Ski La Plagne, France | Skiing | Chalets, Apartments, Hotels

Flights to Chambery from Gatwick, Stansted, Manchester or Bristol

Travel to La Plagne

You can travel to la Plagne by plane, train or of course driving. Lots of information is provided below, more can be found on the la Plagne tourist office website: www.la-plagne.com. Many skiers arrange their own flights or trains to the Alps and only at a later date think about the transfer to their ski resort. Most of the airports are a couple of hours away: taxis are expensive, not always easy to arrange and the driver might not know the exact location of your holiday accommodation. The easiest way to get there is to let one of the many British tour operators arrange it all for you. Some of the UK airports they offer might not be as convenient as those of the so-called low cost airlines (have a look at their prices and judge for yourself), but most operators will usually include the cost of transfers and these should be to your door. The tour operators win on convenience in the Alps - where it really matters. Travel insurance is vital when skiing or snowboarding, we recommend Fogg Travel Insurance. Alternatively, from Wildlife Holidays to Travel Insurance, talk to Saga Holidays. When travelling in Europe you should also take an EHIC (this replaces the old E111), full details can be found on the Department of Health website.

Nearby airports: Grenoble airport is 2 to 2.5 hours from la Plagne. It is probably the best compromise for short transfers, reasonable facilities without getting too crowded. Chambery airport is just 1.5 hours away from la Plagne if travelling mid-week, and still means a shorter transfer times at weekends, when all the roads are busy. It is still a small airport, just starting to increase ski passenger volume, so facilities are limited and it can get crowded, but the reduced transfer time is a big bonus. Geneva airport is 2.5 to 3 hours from la Plagne. It has the best all round facilities and choice of flights. The charter flight terminals can get crowded at the weekend. Lyon airport is 2.5 to 3 hours from la Plagne. The charter section is probably the most notorious in the Alps and often referred to as the cattle shed. If using Lyon for a charter flight, once you have checked in walk across to the main terminal: there is a lot more on offer. Lyon St Etienne airport is the wrong side of Lyon for the Alps: if travelling to la Plagne you should not use it.

Airlines and flights: For flights to Chambery from Gatwick, Stansted, Manchester or Bristol try, There are many airlines flying into other airports, when using their websites do not forget that often huge supplements are added to advertised prices. The no frills airlines (so called low cost) seem to have come up with a new trick of charging for luggage and even checking in. You could try Easyjet, Bmibaby, Flybe and RyanAir (beware airport tax and other charges) - in each case beware insurance that might be added: you need to opt out. BA is one of the easier sites to use and is less prone to strange add ons and supplements than the no frills airlines. Few people are aware of the fact that airlines offer no financial protection in the unlikely event that they stop trading, booking with an ATOL protected ski tour operator protects your money. Booking with a ski tour operator offering packaged ski holidays (check for 100% financial protection) also means that if an airline goes bust the ski operator is responsible for replacing the flight. Most skiers incorrectly believe that airlines offer financial protection in the unlikely event that they stop trading. Your money is often not protected although if you pay by credit card and spend more than £100 this may be the case - beware the charges for paying by credit card (often £4: far more than the percentage suffered by the airlines). For financial security you need to book with an ATOL protected company. BCP is recommended for airport parking: it has secure car parks at most major UK airports and can offer other services such as pick up and drop off as well.

Trains: Some Eurostar trains go direct to the Alps, either daytime or overnight - both arriving on Saturdays. Sleeper/ snowtrains commence either from Paris or Calais. Trains can be booked with Rail Europe although some trains in France can only be booked 60 days or less in advance. Satellite Travel may be able to find seat only for you. When you book a train it may be easiest to say you are going to Bourg St Maurice: it is the same price and the tickets often show this as the destination. Do not forget to get off at Aime la Plagne (for Champagny get off at Moutiers). On the return, you cannot board the direct trains at Aime: there are no facilities for scanning luggage. Bourg St Maurice is easier than Moutiers.

Transfers to resort: Arranging your own transport might seem like an attractive option until you come to looking at the transfer to resort. With the airports being about 100 miles from la Plagne transfer costs can add significantly to the price of your skiing holiday. Public buses are available from the airports (see the links above) and the railway station (see the la Plagne tourist office link below). New for winter 2009-10: Cheap ski transfers with NoFussBus - only €69,99 return! Shared and private options available. Unfortunately, this bus only operates from Geneva to Moutiers and Meribel so you would still need to get from Moutiers to la Plagne but this seems to be the cheapest option from Geneva.

Taxis: A full list of taxi companies is available from the la Plagne tourist office website: www.la-plagne.com. We have found the most reliable to be Taxi Bouzon who are based in la Plagne itself.

Car hire: Holiday Autos offers car hire in most of the main airports in the Alps.

Driving: The best way from the Tunnel or Calais ferry port is to follow the A26 autoroute for Reims, past Troyes and Dijon and joining the A6 autoroute at Beaune. Lyon is by-passed by taking the A46 and A43 to Chambery and Albertville. It is motorway from Calais to Albertville, tolls are about €60-65 each way. At Albertville the motorway leads directly onto the dual carriageway to Moutiers. Follow the signs for Bourg St Maurice unless you are going to Champagny in which case head towards Courchevel and then follow the signs. For the high altitude villages in La Plagne and for Montalbert follow signs for Bourg St Maurice, turn off at Aime and follow the signs for la Plagne. The Montalbert turn off is just before Macot. If staying in Montchavin - Les Coches remain on the road for Bourg St Maurice, there is a turn off soon after Aime. Essential Motoring Information Under French law you must carry your registration document, licence and insurance policy. Insurance - any policy issued in the UK automatically provides a minimum level of third party cover within EU countries. A Green Card is recommended, as is comprehensive cover. Also, check that your policy covers damage in transit Eg ferry/ tunnel. Winter Driving/ Chains - conditions can be treacherous on the roads to the resorts and snow chains are a legal requirement in the Alps. Chains are cheaper to buy in France than the UK but expensive in resorts. We recommend the supermarkets at Chambery and Albertville, they also sell cheap petrol. Snowchains, ski boxes, etc can bought in the UK from Polar Snowchains on 01892 519 933. For a discount mention Ski Beat or Snow Hounds. Equipment regulations - in most European countries the following items are compulsory: Fire Extinguisher, First Aid Kit, Warning Triangle, Spare Bulbs. Please consult your motoring organisation. Young children are forbidden to ride in the front seat in France and rear seat passengers must use seat belts (if fitted). Make sure you have beam deflectors fitted before you leave so that the lights shine to the right instead of the left. You should also make sure your vehicle has enough anti-freeze. We suggest you carry a de-icer, scraper and lighter (for frozen locks). Beware: minor motoring infringements will attract on the spot fines of at least €100. Please note that the French Gendarmes now enforce speed limits vigorously on all roads and any infractions are severely dealt with. If using diesel use winter grade fuel: it does not go waxy at low temperatures - this is readily available in France, particularly in or near the mountains. Accommodation En-Route For a selection of hotels en-route to la Plagne and elsewhere with varioous leading brands for all budgets:

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