 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all, looking for some advice from folks who’ve frequently driven from the UK to the Alps.
We are driving from the UK to Tignes this coming season with 2 young kids. Eurotunnel is booked the Friday night and we will drive for another couple of hours. Any recommendations on where to stay somewhere around Arras?
Early Saturday we will set off for Tignes and pick up another passenger en route at Geneva airport. I wondered if anyone had suggestion of somewhere they could get to that was a little easier to pick up from? The airport would be about 45 mins extra on our journey along the A40.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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There are a number of competitively priced hotels/motels just off the autoroute at St Quinten - and some cheapish petrol stations too. Cambrai is about an hour from Calais, Reims about 2 hours, and Challons closer to 3h. It's about 1h30 to St Quinten, so that's where we normally stay if getting an early evening chunnel.
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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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Can recommend the family rooms at B&B Hotel group, they have one just a few mins off the motorway in St Quentin and are usually pretty well priced - added bonus is self check in online and you receive a door entry code by email so it doesn’t matter what time of night you arrive.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@Tordi, It would probably help to know what route you are planning to use before suggesting somewhere to meet your extra passenger.
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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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We are taking the A26 down from Calais, then A5, A31, A39 and A40. Then down to Annecy, Albertville, Bourg SM.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Tordi, What will you do after the A40? A41 to Annecy or cut cross country on the D1508?
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Kids can get travel sick on the country roads, so we will do the A41. My extra passenger will have a few hours to kill, so I wondered if there was somewhere sensible they could chill with a book and coffee that is on our way.
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@Tordi, They could look into getting the train to Saint-Julien-en-Genevois, it is close to the A40/A41 junction, I think it will involve two changes from the airport though.
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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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| Quote: |
They could look into getting the train to Saint-Julien-en-Genevois, it is close to the A40/A41 junction, I think it will involve two changes from the airport though. |
Good idea in avoiding entering Switzerland abd paying for the vignette. Bourg en Bressse may be an even better choice.
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My extra passenger will have a few hours to kill, so I wondered if there was somewhere sensible they could chill with a book and coffee that is on our way.
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So instead of sitting around they could sit around on a train and see some countryside
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Do that route a couple of times a year with the family. We either stay at the Ace Hotel, Kyriad Direct Hotel or B&B Hotel (all Arras, good, clean family rooms for 4 with safe parking) - really depends which is cheapest at time of booking. The Kyriad has a great bakery tucked away about 100m next door.
Saying that, they're not much longer than an hour to drive to once off the tunnel. So if you wanted to do a couple of hours I'd look a bit further along (same Hotel chains though).
Not sure what time of year you're going or time of crossing? I tend to pick Arras just in case of delays (we go in peak holiday periods)....and I tend to want to be in our room by around 10.30pm at the latest (French time).
Also, get the Geneva-Annecy train and pick up there.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Tordi, best would be to ask your extra passenger to take a train to
Chambery. Time saved for everyone
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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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When are you going? That makes quite a big difference.
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Or ask the guest to get the regular bus from the airport direct to Annecy, it leaves from just outside the terminal, saves on the Vignette and the torture that can be the traffic around GVA.
Arras is only an hour, I’d do a bit more. It’s about 9.5 hours driving at legal speeds from Calais to Tignes.
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You know it makes sense.
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Our crossing doesn’t get in until midnight, so didn’t want to drive too much further to get some sleep.
We are going mid January, so hopefully not too busy.
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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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That's good. Your timings are tricky. You won't be getting to sleep till pretty late. I'd consider NOT leaving your overnight stop too early in the morning, getting a reasonable sleep, and aiming to get to Tignes after the big afternoon arrival rush. I'd agree with @chocksaway that having your passenger bus to Annecy makes sense. You'll have snow tyres and chains? Personally, getting into Calais at midnight, I'd probably drive all night especially if the kids were asleep, but that's not for everyone. Depends how you cope without sleep (it's the middle of the night - I can cope OK!!).
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Poster: A snowHead
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Hi @Tordi, great to hear of your plans and lots of good advice above from other posters. It's a journey I do quite regularly and also often meet family and friends from Geneva and Lyon airports. So, here goes...
I'd second @Judwin's, advice regarding St Quentin. Journey time from Calais is in the ball-park you want and it's a good compromise between not coming far off the motorway and having a nice town to enjoy your stopover. A rather nice former haberdasher-turned-restaurant gets my thumbs-up too: https://www.villadisle.com/ . There are two IBIS hotels which have 24/7 reception but I agree with other posts that you may want to revisit your overall timings and save on matchsticks.
