French & Swiss Alps 2012

[patches]

So far I count 6 hubbers making the pilgrimage this year:

 

Myself & Peach (9th - 23rd August)

Super_mil & his bicycle gang (14th - 28th August)

Omega Man & his bicycle gang (late June - early July)

DaveMD (not sure on his details)

 

and not forgetting LOUDMAC (who will be there a crazy long time)

 

So who else is spending part of their winter riding ski lifts, and endless trails?

Edited July 27, 2012 by patches

[TYGA]

Oh how I would love to be adding my name to that list.

[JGR]

We have an annual trip to Switzerland every June/July to see my girlfriends family! Score!

[RossW]

This in on my bucket list!

 

I'm just concerned over costs...and the time to save that amount of money!

 

Which areas are best or most popular?

[patches]

We have an annual trip to Switzerland every June/July to see my girlfriends family! Score!

 

so... are you taking your bike with?

 

This in on my bucket list!

 

I'm just concerned over costs...and the time to save that amount of money!

 

Which areas are best or most popular?

 

Well, this will be my first trip, so new experiences all round.

 

But Morzine (France) seems to be a popular place to stay. Access to plenty of lifts, and trails. That's where we're staying.

 

Here are some maps of the general area

 

http://www.morzine.com/IMAGES/PLAN/plan_rando_grand.jpg

 

http://www.alpinechoice.co.uk/images/trailmap2.jpg

 

http://www.summerinthealps.co.uk/images/Rhone-Alps%20Images/map.jpg

 

As for costs, it hasn't been too bad so far. Here's our estimated budget:

1. flights - R6000 (bargain on Emirates)
   
2. Accomodation - R3500 (for 2 weeks)
   
3. Lift Pass - R1500 (for 13 days)
   
4. Shuttles from Geneva Airport to Morzine and back again - R1500
   
5. Visa - R700
   
6. Daily Spending (food etc) - R4200 (that's based on R300/day just to be safe)
   

So that's just under R17 500 for 2 of riding in the Alps. If I go stingy o food (which i plan to do) that will come down by R1500 or so. Granted R17 500 is still quite a bit of money... but put it this way... it's cheaper, longer duration, and more fun than an Epic *puts on flame suit*

[rob!]

so... are you taking your bike with?

 

 

 

Well, this will be my first trip, so new experiences all round.

 

But Morzine (France) seems to be a popular place to stay. Access to plenty of lifts, and trails. That's where we're staying.

 

Here are some maps of the general area

 

http://www.morzine.com/IMAGES/PLAN/plan_rando_grand.jpg

 

http://www.alpinechoice.co.uk/images/trailmap2.jpg

 

http://www.summerinthealps.co.uk/images/Rhone-Alps%20Images/map.jpg

 

As for costs, it hasn't been too bad so far. Here's our estimated budget:

1. flights - R6000 (bargain on Emirates)
   
2. Accomodation - R3500 (for 2 weeks)
   
3. Lift Pass - R1500 (for 13 days)
   
4. Shuttles from Geneva Airport to Morzine and back again - R1500
   
5. Visa - R700
   
6. Daily Spending (food etc) - R4200 (that's based on R300/day just to be safe)
   

So that's just under R17 500 for 2 of riding in the Alps. If I go stingy o food (which i plan to do) that will come down by R1500 or so. Granted R17 500 is still quite a bit of money... but put it this way... it's cheaper, longer duration, and more fun than an Epic *puts on flame suit*

 

ZAR 3500,- for two weeks accomodation? Or are you talking about per day?

[Cav']

17,5k for that trip is not bad at all.

I wonder what omega man budgeted on....

[patches]

 

ZAR 3500,- for two weeks accomodation? Or are you talking about per day?

 

that's for 2 weeks in a litte self catering studio. It's 335EUR per week, and there are 2 of us sharing it for 2 weeks(it can sleep 3 but that means spooning on the sleeper couch, haha). So that works out to 335EUR each. If you're taking ssomeone youdon't mind sharing a sleeper couch with, and another person, it becomes even cheaper

[patches]

17,5k for that trip is not bad at all.

I wonder what omega man budgeted on....

 

When he did it last year he paid about R16500 i think. This year he mentioned somthing about a 20k budget

[JGR]

so... are you taking your bike with?

 

 

 

Well, this will be my first trip, so new experiences all round.

 

But Morzine (France) seems to be a popular place to stay. Access to plenty of lifts, and trails. That's where we're staying.

