 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi,
First time post so please go easy on me if I’m asking any obvious or stupid questions here. 
I have a week booked in Belle Plagne, France with Crystal Ski from 24-31st Jan 2026. I have been extremely fortunate and also just offered the chance of a weeks skiing in Sauze D’Oulx Italy from 1-7th Feb 2026, also with Crystal.
I have yet to contact them as I thought I’d ask for advice here first. Obviously I could return on 31st to the UK and fly out again the next day but that seems like a lot of unnecessary travel, it would make more sense to me to stay over there and just move between resorts. Can anyone suggest if there is a relatively easy way of getting between Belle Plagne and Sauze D’Oulx. Driving looks like around less than 3 hours but I can’t see any obvious rental companies and a taxi would be cost prohibitive I’m thinking.
It may be that travel regulations state if I go out on a flight, I must return also, I’m not sure, all flights are with Tui.
Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks
Andy
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Denendjess Welcome to snowHeads 
If your Crystal packages include flights, then you are correct in that if you don't fly out to Sauze, they'd cancel your return ticket. But, flights one-way Turin to London on 7th Feb 26 are dirt cheap.
Trains run from Chambery to Oulx-Cesana-Clav.-S. So if your flights (on the first trip) are in and out of Chambery, then the Crystal coach would take you back to the airport, then jump on the train. Or, if not, ask them to drop you at Moutiers and go from there.
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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're going to have to talk to TUI about it.
Whilst they can't force you to return to the UK at the end of your first holiday on the 31st, if you don't take the second outbound flight from the UK on the 1st they will probably cancel your return on the 7th, so you'll be stuck at the airport on your eventual return. They might even cancel the whole second holiday if you don't take the outbound, leaving you with nowhere to stay.
The easy way to get from Belle Plagne to Sauze would be to get the TUi transfer bus from Bell Plagne to the airport (Geneva/Chambery?) and then get the second transfer bus from Geneva/Chambery to Sauze. That assumes both holidays use the same airport - but Sauze might be Turin? French transfers are usually Saturday, and Turin is usually Sunday which ties in with your dates.
Years ago, Crystal did offer two centre holidays like this, but I think they always involved same day transfers via the airports.
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I'd speak to Crystal and see if they can rearrange your outbound and return flights to the get you out and back at the end of the two weeks. If they can, you could get the transfer to Geneva, then train from there to Oulx and a bus up the mountain to Sauze d'Oulx.
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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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Welcome to snowHeads @Denendjess
I wouldn't go back to Geneva if possible. A train from Aime-la-Plagne to Chambery then another to Oulx would sort the travel between resorts (+bus/taxi down/up hills as needed) . Hopefully Crystal can sort the return flight point.
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@Denendjess, what are the airports involved for both trips?
it may help with info from snowheads regarding transport (and overnight accom between the trips) options.
in the end if both trips start and end at the same uk airport, it may well be just as easy to book a hotel at that airport, unless of course you live close to the uk airport, as you have already paid for transfers in france/italy
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Thanks for all the great info so far.
You are right in that I need to speak to Tui/Crystal and see what they say, planning on doing that tomorrow and if it’s possible to stay out there, and not return to the Uk, definitely getting it in writing.
The first trip flys from Edinburgh to Chamberry on the Saturday and unfortunately the second is from Glasgow to Turin on Sunday 1st, and I stay north of Dundee which just makes things even more complicated.
The things I’ll do to try and get anther weeks skiing 
Thanks again.
Andy
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@Denendjess, Crystal do offer a self-drive option so I guess they might give you a discount on the second week if your already there. It looks like your best option will be to take their bus back to Chambery, then get the train to Sauze. There's a Jet 2 flight out of Turin to Edinburgh on 8th Feb.
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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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For those saying that the first flight MUST be taken or they’ll cancel the return, this isn’t necessarily the case. Or at least it wasn’t when I did it a few years back. I had 4 weeks in Tignes self catering, then I joined up with friends in La Thuille for 1 week booked through Crystal. I contacted Crystal and let them know I’d not be on the outbound flight but would meet at Turin airport and get the coach transfer, plus the return leg of the journey. All done with no bother.
The journey is pretty circuitous in winter as the normal mountain road is closed (it becomes a piste). My journey on the final Saturday was a coach from Tignes to Chambery airport (booked online with Altibus), taxi to the train station, train to Turin (booked online) which from memory all in took about 5 or 6 hours. I had a wander around the city in the afternoon/evening and stayed in a hotel in Turin for the night. . Then the following morning I got a bus from Turin centre to the airport and met up with my pals there. It worked well as my France stay was Saturday to Saturday, the La Thuille trip was Sunday to Sunday.
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Mon 27-10-25 11:12; edited 1 time in total
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…..
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Dav wrote: |
| For those saying that the first flight MUST be taken or they’ll cancel the return, this isn’t necessarily the case. Or at least it wasn’t when I did it a few years back. I had 4 weeks in Tignes self catering, then I joined up with friends in La Thuille for 1 week booked through Crystal. I contacted Crystal and let them know I’d not be on the outbound flight but would meet at Turin airport and get the coach transfer, plus the return leg of the journey. All done with no bother. |
That's not so much you "didn't take the outbound flight" as "arranged a custom package". Just make 2 separate bookings without talking to Crystal and you're likely to see the second return flight and possibly accmodation cancelled if you're seen as a "no show" for the outbound flight. But as this isn't going to cost Crystal anything and might save them a few £ on flights you don't want/won't use it's unlikely to be an issue.
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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 again for all the replies.
