes lift in the morning is boring.
However, I disagree about Bourg st Maurice in the summer. Basically it's too hot. I prefer being up the mountain in Les Arcs.
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Thanks all, I really am finding this forum invaluable in helping us to build a picture of the options available to us.
We did really enjoy Bourg Saint Maurice in May, but would be buying first and foremost for skiing, the main appeal of the town is we can get a decent size property for our money here - whereas not a chance in eg. Val d'Isere! (We're not so keen on the idea of an apartment in Les Arcs.)
There are always good reasons for a property in one area being far more affordable than in another, so we are trying to understand the trade-offs/compromises we're willing to make. I had heard from others that the funicular was quite a convenient option? I also spotted there were a number of ski hire places in the town - so assumed that using the town as a base for skiing was something several others did? Really keen to hear pros and cons from as many as possible on this before we make any decisions.
We have booked to visit Bourg St Maurice in February again to test whether the ski formula works. One downside which has already become apparent is there is no longer an easy overnight train or alternative train option from London; the Eurostar plus changes of trains to get to Bourg seems to take forever and isn't much cheaper than flying. We have therefore booked flights to Geneva and now need to find a vaguely affordable transfer service for 6 of us - tips welcome on that front - though I do have the forum page on that bookmarked.
Where we are staying/would consider buying is approx 10 min walk to the funi (on prior ski holidays we've been ski in ski out or 3 mins walk, so no idea whether we will find this tolerable or not!) Once we get to the top of the funi, it sounds like there are further downsides to take into account- really keen to understand these? I had perhaps wrongly assumed we hop off the funi and can choose from a range of lifts to access the huge choice of slopes?
Our February trip is intended as a trial run, but our boys are both bringing a friend, so if readers think a ski holiday based in Bourg Saint Maurice, reliant upon the funi each day (for 5 days) risks being quite unsuccessful, I'd be really keen to understand why early on so we can change plans if needed. I had envisaged being able to enjoy a couple of hours apres-ski in Les Arcs then getting the funi down and having dinner/drinks in Bourg Saint Maurice or in the hotel we plan to stay in which has a bar etc.
It does sound a real pity that Val d'Isere won't be accessible for a trip one eve for the older teens, and I'm guessing the funi is the only way down from Les Arcs of an eve is it?
Thanks ever so much to all of you in the know!
Hayley
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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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I found that once you add in the transfer from Geneva the train worked out very similar in terms of price, particularly if taking any luggage. It's also similar in terms of overall time, particularly on the way back, once you add in time spent at airports. (It does depend on how easily you can get to and from St Pancras.)
You're very wise to try a holiday based in Bourg-St-Maurice in Feb for yourself. You've not had many folk comment here, and they include one who suggests hiring a car every time anyone asks about airport transfers. I suspect they may not be a group who are all that keen on public transport. For what it's worth, I thought it was only a couple of minutes walk up from the funicular to 2 lifts that give you good access to the ski area, but some of the locals may know better.
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@HarperG,
For transfers ask on the Snow Reports forum threads for les Arcs, Tignes, Val d'Isere - many transfer cos will drop off en route; also on the Seasonnaire groups on Facebook (eg Tignes Seasonnaires 2023), including your transfer dates.
It sounds like your teens are getting to the age where they are wanting to party at apres & in the evenings - for that being up the mountain will be FAR better than BSM. Even then certain parts of resorts are better than others (eg in Tignes Val Claret, les Lac & Lav over Boisses & Brev).
The main advantage of being based on BSM is accessing all of the Tarentaise (3Vs, Paradiski, la Rosiere, Ste Foy, Espace Killy), but to take advantage of that you really need a car.
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Mon 12-06-23 14:14; edited 1 time in total
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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and they include one who suggests hiring a car every time anyone asks about airport transfers
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If that's referring to me I recommend car hire because it's often the cheapest option. Almost certainly cheapest for a family of four, but six people would need a bigger and more expensive vehicle, obviously.
Cheapest way to resorts at half term is generally to drive all the way!
Most airport transfers can't sensibly be called "public transport" as they're effectively private taxis.
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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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Most airport transfers can't sensibly be called "public transport" as they're effectively private taxis.
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Have I missed something here. When my neices come and go from Geneva to Les Arcs they are in large coaches seating perhaps 50 people. A mini bus to and from Bourg st Maurice to Les Arcs is sometimes uses, but even these I wouldn't describe as taxis. They run on fixed schedules rather than being "on demand". We tend to either hire a car or take the train from Geneva or, usually, drive all the way.
@HarperG, After getting off the funicular in Arc1600 you have a 150m walk to the Mont Blanc lift or, 30m more to the Cachette lift. In terms of getting to the rest of the Les Arcs area they go to the same place. You can get the navette to other starting points but, TBH it's not worth it. You could manage a couple hours in the Follie Douce in Arcs 1800, catch the navette and the funicular back. Or the Arpette but in that case you have to be off the hill by say 18:00. There isn't really any alternative to using the funicular. Many people do it morning and night and clearly prefer the more m2 per euro over conveinence.
I know Bourg st Maurice likes to market itself as being part of the Les Arcs ski area and once upon a time had a piste down to it but in reality it is a town at the bottom of the hill with a easy way to get to a ski area. We go down occaisionally to get shopping and as every apartment owner knows visit the Weldon DIY shop but personnally I prefer to be in the resort.
Incidently which hotel is a 10 minute walk from the funicular?
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Have I missed something here. When my neices come and go from Geneva to Les Arcs they are in large coaches seating perhaps 50 people.
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It depends if you are doing a package holiday (tour op organises a bus), or just flying out then organising your own travel - at that point you have the "shared transfer" services like Bens Bus, Skiidy Gonzales, Go Massif etc depending on destination, some of which might be 8 seater minibuses and some of whigh may be 50 seater coaches. I'm not aware of any genuine direct transfers using public transport (i.e. scheduled services like transdev) from Geneva to the Tarentaise - it is possible by train / bus but usually requires a change
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You know it makes sense.
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There's a lot of discussion here on snowheads about "transfers". People who have used tour operators in the past and then buy a cheap flight to Geneva are often shocked at the price of transfers and, if they're not used to driving on potentially snowy roads, worried about renting a car. The cost of transfers can easily exceed the cost of flights and, to the Tarentaise, will take longer! I'm not a bit surprised. I've done a lot of (unpaid) transfer driving and it's a real chore, especially on those very snowy days which so often seem to happen on a Saturday......
I agree with @johnE that Bourg St Maurice can be far too hot in summer.......
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