Avoriaz logistics

A snowHead

I’m heading to avoriaz and was considering getting a swisstour bus to the bottom of prodains lift as a transfer option.

It’s been a while since I’ve been to pds and I can’t remember much of avoriaz. This lift takes you up from valley if I recall?

If I get it what are my options the other side for getting to accommodation? I’m staying at the electra in the crozats area. Is it far to walk? It looks to be uphill on maps. Would it be easier to get dropped at the car park via another transfer?

A snowHead

I’ve re-read and that’s not super clear.

If I am staying at the Electra - what is the best way to get to it? I know about the sledges etc. is it a silly idea to walk? I’ll probably have a hand luggage case.

Can I get the cable car up (prodains) and get to the accommodation easy from there?

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

There’s a phone at the top of Prodains, you call and a snowmobile picks you up. But you can wait a while for it, I’ll be honest! And I’m not sure if the pricing is transparent Our accommodation was much closer and we had a couple of people with unsuitable bags so we couldn’t have walked as it’s properly uphill and Prodains is at the bottom. Someone sent me a great map on here showing the walking route but we didn’t end up using it even on the way down, because one of our group had an injury. Hopefully someone can answer your Q about the car park.

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@v1cky24, define easy....
what kind of luggage do you have? something like a backpack? or hand luggage with wheels? have in mind that Avoriaz is snow covered. Its not easy to walk with a luggage.
https://www.peakretreats.co.uk/media/atqjjqfh/avoriaz-resort-map.pdf

from the prodains going out, you can walk till number 45 on the map, then with the elevator (these red things on the map describe as public crossings) you can go higher, through the buildings and going out between number 21 and 22 i think
then you can walk beside building 51, until the 42 , and i think there is also an elevator to go higher coming out to the number 14, which is the Electra i think...
or you call a sledge and pick you up and bring you to the Electra.
From Car park seems to me more difficult.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@turms2, it will be a cabin suitable suitcase. And I’ll have a rucksack.

The invoice for my booking says ‘in resort shuttle’ so if I get to the top of the prodains lift will the shuttle go from there?

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@abricotine, thanks for that. Useful to know

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

I stayed at Electra a couple of years ago. Granted, we arrived into the main arrivals area, and we got a horse
Drawn sleigh to electra
, with a voucher. So I guess it is possible same applies from Prodains.

As I understand it, the Prodains is a well known way to get into resort, so their ‘ought’ to be regular sleighs or similar available ready to take you to your accomodation. However, someone more local or regular may be able to advise.

(The sleigh ride is pretty cool, and I will miss it this year as our chosen accommodation is very close to the main arrivals area)

After all it is free

@AvoAndi, thank you this was my concern. I was going to walk if possible but it doesn’t appear possible Laughing

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@v1cky24, as i mentioned i think its possible , but i do not know how easy will be with the suitcase through the snowy "streets" in Avoriaz. Although its doable but better to take a sleigh ride

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@v1cky24, Of course you can walk it (if you're reasonably fit). Good altitude trining!
Getting a transfer to the welcome-centre at the top wouldn't help much, since to be able to walk downhill to Electra you'd lose most of the altitude you'd gained walking down to Place du Snow to get the elevators back up!

Map: https://www.calameo.com/avoriaz/read/002827892871be4c28999

If you get the bubble up to Avoriaz from les Prodains (buy a single at the bottom unless you will be skiing the same day) you arrive at Place Jean Vuarnet. On a Saturday the sleighs or even shared rat-tracks may be waiting outside (other times use the free phone to order one), but for a solo with hand-luggage only willing to yomp a bit I'd walk.
Your wheelie-bag will not roll on the snow-covered streets, so unless you can carry it grab a luggage-luge (like a sledge with a handle), they're tethered outside the lift station (and most accommodation blocks) like supermarket trolleys. Pop in a 1E coin, load up, and pull it up to you first Ascenseur Public (public elevator) outside the Haute-Forts building (no.40 on the map), next to Changabangs burger bar. Take the lift to the top (with your luge), and drag it along the corridor to Place de Dromonts. There's a staircase to negotiate but you'll work it out!
Now the only short workout, you have to yomp uphill to Place de Snow, and get the public elevator outside the Snow building (no. 37). Take that to the top, walk along the corridor, cross the street, and get the public elevator outside the Cappella block (no. 20) up to the top. Walk along the corridor to outside the Antares block (no. 19), from where you walk down the road to Electra. Sounds complicated but it's all pretty obvious, it's a well-trodden route. Have fun! snowHead

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@v1cky24, if you're fit enough for wintersports you'll be fit enough to hike to Crozats. It's about the same trek whether from the 'Accueil station' or from the Prodains express. If I had a large holdall I'd get a sleigh, but a rucksack and carry on should be ok.