 

Here are some maps of the general area

 

http://www.morzine.com/IMAGES/PLAN/plan_rando_grand.jpg

 

http://www.alpinechoice.co.uk/images/trailmap2.jpg

 

http://www.summerinthealps.co.uk/images/Rhone-Alps%20Images/map.jpg

 

As for costs, it hasn't been too bad so far. Here's our estimated budget:

1. flights - R6000 (bargain on Emirates)
   
2. Accomodation - R3500 (for 2 weeks)
   
3. Lift Pass - R1500 (for 13 days)
   
4. Shuttles from Geneva Airport to Morzine and back again - R1500
   
5. Visa - R700
   
6. Daily Spending (food etc) - R4200 (that's based on R300/day just to be safe)
   

So that's just under R17 500 for 2 of riding in the Alps. If I go stingy o food (which i plan to do) that will come down by R1500 or so. Granted R17 500 is still quite a bit of money... but put it this way... it's cheaper, longer duration, and more fun than an Epic *puts on flame suit*

 

That goes without saying.Although I think you might need to revisit your budget or at least share where you found accomodation for R270/per day? Also did you book those flight already as the cheapest ive seen has been R6400 on Turkish? If you make your own food and avoid eating out you could shave on your food budget but that would also mean no much beer ...

[rob!]

that's for 2 weeks in a litte self catering studio. It's 335EUR per week, and there are 2 of us sharing it for 2 weeks(it can sleep 3 but that means spooning on the sleeper couch, haha). So that works out to 335EUR each. If you're taking ssomeone youdon't mind sharing a sleeper couch with, and another person, it becomes even cheaper

 

A good price.

Take some hot chick and spoon her and whatever! 1) Pleasure 2) she reduces your cost. Lekker

[RossW]

I'm really surprised at the price. Under R20k is do-able with some strict saving measures put in place. Like you say, guaranteed to be awesome rinse and repeat fun!

 

Thanks for all the info! Much appreciated.

[patches]

 

That goes without saying.Although I think you might need to revisit your budget or at least share where you found accomodation for R270/per day? Also did you book those flight already as the cheapest ive seen has been R6400 on Turkish? If you make your own food and avoid eating out you could shave on your food budget but that would also mean no much beer ...

 

R6500ish was also the cheapest which me and Peach initially saw. But then we shifted our dates slightly and got tickets on Emirates for R5975 return. What's even more of a bargain is that Emirates gives the much needed 30kg baggage allowance. All the others only give 23kg... and excess baggage rate is about R500/kg

 

As for the accomodation (les voroches)... hopefully will be booked by the end of today

 

So yeah... tickets already booked. Accomodation next on the list. Then visas etc... oh and getting my bike alpine worthy (potentially a massive cost not mentioned in my budget)

[Bonus]

The Alps are awesome. It always surprises me just how BIG they are! lol

 

I've driven all through the French Alps - over the Galibier etc, and ridden up L'Alpe d'Huez a couple of times.

 

I did it in 1hr 17min the year Lance did it in 37 min 36 secs :-)

[JGR]

R6500ish was also the cheapest which me and Peach initially saw. But then we shifted our dates slightly and got tickets on Emirates for R5975 return. What's even more of a bargain is that Emirates gives the much needed 30kg baggage allowance. All the others only give 23kg... and excess baggage rate is about R500/kg

 

As for the accomodation (les voroches)... hopefully will be booked by the end of today

 

So yeah... tickets already booked. Accomodation next on the list. Then visas etc... oh and getting my bike alpine worthy (potentially a massive cost not mentioned in my budget)

 

Earlier in the year Emirates were doing return for just over 4k but it was limited to Jan i think. Only bummer with Emirates is the horrible 1am layover! seems like a great deal on accomodation - although we normally stay with family on the odd occation we have stayed a youth hostels ect and it was abuot R350 for a dorm room! Trip sounds awesome though!!!!!

[Guest Omega Man]

17,5k for that trip is not bad at all.

I wonder what omega man budgeted on....

My Budget is about the same.

 

It's surprising how cheap it actually is. The only major expense is the plane ticket. This is my budget so far.

 

Plane Ticket. R7800 (Paid)

Visa. R625 (Paid)

Travel Insurance R1400 (Paid) I went big here cos i don't like the thought of paying for a Swiss hospital.

Lift Pass. R1400 (13 day PDS pass)

Accom. R2000 (Yes that's cheap but I got the short straw. I'm on a sleeper couch)

 

The only other expense is spending money and that is influenced wildly by 3 things. How much you eat out. How much you spend on booze in the bars and the bike shops. But all in you can easily do the trip for less than 18k. Easily. And that's not skimping. That's just being careful with the restaurants and booze.