Morzine chalet company AliKats awarded B Corp status
The Morzine chalet company run by British couple Al and Kat Judge has officially achieved B Corp™ Certification. This makes them one of the very few chalet operators worldwide to hold this globally recognised standard for social and environmental impact. AliKats was founded more than a decade ago and run 16 luxury chalets in Morzine....
Trenitalia France boosts Paris–Lyon services by 55% this winter
Trenitalia France is significantly expanding its high-speed offer on the Paris–Lyon corridor, increasing weekday frequencies from nine to 14 roundatrips starting from 14 December 2025. The Paris–Lyon uplift represents a 55% increase in weekday capacity, meaning Trenitalia will be operating more than one-third of services on one of Europe’s busiest routes. This expansion is part...
The Man in Seat 61: Will Eurostar will ever have competition?
Mark Smith – The Man in Seat 61 – thinks it’s possible that Eurostar will have competition, but it will take time. I spoke to the train travel expert in Episode 233 of The Ski Podcast. After news of bids to compete on the cross-channel line from Virgin Trains, Gemini and Evolyn, I wondered what...
Case Study: UK to St Gervais Le Fayet by train and bus
In August 2025, Iain travelled from the UK to Saint Gervais Le Fayet in France. Iain was in the region to take part in the OCC Ultra Marathon in Chamonix, but preferred to stay in the much better value Le Fayet. London St Pancras-Gare du Nord I started my journey in Brighton, arriving at Eurostar...
The Night Train to the French Alps is back!
Next winter a new night snow train will be running from Paris to Bourg Saint Maurice in France. French tour operator Travelski have announced that the new train service will operate from 19 December 2025 through to 20 March 2026. The train will leave Paris Gare d’Austerlitz on Friday evenings and depart from Bourg Saint...
How to get from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon in Paris (and back)
I’ve often heard people say that they would travel by train on their ski holiday if it wasn’t so difficult to get from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon in Paris. [Sigh] It’s really not that difficult! It’s two stops on the RER on a service that usually takes about 20 minutes from platform...
Case Study: Les Arcs to London by train
In August 2025, Iain travelled by train from Les Arcs to London in the UK. Arc 1800-Arc 1600, 09:15 The different ‘stations’ of Les Arcs are connected by an efficient bus service, that runs on a reliable timetable. I took the 0915 navette from Arc 1800, which is scheduled to link perfectly with the funicular...
The Eurostar Snow Train 2025/26 – Everything you need to know
In June 2025, Eurostar confirmed that they would be running the ‘Eurostar Snow Train’ again for the forthcoming 2025/26 winter season. This is great news, plus there are some key changes to this year’s service that will make the journey more attractive for many travellers. What dates will the Eurostar Snow Train operate? The Eurostar...
UTMB in Chamonix commits to cutting emissions by 20% before 2030
The UTMB (Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc) – held annually in Chamonix – is known as the world’s leading trail running event, but in recent years they have had significant criticism for ‘sportswashing’. Sportswashing? That came to a peak two years ago when the running community, led by the Green Runners and prominent athletes such...
Les Arcs re-awarded second Flocon Vert for sustainability
Environmental organization Mountain Riders has officially renewed Les Arcs’ Flocon Vert certification. It confirms the resort’s place among a select group of Alpine destinations recognized for their commitment to sustainable mountain tourism based on 20 strict criteria in environmental and social sustainability. ‘On the path to excellence’ Les Arcs has the rare distinction of having...
The Future of French Rail: Inside the New TGV INOUI 2025 Trains
At a recent meeting organised by A Tout France, I had the opportunity to find out more about the revolutionary new generation of TGV trains – a €3.5 billion investment by SNCF. The new ‘TGV INOUI 2025’ trains by SNCF have been designed around three priorities: comfort, sustainability, and inclusivity. In their words, “This isn’t...
Montagne Verte introduce the ‘Biocycle’
We recently reported on the great new train guide created by Montagne Verte. This is just one of the great projects the Morzine environmental group have initiated. Another is the introduction of their ‘BioCyclist’. Collecting organic waste The ‘biocycle’ is a carbon-free way of collecting organic waste produced by local restaurants and hotels in Morzine,...
