 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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so how long will it actually take you door to door and how many unloads, loads will you have to do (including home to ski accom). Not putting it down, just genuinely interested.
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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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Very informative. Thanks.
Local station?
Total travel time from local station please?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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We will leave local sation 12.50pm Saturday, arrive London 4pm, taxi from Paddington to St Pancreas. Drink a beer. Train Leaves London 5.30pm. Arrive Paris 8.45pm. Taxi transfer in Paris. Drop of at restaurant beside train station. Glass of wine and steak. Train leaves Paris 11.12pm. Fall asleep, wake up Bourg Saint Maurice 7.30am. In Apartment in Arc 2000 by 8.45. Shower, coffee, porridge, on slopes 9.45 latest very refreshed.
Slower than flying but incredibly relaxing and on way home train leaves Bourg 9pm at night so we ski all day and travel up to Paris in our sleep and arrive Paris 6am. 8am Eurostar. Expect to be in house around 1pm latest
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Wed 24-10-12 22:09; edited 1 time in total
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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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thefatcontroller, Paris to BSM nearly 20hrs train journey 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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thefatcontroller, surprisingly doable from south wales, £420 plus taxis, but still good value
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Thanks.
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| halfhand wrote: |
| thefatcontroller, Paris to BSM nearly 20hrs train journey |
Woops. ammended. Meant 7.30am. The train at night goes real slow as no point arriving Bourg at 5am. The TGV can do it in about 5 hours, overnight 8 1/2 hours. The train is huge and splits in two somewhere with 1/2 going to another ski area. The train actually parks in Chambery for about 40 minutes, at least I read it does as I was fast asleep.
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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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| holidayloverxx wrote: |
| thefatcontroller, surprisingly doable from south wales, £420 plus taxis, but still good value |
+ Taxis? The £430 includes the taxis.
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thefatcontroller, Oh, you didn't say in the OP - even better!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Doesn't include the beer, wine and steak in Paris though! 
You can do the transfers easily by tube and metro if you want but it is a holiday, so we let the taxi take the strain. Don't forget holidayloverxx thats for the 2 of us. I think its great value.
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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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thefatcontroller,
The train doesn't go slow (at least the last time I did it it didn't). It stops soon after you leave Paris and pulls up in somesidings.
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How are you getting in an appartment at 8.30am on a Saturday? The previous week's occupants are very accomodating.
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You know it makes sense.
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fatbob, I'm guessing he's the landlord 
My guests are often well away by 8:30 but I don't give access till 15:00 to allow for the cleaning & laundry although if I was asked I would ask my caretaker if they would allow the new guests in to change and leave their bags if it wasn't inconvenient for her.
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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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fatbob, If we leave at 12ish Saturday and travel through the night surely we arrive Sunday morning but yes I am the landlord. 
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Poster: A snowHead
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thefatcontroller, May well see you in resort. Boys trip: but planning on doing the same train trip (other than the bit from Wales) a day early, and going overnight on the Friday 11th, arriving Sat am rather than your Sunday.
One thing it does give is flexibility on return days - we often have a "melange" of returns, with people taking a long weekend, a short week, a shortish week or a full week. Last year we had returnees on the Tues, Wed and Thurs.
We love the train.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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thefatcontroller, Sorry - didn't compute as you mentioned the extra day I'd assumed you were on a Friday night train.
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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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fatbob, The extra day for us comes on the way back. We have 3 kids and they are at home torturing the mother in law . Previosuly when we flew we would come back on the Friday to let her go but now we travel back overnight Friday and get 6 days skiing instead of 5.
Of course if we had the time we could ski Saturday, shower and get a 7th day skiing in but have to release the M-in-L
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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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You can take the tube in Paris to Austerlitz. Direct on line number 5 if I remember well. Cheaper and more time for the dinner, basically.... and a stroll next to the river. Lockers in basement/street level at Austerlitz
Train stops for a long time in Dijon. Then train splits in Chambery-Challes les Eaux with its other half going to St Gervais for transfer onto Chamonix. It does have another long-ish stop in Albertville to reverse the engine.
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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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fatbob, Just seen Arctic Roll's post, as he says, the train gives you a huge amount of flexibility.
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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've often thought about taking the train to Austria which would be London - Paris - Munich then wherever you want to go. Departure from London was about 17:00 and arriving in Bad Gastein at about midday which I always thought was pretty good ... this spurs me on to have another look.