Your route makes sense if you are aiming to collect your air travellers from Geneva / Annecy but I'd agree with others that avoiding Geneva would be worthwhile. It's hard to get there without having to use the motorway (and the extra expense of a Swiss motorway vignette) and the traffic can be busy. TBH, traffic-wise, Annecy is also not great and likewise the road from there on to Albertville. Hard to get parked in Annecy for the train station too. Chambery is a little better and keeps you on a more direct route (which I will come back to).
I'd persuade your air travellers to hop on the short train ride from Airport to Geneva Central (also known as Cornavin) and from the central station they can either take a train east towards Lyon to be picked up at Ambérieu or Culoz. Alternatively a train south towards Annecy / Chambéry / Aix les Bains.
My driving route recommendation would be to take the A39 past Bourg-en-Bresse to Ambérieu-en-Bugey then pick up the D1504 (formerly the 504 Route Nationale) to Chambéry. This cuts off a corner of motorway. The journey time is identical but you save a bundle on fuel and tolls and it's quite scenic. For sat-nav once approaching Bourg-en-Bresse put in Saint-Rambert-en-Bugey as a waypoint to get you on the right road.
If you take the above route you can meet your air passengers either at Ambérieu or at Culoz (short diversion off the D1504; easy parking) should they decide to use the Lyon train to get out of Geneva or you can meet them at Chambéry if they jump on that train instead.
A final thought for your flyers: from Chambéry there are regular trains onwards to Bourg St Maurice. You could meet them there, or one stop short in Landry (much easier parking) or one stop out of Chambéry in Montmélian (again, much easier parking).
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Just a thought (I don’t know Ambérieu-en-Bugey at all) but is there anything there? We’ve done several meet-ups en route and the chances of both parties arriving at exactly the same time is close to nil so either you or they will be hanging around a bit. Ideal to have at least a bar-cafe within 5 mins walk.
Good idea to avoid trekking to GVA.
St Quentin a good spot if you decide to stop over.
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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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Thanks all for the helpful suggestions for stopovers. Some questions answered...
We've tried overnight driving before and neither of us have what it takes for night driving  some stressful times, many stops for many coffees, has shown me that we cannot safely do this. One particular journey from Austria all the way to NW England in one go was not something I ever want to repeat.
We have driven quite a lot of times to the alps, so have all the necessary equipment (chains, winter tyres etc).
Our crossing is booked after 10pm - ideally we can get down to Folkestone a little earlier and get an earlier crossing, but there are no guarantees on the M6 car park.
My air passenger won't be able to navigate public transport, but is considering getting a taxi to Annecy for pick up. Is traffic in Annecy likely to be terrible on a saturday afternoon? They will be waiting around for us for several hours after their flight arrives, so hopefully there is somewhere nice to grab some lunch/coffee in Annecy!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Quote: |
so hopefully there is somewhere nice to grab some lunch/coffee in Annecy!
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have no worries on that score. Annecy is FULL of places to grab some lunch/coffee and old town centre is a lovely place to potter around for a few hours.
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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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| Tordi wrote: |
My air passenger won't be able to navigate public transport, but is considering getting a taxi to Annecy for pick up. Is traffic in Annecy likely to be terrible on a saturday afternoon? They will be waiting around for us for several hours after their flight arrives, so hopefully there is somewhere nice to grab some lunch/coffee in Annecy! |
There's a flix bus that runs direct from Geneva airport to Annecy leaving at 13.25. Its currently priced at £6.99.
I can't confirm for sure, but someone will be able to, that the buses will stop right outside the airport. Can't be any easier.
Will be considerably cheaper than a taxi.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Is traffic in Annecy likely to be terrible on a saturday afternoon?
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Yes.
... and as @swskier hints, a taxi won't be cheap. If they are that averse to public transport, then maybe you would be better to stump up the 40CHFs for the Swiss motorways and meet them at Geneva? If they need dropping off again at the end of the week, it may not be such a bad deal compared to two taxis.
But hey, if they're keen to take a taxi, why make them schlep it all the way to Annecy? They could get dropped off somewhere conveniently close to the motorway network. Maybe Saint-Julien-en-Genevois just over the border from Bardonnex. You could meet at the Carrefour or Intermarche supermarket and do a shop, or at a cafe just off the A40 motorway or closer to the town centre.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Tue 15-08-23 20:58; edited 1 time in total
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is there a reason the air passenger can't get a transfer straight to resort?
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My air passenger won't be able to navigate public transport, but is considering getting a taxi to Annecy for pick up.
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I'm curious why.
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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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@johnE, none of our business. If they can't they cant
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@Tordi, Not quite a private taxi option but, Snowdrone do small group transfers(around 6 passengers) to Val d’Isere and Tignes, with around 6 departures a day from GVA.
