We plan to head to chamonix from Paris by taking a TGV to Geneva and then a SAT bus from Geneva as TGVs to Saint Gervais Les Bains do not operate in august/september. We don%26#39;t want to rent a car as we plan to spend only about 2 days in chamonix. Is there any other means of reaching chamonix from Paris? We plan to hike upto Albert 1er in Mont Blanc range and stay put there in a hut for the night and then take the cable car ride to aiguille du midi the next morning. I%26#39;m not too much into hiking but I dont want to miss the lovely views either.Since I ve heard that Albert 1er is the most accessible, can I assume that it%26#39;s not a strenous hike? Any ideas?
Also, would we be permitted to enter Geneva with a Schengen visa or should we go for a separate transit visa?
Thanks much in advance!
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Fly from Paris to Geneva there should be lots of flights and I think Easyjet do a service.
There might also be a bus service but i am not sure about that.
Check out the various %26quot;private%26quot; bus companpies from Genevca to Chamonix rather then the SAT Bus. But make sure they do the run when you want to travel.
I take it you mean the Albert 1er at La Tour. If so and you are only there for 2 days and you spend the intervening night in the hut you will struggle to get the Aguile du Midi cable car in the morning, unless you are a mountain goat, as it is a 3 hour walk from the hut to the base at La Tour. Then you will need to get a local bus to Chamonix. I doubt you will be in Chamonix much before lunch.
The hike to and from the Albert 1er is a moderate hike. If you take the gondola to the La Tour mid station and then the chair to Col de Balme it is a relatively level hike except for the last mile or so. Then it is a bit steep.
The scenary is absolutely spectacular. For the last hour or so you will be only 100meters from the La Tour Glacier and if you are as lucky, as we were last year , you can see golden eagles , marmots etc.
I would recommend the walk I am planning to do it again without the gondola etc in July as it is just fantastic.
But if you really are not into walking on a bit of scree then don%26#39;t do it.
No idea about visas
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Hi --
If you%26#39;re a US citizen you should be able to enter Switzerland without a visa as long as your visit is for fewer than 90 days.
I don%26#39;t understand the Schengen visa reference unless you are resident overseas. On a US passport you should also have open entry to the EC countries for fewer than 90 days.
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A Schengen visa is an automatic visa extended to citizens of all signatory countries to the Schengen treaty. Switzerland and the EU countries, as is the US. What that means is that you can freely visit any signatory nation with no visa as long as you stay less than 90 days.
It is actually simple. You will have to show your passport at CDG when you arrive in France and that%26#39;s the last time you%26#39;ll have to show it until you leave France to return to the US. You don%26#39;t have to show it at the borders between France and Switzerland.
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Almost seems a bit much to take the TGV to Geneva and then the bus to Chamonix. I know you mentioned to not rent a car - but why not? Rent a car in Paris and simply drive to Chamonix?
Also look into flights. I haven%26#39;t researched this, but some UK forum posters have noted they can fly from London to Geneva for as cheap as...drum roll...28 euros. That%26#39;s cheaper than the train. No wonder Chamonix is 2/3%26#39;s (3/4%26#39;s?) british tourists. Maybe similiar deals can be had from Paris (however unlikely in the summer).
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