We are not suggesting that we are experts in all areas of the holiday industry, (indeed, we just specialise in one area - the transport) however, we can give you a few suggestions, which may help you plan your ski trip to the Grand Massif Region.
THE PACKAGE TOUR IS DEAD, LONG LIVE THE WEB!
The days of the package tour are in decline. Packages are increasingly falling into two categories: “cheap ‘n’ cheerful (but in reality there is not much to cheer about), or ’luxurious and expensive (and in reality the definition of ‘luxury’ is debatable). Our tip: make your own package, maintain control and save money!
Careful use of the web now allows you to select and organise individual components of your holiday and create your own bespoke package. Often this results in a cheaper price than those offered by a package tour.
Have a look at our destinations page to get a flavour of each resort within the Grand Massif and visit the tourist office web sites.
Finding accommodation is very easy. We recommend you book direct with property owners, (or their specified agents) or hotels. For recommended accommodation in the Grand Massif region please see our links page
IT SHOULD BE CHEAP IF YOU TRAVEL OFF-PEAK!
If you are able to take your holiday in non-peak periods - generally outside school holidays - take advantage of the potential for discounts during this time. You’ll be amazed how much accommodation is available at certain times of the year (even during the ski season). When it comes to discounts, don’t be afraid to ask!
VERY IMPORTANT for the ski season!
Avoid the French mid-winter school holiday dates if you can. These are spread over three weeks, with each region of France having a two week school holiday. So if you come during the week where several regions’ holidays overlap, you can imagine how busy things can get. See the French Government website for details:
www.education.gouv.fr
This year, the French school holidays are from the 9th February to the 10th March.
FIND A LOCAL FLIGHT THAT SUITS YOUR NEEDS!
Getting to the Grand Massif region could not be easier; Geneva airport is just an hour away. You can find flights from the following 25 UK airports:
London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Belfast, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, Cardiff, Doncaster, Dublin, East Midlands, Exeter, Isle of Man, Jersey, Leeds/Bradford, London (City/Gatwick/Heathrow/Luton and Stanstead), Manchester, Newcastle, Newquay, Norwich and Southampton.
The following airlines offer direct flights from the UK to Geneva:
www.aerlingus.com
www.airfrance.ch
www.bmibaby.com
www.britishairways.com
www.brusselsairlines.ch
www.easyjet.com
www.flybe.com
www.flyglobespan.com
www.klm.ch
www.swiss.com
www.thomsonfly.com
www.jet2.com
An alternative access point during the winter season is Chambery Airport, which is just an hour and a half’s drive from the Grand Massif. You can fly from the following 11 UK airports:
Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Exeter, Leeds/Bradford, London Gatwick, Newcastle, Norwich, Manchester and Southampton.
The following airlines offer direct flights from the UK to Chambery:
www.flystar.com
www.snowjet.co.uk
www.flybe.com
www.jet2.com
AVOID THE WEEKEND - FLY CHEAP DURING THE WEEK!
To get the best flight prices avoid the peak periods. Again, these tend to be school holidays. Also flights during the ski season tend to be more expensive during the weekend. So, if your accommodation provider is flexible, find out if you can arrive and depart on week days rather than the weekend.
COME OUT FRIDAY NIGHT IF THE PRICE IS RIGHT!
If your resort arrival day has to be on a Saturday and available flights are very expensive, we suggest flying in on a cheaper Friday-night flight. You can then stay in a hotel near the airport and travel to your accommodation on Saturday morning. A Friday night flight plus a hotel, often work out cheaper than a Saturday flight.
Hotels near the airport include:
Formule 1, Ferney Voltaire:
Budget option with rooms sleeping up to three people (free shuttle to/from airport):
www.hotelformule1.com
Holiday Inn Express, Geneva airport:
Mid price, Very close to the terminal and handy for a tram trip down town
www.expressgeneva.com
Movenpick, Geneva Airport:
www.moevenpick-hotels.com
Alternatively you might find a hotel with a room available on Friday night in the resort. Have a look at our Links page, or contact us for information on in-resort hotels. We can pick you up at any time on Friday night and take you to your resort. Saturday is the busiest ‘Transfer day’. Most people are either coming to or going from their respective resorts. If you can avoid travelling on a Saturday, you can ski on a day when the slopes are less crowded.
AIRPORT TO RESORT: WHAT IS THE BEST OPTION?
Gone are the days of waiting for the coach to fill up, embarking on a day-long trek through the mountains, drop-offs at different resorts and passengers arriving tired and hungry. The advantages of booking your own airport transfer mean you get to where you want to be, when you want to get there.
Of course it is in our best interests for you to use our services; however a transfer is not always the most suitable option. If you are miles from the lift, or way out of town and the free ski-bus doesn’t stop in a convenient place, obviously you need a car. Our only advice here is: if flying into Geneva, hire a car from the Swiss-side not the French-side. We won’t go into details, but let’s just say that car hire from the French-side involves getting lost, having to pay Swiss Road Tax and discovering that you don’t have winter tyres or snow chains at the point when you need them most.
If you can find it, you can catch the public bus. But it is not cheap; you have to wait, wait, wait and it does not take you where you want to go (to your door).
CHECK OUT THE TRAIN:
Relax in style on the train. From London and Paris you can travel to Central Geneva, or to Cluses, which is under half-an-hour from all Grand Massif Resorts. We offer transport from Cluses station to all Grand Massif Resorts.
See www.sncf.com and www.eurostar.com to plan your travel on the train.
IMPORTANT - INSURANCE
Make sure that you obtain travel insurance that covers each aspect of your trip. You should make sure that you and all members of your group are covered for accident and injury, cancellations, delays, and lost and damaged baggage.
When buying ski-passes we recommend that you purchase the ‘Assurance’ offered by the ski pass operators. Rescue by helicopter costs up to 2000 Euros. Sledge rescue off-piste can cost up to 600 Euros. Ski-Pass ‘Assurance’ means you will be assisted and recovered, without delay, or the need to check your credit card details or home purchased insurance policy.
For information on Ski-passes for the Grand Massif please visit www.grand-massif.com
LACK OF SNOW:
If your resort is closed due to lack of snow, some companies may offer insurance to cover the cost of transporting you to the nearest open resort. If your resort is closed, please contact us for information regarding your nearest open or ‘snow sure’ resort. We can usually help in getting you there and will always supply you with a receipt so that you may make a claim with your insurance provider.