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Getting round in Europe, How is it to be done? Specifrically, travel between La Grave, Chamonix, and other Ski areas.
Thanks in advance
Car?
Bus?
Train?
Plane?
Note: Going to be there for 2 and a half weeks. First stop will be where the snow is. Right now landing in paris if these details help.
Rapido, por favor!
Odin,
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I once rode a sausage to Frankfurt.
From Paris (city or airport) you can get to Chamonix or La Grave quite easily. For Chamonix you get the TGV (fast train) to Geneva then another (slow) train. For La Grave you get the TGV to Grenoble then a bus.
Getting between Chamonix and La Grave is a bitch. Just ask Hop, he tried it a couple of times. Theoretically it should be possible using public transport but I have never met anyone who has managed to do it simply and quickly. And don't trust the French rail info online for this. Your best bet is probably hitching with someone or a hire car.
There's a never ending thread about Europe here
Getting from Paris into Grenoble or Geneva by TGV is not the issue, the tricky part starts from there. To switch resorts by public transportation in France can be done as stated before however count on a whole day to get it done due to very inconvenient connections. Only convenient connection I have ridden myself is from Chamonix into the Swiss Rhone valley to Martigny, from there everything works better within Switzerland.
At what time of the winter will you be there?Quote:
Originally posted by Odin
Going to be there for 2 and a half weeks. First stop will be where the snow is.
The absolutely sweetest thing in the Alps is having a car. Not only can you reach pretty much any resort from pretty much any resort in less than 5 hours but you'll easily be able to spend evenings seing stuff as well as getting out of the resort on weathercaused downdays or something. A couple of places a car is nice to leave behind and ski back to etc.
That said train and bus combinations will get you almost anywhere. Depending on how much you'll be moving around (and how many you are) a car might be cheaper though, french and swiss trains ain't exactly free though they do work pretty well for getting around. Waiting times can be a bitch though; last winter I spent 14.5 hours getting from La Grave to Engelberg (two musts on an Alps round trip) while going the other way by car in 5 hours.
ditto (and I'm living in this country for 28 years).Quote:
I have never met anyone who has managed to do it simply and quickly.
I second the car thing, there is so much things you wont be able to do without a car, let alone sleeping on the parking of a snow stormed ski resort.
I used to always rent a car unless going to St. Anton or Zermatt where it truly wasn't needed. Priceline became my friend and was usually the cheapest way to rent. The trains cost real $$$ and the fellas are spot on in the advice. Easy from Paris to wherever just don't plan to switch resorts. I think the Serre Che, La Grave, Alpe du Huez corrider really almost requires a car to sample all the goods and be able to have any kind of flexibility as to when and where you ski, much less getting from there to Cham.
Have bad_roo and BrownMonkey drive you, it worked for me.
I'd expect a comical sob story of woe in return.
Car......having lived in the alps for 5 winters ...if you are only there for 2.5 weeks don't even consider the other methods, you don't have the time.....just beware on car sizing, what in europe we call a compact isn't what you call a compact in the USA!
I'm allready working on one for Jan.