LeShuttle Promotes Self-Drive Ski Holidays

Europe offers some of the best ski resorts in the world including this year's hottest ski destination; La Clusaz - one of the best kept secrets of the French Alps. So why not book that trip, load up the car with all the family or a group of friends, hit the road and LeShuttle will whisk you across the channel from Folkestone to Calais in just 35 minutes. Enjoy the delights of travelling in your own personal space, unrestricted by train schedules and without the worry of flight delays, tedious airport queues and restrictive baggage allowance for your ski gear. 

Nestled in the Aravis valley, around 20 miles east of Annecy, La Clusaz is one of this year's winter sports hotspots (or, hopefully, coldspot!) and is simply not to be missed. It takes around 8 ½ hours to drive from LeShuttle’s terminal in Calais to La Clusaz, via Arras, Rheims and Dijon. Skirting Lake Annecy, your final approach to La Clusaz takes in spectacular alpine scenery. 

So why should you choose a self-drive ski holiday with LeShuttle? We’ve rounded up a few reasons below!

• Head ‘off-piste’ Enjoy all that France has to offer on your way to or from the slopes. Maybe stop overnight in one of the wine regions and fill your boot with supplies. Or stop to enjoy one of Europe’s many beautiful towns, cities and nature parks.
• Flexibility  Taking your car makes it easy to transport your ski gear to and from the slopes, or even change resorts if the snow conditions aren’t great.
• No airport transfers Airport transfers to hotels or resorts can involve waiting on other passengers, baggage issues and other delays, and can involve quite a long trip on a coach. Driving yourself means you can get straight to your accommodation and choose your travel times
• Save money The cost of flights and car hire has significantly increased since the pandemic, making LeShuttle a much cheaper way to travel to Europe, particularly for groups and families. If you have multiple people in your car it’s likely to work out cheaper than flights.
• More room for ski gear Taking a car allows skiers to pack in more than the amount aircraft baggage allowance permits, which is perfect for those who don’t fancy travelling lightly. Another luggage perk is that you also avoid the airline fees that come with taking additional items like snowboards and skis. Take advantage of tax free shopping too and stock up on the way home.
• Family friendly Driving to a ski resort is great for families. You can stop frequently at service stations and laybys to let the children stretch their legs, and the constant change of scenery can help to keep them occupied. The family car is also a more familiar environment than an airplane, so they’ll find it easier to relax and nod off.
• Reduce your carbon footprint If your car is full of passengers, your carbon emissions will be reduced by up to 67% compared to flying - even less if your car is electric. LeShuttle produces on average 2kg of CO2 per car per crossing, compared to 147kg of CO2 for a typical Dover-Calais ferry. That’s 73x less!
• WIN A TRIP TO LE CLUSAZ! LeShuttle members (free to sign up) can win a 7 night holiday in the Aravis resort of La Clusaz with Flexiplus tickets, accommodation for up to 4 people and two 3 day ski passes. Visit here for more details - competition runs from 29th September to 31st October 2023.
• DISCOUNTED SKI EQUIPMENT RENTAL Save money on ski rentals with LeShuttle and popular equipment rental company, Skimium. LeShuttle customers can save up to 60% when booking online in advance of their trip. Find more details here.