Any help in getting to Meribel cheaply (not snow coach)?

We have been invited to Meribel for a long weekend 10th April or the previous weekend. Apparantly it is a band/comedy festival two weeks My daughter is working in the Cactus bar and would like us to visit this year! My other half is unemployed so we need to get there as cheap as possible but I could not cope with the coach, plus the time needed taken from work! I have looked at flights cheapest is £125.00 plus transfer, plus parking from City airport etc. I know this doesn't sound a lot but is at the moment. My daughter suggested Eurostar but I have checked the site to Moutiers but doesn't seem possible for a long weekend only weekly. Without giving up yet I thought that you guys might be able to assist on any easy way there. We live in Berkshire so could fly from any southern airport - Cheers!

i have never driven to a snow resort but would that be any cheaper?

I fear not unless there was space in a car to assist with the diesel cost!

With your planned travel dates, Eurostar to Moutiers is unlikely to suit. You could do Eurostar as far as Paris, and switch onto to SNCF to Moutiers. The seat61 site can help you with planning.

http://www.seat61.com/

I have been several times now to Moutiers and Bourg St Maurice from London via Paris on the train. You have to get the Eurostar from St Pancras to Paris Nord and then go across Paris on the RER, two stops, to Paris Lyon and get the TGV train. It takes about 8 hours from London. And then it's about another hour, I think, from Moutiers to Meribel by bus.

I had a look at prices for you going out on the Friday and coming back on the Monday, and total return price was about £180- each, but they didn't seem to have any early trains on the Friday.

When you get to Moutiers you get the Altibus,altibus.com, to the resort. We went to Val Thorens, same area, and the price was around 25 Euros each return and the bus took an hour and a quarter. You can get the tickets online before you go.

But I don't think you could do it for under about £200 each total whether you flew or went by train. Flights are cheaper, e.g. £115 return each with Easyjet to Geneva out Friday back Monday, but transfers are a lot more expensive e.g. bus is 115 Euros return each from Geneva to Meribel.

I haven't tried driving, but there would be fuel, plus ferry or tunnel, plus road tolls, plus emergency recovery and insurance to drive in France, plus possibly chains etc.

Hitching a lift with someone sounds like the cheapest option.

Sorry I couldn't be more helpful,

Ally

I would be quite surprised if you could work it out cheaper than the prices you have already.

Do you need parking at the airport? Someone not give you a lift...? That would get over that hurdle.

Thanks Ally, Bandit, Amanda & Pablo you have all been most helpful. Seems like it may be out of the question, perhaps next year when the other half has got a job. I will check the air fares again in a couple of weeks. Happy ski-ing..
Thanks again

The prices can go up and down quite a lot, check them frequently they might just dip in to your affordability range for a day!