You have to be able to sleep on the train to make this work and that is one thing that Mrs. Kersh ain't good at. This has always been the stumbling block of my idea. 
Kersh
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| Quote: |
You have to be able to sleep on the train to make this work
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Yep. No way would I pay a considerable premium over the flight cost to sit up all night. I did sleeper to Aime once, which was fine. You don't sleep all night, it's pretty noisy (all that shunting....) but at least you are comfortable.
I generally drive because the length of time I go for makes renting a car uneconomical. The daytime Eurostar would be a good option for some of my visitors, but I don't think there's an easy connection to Albertville - does anyone know? I should look into it but the rail websites are such a pain. It would be far easier for me to meet visitors at Albertville than at Geneva.
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I like the sound of the whole journey as long I was not travelling with too much luggage (esp. if you are the landlord and you have your ski kit safely stashed in your ski apartment). But then I enjoy the whole experience of travelling, watching the world go by, relaxing with a drink, having some down time to think about my upcoming holiday.. I suppose if I had kids it would be a whole different story..
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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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| pam w wrote: |
| The daytime Eurostar would be a good option for some of my visitors, but I don't think there's an easy connection to Albertville - does anyone know? |
Eurostar to Moutiers then I'm sure there are frequent local trains back to Albertville.
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I suppose I could drive to Moutiers to pick them up - easy drive from Albertville. But it's annoying when the train goes through Albertville (at least, I suppose it does).
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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As I feared though the actual Journey doesn't look too bad it's the
Load car at home
Unload Car at station car park
load train @ local station
Unload train @ paddington
load taxi @ Paddington
unload taxi @ St Pancreas
load train @ St Pancreas
Unload train @ GDN - Paris
Load taxi @ GDN Paris
Unload taxi @ other Paris station
Load Train after glass of wine and a steak @ other Paris station
Unload @ Bourg
Load car/taxi/bus @ Bourg
Unload car/taxi/bus @ chalet
repeat in reverse for trip home.
Fine if you haven't got much luggage I guess but all that loading and unloading of gear is too much for my old bones with 2 kids in tow. so I'll stick to
Load car @ home
Unload car @ airport
Dump bags @ checkin desk
Have a drink and some food in Airport whilst SWMBO shops.
Collect Bags @ foreign airport (assuming they arrive  )
Load transfer vehicle
Unload at ski accom.
Ski
For our family trip to Courchevel we usually leave at about 6am, check in by 7am. Flight leaves around 9.30am. Lands about 12pm local time, transfer about 1hr 30. Usually on the slopes by about 2.30. Of course we don't get the extra full day @ either end but it works quite well for us.
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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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Kersh, I assume you mean she can't sleep in a couchette? thefatcontroller didn't say but this is always a sleeper. That is why you have to change station in Paris. The direct trains from London you have to sit up all night,
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I went out on the sleeper from Paris to Moutiers once. It was the least relaxing, most exhausting pile of shoite journey I have ever undertaken. Red hot cabins, narrow uncomfortable beds, took my own pillow, noisey, smelly, claustrophobic etc etc. By the tiime I got to Val Thorens I wanted my bed far more than my ski pass. That said, skiing in the sun, in the 3v, on a changeover day/saturday, is sheer bliss.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Boredsurfing, driving has become the least stressful way for us to get to Les Arcs these days. No luggage issues, easy driving for the entire journey (except when the weather gets a bit extreme) and not too much slower than plane or train. We leave home in time to get a Eurotunnel just before 8am and we're in Bourg St Maurice at 6.30pm to buy groceries in the SuperU.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
I went out on the sleeper from Paris to Moutiers once. It was the least relaxing, most exhausting pile of shoite journey I have ever undertaken. Red hot cabins, narrow uncomfortable beds, took my own pillow, noisey, smelly, claustrophobic etc etc. By the tiime I got to Val Thorens I wanted my bed far more than my ski pass. That said, skiing in the sun, in the 3v, on a changeover day/saturday, is sheer bliss.
