 Poster: A snowHead
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Off to Tignes on 18 December. Public transport out of the question, and transfers are ludicrous. Looking at car hire and can't see any that provide snow tyres, does anyone know of any companies that do them?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@James the Last, Thought that sounded quite reasonable. Until I followed the link and realised 210€ was just the extra for the tyres.....
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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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@Snowyjim, can you fly to Geneva instead? All hire cars (from the Swiss side) have winter tyres fitted, and occasionally have chains in the boot even if you don’t pay extra for winterization.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@rob@rar, GVA is always a good suggestion (probably more expensive?) but I always had to pay extra for snow chains.
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| drporat wrote: |
| @rob@rar, GVA is always a good suggestion (probably more expensive?) but I always had to pay extra for snow chains. |
I’ve never paid the winterization fee but often had snow chains in the boot of the car, maybe 40% of my rentals. Never had to use them as a compact car with winter tyres has always coped with the conditions I’ve driven in, but I have a variety of size chains in my place in Les Arcs in case of exceptionally bad conditions when I arrive. Not sure how much winterization at GVA costs, but I suspect I’ve saved thousands of Euros over the years by not opting for it.
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The Swiss side always have winter tyres by default.
Both Budget and Europcar charged me more to add chains, maybe other companies have them included and you only pay if you open the box?
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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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| drporat wrote: |
The Swiss side always have winter tyres by default.
Both Budget and Europcar charged me more to add chains, maybe other companies have them included and you only pay if you open the box? |
I decline the chains when offered, but despite this there are often chains in the car. Obviously you can’t rely on this, but it’s incredibly rare that I’ve found the need to use chains when the car is equipped with winter tyres. If you want the certainty of having chains you should pay the fee (and check they are the correct size, plus ask that the aren’t sealed with a sturdy cable tie), but for me I’ve learned to live with that risk, knowing I can buy chains if needed or collect a set from my apartment.
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@Snowyjim, why's public transport out of the question? Are you landing particularly late or in a tearing hurry?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Snowyjim, what time is your flight scheduled to land in Lyon?
18th Dec is a Monday so fewer transfer companies will be operating. But someone I know is flying into Lyon the same day (and is then also bound for Tignes) which may be helpful ...
Are you travelling back from Tignes via Lyon and what is your return date?
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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 they're trying to charge 210 Euros for a week, then decline and stop at one of the many hypermarkets between Lyon and Tignes. Write down the cars tyre size and go buy a set. They're typically 50-100 Euros a set, and early season you should have no trouble getting the right size.
You should know whether you'll need them on the way up to Tignes, but you won't know if you'll need them on the way back down in a weeks time. Don't leave it till you get to Tignes because if it does snow the shops up there will soon sell out of popular sizes and you'll be stuck.
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Thanks for the replies. Flights already booked unfortunately. Arrive in Lyon at 9am, return on 8pm flight on Thursday 21 December. Unless I’m being stupid public transport is a real faff to Tignes from Lyon
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You know it makes sense.
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@Snowyjim, As far as I see it you are restricting yourself to either a hire car or a taxi. Non of these are cheep. Personally if I was getting in at 9:00 and getting back to the airport at 18:00 I'd be using public transport: bus to Grenoble then train from there, or tram into Lyon and train to Bourg. Bus or taxi to Tignes.
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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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@Snowyjim, there are direct trains from Lyon Airport to Bourg St Maurice but they don't line up with your flights. I'm guessing you've booked those flights times in the hope of skiing at least some of arrival and departure day?
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Snowyjim wrote: |
| Off to Tignes on 18 December. Public transport out of the question, and transfers are ludicrous. Looking at car hire and can't see any that provide snow tyres, does anyone know of any companies that do them? |
Looking on Holiday Autos, David tyres are an option with some of the search results. Having seen those prices, it might be cheaper to reconsider your destination or rebook your flights.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
public transport is a real faff to Tignes from Lyon
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Not at all... Bus to Chambery (Flixbus) leaves at 11am and takes one hour. You then walk around the corner (about 200 metres) to the train station, and take the 12:51 to Bourg Saint Maurice. All in time for the bus up the hill to Tignes.
