Travel to Aussois at a glance

Any trip to the village of Aussois has to pass through a nearby city and railway station called Modane. Very roughly, Modane is on the French side of the French-Italian border, between the cities of Lyon, France and Turin, Italy.

By train. Here is information regarding going to Modane by railway from cities with major airports: TGV trains from Paris, trains from Geneva, from Milan, and Turin. For information on reaching Aussois from the Modane station click here.

By car. Information on driving to Modane and Aussois is given here (including specific directions from Geneva, Lyon, and Turin). Directions for driving inside Aussois are available here.

Maps. Clicking on these links will open maps: macroscopic (spanning Geneva and Turin), mesoscopic (from Modane to Aussois) and microscopic (map of the Aussois village).

DISCLAIMER: any information given on this page is not guaranteed to be correct; check the web pages of airports, railways, and bus companies given below!

It might be a good idea to print this page and the maps and take them along with you on your way to Aussois.

General travel information

The actual conference starts on Tuesday morning 19 June and ends on Friday evening 22 June. Hence you are asked to arrange your travel plans so as to arrive on Monday 18 June (for dinner) and leave on Saturday 23 June (after breakfast). Please keep in mind that on the evening of 18 June you have to come the Centre Paul Langevin for registration and dinner. The dinner on 18 June will be a cold buffet, served from 19:30 to 22:00.

Most of participants will stay at the Centre Paul Langevin in Aussois; its address is 24 rue Coin, Aussois. The reservations at the Centre are made for the above schedule. Please remember that participants are expected to stay for the entire duration of the Conference. In particular the schedule of talks and discussion sessions have been optimised based exclusively on scientific considerations and assuming the full availability of all participants.

Here is some preliminary travel information which may be useful for you to book your flight. The nearest conveniently located airports are: Geneva (Switzerland), Milan and Turin (Italy), Lyon (France). You may have to add 100 EUR (round trip) to the price of your flight to reach Modane by train and 25-30 EUR of taxi from Modane to Aussois. From Turin and Lyon airports (which do not have many international flights) count 3-4 hours to reach Modane. More details on trains between Modane and Geneva and Milan are given below on this page. You can also fly to Paris which is farther away but has a very convenient fast train to Modane (see next section; the round trip can be up to 200 EUR and you must make a reservation).

Going to Modane by train

TGV train schedules and prices between Paris and Modane

This material is intended for participants coming from Paris or flying into Paris. TGV reservation for June are now open. Rates can only go up and the availability down, so please reserve/buy your tickets quickly if you need to travel by TGV.

All prices are in euros, one way travel for on-line purchase; second class is assumed; the age is assumed to be between 26 and 59 (if you are not more than 25 or not less than 60 you are entitled to a 25% discount).

Prices marked “refundable” mean you can refund or change you ticket if you miss your train; it is probably not a good idea to buy a non-refundable ticket on your way to Aussois, because you can be affected by a flight delay. The price for non-refundable tickets is given in parentheses.

To find out about schedules and purchase your ticket on line:

www.voyages-sncf.com (French)
www.voyages-sncf.com/dynamic/_SvHomePage?_CMD=cmdHomepageUK (English)

If you buy the ticket with a travel agent you have to pay more (as little as 5 EUR with some travel agents in France and perhaps more abroad).

One of the “Bornes Libre Service” in the Gare de Lyon train sttaion in ParisThe problem if you buy on-line is that you still have to generate your ticket at the station. For this you will have to look for a characteristic yellow structure, possibly marked Borne Libre Service or abbreviated BLS; clicking on the image on the right will open a large size photo of a BLS in the Gare de Lyon train station in Paris. Follow the instructions (for identification you will have to use the same credit card that you used for buying tickets online). Warning: BLS is not very easy to use, especially if you are in a hurry! If you want to avoid the hassle and the extra time it is a good idea to get an actual ticket from a travel agent. New warning: one person told us that BLS may be working only with credit cards from French banks.

Recommended TGV schedules

CDG = Charles de Gaulle airport
Paris = Paris gare de Lyon (the main station for south-east bound trains)

For both 18 and 23 June, the trains are listed in the order of decreasing convenience; we certainly recommend taking the first train in each list.

Monday 18 June

Paris 14:14-Modane 18:15; 0 changes; price 92.30 refundable (67.00 non-refundable)

Paris 15:50-Modane 19:44; 0 changes; price 92.30 refundable (67.00 non-refundable)

CDG terminal 2 16:03-Modane 21:49; 2 changes in Lyon and Chambery; price: 92.90 refundable (65.90 non-refundable)

There are many more trains from Paris gare de Lyon (cf the web sites given above); usually you have to change and the trip may last more than 5 hours, but it may also be significantly cheaper.

