 Poster: A snowHead
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Just done the calculation this morning that with current state of £ to Euro its cheaper to hire car (todays special offer on Auto-Europe is Ford Focus estate for £209 a week) than to go with origional plan of getting taxi (£400). I've driven a few times in France in past, and even mastered the art of getting out of Geneva airport on the right road two years in a row, but not done this route before. Any tips or suggestions welcome. Heading off this Saturday morning so any up to date points on roads, conditions, good supermatkets on way etc, from experienced travellers would be very welcome.
Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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814man Welcome to Snowheads. I've not done this exact route before, but I have driven past Chambery up to the Tarentaise resorts, and it's so easy you'll be amazed. Ususal caveats around Peage, Chains, apply though........ Albertville ( en route ) will be best for Supermarkets, but you could leave it until Moutiers or Bourg St Maurice if you don't want to get off the Main Road in a larger town.
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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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Welcome to Snowheads.  You can drive into the "centre commercial" in Albertville and shop at Géant without getting involved in the town at all. I've driven up there for the day a few times, when my son was working there, and the main hassle is getting rid of the damned car when you get there. Ask your accommodation about parking - it can be expensive.
There are buses, if you want to save some dosh.
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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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There is (or at least was last season) free parking at La Daille (the first bit of Val d'Isere you come to). You could drop off your luggage near your accommodation, drive back to La Daille to park then catch the free resort shuttle bus back to Val d'Isere.
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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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814man, Just back from Tignes Les Brevieres on Christmas Eve after doing this trip for first time. It was straightforward enough - good road and signage - paege takes credit cards just look for the booth with the CB sign. We stopped in Bourg St Maurice at the SuperU which is at the last roundabout before you head up for Tignes/Val D. Didnt need the snow chains except for the last bit up to the apartment but if you are in main resort you should be fine, we had snowtyres on the rental car as well.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Friends in Val d'Isere have been grumbling that there is no free parking there this winter. I think they were looking at almost 50 euros per week.
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Thanks everyone for great info. Just finished packing - only one more sleep till skiing!!
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ruthie can you advise about any buses or tranfers to le brev as i am off there on the 2nd of feb and as it is a sunday i am trying to get to the resort, alone aswell
mark 
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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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markbish, We hired a car at Chambery and drove there this year as for a partyof 5 it worked out quite cheap. Have used transfers in the past with various companies but might work out quite dear for you. Sorry can't help you but if you do a search on the forum I'm sure you will come across some other Snowheads advice. I know you can get the train to Bourg St Maurice and then taxi up.
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thanx for that, is there a train to bourg from the air port? coz that would be a help 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| markbish wrote: |
ruthie can you advise about any buses or tranfers to le brev as i am off there on the 2nd of feb and as it is a sunday i am trying to get to the resort, alone aswell
mark |
there's definitely a shuttle bus from Tignes to BSM and back - I guess it must stop in Les Brevs I'd check out the tignes tourist office on the net and give them a call. Failing that there's a big tourist office in BSM itself which should be able to provide advice / timings..
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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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| markbish wrote: |
| thanx for that, is there a train to bourg from the air port? coz that would be a help |
If not there would certainly be a shuttle into town and there are very frequent trains from there. Parking cost is a problem in Val d'I as someone said.
But I find €400 hard to believe for a taxi. I'm going with 4 people by taxi in Italy - 2 1/4 hours at €230 for the group.
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Hi all, just back yesterday from trip so thought I'd just update this. Family had a great week - the car hire went very well, on arrival at Chambery airport I went straight through to outside car hire cabin leaving wife and kids to collect bags, top tip as you get there before the scrum with at least 12 to 15 others trying to pick up cars from our flight. Usual French car hire set up, small portacabin with 6 different agency desks all staffed with 2 staff. All Brits queing at the one which was offering the cheapest deals whilst others had no customers at all. Anyway I came out lucky as well as being first in queue I found car had been upgraded from Ford Focus to Citroen C5, very nice, automatic and with sat nav that even though I could'nt find way to reset to English I managed to programme in French.
Roads were fine, we stopped at Albertville supermarket to try to get some cheap provisions to offset prices in resort (I'm not going to go over this again I know its a topic in other threads, I'll just hold breath for the visa bill next month!!). Road tax was 4.80 Euros. Didn't find any free car parking and eventually settled for indoor car park opposite our apartment at a very expensive 78 euros for the week. Despite dire warnings in resort to make sure you leave before 7am on Saturday morning to beat queues around Moutiers, after faff with car getting stuck in snow outside apartment we didnt get away until 8-30 but had no hold ups and made good time. Chambery airport was usual packed out weekend nightmare but at least we got away only an hour late, passengers on earlier flight than ours back to Leeds/Bradford were just boarding bus to Lyon to get their diverted plane as we were boarding ours.
Week in Val D'Isire was excellent if a little cold on some days. Good snow conditions and we all especially liked the area around Tignes.
Thanks again for advice everyone.
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You know it makes sense.
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814man, glad it went well, and thanks for reporting back.
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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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May be me but I didn't have much luck searching this transfer on the forums and this is the thread I found.
We're doing the same journey arriving on 24th Sun, jan and returning 2 weeks later (2 weeks on the snow - awesome!!). Anyhow we booked Chambery due to the shorter transfer and completely forgot about the delay and transfer issues - did we make the wrong decision. What do you suggest for transfers? Here's hoping we shouldn't have just gone to Geneva!! 
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Poster: A snowHead
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