Top Tips for Getting to Val d’Isère
Planning a ski holiday can be a bit stressful with lots of different things to think about. In this article we will help you with one of the biggest worries for most travellers, how to get to the resort - Val d’Isère. Whether you are organising your first ski trip or have been multiple times, we will offer some top tips to help you save both time and money. We will look at booking airport parking, choosing an airport to fly to and how to transfer to the resort, taking the train, travelling by coach and driving to the resort.
Book airport parking in advance
It may not be the first thing on your list when you consider planning your ski trip to Val d’Isère, but by booking your airport parking in advance, you can easily make savings on your trip! As most people choose to travel to the airport by car when travelling for skiing due to the amount of luggage and equipment necessary, airport parking is not something to be left until last minute.
Luckily it is simple to find the best services available and save money by booking in advance and by using a comparison website. For travellers from the UK, Parkhero is a great example. This website allows you to compare and book airport parking at airports across the UK and is easy to use. If, for example, you are looking for Heathrow Terminal 2 parking, then you select Heathrow in the comparison bar and enter your dates. The website returns the available results ranked from the cheapest to the most expensive and in less than 5 minutes you can book your parking spot. If you are looking for a similar website for your country use a search engine to look for ’compare parking at … airport’.
Choosing the most convenient airport
Many people choose to fly to Val d’Isère, as it is one of the quickest and most convenient options. However, you will need to think about which airport you are going to fly to. Geneva is one of the most popular choices as it offers a fantastic global flight network and excellent connections to nearby ski resorts. You can also choose to fly to Lyon, Grenoble or Chambery for easy access to Val d’Isere.
See further information on each airport below.
Geneva
Geneva International Airport is based on the border with France and is a popular choice for both French and Swiss ski resorts. The airport offers flights from across the world with a great choice of different airlines running frequently throughout the day.
From Geneva it is simple to get to Val d’Isère via a private transfer. You can choose from smaller private vehicles or coach companies. The journey takes around 3 hours but can be longer during bad weather and during the peak holiday periods.
Lyon
Just a bit further from Val d’Isère is Lyon Airport in France. This is another large international airport offering a great range of different routes and is around 3 hours and 40 minutes from Val d’Isère.
You can either opt for the faster private transfer option or take one of the regular buses to the resort. Buses run directly from the airport to the resort every weekend during the weekend and cost around €60 one-way.
Grenoble
During the winter season this small French airport is a hub for skiers travelling to the nearby ski resorts, including Val d’Isère. Grenoble does not offer as many connections as the bigger airports, but it a convenient option if you can fly here from your nearest home airport.
From Grenoble you can take a private transfer or regular bus transfers on weekends which take around 3 hours and 45 minutes.
Chambery
Chambery is another small seasonal airport and is the closest airport to Val d’Isère. From here it is just a 2-hour transfer to the resort by private transfer and around 3 hours 30 minutes by the regular weekend bus service.
If you are looking for speed and have a good connection to Chambery from your nearest airport, then this is the best option for you!
Taking the train to Bourg St. Maurice
If you are concerned about your carbon footprint or simply want the pleasure of a more leisurely journey, then taking the train could be the perfect option.
Val d’Isère is just 45 minutes by bus from the nearest train station at Bourg St. Maurice. Trains from Paris regularly stop at this station and the Eurostar ski train also offers a direct connection from London (10 hours). The station is also easy to reach from other European train networks.
The benefit of taking the train is not only that it your reduces your environmental impact, it can also work out cheaper than flying. Unlike with airlines, rail companies do not charge you extra to bring larger luggage items. With most tickets you get 2 pieces of large luggage included.
Make sure you book in advance for the best prices.
Travelling by coach
If you are looking for a budget travel option to Val d’Isère, then taking a long-distance coach is your best option. While it may take a lot longer than the other transport options, you can easily save a lot of money, especially if you book in advance.
With the growth of coach networks in recent years it has become easier and cheap to traverse the continent. You will find a range of connections to Lyon, Grenoble and Geneva from where you can hop on one of the regular weekend bus services or take a private transfer to Val d’Isère.
Make sure to take warm clothing, a pillow, some snacks and plenty of entertainment with you.
Driving to Val d’Isère
If you want greater flexibility on your trip, then driving to Val d’Isère may be the best choice for you. Having your own vehicle allows you the option of visiting other resorts and allows you to make stops along your journey to other destinations. Keep in mind that you will not need a car to get around the resort as there are free shuttle buses.
Make sure to cheap the weather conditions before you attempt the winding road from Bourg St. Maurice to Val d’Isère. You may need to fit snow chains on your wheels even though the roads are regularly cleared of snow.
As you can see, you have a host of options for travelling to Val d’Isère with something for every taste and pocket! If you would like more information about our services make sure to check out our dedicated Ski Travels page or our blog for more ski related news.
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