So looking at going back to Les Arcs this summer with the bikes for a couple of weeks and looking at travel options. Usually we drive, but wondered if you could catch the train through France to Bourg. I’ve done it over the winter while snowboarding and was wondering if anyone has tried it in the summer with bikes.

Sadly they don’t do a direct train like the snow train, so you’d have to change at Paris (which I’ve done before with snowboarding kit and was a bit of a ballache to be honest).

Looked into it a couple of years ago & ended up driving 🙂

I’ve used the snow train a couple of times, it was great! It was thinking about that which made me wonder about trying similar with the bikes.

The idea of carting kit through the London underground / Paris metro does seem like it could be a pain in the rear, I’ve taken snowboards on the underground but it was quiet so OK.

If you don’t fancy all the faffs of a full train journey (it would probably cost a few quid too), I got the train from Geneva Airport to Bourg Saint Maurice last summer. It was a really easy journey. I didn’t have a bike but it wouldn’t have been a problem – train from airport into central Geneva (few minutes, 7€) then hop on the main train. Quick change at Chambery. I think it was about 38€ total and 3.5 hours. Add that to the cheap EasyJet to GVA and all in all it was a low cost way of getting there!

Where in Bourg are you staying?

I’ve done KX to BsM on the train loads with skis (winter) and bikes (summer). It is a faff changing in Paris but my bike bag is on wheels and you’re only really going up and down stairs/escalators not crawling over hot coals.

Beware Eurostar have some silly policy about your bike may not be on the same train as you if they’re over booked and these days, you have to pay more for the bike baggage. As I said, I’ve been loads and have never been separated from my stuff despite the potential risk.

This website has a whole wealth of info regarding train travel, and seems to have quite a bit about bikes etc. Worth a look.

https://www.seat61.com/

Cheers all. Wallop – We’ve thought of flying, and for a shorter trip it’s fine but getting 2 weeks of kit on the plane gets tricky (and expensive). We’re actually staying in Vallandry, but who we’re hiring the apartment from does ski shuttles and stuff so could pick us up from Bourg or the top of the funicular in 1600. I’d recommend it to ride, there’s plenty of marked trails and it’s easy to find unofficial stuff.

Boblo and Urbanhiket, that’s great. I know transfers with kit will be a pain in the @rse, whether in London or Paris but it’s good to know that it can be done. The train’s probably no quicker than driving, but hopefully easier

I’ve done about 12 weeks in Les Arcs so I’m already on board 😆

I see what you mean about the kit on the plane, especially for two weeks. The only reason I flew this time is because my other half went out a few days before me and took the van. Otherwise it’s driving all the way. The only shit bit is between Bristol and Dover – the rest of it is a dream.

Ive done this trip, just as you are wanting to do. St Pancras – Gare Du Nord… across paris and then Gare De Austelitz (sp) to Bourg. Fab way to get there, but only as a change from the plane.

Didn’t cost us more than the plane, and was nice use the overnight to travel, wasting less time overall.
Some bits were trickier than others, and there’s a few unknowns about the trip.

issue 1:
With usual British train bollo••s, there’s NO guarantee the bike will travel in the same train as you from St Pancras. Even if you pre-book it. That works for BOTH directions. So there’s a chunk of risk there.

Issue 2:
getting across Paris with Bikes in bike bags. Expensive in two separate cabs as we couldn’t get our gear in one.

issue 3:
On the sleeper service from Paris to Bourg, there’s not really anywhere to put your bike other than inside the Couchette with you. This is no problem, unless there are others in the couchette. Then, it’s a problem. We hear that others just leave the bikes outside the door of the compartment. I would sleep much if i’d had to do this.

However, its great to wake up in the mountain air and have your chalet host come pick you up from the station. Thanks to Stevie @WhiteRoom.

Just get the Metro across Paris, no need for cabs and it’s probably more straightforward. All details on Seat61 or Loco2. To save messing around, get out and return Metro tickets from the cafe bar on the Eurostar – good use of dead time.

I’ve costed this up a few times in recent years & driving has been the longest (7-10 hours from Calais including stops) & usually cheapest from £100 (five sharing in a van) to £160 (three sharing in a diesel estate car)
Flying is usually quickest & about £160 Bristol to Geneva then train to BsM
By train Ebbsfleet to Paris & Paris to BsM not much less time than driving but I’ve not managed to get it for less than £240

When I did it we changed in lille which was dead easy as we only moved 1 platform. Alot let hassle than paris

I’ve done it, generally agree with boblo and Trailseeker and chrismac. I am in Cardiff and stayed with my son in London on the way there, managed to get back to Cardiff in one day, catching a 6.30am train from Landry (one stop from Bourg, where bikevillage.co.uk live). I probably could have made it all the way from Cardiff.

Metro across Paris was OK, but although you can fit a bike in a box the size SNCF allow, there is no luggage space suitable so you just have to leave it on the floor in a corridor (that goes for the metro and the TGV and the local train from Chambery, where I had to change). I managed it with a 1hr 20 mins gap in Paris, but ideally a bit more would be nice.

Great Western wise, I bought a luggage ticket and ended up putting it where the bikes would go, although it was not in fact a bike but an outsize piece of luggage technically speaking.

Overall journey home was seven trains and took 13 hours or so.

Thanks very much! Looks doable then, just the possible risk of bikes ending up on a different train. Now I know it’s feasible I’ll do some more research. As there’s only 2 of us in the car cost is less of an issue, euro tunnel, tolls and diesel when you’re only dividing it by 2 are pricy anyway. Driving is OK, but again with only 2 swapping doesn’t give you much of a break. The train looks ideal, as long as we and the kit get there together 😕

The cost of two in a car is the same as two on the train assuming normal 40mpg car and using Peage and tunnel. It’s about £500 for the round trip.

Bike Express any good for you?

Andyha – thanks for the bike-express link, could solve a problem with a tour we were planning

Bump! Now looking at booking as tickets are available. A couple of questions –

1 – it looks like you only need to book the bikes if they’re assembled. That right?

2 – if the bike bags over 120cm (which seems to be the maximum size for luggage) has anyone been checked?