A great short article by Morzine resident Alison Coldwell, showing how easy it is to use the train to come to the Portes du Soleil. When in resort use Montagne Verte's AlpinExpress pass for discounts on accommodation, food and activities !
𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧 // 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬 // 𝐋𝐞𝐬 𝐆𝐞𝐭𝐬, 𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫: 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 & 𝐀𝐥𝐩𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 Back in the day, I used to be a Ski train/Snowcoach fan - I'd leave work on Friday night and be skiing by Saturday afternoon. Since living in Morzine, I've gotten into the habit of budget airlines for price and speed. In an effort to be greener (and an eco-poke from my Mum who wanted to visit), I booked the Eurostar for my next jaunt. (Who's a fan of airport queuing, changing rules and turbulence anyway? As climate change gets worse, so will unpredictable turbulence…) You know what? It actually worked out cheaper and would have taken roughly the same time had I not decided to make use of the trip by adding mini breaks in London and Paris. With my Mum in tow and our two mini backpacks we had the best time. Slow travel, quality time and 24 hours in two capital cities, meant the journey formed part of our holiday too. 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬 • Check in: 45-60 mins before train departure, not 3 hours • Quick, dual Passport control: at the beginning & no checks (i.e. queuing) on arrival • Reservations: checked on the train - love that they come to you • Baggage: No confusing restrictions or delays as it stays with you • No 100ml plastic bag nonsense • Cafe/Restaurant: stroll at your convenience • WIFI: free in the station and on the train - laptop heaven 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝟏𝟑𝟏€ 𝐸𝑢𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑟 59€, 𝑀𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑜 2€, 𝑇𝐺𝑉 48€, 𝐿𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑛 𝐸𝑥𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠 & 𝐵𝑢𝑠 22€ + 35€ 𝑜𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑛𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑃𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑠 ℎ𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑙 Time: 9 hours, restful ❌️ Slower, change trains across Paris ✔️ Relaxing 𝐅𝐥𝐲 𝟏𝟕𝟎€ 100€ 𝐸𝑎𝑠𝑦𝑗𝑒𝑡, 60€ 𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑠𝑓𝑒𝑟, 10€ 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑡𝑜 𝐿𝐺𝑊 Time: 7 hours, stuffy & stressy ❌️ Endless queuing, turbulence, cramped ✔️ Quick 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝟑𝟎𝟔€ 𝐹𝑢𝑒𝑙, 𝑇𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑠 & 𝐶ℎ𝑢𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑙 + 45€ 𝑜𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑛𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑇𝑟𝑜𝑦𝑒𝑠 ℎ𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑙 Time: 13 hours, non-restful ❌️ Plus parking, servicing, breakdown/cover and cost of car ✔️ Car share with people/equipment and stop off where you like As I drove Mum to GVA to fly home (via Yvoire, a medieval spot by lake Geneva - because no journey should be wasted!) I realized we'd gone full circle. If I can do it with my elderly mother, often carrying her luggage too, then I'm sure a Ski Tour addict can! Would you 'train it' with skis (&/or kids?!) Doable, but travelling hand luggage only and hiring kit in resort is preferable to lugging bulky sports equipment. Changing trains in Paris is fine - it’s 17 times smaller than London! I’ve helped Montagne Verte produce a handy guide and have shared all my tips for an article. Watch this space! Plus, The European Sleeper is set to announce trains to the Alps, starting Winter 2025… Game changer for a city and ski break. #CityBreak #SustainableTravel #ConsciousTravel