GETTING TO oz

Fly straight to Oz:
It's easy to fly to Oz, from London, Manchester, East Midlands or Dublin airports:
There are lots of flights from London to Lyon and Grenoble. Check out BA flights from Heathrow to Lyon St Exupéry (GBP 61-80), for example 7h45/10h20 or 15h00/17h40. EasyJet will also fly you cheaply (GBP29-58) from Luton and Gatwick to Grenoble (even closer to Oz) for example LUT-GRE 12h00/14h45) or GTW-GRE 7h05/9h45 or 13h45/1h25. Ryan Air will also take you to Grenoble from Stanstead 3 times a day (GBP66-80): 10h10/12h55 and 12h00/14h45 are very convenient. There are also direct flights from Manchester with BA: 10h55/13h50 and from Dublin with Air Lingus: 12h25/15h35.
Prices are one way and only indicative, based on asimulation for arrival on saturday 1st of jan and rturn on saturday 7th of feb 2009. All these flights are very useful as you will arrive early enough to collect your keys (each saturday from 3pm), settle in comfortably and still have time to get your ski passes, register for ski classes, buy some food and enjoy a well deserved “apéritif” before dinner...!
Lyon and Grenoble airports are the typical small, modern and user friendly regional airports where your luggage will arrive on the belt in no time.

Renting a car: Be independent!
This option is interesting especially if you are planning to use the car to travel around the area, particularly in the summer. Some excursions are really worth doing (see section "Oz, summer fun". The easiest way is to book fly-drive tickets, otherwise you can rent a car directly. In Lyon, a mini-bus will take you to the car rental companies.
Lyon St Exupéry or Grenoble St Geoirs
AVIS: 00334 72 22 75 25
BUDGET: 00334 7222 7474
NATIONAL CITER: 00334 7222 7487
SIXT: 00334 7222 7272

How much does it cost to rent a car?
An ordinary type B car for 4 people + luggage will cost around €300-400 for the week to which you have to add the cost of petrol, around €30, for just going to Oz and back.

Booking a taxi: The luxury option!
This option is really cool and perfect in my view if your are going to Oz just for skiing and you are not planning to move around the rest of the week. You can then forget about the driving, you normally get a bigger car to fit up to 8 people with luggage and the driver will pick you up at the airport. All can be arranged easily and in advance. To book a taxi, we recommend:

Mr. Gérard Donnot
Tel : 04 7680 2795 ou 06 0837 5893
Mr. André Sert-Marc (TAXI D'OZ)
Tel : 06 8741 9996

If you have some difficulties getting through the booking, don't worry: when you book your appartment, just mention you need the taxi, send me an email as soon as you have your flight details and I will do it for you.

How much does it cost to get a taxi?
Actually, it doesn't cost that much and, in the end, it's not that much more expensive than renting a car (especially for a party of 5+) and saves a lot of hassle.
The local tariffs, depending on your travel arrangements, are approximately:
Lyon St Exupéry airport- Oz Station (144km) €230 (1-3 people), €240-260 (4-6 people) and €280 (7-8 people)
Grenoble St Geoirs airport- Oz Station (100km): €160 (1-3 people), €165-185 (4-6 people) and €200 (7-8 people)
Grenoble train station- Oz Station (57km): €95 (1-3 people), €100-120 (4-6 people) and €125 (7-8 people)
 
 

FINDING oz

Driving instructions to get to Oz:
If you are going to do the driving, don't worry: it's dead easy to get there. Just take a look at the access map above and follow the instructions: Drive off from the rental car park at Lyon St Exupery airport following the motorway sign to Grenoble which is 90km away. Once on the Grenoble ring road, take the nº 8 exit “Stations de l’Oisans”. You will be on the N 91 following Briançon and turn off onto the N 85 at Vizille, still following Briançon and soon Bourg d’Oisans. Shortly before Bourg d’Oisans, turn left onto the CD 526 to Allemont and Oz en Oisans. As the road winds up to the top, always follow Oz Station. It should take around 2 hours to drive from Lyon airport and around 1 hour and a half from Grenoble airport, even on a heavy traffic day.
Main distances to Oz:
Paris : 620 Km., Marseille : 345 Km., Genève : 207 Km., Lyon St Exupéry (airport) : 145 Km.
Grenoble St Geoirs (airport) : 90 Km., Grenoble Centre: 55 Km.
 
 
GETTING AROUND oz
Arriving at Oz Station. For L'Hermine, turn left at this sign towards L'Alpette and then left again into the "Pré Genty" road. For Les Pistes, folloe staight on until the centre of the village.

Getting the keys
Our housekeeper, Mireille, will meet you at the appartment to give you the keys, show you where everything is and help you settle in. She will collect the deposit check and the balance of the rent, if any. The keys are delivered each saturday from 2pm (Les Pistes) and 3pm (L'Hermine). You will need to contact her to advise of your time of arrival to meet up. If you need anything else during your stay, don't hesitate to call her on 00336 1860 9328

Finding “Les Pistes”:
When arriving at Oz Station », keep going straight on until the main car park, next to the Information Office (Syndicat d’Initiatives). You will see the main building (Les pistes) on the left. You can unload the luggage near the font entrance (lift inside on the left hand side) and then take the car to the covered car park just in front. Collect the ticket and then take it to the Sundicat d’Initiative to buy a weekly pass for around €23, or simply just leave the car there all week!
The apartment nº 1216 is on the 2nd floor of Les Pistes
Arriving at the center of the village, with the covered car park The square in front of Les Pistes where parking is only allowed to unload your luggage

Finding « L’Hermine »:
Just when you enter the village, you will find a small road on the left which goes up towards the “Alpette” ski cabins. Follow the road until you see the residence “L’Hermine” on the left, past the "Alpette" car park. There are plenty of parking spaces near the building, on the "Route de Roches Noires". If you have taken the private parking option, our ousekeeper will give you the keys and show where it is. The foot access is on the 5th floor and the apartment nº 28 is on the 3rd floor, using the lift. The ski lockers are on the 4th floor.
L'Hermine, seen from the "Pre Gentil" road, when you turn left at the main Oz sign Second turn on the left, with the "Pré Genty" road sign. This road gives access to the private garage entrance. The 2 roads then meet a bit higher just after the Alpette cabins
Going up "Pré Genty", you can spot L'Hermine between the frozen trees. Romantic, hey? L'Hermine's main foot entrance, seen from the "route de Roches Noires"

A small village...
Oz is a small village, almost entirely car free, and therefore very safe particularly for small children. There is a good choice of restaurants, bars, shops and a supermarket which sells just about averything. Attention: Oz is a small, familly ski station, not a glamourous international fashion and show business resort...! The "syndicat d'initiatives", the local tourist office, is located within the Poutran ski cabins building. I recommend you to go and check out the programme of activities and pick up all the information that you may need during your stay. They are very helpfull...and speak english. In the same building, you can get your ski passes (forfaits). See map of Oz.

Useful tip: In winter, you will almost certainly not need the car all week because the village is small and everything you need is within easy walking distance, almost right on the slopes...!