UKH

I've been invited to Les Arcs 1800 in June for a week's walking, and I'm looking into ways of getting there by train/plane (I don't really want to drive).  Most of the information I can find is aimed at the winter/ski market.

Plane to Geneva, then are bus transfers from Geneva, but seemingly mostly in the winter season.  Can't find much in the summer (yet).

Trains all the way (to Bourg St Maurice) might be possible, but involves quite a number of changes, and possible cross-Paris transfer (couldn't find a connection via Lille)

Plane (to e.g. Paris Charles de Gaulle) then TGV (via Lyon) may be possible?.

Does anyone have any tips/hints on how to get to les Arcs in the summer season from the north of England.

TIA

From Geneva airport buy a train ticket to Bourg St Maurice.  This will involve a change of trains at Chambery (train station is Chambery-Challes-les-Eaux).  Once at Bourg St Maurice there is a funiculaire up to Arc 1600 and then a bus up to 1800.

If you want to go all the way by train then catch a Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord, then follow the signs for RER line D [RER are the local regional trains].  You need the line going south in the direction Melun or Malesherbes.  They are very frequent and it is only 2 stops to Gare du Lyon from where you get a TGV to Chambery and then a local TER train to Bourg St Maurice.  You will need to buy a ticket at Gare du Nord (automatic machines or ticket offices) to access the RER network.

The train tickets (apart from the RER ones?) can be booked in advance on-line.

Interrail pass, then St Pancras-Paris Nord by Eurostar, then Paris Gare Lyon to Lyon PD, then Lyon PD to Bourg. We did this to Moutiers a couple of years ago, it was very pleasant and easy.

https://www.seat61.com/France.htm

My current favoured route is Flixbus to Paris, train classique to Lyon for 10 to 15 euros and then train onwards from there.

Booking French trains is simple with the SNCF Connect app.

Thanks, I'll have a look at that. We've got our interrail passes for this year though.

I was nervous about the long bus journey but if you pick a route via London Victoria you get about an hours break there then a long break on the ferry.

Birmingham to Paris is costing me £58 return in July.

We were  booked to go to Les Arc 1950 in June 2020. we never made it because of the pandemic.

We planned, Caledonian Sleeper  Montrose to London Euston, walk to Kings Cross international, Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord, Metro across Paris to Gare Du Lyon, TGV to Lyon, regular train from Lyon to Bourg St Maurice changing at Chambery, funicular railway to the resort. 

Seat61.com is a great resource

https://www.seat61.com/France.htm#london-to-the-french-alps-by-train

Check the Funiculaire opening days for June 2024 for getting up to the resort from Bourg.

Interesting that this should come up today. I'd never heard of Seat 61 before a colleague mentioned it to me this morning.

We're going on a family holiday to Marseille in June. Kids get interrail tickets for free and our journeys to and from London to get on the Eurostar are covered by the ticket. Should cost about £700 all in (cheaper than flights once they've stiffed you for baggage) and we can depart at our local station in the morning and be eating dinner by the Med. And no dealing with Ryanair! I'm converted!

We’ve done this loads of times from Sheffield in the winter by train  

(Manc to Sheff on the Hope Valley line.)

East Mids Trains to St Pancras.

Walk across the platform onto the Eurostar. Sit there for 3hours  

Paris - Gare du Nord to Gare du Lyon is 2 stops and less than 10 minutes on the RER. It’s surprisingly easy and about 2 euros each.

Then sit on the TGV for many hours down to Bourg. Funicular up to 1600, bus to 1800. 
 

Thanks for all the replies.  Very helpful and useful.  I've jsut had a (very quick) e-mail response from the TIC in Les Arcs (Bourg St Maurice) saying that there aren't any buses from Les Arcs to Geneva (or vice versa) in the summer, so it looks like it'll be train from GVA if I go that route.