Because of the popularity of the La Plagne Area, Travel connections from the UK are plentiful.

Some information on various ways to travel to the Resort are provided below. This is given for guidance only. Up to date prices and timetables need to be obtained directly from the carriers or their website. Website links are provided to help with this.

By Air

To Geneva, Lyon, Chambery, or Grenoble Airports.  Transfers can be arranged (see below).

Scheduled flight prices tend to come out earlier than the Budget airlines - who often have their price elevated for peak periods as soon as issued. Also, savings can be made by choosing a Scheduled Flights - especially at peak times (Chistmas/ New Year/ Half term) - if you are willing to have a non-direct flight. Well worth checking out for the sake of an hour or two in Paris or Frankfurt.

Below is a table of the best airports to access Belle Plagne, La Plagne, in order of the airport with the best connections to the UK:

SNOWJET fly regular Services to CHAMBERY (Closest airport to La Plagne) from Manchester/ Bristol/ Gatwick/ Stansted. Snowjet prices start at just £29 and are inclusive of all taxes, a 20kg baggage allowance, free ski or snowboard carriage and free boot carriage. If a large group of 18+, call UK offices on 020 8395 5387 - please mention Smitten By Snow if you make a booking.

Alternatively, popular ones are:

By Train

There are three options (AlpTrains) in terms of train travel.  Two are direct from London to Aime - Eurostar - one overnight Fri and one daytime Sat . RailEurope also provide an overnight Fri service - Eurostar to Paris, then change to a Couchette service from Paris direct to Aime. Check-in times are 1 hour before departure.

The main advantage of using the train service on a Friday is that it can give 8 days on the piste - instead of the 6 normally available using air transport.

Guests should be aware that rooms will have to be vacated by 09:30 on day of departure. Luggage storage will be made available, we cannot provide shower facilities, however.

Transfers can be arranged from/to the train station in Aime (30mins away) / Bourg St. Maurice (40mins away).  See Transfers.

Example Prices and times for the trains are below. Booking seats is possible 3 months or less before travel, no earlier.

Alptrain 1 - Eurostar Saturday Daytime Service from St Pancras (or Ebbsfleet International, Kent) direct to Aime. Prices:  £179-£230.  Child (4-11yrs) £130. Notes:  Bar on train.  No changes.
Outbound		Inbound^
09.23	St Pancras	16.43 (Sat)
10.36	Ebbsfleet	15.42
17.32	Moutiers	10.44
18.02	Aime la Plagne
	Bourg St Maurice	09:59 (Sat)

AlpTrain 2 - Eurostar Friday Overnight Service from St Pancras (or Ebbsfleet International, direct to Aime. Prices:  £179-£230.  Child (4-11yrs)£130. Notes:  Bar on train.  No changes. No couchette, 'Pillopack' and blankets provided. Quite 'hardcore' - not best for light sleepers.
Outbound		Inbound^
19.57 (Fri)	St Pancras	08.00 (Sun)
21.07	Ebbsfleet	06.37
05.51	Moutiers	22.59
06.24 (Sat)	Aime la Plagne
	Bourg St Maurice	22:07 (Sat)

AlpTrain 3 - Eurostar to Paris, change to Couchette Friday Overnight From St Pancras (or Ebbsfleet International, Kent) changing in Paris Prices:  £205-£239 Notes:  Couchette.  Bar on train.  Luggage transfer.  Opportunity to have dinner in Paris whilst changing trains.
Outbound		Inbound ^
17:30 (Fri)	St Pancras	09:56 (Sun)
20:23	Paris Gare du Nord	08:07
23:15	Paris Gare du Nord	06:30
07:02 (Sat)	Aime la Plagne	19:25 (Sat)

The French Rail network can also provide tickets for departure from the UK. Often the website has availability - and works - when the UK websites don't. Prices are competitive: Voyages-SNCF.com

Self-Drivers

There are a number of options in terms of crossing the channel, and it is certainly the most cost-effective way of travelling to resort. On arrival in France / Belgium, there is approx 10hrs drive to resort.

• Eurotunnel - Folkestone to Calais (35mins)
• SpeedFerries - Dover to Boulogne (50mins)
• NorfolkLine - Dover to Dunkirk (1hr45)
• P&O Ferries - Dover to Calais (1hr30) and Hull to Zebrugge (11hr,overnight)
• Superfast Ferries - Rosyth (Edinburgh) to Zeebrugge (18hr, overnight)

There are various departure times and various prices dependent on date and time of travel.

Snow Chains

Roads are kept clear as soon as snow falls, but other factors affecting progress include: the amount of snow falling, the amount of traffic, school holiday period and time of travel. If you hire cars on the Swiss side of Geneva airport, they are supplied with snow tyres by law - so no 'snowpack' needed. If hired in a non-swiss location, you can make yourself aware of the road conditions here leading up to your departure, and if requested, we can text you the day before with an update to help you prepare. If you do not have a 'snowpack' and the weather then demands chains then they can be purchased (for most family cars) from supermarkets en-route - or if required on the return - in the village. These are usually about £40 which may be about the same as the supplement for a 'snowpack'.

Parking

wrt parking, there are 3 options:

For 1. this can be booked in advance. On arrival we will meet you and show you to a parking place. For 2. & 3. you can drop of luggage by the accommodation, then park. Sometimes - and if there is availability - guests pay for 1 or 2 days parking to allow them to unload or load on the day of arrival / departure but park in the free parking for the remainder. This allows parking underground when needed, but avoids paying for the whole week.

Transfers

SBS can arrange these on behalf of guests through a local Taxi service. Guests will be picked up in a private vehicle from the flight or train and driven directly to the Chalet: - no waiting for other passengers to come in (unless arranged as part of the same party) - no transferring to another coach mid-journey - no queue for a hire car. A Renault Espace is used for up to 6 guests, minibuses for more than 6 guests.

For Smitten By Snow guests, a return transfer from Geneva the Private Transfer cost is the same (based on 6 pax.) as the public bus service, and usually less than this for larger groups.

Transfers - Prices (2007-2008, £GBPpp)

Return to Belle Plagne, price per guest. All guests together in one party.

Guests booking accommodation with Smitten By Snow, please deduct 10% from these prices

Public Coach Services from the Airports

There are coach Services from the following airports to La Plagne. Cost wise, if there are 3 or less then the coach may make sense. For 4 guests or more, the extra it costs to have a private transfer (approx £20pp or less) to take you directly to the chalet may not make it worth considering the public coach service.

Information on Transport

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