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I thought it was fun. Travelling by train to the Alps is definately easier when you're younger, but I'd definately do it again. There is a lot of vibration and it's difficult to sleep, but we overcame that by sneaking into first class after 12pm and sleeping until dawn! A year later we were caught doing the same thing by the guard, so we waited for him to leave and then snuck back to the empty 1st class cabins to steal their comfy bunk matresses. If I did it again I would drive to Ashford rather than embarking in Central London, and I would take my own pillow!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| jellylegs wrote: |
I thought it was fun. Travelling by train to the Alps is definately easier when you're younger, but I'd definately do it again. There is a lot of vibration and it's difficult to sleep, but we overcame that by sneaking into first class after 12pm and sleeping until dawn! A year later we were caught doing the same thing by the guard, so we waited for him to leave and then snuck back to the empty 1st class cabins to steal their comfy bunk matresses. If I did it again I would drive to Ashford rather than embarking in Central London, and I would take my own pillow! |
Are the first class bunks that much more comfortable than the normal couchettes? And how do you know which compartments are empty?
By the way, couchettes are only a little bit more expensive than seats.
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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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| snowball wrote: |
| Kersh, I assume you mean she can't sleep in a couchette? thefatcontroller didn't say but this is always a sleeper. That is why you have to change station in Paris. The direct trains from London you have to sit up all night, |
It's just sleeping on a train. We've done overnight from Madrid to Lisbon once in our own cabin and even that didn't work. The plan for Austria would be night train from Paris to Munich (i.e. sleeping in a bed) so same as thefatcontroller.
Cheers
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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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| snowball wrote: |
| Kersh, I assume you mean she can't sleep in a couchette? thefatcontroller didn't say but this is always a sleeper. That is why you have to change station in Paris. The direct trains from London you have to sit up all night, |
Yes and no.
Yes it is always a sleeper although a premium is to be paid for bunks (either second or first class). No it is not only a slepper as in if you happen not to request a bunk upon booking (and therefore fo not pay the premium) you will find yourself allocated a reclining seat.
You can always try the rougher version which is just paying for the reclining seat and either gamble you will have some remaining sleeper availability and pay an extra EUR25 cash to the conductor for a second class free bunk or just unroll a thermarest and sleeping bag in the mail/cargo and bike space for a nice kip...
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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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thefatcontroller, The £420 is that per person? or for the whole family. I just looked at getting the train to London and that was £100 each! (OK getting there in the morning is not a good idea) I would love to do the train again, but the best way appears to be to fly to Paris and pick it up there.
Now I am afraid we usually drive - pack the car and set off at about 19:00 or later and be on the slopes next morning for a total of about £400 for the whole family
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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johnE, fairly obvious in the OP "it will cost us only £430 for the 2 of us RETURN. "
How do you calculate £400? Maybe with Tesco vouchers and not taking toll roads?
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I haven't done the Paris sleeper thing before but very interested. Last year we did the overnight Eurostar from St Pancras to Moutier - it was very cheap, and ridiculously easy.
Normally it is:
Fri night/Sat morning.......Load car in Leeds at 1.30am.
Unload at Manchester parking place 2.30isham.
Load minibus to airport.
Unload minibus at airport.
Lug all kit all over airport (oversize luggage, bar, check in, etc, all v tired and grumpy).
Flight at 6am
Arrive wherever 9.30am, wait (and hope) for all kit (still no sleep)
11am Lug all kit to transfer bus (wait on transfer bus for everyone else)
3pm Arrive in resort and unload kit from bus
Load kit onto chalet minibus
Load kit off chalet minibus and finally arrive in Chalet at something like 3.30/4pm.
Last year it was:
Fri night
Train to London - 2.20 hours unload kit and
Put onto eurostar at St Pancras 9.30pm
Arrive in Moutier at 6am, unload and load kit onto chalet minibus
We're in Meribel, can ski on Sat, all day
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And flying is not always cheap, esp when you add the extras
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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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Sorry been travelling (by plane and train ). To answer a few of the points.
We are in the sleepr train taking couchettte. We slept fine. Small glass of wine before travelling but aim is to get a decnt nights sleep. I would not contemplate doing it overnight sitting in a seat. To those criticising it but haven't tried it, try it you might surprise yourself. We foud it extradionairly relaxing compared to any trek through an airport.
I criticise no one for how they choose to travel but our preferences would be. Train 1st. Drive 2nd. Fly 3rd. Overnight drive...I would prefer not to go. As I say each to their own.
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Is the train more comfortable than a Land Rover though?
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FAQ
