J2Ski Holiday 30th January 2016 - Alpe d'Huez

Well I've now booked my Jan 2016 trip as well so we can all be happy!!

AllyG, have you decided how you're getting there? Know you usually travel by train and we would prefer to do this, trying to get husband interested.

ttski wrote:AllyG, have you decided how you're getting there? Know you usually travel by train and we would prefer to do this, trying to get husband interested.

It would be great if you decided to come with us :)


I have looked at the train time-table as I am thinking of doing this as it's a very easy journey to do by train. You can get the Eurostar to Paris Nord, then change stations to Paris gare de Lyon, get the TGV direct to Grenoble, and finally either get the public bus to Alpe d'Huez (costs 15 euros each way this season and takes 2 hours) or use the hotel's transfer which should be much quicker and costs £45 return for Grenoble airport so it might be cheaper from the station, as it's closer to Alpe d'Huez.

The current Saturday time-table for the direct Paris to Grenoble train looks like this:

Going out
Eurostar departs St Pancras 11:01 arrive Paris Nord 14:24 Direct TGV departs Paris Lyon 15:38 arrives Grenoble 19:03 Public bus departs Grenoble 19:30 arrives LDA 21:30

Coming back
Bus departs LDA 07:23 arrives Grenoble 09:45 Direct TGV departs Grenoble 09:56 arrives Paris Lyon 13:07 Eurostar departs Paris Nord 14:10 arrives St Pancras 15:30

As far as I could see, according to the time-table for this season, if you wanted to get to Alpe d'Huez earlier you'd have to change trains again between Paris and Grenoble, at either Lyon or Chambery. But if you manage to find a better route/train do please let me or Andy know!

The cheapest train this season between London St Pancras and Paris Nord is £69 return. It's too late to buy cheap TGV tickets this season for Paris to Grenoble but the currently available tickets cost £128 return.
I can't see any reason why it wouldn't be possible to buy return tickets between St Pancras and Grenoble for the same/a similar price as I did going to Sauze when I went to Oulx, and it cost me £117 return, as long as you bought them as soon as they were available.

http://uk.voyages-sncf.com/en/

I may well go by train leaving London Friday evening and doing the overnight.
It is not as convenient as the route to Bourg St Maurice as I would need to change at Chambery in the middle of the night.
The advantage to me is best part of two days extra skiing :)

The first group are paying deposits now - 18 so far - with a number sorting out the practicalities of "persuading" significant others that the holiday is a great idea or dealing with time off work.

I have never booked a ski holiday this far in advance but learnt my lesson last year when I missed the trip to Sauze because of a diary clash!! I have forgiven MrsOA for this as she was happy to get this date - 30th Jan 2016 - in the diary :)

Wanted to go to ADH for ages - it looks like a great ski domain and we are sending 3 of the group out this season with a list of things to reccie for the trip next year.
:thumbup:

On the current time-table the night train leaves Paris Austerlitz at 22:56 on Friday night and arrives at Chambery at 05:05. You have to change trains in Chambery and you then arrive in Grenoble at 06:27 on Saturday.

Coming back on a Saturday the night train departs Grenoble at 20:34, arrives at Chambery at 21:20 where you have to change trains, and reaches Paris Austerlitz at 06:19

I went back to Paris on the French sleeper train once, and I was in the economy 6 berth couchette, and it was pretty sardine like! I was in the middle bunk and you couldn't sit up in it without hitting your head on the bunk above. Mind you, I did sleep OK. The 4-berth couchettes are more expensive. When I did it I got a taxi early in the morning from Paris Austerlitz to Paris Nord in order to catch the Eurostar, and it wasn't too expensive.

I think I might go back from Alpe d'Huez on the night sleeper train, to get an extra day of ski-ing, but I wouldn't go out on it because I think I'd be too tired the next day to ski. So I think I will go out on the day train and back on the night train.

Thanks for your reply Ally. I was hoping you'd found a way to get there by not crossing Paris. We don't mind going from Nord to Lyon but for some reason find from Lyon to Nord awkward, but suppose we could always get taxi. For the past few years we have gone to resorts reached by using the ski train. Still 'working' on hubby.

Its a good few years since I was in ADH but I did love my trips there. The skiing is great and very varied. The Sarenne run is a must do. Apart from the initial pitch, it is not particularly challenging but a lovely long run through the mountains with no lifts or anything else to disturb the serenity of the area. The tunnel is a real challenge - didn't get around to it and not sure my knees would handle the moguls now :oops: .

I seem to recall that it was possible to get a helicopter transfer over to Les Deux Alps for relatively modest money - could be an interesting excursion :wink:.

In the village, my memory was that the Piano bar upstairs in the complex beside the ice rink was very pleasant with some good live music - a pleasant change from the overcrowded, noisy "Oirish" bars, etc. However, it is very definitely a French bar and a different vibe and high prices - not a place to go on the batter :lol: .

They have a nice outdoor public swimming pool that was included in the lift pass, though they do insist on Speedo type trunks for the gents :oops: .

Back then, there was a nice restaurant at the bottom of the town called the Petit Creux. Not cheap but it was very good quality.

Enjoy guys :wink: .

Agree with Wandered, its one of my fav ski areas. Loads of travelling. Sarenne is long and exhausting, but nothing too dangerous on it, just the top can scare a few people off. Tunnel is different altogether, not for timid skiers or anyone with little off piste experience. Or bad knees!!!

Heli transfer to L2A is 65 euro return, bargain if thats what you want. I didn't fancy L2A so didn't bother.