 Poster: A snowHead
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The regular Eurostar and snowtrain ski destinations - which connect via Aime, Moutiers and Bourg St Maurice - are well-known and very popular.
This interesting article in The Guardian, by Daniel Elkan looks at some alternative resorts that can be accessed by daytime or overnight trains from Paris or Brussels. He travels to Davos in Switzerland, but also looks at connections to Sauze d'Oulx (Italy), Pas de la Casa (Andorra), Chamonix (France) and Kitzbühel (Austria).
Any comments?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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David Goldsmith, there's also the Paris-Briancon sleeper service. I have booked my teenagers on this at Christmas, they are getting to Paris by plane though, total cost £60 each.
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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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Using the German DB AutoZug - www.dbautozug.de - it is possible to travel from Dusseldorf, Hamburg or Cologne to Salzburg, Innsbruck and Villach in Austria; Bolzano in the Dolomites; Narbonne ( for Andorra and the Pyrennes ) and Munich.
I do not know what connections you need to get to the three set-off points. But handy if you live near there.
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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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For ADH, LDA and Serre Che (amongst others) you can get cheap flights to Paris Charles de Gualle and direct TGV out of the airport to Lyon in under 2 hours.
Definately worth a thought I would imagine!
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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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Paris, Lille and Eurostar are all TGV connected so you could overnight from there to a few places in the alpes. Basel and Zurich should be connectable and St A, I think has a train dirct from Paris if not Amsterdam as it is on the line through to Vienna. Further up the line should be Innsbruck so with a few changes you could get quite a way. I used to do this with a Thomas Cook rail schedule but would be out of date with the costs. Prices on the continent are cheaper than the UK in general, for example I got all the way back from Chamonix to Paris with a big chunk on TGV 1 st class for less than £70. The shock I got was from Gard du Nord to Ashford which was £178 which is, of course ridiculous... But with a bit of rummaging around you might be surprised by the prices. Having said that Basel to Engelberg in about 89ChF return but Continental trains are way above what we are used to in virtually every sense IMO
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I would suggest anyone thinking of using SNCF services this winter to think carefully about the threat of strikes. The French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin has warned that industrial action by rail workers this winter could get as bad as 1995 (effectively France's winter of discontent). Eurostar services should be okay - unless the tracks get blocked by some disgruntled workers.
I remember they interviewed some rail workers about the introduction of the 35 hour week - one guy replied there was no way the government was going to force him to work that long - the average working week for an SNCF employee is apparently 28 hours.
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one guy replied there was no way the government was going to force him to work that long - the average working week for an SNCF employee is apparently 28 hours
honestly what is there anyone can say to that???!!!
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| sarah@alpedhuez wrote: |
honestly what is there anyone can say to that???!!! |
"I'm moving to France" maybe?
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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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Arno, Please tell me that was a joke!
Whilst there are a huge amount of advantages, I think the system has been based on Animal Farm - "All animals are equal, some are more equal than others"!
For anyone wanting to do soemthing a little imaginative or just to be their own boss, the charges,taxes etc etc etc are so high that in effect you are firmly discouraged to stick your head above the others. Unless of course you are...
D'you know a couple of years ago those on the dole went on strike (??!) at Christmas saying it was unfair that all those in work were getting a Chrimbo bonus so why shouldn't they. The system coughed up 1000 francs for each person on the dole. It is laughable but a crazy cray system!
Why do I feel I have opened a can of worms?
One last thing before the barrage starts; I live here and have done for 10 years and I am married to a French man!! 
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sarah@alpedhuez,
Interesting view but I am afraid you are going to have to spell it out for me, when you say 'Unless of course you are... ' should I be thinking lazy sod who wants a free lunch, looked after by the state etc etc
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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NorthWestFace, no - the other way, fan of the state, politician or other! This country isn't made for business men unless they are a big big cheese.
How is it that a Fireman, on call, can be somking a cigerette in public?
Different subjuct but all down to the same thing!
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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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sarah@alpedhuez, didn't you notice the " " ?
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Arno, Nope, got too excited at the thought of launcing into one of my favorite discussions!!
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You know it makes sense.
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| sarah@alpedhuez wrote: |
"All animals are equal, some are more equal than others"!
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Or the republican ideal as it is also known. Yes there is a rupture between the 40-50% of French people who have a reasonably comfortable existence and the rest - self-employed, residents of the cité and people on unsecure CDDs. There is a great culture of "I'm alright Jackism" (remember the Peter Seller's film?) where those in secure work couldn't give a stuff about the rest while at the same time whittering on about "solidarity". No one is prepared to work a jot over 60, no one is prepared to work more so the government is left with squeezing the rest. Whenever the govt suggests change one or anther or a whole bunch of self interests head onto the streets.
I was amused at former Minister Jacques Lang who was interviewed on BBC TV recently suggesting that the recent riots showed that the French integrationist model works "look zey are rioting and burning ze cars like the rest of the French now!" he exclaimed.
Take France's much vaunted "social model" where it is difficult (but not impossible to fire people). The result is that in my local paper there is not one permanent job - all are short term contracts. To combat this the previous administrations passed a law saying that you could only be employed 2 years on short term contracts. The result is like my friend recently fired after 2 years work for Hewlett Packard because they can't keep her on any longer. With 1500 unemployed IT workers in the Grenoble area they have their pick of replacements.
ps I've done self-employed in both Britain and France and understand what Sarah means.
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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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davidof, sounds like we could make a good team!
We'll have to get together for a controversial dinner party one day - do you venture over to these parts?
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Poster: A snowHead
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FAQ