Here’s an update after digesting all the info and then speaking to Crystal. It seems that, unless I’m missing something, one option is to take the Crystal transfer bus back to Chambery on 31st, say goodbye to those going home, take a bus to the train station in Chambery and then get a train to Turin. I can either stay in Turin that night and explore city next day but then get train to Turin airport where the Crystal flight that I should have been on lands at 1740. I can then get on the Crystal bus with my mates that have travelled out and get to resort that way.
In addition to that I have spoken to Crystal/Tui and they have said all that is feasible as long as they have been notified in advance and have notes on the system. As mentioned previously I’ll need something in writing. Just lucky both holidays are with Crystal and TUI flights as I think it would be highly unlikely otherwise.
Am I missing anything?
Thanks again.
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Sounds good and sensible.
The easy way for your Sunday is to stay in Turin and look around the city, then get to the airport to meet your friends. When I did it, i got a bus, it was much more of a coach than a uk bus, so plenty of room for luggage/skis. I didn’t look into the train option.
1740 on Sunday is pretty late though. I reckon I’d be looking to get all the way to Sauze or at least to Oulx on the Saturday. Then get up to Sauze on Sunday morning and get in an extra day of skiing before meeting up with your pals in the evening. Oulx is the town in the valley below Sauze, it’s a pretty short transfer up, and I believe it has a train station with a fairly direct link from Chambery. Just need to check that and if/when it runs through the winter. It would require finding somewhere to leave your luggage during the sunday, but I dare say if you found your hotel under the Crystal booking you might be able to pay to get in an extra night on the Saturday, or at least ask them to look after your luggage from Sunday morning. That’s what I’d probably do anyway.
Last edited by So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much  on Mon 27-10-25 15:27; edited 1 time in total
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You know it makes sense.
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@Denendjess, Get your flight ticket details from Crystal in advance. Double check that your flight out of Turin has been booked as a one-way trip.
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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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I think the Chambery to Turin trains will all stop at Oulx anyway, so I agree with@Dav - can get an extra day of skiing in that way!
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Poster: A snowHead
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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 is a bus that goes from Oulx to Sauze, but last time I checked it wasn’t well linked with train times so might be a good wait. Worth checking, but if that taxi price in the link above is correct then a taxi is probably the best bet anyway as buses/coaches can’t go through the centre of Sauze but cars can.
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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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| Dav wrote: |
| There is a bus that goes from Oulx to Sauze, but last time I checked it wasn’t well linked with train times so might be a good wait. Worth checking, but if that taxi price in the link above is correct then a taxi is probably the best bet anyway as buses/coaches can’t go through the centre of Sauze but cars can. |
Oooh, I'd forgotten that, now remember walking up with luggage from where they stop the coach at village entrance-ish.
This place may have a room for the night https://www.albergoassietta.it/ right in centre of village and great place to be. Get a head start on your mates with a whole day out skiing until they arrive too  this hotel is a few steps from the piste for convenience, lively and sociable it is too.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thinking about it, it might just be transfer coaches that aren’t allowed that far. Public bus might be ok as there is a resort bus that goes through that you can hop on in the mornings to avoid the walk up to Clotes or Sportinia lifts.
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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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As @ski3, suggests, Assieta is a great location in the centre of town.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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The cheapest solution of course is to return to the UK. Just don’t tell Greta!
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@Denendjess, I think I'd want confirmation in writing, but sounds like you have a plan. Sweet!
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Crystal could make your flights 'open-jaw'. So it is seen as a single return flight.
Had a friend who could not make the outbound, but I notified the tourist operator beforehand & it wasn't a problem. He was not marked as a no show & his flight was not cancelled. No problem with him being able to use the return flight.
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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: |
| The cheapest solution of course is to return to the UK. Just don’t tell Greta! |
Haha, I won't if you don't! 
Yes, I was thinking that...using the transfers and flights to and from Scotland will cost no extra. French trains, buses, Italian taxis and a night in hotel will.
@Denendjess, do any of your mates live near to EDI/GLA airports?? Could they pick you up and let you bunk at theirs Sat night, save going back to Dundee?
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You’re absolutely right, cheapest option is to return but the thought of airports and a quick turnaround in the UK made the thought of a wee adventure more attractive.
By the sounds of it I should manage to work something out. Thanks for all the advice and I’ll let you know the outcome ‘after’ it’s hopefully all gone to plan
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Just to throw one more option into the mix...
(which will only work if you have your own skis and don't carry too much stuff.)
La Plagne to La Rossiere is a short hop in a bus/cab.
Get a day ticket there, stick your bag on your back and ski over to La Thuile.
This puts you in the Aosta Valley, opposite the bottom of which is Turin so there are lots of transport options eg train/bus.
... just an idea 
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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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That’s an idea which sounds good and I’ve got my own equipment but probably too much to put on my back
I did get it in writing from Crystal today that staying in Europe after the first week, moving resort myself, and flying home after the second week is all doable. This is largely down to everything being Crystal and TUI flights.
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| admin wrote: |
Just to throw one more option into the mix...
(which will only work if you have your own skis and don't carry too much stuff.)
La Plagne to La Rossiere is a short hop in a bus/cab.
Get a day ticket there, stick your bag on your back and ski over to La Thuile.
This puts you in the Aosta Valley, opposite the bottom of which is Turin so there are lots of transport options eg train/bus.
... just an idea |
Errr much easier to just get dropped at Chambery (ideally the train station rather than the airport) and a direct train it to Oulx. Whilst a fine adventure (someone walked / snow-shoed it last year didnt they) ending up in La Thuile is further away than being in Chambery, and much harder to get to Sauze.
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