They pick up at the Hub and Co cafe at GVA at arrivals and take you your accommodation door.
If you all want to go up the mountain together they will drop your guest at various convenient points en route, Moutiers,Aime etc.
The Super U at Bourg St Maurice has a nice restaurant/cafe where your group could wait and regroup,stock up on food, also fuel is well priced.
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Tue 15-08-23 22:54; edited 1 time in total
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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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| Mother hucker wrote: |
| is there a reason the air passenger can't get a transfer straight to resort? |
Good question. Annecy isn't exactly on your route, for a pick up.
Last edited by And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports. on Tue 15-08-23 22:56; edited 1 time in total
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I suggested picking up in St-Julien-en-Genevois as it is close to the autoroute, a taxi from the airport to there would be a lot cheaper than to Annecy.
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You know it makes sense.
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My passengers suffers a bit with mobility. So walking miles trying to find bus stops or trains isn’t ideal.
We were trying to keep costs down. Private transfers are insanely expensive these days, hence us driving and picking up our passenger.
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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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@Tordi, I was wondering about mobility issues. Though the station is attached to the airport it is a it of a walk, about 400m IIRC and there is also a bit of a walk from the Swiss side of the station along a corridor to the international side. The best place to sit and get a coffee at Geneva airport is IMHO at the railway station.
Having said that the busses from the airport leave more or less from the front door, about the same walk as to a taxi. https://www.blablacar.co.uk/ run several bussess a day to Chambery, Annecy etc. They are easy to book, easy to use and inexpensive. The bus to Chamberey stops by Chambery station where there are lots of cafes nearby. Not a bad place to wait to be picked up.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@johnE, many thanks for the recommendations.
They should only be waiting around for us for about 4 hours, so realistically I think they will either stay put at the airport, or get a quick taxi to somewhere a little nearer the french motorway e.g. St-Julien-en-Genevois, as @rjs suggested.
Thanks for your help folks!
It's probably a little early to start obsessively checking webcams isn't it.... 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Tordi wrote: |
My passengers suffers a bit with mobility. So walking miles trying to find bus stops or trains isn’t ideal.
We were trying to keep costs down. Private transfers are insanely expensive these days, hence us driving and picking up our passenger. |
Very easy with trains in Geneva - hop on at the airport train station - very short walking. Get off at Chambery which is on your direct route to Tignes
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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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@Tordi, given that your passenger has mobility issues, is it something that the airport could help with to get them either to the train station or bus stop? When my parents have used them at other airports they’ve been fantastic - I’m sure that someone must have experience of what they can offer at Geneva.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I always find the Ibis Budget hotels good value for money. They have a good network throughout France.
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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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We've used B+B at St Quentin a few times when we have had late evening crossings, usually because it is less busy and cheaper then crossing the following morning; it gets us ahead of the crowd.
As @muppet suggested above, Snowdrone is a good option, especially if your flier has mobility difficulties. They pick up just by arrivals at GVA and will drop at your accommodation in Tignes which would remove any meet up complications, especially if either of you were delayed enroute. It is a shared transfer service so is better value at about €70 each way. Similar in cost to the public bus to resort, much quicker and more comfortable. I'm not sure how much a taxi to Annecy would be but guessing a fair chunk of that figure to only get you 1/3 of the way.
Snowdrone are my 'go-to' if I'm going between GVA and Val d'Isere.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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With kids we like to get a few miles under our belt in peace. As you are not up for an all nighter (which is not for all) Rheims is a 2 hour sprint which has an ibis budget and super market fuel at close proximity to the autoroute at Tinquex. We then get up relatively briskly the next day (hopefully with tired kids so they sleep more) with croissant on the way. As long as not Xmas or half term I haven't found too much in terms of traffic rocking into resort post hypermarket 2-3 ish in the afternoon
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Akiena or golden tulip in bezannes for overnight stop
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Rheims is a 2 hour sprint
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if it's not raining and you don't drive TOO far above the speed limit.....
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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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| Quote: |
Quote:
Rheims is a 2 hour sprint
if it's not raining and you don't drive TOO far above the speed limit.....
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I normally allow 2:30 if the weather is good and minimal roadworks once clear of Calais. In bad conditions it can be quite a bit longer.
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| johnE wrote: |
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Quote:
Rheims is a 2 hour sprint
if it's not raining and you don't drive TOO far above the speed limit.....
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I normally allow 2:30 if the weather is good and minimal roadworks once clear of Calais. In bad conditions it can be quite a bit longer. |
Correct, 2h30 is reasonably possible. It’s around 270km and averaging over 120kph is not easy if you have a couple of toll gates, the tunnel or ferry terminal to get out of and the odd bit of road works.
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