Cheapest way to get to Chamonix area.

I want to go Megeve, along with 4 others from 2nd to 9th April. I'm
finding it difficult to find any reasonably cheap flights (plus car
hire) to make it all add up. At the moment I'm toying with the idea of
buying a car on Ebay, just for the trip (because my own is too small
for 5 people). Anyone got any better ideas?

Maris

Cheap flights are only mid-week. See my ealier post "Chamonix hot tips" for
an evaluation of the economics of driving/flying and sat/sat vs
midweek-midweek earlier this year!

You would stand a better chance of perhaps flying thursday to sunday and
staying the extra nights in a hostel (as basic as 10e/night if you're
desperate!). Plus you get even more skiing in :-)

If you do drive it, its best overnight, and with 2 drivers. I can do it in 8
hours solo including a short mid-way break, but only on the pro-plus and Red
Bull. Feb half term took 9 hours going out (3:30am from Calais-Chamonix) and
13 hours coming back in a blizzard and heavy traffic!

That said, most of the problems were in the last 200Km on the Autoroute
Blanch, and due to the volume of traffic so your dates should be much
better.

John


"Maris" wrote in message
...
I want to go Megeve, along with 4 others from 2nd to 9th April. I'm
finding it difficult to find any reasonably cheap flights (plus car
hire) to make it all add up. At the moment I'm toying with the idea of
buying a car on Ebay, just for the trip (because my own is too small
for 5 people). Anyone got any better ideas?

Maris

John Ricketts wrote:
Cheap flights are only mid-week. See my ealier post "Chamonix hot tips" for
an evaluation of the economics of driving/flying and sat/sat vs
midweek-midweek earlier this year!

You would stand a better chance of perhaps flying thursday to sunday and
staying the extra nights in a hostel (as basic as 10e/night if you're
desperate!). Plus you get even more skiing in :-)

If you do drive it, its best overnight, and with 2 drivers. I can do it in 8
hours solo including a short mid-way break, but only on the pro-plus and Red
Bull. Feb half term took 9 hours going out (3:30am from Calais-Chamonix) and
13 hours coming back in a blizzard and heavy traffic!

That said, most of the problems were in the last 200Km on the Autoroute
Blanch, and due to the volume of traffic so your dates should be much
better.

John


"Maris" wrote in message
...

I want to go Megeve, along with 4 others from 2nd to 9th April. I'm
finding it difficult to find any reasonably cheap flights (plus car
hire) to make it all add up. At the moment I'm toying with the idea of
buying a car on Ebay, just for the trip (because my own is too small
for 5 people). Anyone got any better ideas?

Maris



Finding the cheepest route to the resort needs some planning and shaving
off the "extras". I doubt if buying a cheep car, insuring it, paying
ferry crossing and selling it on return will be viable (unless you are a
used car dealer!).



Last easter we were faced with a similar problem and solved it by 4 of
us driving down to Chamonix overnight in my wife's car and the 5th
member flying to Geneva then getting the bus to Chamonix. We left an
Indian restaurant in Asford at about one in the morninig and met up
again on the slopes the following afternoon (amazing things these mobile
phones!). The transfer bus was booked on line and was inexpensive and
quick; probably quicker than hanging around in the car hire office.

Incidently those in the car got there first and got more sleep on the way.

For the short trip to Verbier a few days later all 5 of us squeezed into
the A4 and stapped luggage onto the roof and about our persons. It was
OK for the couple of hours it took to drive back from Verbier to Geneva,
but I would not liked to have driven overnight with 5 in the car.

Keep searching something will turn up.

John