How to get to peisey vallandry.....

As the ski season is getting closer, i`m just putting the finishing touches to our trip to Peisey Vallandry in January. I`ve organised for our group of 10 to stop in a self catered chalet......all was going well, on on budget until i`ve priced up airport transfers! have they got more expensive this year, because i am being quoted around £110 per person, rtn. I only paid £35 lasy year, although that was to Alpe d`Huez, which i`m pretty sure is closer. Has anyone got any good transfer companies, or ideas how i can get these transfers cheaper? i`m not too fussed about what airport we fly into....Geneva, Grenoble or Chambery.

i`ve also looked at the ski train, but £249 from St Pancras!!

This might just be me being tight, but i wasn`t expecting the prices to be this high!!

One last question also......does anyone wknow what the transfer times are to vallandry? the person we booked the chalet off has stated about 1hr40 from Grenoble, but the transfer companies are saying 3hrs30. Just want to know what to expect.

Sorry for the rant. :oops:

I can tell you that it's about 1'30" to 2' ish to 1800 from chambery but peisey vallandry goes up the la plagne road. I don't imagine it'd be that much difference though. Don't go to lyon, takes forever!

The big problem with all the resorts in this area is that they have to go through bourg and the bottle neck is infuriating. it took us an extra two hours one time (although that was new year). the train goes into bourg and would be a doddle at the other end :D

JonG's your man in the know

Hi,
I would hire a couple of estate cars, it's a doddle to drive from any of the airports and you can stop in Albertville on the way for provisions. Make sure you hire tyre chains, you probably won't need them but if you get a heavy snowfall you will be stuck (I know from experience :oops:)

Not sure if hire companies have minibuses, that would be ideal!

It will take a couple of hours or so from any of the main airports. If you fly to Geneva (last choice) still travel via Chambery as it takes longer over the mountains)

Thanks guys. I was looking at car hire also, but it doesn`t seem to make that much difference to the price. I`ll keep checking about, and see what suits us better.

Seriously considering driving all the way now too. has anyone ever done this, and would you do it again? :shock:

Hi,
I've driven but wouldn't do it again in winter to be honest, even with 4 sharing the driving it's a really long way. I have a company car and certainly wouldn't put 1700 miles on the clock if I owned a car! It's fine in summer with a stopover each way.

Some like driving some don't, just my preference, throw everything in the car, and stop at a French hypermarket (Albertville) stock up on food and wine. If you have a diesel a couple of tank full will get you there and back at a steady pace 80MPH (2.0 engine). Takes about 10 hours from Calais to Vallandry, went there 2 years ago. Small resort lots of Dutch as well as Brits, couple of good ski shops sports 2000 especially. A nice bakers and a small Sherpa supermarket.

Joy of driving, no standing in line to check in your gear or having to arrive at 2 and half hours before the flight goes. There is a down side that it is a long time in the car we make about 3 stops of about 20 mins with a long one around lunch time. The way back is the killer we try and get to around Macon and stay over night in an Ibis, Campanile or similar. The up side is you get to ski on change over day (Saturday) and its quieter on the slopes and you leave after the rush.

If you do drive avoid Paris, some of the route planning sites make you go that way, go via Reims.

You can rent people carriers from Avis and Hertz, if you do make sure you rent snow chains (need them if you drive from UK, you can rent them).

For airport transfers try Altibus.com, they do a number of transfers, best bet for you Chambery to Vallandry, not the greatest service though

:DHi ,

There are a few hire firms (scheduled or on demand) that will get you to Peisey-Vallandry the links below should be of use.

http://www.grenoble-airport.com/-Scheduled-coach-transfers-.html (grenoble)

http://www.gva.ch/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-70/ (geneva)

http://www.chambery-airport.com/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=88 (chambery)

http://www.lyon.aeroport.fr/?module=cms&desc=default&action=get&id=230&selectedMenu=45 (lyon)

From these airports you should expect to pay around 125 euros return (alpski-bus for example charges 126euros per person return but will do a group booking for 112.50euros per person around £90).

The drive from the airports via hire car normally takes 2 1-4 to 2 1/2 hours or there abouts ,but with a bus transfer you can add 1 1/2 to 2 hours onto this i ould imagine,for example from Lyon coach/bus transfer is about 3 1/2 hours as the coach/bus will stop at Albertville and Moutiers aswell.

Regardles of mode of transport if you are flying and driving ,flying and bus/coach transfer i would try and get the earliest possible flight if you are travelling on a saturday so you do not hit the D90 from Moutiers up the hill to the resorts of the Three Valley's ,La Plagne & Les Arcs ,La Rosiere ,ste-Foy Tignes & Val with the tour operators transfers who pick up their clients on the early afternoon flights.

As this is the only road up the valley (although improvements have been made) jams of many miles are not uncommon in peak times and bad weather ,in bad weather you could put another 3 - 4 hours on you're trip (although for the resorts of Les Arcs ,La Rosiere ,Ste-Foy Tignes & Val this is more of a problem).

If you decide to drive from Calais with 3 - 4 drivers in a car and a couple of rest stops for a few minutes the journey can be done in around 10 hours ,when driving i have always taken the Seafrance crossing from Dover at either 8pm or 1am .

The french motorways system beats ours hands down ,and if you use the Toll Roads (A26 from Calais) at night you will see very little traffic ,on the french motorways there are petrol stations every 20 -30 klm and rest stops every 10 -15 klms with toilets etc. :D

Mind you in france it is now law to carry a Hi-Vis vest in you're car at all times (the french authorities have not widely advertised this outside france) for use in the event of a breakdown ,also you will require a reflective warning triangle ,a complete set of spare bolbs ,a set of snow chains (these can be purchased at quite resonable prices from petrol stations nearer you're destination) and some headlight beam benders to reflect you're headlights to the otherside of the road (you can pruchase these in the uk for you're make of car for a couple of quid).

As for route from Calais A26 then follow signs for Reims - Troyes - Dijon - Macon - Chambery - Albertville - Moutiers ,from Moutiers head up the N90 and take the turning signed for "Aime" this is the large village at the foot of the valley on the road leading up to Peisey-Vallandry (Les Arcs).

The speed limits on the french motorways are 81mph in good/dry weather and 62mph in wet r bad weather ,from Calais be carefull as the french traffic police have stepped up giving speeding fines to holiday makers getting on the motorway from the port and going lke the clap.

I hope this is of some use and if i have missed something or cocked a wobbly and made a mistake someone will fill in the blanks i am sure.

JonG :D :D