As @sugarmoma666, points out, maybe you were hoping to ski a half-day on 18th and 21st? If so, then your best option is to rent a car, though the down side is that it will be expensive. If you opt for public transport then you will pay a lot less (unlikely to exceed 50€ each way) but you will have to write off any thoughts of skiing on your travel days.
Your itinerary @Snowyjim, is remarkably close (within minutes!) to those of my sister and her bf so feel free to PM me if you'd like to collaborate. I am encouraging her to take the bus and train to Bourg and I plan to pick her up there and also do a big shop in the Super U. Her bf currently plans to arrive LYS 21st Dec mid-afternoon; not sure yet if I will collect him from Lyon Airport or from Chambery or Bourg.
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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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| Judwin wrote: |
If they're trying to charge 210 Euros for a week, then decline and stop at one of the many hypermarkets between Lyon and Tignes. Write down the cars tyre size and go buy a set. They're typically 50-100 Euros a set, and early season you should have no trouble getting the right size.
You should know whether you'll need them on the way up to Tignes, but you won't know if you'll need them on the way back down in a weeks time. Don't leave it till you get to Tignes because if it does snow the shops up there will soon sell out of popular sizes and you'll be stuck. |
Last year we bought snow chains in Albertville for €40 
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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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| johnE wrote: |
| @Snowyjim, As far as I see it you are restricting yourself to either a hire car or a taxi. Non of these are cheep. Personally if I was getting in at 9:00 and getting back to the airport at 18:00 I'd be using public transport: bus to Grenoble then train from there, or tram into Lyon and train to Bourg. Bus or taxi to Tignes. |
That would be my suggestion. Get to Bourg. There will be some form of transport heading to Tignes. You may even be able to find a local making the trip.
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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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Worth swapping skiing to Les Arcs, and basing in Bourg? Accommodation can easily be changed. Is snow reliable in les arcs in December?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Snowyjim wrote: |
| Worth swapping skiing to Les Arcs, and basing in Bourg? Accommodation can easily be changed. Is snow reliable in les arcs in December? |
I’ve skied that week in Les Arcs for many years and always had enough snow to have most of the pistes open. Some years it relies more on man-made snow if the natural stuff hasn’t fallen in great quantities, other times it’s been excellent with terrific conditions on piste and plenty of off-piste potential. Obviously there are no guarantees, but if there is insufficient snow to ski in Les Arcs I suspect that heading to Tignes won’t provide a particularly great experience.
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Just be aware that €40 snow chains will get you out of a hole, but might not be up to going very far.
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| James the Last wrote: |
| Just be aware that €40 snow chains will get you out of a hole, but might not be up to going very far. |
I bought £40 snow chains in the UK a few years ago and have used them several times since, for trips to Scotland, Teesdale and Weardale, as well as a few times when we drove to Austria.
They are still going strong after 9 years .
We didn't have to use the chains in France but I have no reason to believe they would have disintegrated in use, given that they were the same thickness and type as my £40 UK chains.
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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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| James the Last wrote: |
| Just be aware that €40 snow chains will get you out of a hole, but might not be up to going very far. |
I bought £40 snow chains in the UK a few years ago and have used them several times since, for trips to Scotland, Teesdale and Weardale, as well as a few times when we drove to Austria.
They are still going strong after 9 years .
We didn't have to use the chains in France but I have no reason to believe they would have disintegrated in use, given that they were the same thickness and type as my £40 UK chains.
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Pick some chains up from the supermarkets on the way, if you don't use them, take them back for a refund on the return journey.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Have found that both Sixt and hertz do cars with winter tyres. Still get chains?
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