Saturday 23 June

Modane 9:50 Paris 13:45; 0 changes; price 72.20 refundable (53.00 non-refundable)

Modane 6:18-Lyon 9:39; Lyon 10:40-CDG terminal 2 12:42; 1 change in Lyon; price 96.00 refundable (77.20 non-refundable)

If you really need to catch a plane leaving from Paris on the 23rd in the morning or the early afternoon and hence these two trains are ruled out, you can take the following expensive train (please inform us early):

(Friday 22 June) Modane 19:20-Paris 23:15; price 92.30 refundable (67.00 non-refundable)

Getting to Modane via the Geneva airport

At the Geneva airport, which has many low cost flights, there is a train station from where you can reach Modane in 3-4 hours using a combination of Swiss and French railways. However you should avoid this solution if you need a visa for Switzerland, which at this moment is not a Schengen country. The Geneva airport has also a direct exit to France (with no Swiss customs), but it is not a very good idea to use it, unless you know what you are doing: this exit leads to the middle of nowhere and you will need an expensive taxi or a pre-arranged car to get around Switzerland to the French Alps.

If you opt to travel via Geneva airport, purchase your ticket to Modane from the railway counter at the airport. Then the first leg of your trip will take you in 6 min to the cental station in Geneva. Then you will have to change again in Aix-Les Bains, Chambery or Culoz.

The web site of Swiss railways is second to none as means of planning your travel in Europe, even outside Switzerland. However note that they list the schedules only two months prior to the date of journey.

Here is a solution which probably works on Monday 18 June: Geneva-airport 13:47-Geneva 13:53; Geneva 14:10-Aix-les-Bains 15:17; Aix-les-Bains 15:25-Chambery 15:35; Chambery 16:00-Modane 17:16. On Saturday 23 June you can return to Geneva by an early train (taxi needed): Modane 6:18-Geneva 9:34 with one change in Culoz. Then at 9:49 and 9:53 there are trains taking you in 6 min to the airport.

Train schedules from the Milan airport

The Milan Malpensa airport (MXP) is also an option because the so-called Schengen visa is valid for both Italy and France.

The web site of Italian railways, where you can purchase your ticket, is http://www.ferroviedellostato.it/

Recommended schedules

Milan=Milano Centrale, the central train station. It is connected to the airport with busses: Malpensa shuttle runs every 20 min; the average duration of the trip is 1 hour; the ticket costs 5 euros.

Monday 18 June

Milan 16:10-Modane 19:05; 0 changes.

Saturday 23 June

Modane 12:05-Milan 14:50; 0 changes.

If you really need to get to Milan earlier, there are two trains the day before:

(Friday 22 June) Modane 19:49-Milan 22:50; 0 changes.

(Friday 22 June) Modane 18:20-Milan 21:20; 0 changes.

Train schedules from the Turin airport

The Turin airport has busses to Torino Porta Susa and to the central railway station Torino Porta Nuova which depart roughly every 45 min and take 40 min (price 5.50 euros). Schedule posted here.

Recommended train schedules between Turin and Modane

Turin=Torino Porta Susa station

Monday 18 June

Turin 17:35-Modane 19:05; 0 changes.

Saturday 23 June

Modane 12:05-Turin 13:25; 0 changes.

Reaching Aussois from the Modane railway station

For people arriving in Modane by the 18:15 TGV train from Paris on 18 June we organize a bus. There will also be a bus for those who leave Aussois on 23 June by the 9:50 TGV train to Paris. Participants arriving at times different from the indicated above will have to take a taxi. We strongly advise these participants to organize themselves into groups: upon arrival at Modane train station you can make youself recognizable to other participants for example by holding a sheet or a folder with “EE250” written on it. Below are phone numbers of the local taxi companies (there may also be taxis in front of the railway station). The price one way before 19:00, including tip (appr. 10%), is 20-30 EUR (depending on the number of passengers) and after 19:00, 30-40 EUR. Tell the taxi to take you to “Centre Paul Langevin” in Aussois (or to your hotel).

General driving information

To reach Ausois by car you have to pass by the town of Modane, France. Modane is situated on a major divided highway which in the European nomenclature is known as E70. On the French side it is also known as A43 and on the Italian side as A32. Depending on the direction you come from, you reach Modane either from Italy (East), through the highway A32/E70 (exit Frejus) and the Frejus tunnel or from France (West), through the highway A43/E70 (exit Modane).

Below we give examples of possible routes to Aussois through Modane from major cities with airports. You may find the following maps useful: macroscopic, mesoscopic, microscopic.

