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Les Deux Alpes - very early season question

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hi all,

For work reasons we have to ski in early December. The plan is to arrive on Dec 8th (I know we are in the lap of the snowgods). Is one end of the L2A any better to stay on than the other at that early season time?

many thanks
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@ado, Well if you're going early December you'll probably want to be near to the Jandri lift in the centre of town that goes up to the higher skiing areas including the glacier (which will be snow sure in December). There are free ski shuttle buses running around town from the different parts of LDA, but I'm not sure when they start, best to check on the LDA website.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
@ado,
Does it have to be LDA?
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@Kenzie, So we have flights to Lyon booked. The flight prices were just so good we had to!!! So with the flights booked LDA looked like the most snowsure resort that is "gettable" to from Lyon using public transport . So we have no accommodation booked yet - and have flexibility to adjust. We may just wait and see how the snow is looking. I am totally open to suggestions!

And thanks also for the suggestion to be near the Jandri Express
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
ado wrote:
@Kenzie, So we have flights to Lyon booked. The flight prices were just so good we had to!!! So with the flights booked LDA looked like the most snowsure resort that is "gettable" to from Lyon using public transport . So we have no accommodation booked yet - and have flexibility to adjust. We may just wait and see how the snow is looking. I am totally open to suggestions!

And thanks also for the suggestion to be near the Jandri Express


snow sure being a glacier at 3000 meters isn't a great option.

I would have thought any north facing resort will have skiable snow, they may not have opened up all of the terrain on the 8th though, what are the public transport options and how late can you book?

The French weather forecasters are saying good early season snow, at altitude, then a snow drought in Jan-Feb, if that helps.
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@ado, is there "public transport" from Lyon airport to LDA? Or do you mean private transfer bus?

LDA is a marmite resort i.e., some people love it but many don't.

Plus, very early season, which Dec 8th people would tend to be looking at Val T or Tignes. Probably a bit further distance wise but worth it to get the higher altitude skiing.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
"Public Transport" = Flix bus from Lyon airport to Grenoble bus station and then local bus (transiere?)from Grenoble bus station to LDA. Cheap, but time consuming. No booking really needed. No risk of loss of money etc
No equivalent of Bens Bus running on the days we are travelling. Taxi would cost at least one kidney. If things got bad I would risk car rental.
And really appreciate the suggestions - and we will hold off on booking accommodation, or book with the ability to cancel.
Will look at Val T and Tignes options and how getting there meshes with flight arrival/departure times.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
@ado, you can get a tram from Lyon airport to the train station, then train to Moutiers or Bourg St Maurice for Val T/Tignes. (Might need to change at Chambery.)
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Flying on a Friday is tough for transfer options. Try themountainrescue.com or snow-drone.com.
Also ask on Tignes Seasonnaires 2023/24 group on Facebook - you may get lucky. Should be plenty of accommodation with easy access to the open slopes in Lavachete, le Lac & Val Claret in Tignes.
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Shakira wrote:
@ado, you can get a tram from Lyon airport to the train station,


the tram to Lyon costs around the same as the flix bus to Grenoble.

But you may not want to start from Grenoble on the 8th December.
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Ooh, didn't realise 8th was a Friday. When is the return @ado, ?
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@davidof, "But you may not want to start from Grenoble on the 8th December."

Is that because it is a Holy Day and there would be restricted services?

So I arrive in Lyon on Friday 8th and return on Wednesday 13th.

I seem to have created a lot of interesting travel challenges.....
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Switch to Tignes or Val d'Isere.

Rent a car.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Quote:

I would risk car rental.

why is car rental a "risk"?
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
ado wrote:
@davidof, "But you may not want to start from Grenoble on the 8th December."


just that you don't have a wealth of certain choices, LDA is the safest bet as it is so early. Normally l'Alpe d'Huez and Chamrousse are open. Les 7 Laux, which is a great area may not be open during the week.

