Oct 15, 2015, 2:55 pm
Last edit by: bodory
The ski areas will be busiest during French school holidays - other times of year will be quieter (and cheaper). France is divided up into 3 zones for the purposes of school holidays. The vacation dates for the 3 zones are staggered over 4 weeks, with each zone getting two weeks off.
Zone A : Besançon, Bordeaux, Clermont-Ferrand, Dijon, Grenoble, Limoges, Lyon, Poitiers
Zone B : Aix-Marseille, Amiens, Caen, Lille, Nancy-Metz, Nantes, Nice, Orléans-Tours, Reims, Rennes, Rouen, Strasbourg
Zone C : Créteil, Montpellier, Paris, Toulouse, Versailles
2020:
Feb 8 - Feb 28: Zone C
Feb 15 - Mar 1: Zone B
Feb 22 - Mar 8: Zone A
Zone A : Besançon, Bordeaux, Clermont-Ferrand, Dijon, Grenoble, Limoges, Lyon, Poitiers
Zone B : Aix-Marseille, Amiens, Caen, Lille, Nancy-Metz, Nantes, Nice, Orléans-Tours, Reims, Rennes, Rouen, Strasbourg
Zone C : Créteil, Montpellier, Paris, Toulouse, Versailles
2020:
Feb 8 - Feb 28: Zone C
Feb 15 - Mar 1: Zone B
Feb 22 - Mar 8: Zone A
The French skiing thread
Oct 15, 2015, 1:40 pm
#181
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But wasn't that the time spent on the lifts between the two resorts? If so that seems reasonable as well since the climb on Côte Brune chairlift is almost 10 minutes, the one on Platières is 10 minutes as well, plus 15 minutes to go from La Croisette to Saulire or Vizelle.
At the end, 30 minutes on the lifts seems perfectly usual to me. What is true however is that it might represent a significant portion of the time to go from 1850 to Val Thorens following that itin.
Oct 15, 2015, 2:56 pm
#182
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I think a wiki might be in order for this thread. Added one with school holiday info to help folks plan around it.
Oct 15, 2015, 3:18 pm
#183
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Nice start, but don't forget that the Swiss, German, Italian, Belgian and Spanish school holidays have an effect on French skiing too. The point is that it is very busy during all of February and a bit in January and March. When I'm on the slopes I hear all these languages spoken. And the Brits come here too! Lots of them.
Oct 16, 2015, 12:50 am
#185
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Thanks to all for the suggestions. Our trip will be during the 1st week of holidays so hopefully with only one zone off it will be OK. I understand it will be crowded but am willing to accept that and will try to travel on the off days.
A private lesson is definitely something I've considered, since we don't know the area at all. I will look into it some more once our travel plans are set.
I will be trying to book the train on day 1 when booking opens. On the captaintrain site there are several options for seats (4 seater booth, upstairs, downstairs, club duo). Does any of these offer more space, privacy, etc? I am guessing that couchettes are only available on the night train.
A private lesson is definitely something I've considered, since we don't know the area at all. I will look into it some more once our travel plans are set.
I will be trying to book the train on day 1 when booking opens. On the captaintrain site there are several options for seats (4 seater booth, upstairs, downstairs, club duo). Does any of these offer more space, privacy, etc? I am guessing that couchettes are only available on the night train.
Oct 16, 2015, 1:09 am
#186
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I will be trying to book the train on day 1 when booking opens. On the captaintrain site there are several options for seats (4 seater booth, upstairs, downstairs, club duo). Does any of these offer more space, privacy, etc? I am guessing that couchettes are only available on the night train.
Oct 16, 2015, 1:39 am
#187
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Thanks to all for the suggestions. Our trip will be during the 1st week of holidays so hopefully with only one zone off it will be OK. I understand it will be crowded but am willing to accept that and will try to travel on the off days.
A private lesson is definitely something I've considered, since we don't know the area at all. I will look into it some more once our travel plans are set.
I will be trying to book the train on day 1 when booking opens. On the captaintrain site there are several options for seats (4 seater booth, upstairs, downstairs, club duo). Does any of these offer more space, privacy, etc? I am guessing that couchettes are only available on the night train.
A private lesson is definitely something I've considered, since we don't know the area at all. I will look into it some more once our travel plans are set.
I will be trying to book the train on day 1 when booking opens. On the captaintrain site there are several options for seats (4 seater booth, upstairs, downstairs, club duo). Does any of these offer more space, privacy, etc? I am guessing that couchettes are only available on the night train.
- less hassle with luggages
- no traffic from coach to coach as downstairs aisles are dead ends
- less tossing as you are closer to the ground
Nov 1, 2015, 1:42 pm
#188
Join Date: Apr 2015
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At the top there is more space for luggage, in particular for long items. You will have a better view onto the countryside.
I don't have a problem with the mentioned tossing.
Nov 2, 2015, 1:38 pm
#189
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+1 on the view though.
Nov 24, 2015, 2:43 am
#191
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Nov 24, 2015, 7:13 am
#193
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