Lyon Airports: in pole position for the ski season

Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport is in the ideal location for skiers on their way to the French Alps. 300,000 of them chose Lyon this year, and it’s not hard to see why; the airport boasts better flights, quick and easy access to ski stations and services designed just for skiers. The Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport is in the perfect spot for quick and easy access to the Northern Alps, the biggest skiable area in the world.

Making the airport experience quick, easy, and stress-free

Lyon-Saint Exupéry, the third largest airport in France, offers the very best of a big airport, but on a human scale; something much appreciated by its passengers. No sooner have skiers stepped off the plane at Lyon-Saint Exupéry, than they are on their way to ski stations across the Alps, wasting no time getting on with their holiday.

And the warm welcome reserved for skiers has just got warmer: getting to the airport couldn’t be easier, and once there, twenty dedicated staff members are on hand to take care of skiers. Parking spaces right next to the terminals are set aside for skiers and passengers can easily find their travel agency in the new Travel Agency Zone inside the airport.

Instead of having to queue twice (once with bags and once with skis at oversized baggage), passengers can now register both at check-in. A Lyon Airports rep, accompanied by a security guard, will collect their skis or snowboard and take them straight to security. After landing, a rep picks up passengers’ skis and kit and puts them on racks for collection. This means skis and boards are kept safe and baggage collection is hugely improved.

There are several ways to get to the Alps from the airport, all in less than an hour and a half, and all avoiding travelling through cities: by car on the A42-A43 motorway network; by bus on the ALTIBUS and Faure Vercors ski shuttles, which link to nearly 40 stations; by on-demand transfers to 30 stations; or by train on the TGV services to the Alps (one daily return to Saint Jean de Maurienne, and connections to Northern Italy). Other options are taxis and car rental. In two out of every three cases, getting to ski stations in the Northern French Alps is quicker from Lyon-Saint Exupéry than from any other large international airport.

A bigger and better flight offer

The regular flight service on offer at Lyon Airports is ideal for English, Irish, Scottish and Russian skiers. Low-cost airlines offer great deals for skiers: fly to Lyon with Flybe from Birmingham or Cardiff, or with easyJet from Bristol, Edinburgh or, more recently, Manchester. Getting here from London is even easier: British Airways and easyJet offer 41 return flights a week between them. As well as the regular flights available, every Saturday there are extra flights to Lyon from London, Dublin, Moscow and even Tel Aviv, just for the ski season. Transaero (flying from Moscow) or Emirates (from Dubai), allow skiers from further afield to reach the Alps easily and quickly. The number of flights available has tripled since the 2012-2013 season.

Tour Operators, such as Topflight Group (with the brands Topflight, Ski Beat and Directski), Skibound (TUI AG) and EFH Group, are also offering skiers package holidays through Lyon Saint-Exupéry.

New: The Welcome Zone

Earlier this year, Lyon-Saint Exupéry airport opened a new tourist information zone, making it easier for passengers to access tourist information, buy transport tickets and make the most of the airport’s services.

And on the way home, why not stop off for a quick shopping-break? A new shopping centre was opened in June 2012 and houses several new stores, including five AELIA duty-free multistores and an AELIA Fashion and Beauty store in departures.

And last but not least… Lyon Airports can’t get enough of winter sports!

Already a partner for France Montagnes (France Mountains) and the Folie Douce open-air après-ski venue, the group has just launched an English Facebook page completely dedicated to winter sports! Check it out at: https://www.facebook.com/lyonairports?ref=hl