Geneva to Tignes, suggested stop off resort please?

whoops, you read it correctly, but it's actually the 24th - a wednesday. 2 weeks!!!

benny12345 wrote:would you (lot) say these jams are for everyday or mostly around the weekend change over day for tour operators? We're going weds to weds for precisely these reasons but....?

I've been through Moutiers and Bourg st Maurice three times, once over new year and twice over easter. We had an horrendous journey on the new year trip, a three-ish hour trip taking almost seven hours :shock: but had no problems the other two times. I think you'll be absolutely fine midweek.

The funnicular is a good call from Bandit, then you're almost there and if something does delay you then you can make an on the spot decision whether to ski in Les Arcs or to carry on up to Tignes.

Where are you staying in Tignes?

Thanks Betty, sounds nice and positive, those are odds we like. I've forgotten since my original research whether its val claret or lavachet - but it's basically the highest part of tignes. or did you mean the individual apartment itself? If its that I'll need to grab the email.

Benny,
I agree it is doable, but it's still a pretty tight schedule. I was driven in a minibus from Geneva airport to Tignes (and back) at the end of October, in the evening on a clear road, and it took about 3 1/4 hours.

Geneva airport is a bit odd because it has a Swiss side and a French side. I didn't even notice the French side when we were there, but came straight through to the Swiss side of the airport. Apparently you can hire cars from either side - which side are you going for?

Assuming you land at 11 a.m. and don't have any problems, I suppose you could be on the road by 12 midday, which would mean you reaching Bourg St Maurice about 2-45 (since it's about 1/2 an hour from there to Tignes). You'd then have to park by the funicular, sort out your ski stuff and get changed, buy your lift passes and get up the funicular. I don't know how often it runs at that time of day but the one at Tignes in October varied between every 15 mins and every 1/2 hour according to time of day. I reckon you wouldn't be up the top of the funicular before 3-30, and probably the other lifts shut by 5 p.m. So you'd very likely only have a maximum ski time of 1 1/2 hours.

And this is all assuming you don't stop to eat anywhere, or get lost etc. etc. Plus, half a days lift pass for Les Arcs costs 34 euros.

And finally, the other thing to consider is that I would think you'll all be a bit tired, after an early start. If you're landing at 11 a.m Swiss time, then I guess you'd be taking off about 8 a.m. British time which means you'd have to be in the airport by about 6 a.m.

Obviously it's your holiday, and you do what you want, but I think I'd find this schedule (at my advanced age!) rather too exhausting :oops:

Ally

good reasoned answer. we'll see what happens - i think la tania is more likely destination as only 128km away so could feasibly be on the first lift by 1pm. haven't got a clue about french/swiss sides of airport!

it's all about being on the snow and we definitely wouldn't bother going up if we could n't get on a lift before 1.30pm

thanks for all the info everyone. at the moment some of what you're saying is confirming my worst fears about France - busy and crowded in these big resorts.i Tignes sounds like an amazing place though so hopefully there and nearby spots will even things out.

benny12345 wrote:at the moment some of what you're saying is confirming my worst fears about France - busy and crowded in these big resorts.i Tignes sounds like an amazing place though so hopefully there and nearby spots will even things out.

don't panic. I've been there twice at easter and the only place that's been really busy is the area over the top of the Troviere above La Daille in Val d'isere. It won't be nearly as bad when you're there I'd imagine. There were no queues either :thumbup:. the runs above Val Claret are fantastic.

Loop bar at the bottom of Trolles in Le Lac is very cheap and very friendly.

You'll have a blast :mrgreen:

To be honest I wouldn't bother stopping. First things first though. Don't hire a car from the french side at Geneva airport as it's really difficult to find your way back at the end of your trip-i've not done it, but heard about it, and, as a regular coming and going to Geneva airport, I can never see the signs that get you round the back into the french side. Everything at GVA is centred around coming and going on the Swiss side. I also think (not sure) that the swiss hire cars have snow chains included as standard. Much easier to exit the swiss side and follow the clear signs from the car hire car park towards france. Easy peasy-can't go wrong and the same coming back-it's all well signposted. The first ski area you will come to if you drive direct towards Tignes (via Annecy) is probably St Martin de Belleville-in the 3V about 30 mins up from Moutiers, or La Tania as someone else has suggested. That's 2 hours from Geneva. I confess I'd probably not bother with such a major diversion and press on down the valley towards Bourg and get to Tignes, though if you stop in Bourg you can get up to Les Arcs. Don't be tempted to head for La Clusaz as someone suggested-totally wrong direction for you. Traffic midweek should be fine.

Benny,
If you have a good run you could get to Tignes by 3 p.m. and have an hour and a half or so out on the slopes.

I'm sure someone on here said that whatever resort it was they were going to, allowed them on the slopes after 3 p.m. the day before the pass started, using the weekly lift pass they had for the rest of the week. It might be a good idea to e-mail the Tignes tourist board and ask if that applies to Tignes as well.

Best wishes for a good time, whatever you decide to do on your way down to Tignes. It's a great resort :D

Ally