I'd echoe that Val Thorens is probably a better choice than LDA plus the lifts in the rest of the Trois Vallees may be up and running.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
So when I said "car rental is a risk" - that was a bit of an exaggeration rolling eyes . Its more that we are on a budget and driving in the dark and snow is not something I enjoy. But it is an option.
We fly on a Friday and leave on a Wednesday - so somewhat awkward days from the normal transfers.
Our flight to Lyon lands at 14:10 and the return departs at 14:50. Not the best and not the worst.
So in terms of the length of transfer, the ability to do it relatively cost effectively using "public transport", a general history of opening around Dec 2, am still tending to LDA.
Still looking at ValT and Tinges however because even the action of booking a ski trip is so enjoyable am happy to do the legwork! Very Happy
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Yes, LDA makes quite a bit of sense. I would still hold off booking accom to as late as possible.
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Flight times not the best in terms of maximising skiing time because given the nature of flights/airports these days you are not going to be able to get any skiing in on the travel days.

How many are travelling as obviously if there are 4/5 it optimises the cost of hire car? If there are 2 less so.

Last season people on here seem to say car hire had gone up in price but that time of the year is quiet and prices should therefore be relatively low.
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Personally I'd look at renting a car, then leaving accommodation / resort booking until the last couple of weeks.
Val T / L2A are both only a couple of hours by car, add another hour onto that drive and you've a mass of resorts that could potentially be open with great snow.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
jellemr wrote:
Personally I'd look at renting a car, then leaving accommodation / resort booking until the last couple of weeks.


I'd book on the flight over !
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Quote:

you've a mass of resorts that could potentially be open with great snow.

or there could be only one with decent conditions and you wouldn't want to be committed to a different one. Definitely last minute to book accommodation.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
ado wrote:
"Public Transport" = Flix bus from Lyon airport to Grenoble bus station and then local bus (transiere?)from Grenoble bus station to LDA. Cheap, but time consuming. No booking really needed. No risk of loss of money etc
No equivalent of Bens Bus running on the days we are travelling. Taxi would cost at least one kidney. If things got bad I would risk car rental.
And really appreciate the suggestions - and we will hold off on booking accommodation, or book with the ability to cancel.
Will look at Val T and Tignes options and how getting there meshes with flight arrival/departure times.


I have done this trip exactly, great low cost transport and super easy
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Train from Lyon to St Jean or Michael de Maurienne. Stay in Orelle & ski Val Thoren
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@ado,
These are now online for 23/24:-
https://www.altibus.com/en/arriving-by-plane/lyon-saint-exupery-airport/
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@northernrookie, any gotchas on the journey from Lyon airport? Only concern I have is that we need to be in Grenoble in time for the last bus to L2A - that leaves about 5:30pmish. If we are delayed we will just have to find a place to stay in Grenoble and take first bus next morning -unless by some miracle ta axi was cheaper....or this blablacar thing worked....


@Gored, Staying in Orelle is something I had not considered.... ty
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ado wrote:
@northernrookie, any gotchas on the journey from Lyon airport? Only concern I have is that we need to be in Grenoble in time for the last bus to L2A - that leaves about 5:30pmish. If we are delayed we will just have to find a place to stay in Grenoble and take first bus next morning -unless by some miracle ta axi was cheaper....or this blablacar thing worked....


@Gored, Staying in Orelle is something I had not considered.... ty


@ado you can get the flixbus direct from the airport to Grenoble , it takes an hour and is anywhere from 10-20€. Don't bother taking the tram into Lyon first - you can get to most places straight from the airport. Think you can get the train but it's not any quicker, just maybe easier to book last minute. If you get a morning flight to Lyon I cant see you having any problems getting the last TransAltitude bus to LDA, its a very streamlined airport Very Happy
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Timings are doable but tight - I land at 14:10.
Flix bus leave every 14:30 // 15.30 etc. - 14:30 would be a tad ambitious. So then 15:30 - arrive Grenoble around 16:30.
I then need to get the 17.26 T75 to Bourg D'Oisans and then the 19:00 T73 to L2A. A bit of a faff - but doable -
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
whats the conditions out there currently?
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