Please note that the direct road from Modane to Aussois may be interrupted because of construction work which is supposed to finish before the mid June. Although it is not very likely, it may happen that the direct road from Modane to Aussois will be closed on the arrival day (Monday 18 June) and people travelling by car (and coming from Modane) will have to use a detour (in French: deviation) which will be described further below.

Driving to Aussois from Geneva

From Geneva, take E25, E712, E70 (These are only brief indications. For more details go to the ViaMichelin web page, enter the departure and destination locations and click search) Leave A43-E70 taking the Exit 70 towards “Modane Haute-Maurienne Vanoise Col du Mont-Cenis Col de l'Iseran.” At the roundabout take the second exit and continue along N6 towards Modane, appr 3.5 km. After coming to Modane continue still following N6 0.8 km. Turn left, taking D215c, cross the river, turn left, still following D215c. (Please note that in the case the road is closed you have to stay on N6. More detailed instructions will be given below, in the section From Modane to Aussois in case of a detour.) Pass through Modane. [Just for orientation: you leave Modane after appr. 0.8 km. You will pass the street Rue des Casernes which then becomes Route du Bourget.] After 6 km on D215c you will reach Aussois. [Again for orientation: after 1.6 km from Modane you will come to a roundabout. At this roundabout, take the second exit leading to Aussois. The first one, which you are not supposed to take, leads to Le Bourget. The distance from the roundabout to Aussois is approximately 4.5 km.]

Driving to Aussois from Lyon

From the Lyon airport you basically follow A43, until leaving it at the exit “Modane Haute-Maurienne Vanoise Col du Mont-Cenis Col de l'Iseran.” After that you proceed exactly as indicated in the previous entry.

Driving to Aussois from Turin

From Turin (Torino) take the highway A55. After approximately 9 km change to A32/E70 at the exit “A32 Bardonecchia T4 Frejus SS25 Del Moncensicio.”. Continue for 72 km, then take the exit towards “Frejus.” Take T4/E70 passing through the tunnel of Frejus (in Italian: “Traforo del Frejus,” in French: “Tunnel de Frejus”). The toll is 31.90 EUR. After crossing the French border the road is called N566-E70 and is technically a normal highway. Approximately 8.5 km after the French border turn to the right onto D216. After 2.5 km turn to the right onto D215c/Route de Bardonecchia and continue 0.4 km. At the round-about continue the D215c. After 0.2 km turn right, onto N6. After 0.3 km turn left, onto D215c. After crossing the river, turn left, still following D215c. (Please note that in case the road is closed you have to stay on N6. More detailed instructions will be given below, in the section From Modane to Aussois in case of a detour.) Pass through Modane. [Just for orientation: you leave Modane after appr. 0.8 km. You will pass the street Rue des Casernes which then becomes Route du Bourget.] After 6 km on D215c you will reach Aussois. [Again for orientation: after 1.6 km from Modane you will come to a roundabout. At this roundabout, take the second exit leading to Aussois. The first one, which you are not supposed to take, leads to Le Bourget. The distance from the roundabout to Aussois is approximately 4.5 km.]

From Modane to Aussois in case of a detour

Pass through Modane following N6. Take the main N6 road from Modane in the East direction. After about 5 km come to Villarodin-Bourget. Turn left to Avrieux (which is about 2 km from Villarodin-Bourget) onto D215c. [Just for orientation: before turning left to Avrieux you pass on the right the road D214 leading to the ski resort of La Norma. Don't take it.] In Avrieux continue to Le Bourget which is about 2 km from Avrieux. [Again to be precise: after Avrieux there is a right turn to l'Esseillon which you are not supposed to take. Just go straight.] After passing the village of Le Bourget reach a roundabout at which the standard road D215c from Modane to Aussois is recovered.

The last kilometer in Aussois

When approaching Aussois, take the street called Route des Mottets (for this, bend slightly to the left) which passes the Hotel des Mottets, where some of the participants are staying. After coming to the crossing with the Rue d'en Haut, continue untill you cross the street Rue de la Salette (which is probably the next one) where you turn to the left. At the next crossing with the Rue du Coin, turn to the right and continue until you reach the street Impasse du Ruenne where you turn to the right and drive until you come to the parking lot of the Centre Paul Langevin.

For people staying at the hotels les Mottets and du Soleil. The hotel Les Mottets is located on Route des Mottets. The hotel Du Soleil is on the neighboring street (parallel to the Route des Mottets) Rue de l'Eglise, 15. The walking time from both of the hotels to the Centre Paul Langevin where the conference is taking place is of about 5-10 min.

Please keep in mind that on the evening of 18 June you have to come the Centre Paul Langevin for registration and dinner. The dinner on 18 June will be a cold buffet, served from 19:30 to 22:00.

Updated 24 May 2007