You need footwear suitable for the prevailing snow conditions in resort - most pedestrian routes will probably be reasonably well trodden.

As per turms2, do seek out the elevators, which cut out a fair bit of traversing up hill.

This sounds very complicated Laughing

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

@v1cky24, honestly, is sometimes a pain in the **sh, especially when we arrive with luggages, ski boots, ski snowboards, some times extra bed linen etc etc and two kids (although with the car) and we have to wait for the "shuttle" etc.
However that the nice thing there....

A snowHead

@v1cky24, don’t be, just have your plan (welcome centre or Prodains), and onward plans from there, either is fine, personally wouldn’t schlep uphill carrying lots of stuff in the snow (I would have for Dromonts but yours is a bit further) but just call the shuttle or snowmobile. Just be prepared there is a little hanging around. It’s well worth it once you get there, it’s a fab place to ski and so easy

Are you arriving in daytime? We were quite late which als influenced the decision.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

My flight into GvA is 16.55 so it will be evening time/dark etc.

I don’t want to be caught waiting for a sleigh ride if I have a bus to catch on the return that’s my worry!

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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

If it was me I'd be trying to get on the Plateau chair (very slow, old, 3 man chair) at the top of Prodains..... which will get you within spitting distance of the Welcome centre and then getting the free shuttle from there.

After all it is free

Not if you are getting into Avoriaz after 5pm; it won’t be working then if I remember correctly. Plus with luggage?

If you are at welcome centre it is probably quicker to walk
Ref your flight arrival time…. Depending on on which day of the week, prodains has different closing times
And given some of the recent experiences of EES Geneva passports ( which took me almost 2 hours at Christmas) plus a 1.5 to 2 hour transfer I would err on side of caution and book to go to top
Skiidy/getaway will wait for you … think Swiss tours is more of a bus service ie they won’t wait … they go at x time.

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I didn’t want to go here : Laughing

I wanted to get the train, which is much more straightforward, to Switzerland and do champery or Les diablarets. My daughter has hounded the life out of me to go to avoriaz Confused

My rationale for using the prodains link is that it will be more skiing on the last day - this is a short trip. 5-8march. Getting the bus from the valley will be a shorter transfer time. The times quoted by some of these buses are 3 hours to 1800 welcome centre and I don’t want to pay £270 for a transfer - the only options I can see are alpine fleet and swisstours bus that provide a transfer.

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Yes Vic wants the moon on a stick Laughing

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You definitely shouldn’t let this minor logistic put you off. It’s fab staying up in Avoriaz and you can end a skiing day at the folie douce and not worry about getting back late (if it’s your daughter’s thing)! Like I say the snowmobile is fine, just allow 45 minutes for it to be really safe. But once you know your bearings you may find walking down on your way home on the routes / map advised above is fine. We didn’t as we had someone who couldn’t.

Skiidy Gonzalez was who I used, offered a variety of times/drop-off points and were a reasonable price...but I was doing standard Sat-Sat.

Could you just hire a car and drive? Gives maximum flexibility

You know it makes sense.

@SnoodyMcFlude, possibly. I worry about Chains etc I’ve never hired a car before in mountains

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

@v1cky24, Altibus also offer scheduled coach services GVA-Prodains, but not on Tuesdays or Wednesdays.

@abricotine, I've never known anyone doing in-resort transport by snowmobile Shocked

Are you sure you don't mean rat-track?

A snowHead

@shep, I’m sure you’re right! Excuse wrong terminology. I’m not entirely sure of the difference Laughing

it got me there though!

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@abricotine, Haha sorry, I wasn't being pedantic but it may have given the OP the vapours! Snowmobile = ski-doo = Moto de neige. Two seats and no luggage space. Rat-track a pistie-beastie with a 8/10-man passenger cab on the back and ofter a luggage trailer. Sleigh - horse drawn - seats driver and 4 passengers, or three with luggage.

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So in short - I should be able to get from top of prodains to my accommodation somehow Laughing

I’ve booked a Sunweb thing and it does include whatever an ‘in resort shuttle’ means but we think this is from the welcome centre only? I dont want to get the bus to the welcome centre if I can help it because its a lot longer

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

It is just 13 euros for a horse sleigh, just call it once you are there. You will spend more money on the internet bandwidth trying to figure out the alternatives...
https://www.avoriaz.com/en/staying/access-and-transport/sleighs-and-snow-vehicules/

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@aklos, true Laughing

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

@shep, my suggestion of the skidoo definitely sounds like a more thrilling way to start the trip Laughing

OP you can definitely get there but allow plenty of time for the vehicle to arrive (and to get to Prodains well before the last car up). It’s not quick like calling an uber; not in my experience at least Smile

After all it is free

@abricotine,

Last lift from Prodains 10pm on a Sunday.

Help!!

Avoriaz logistics

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