How to contact the Centre des Houches

Postal Address:
UGA-Ecole de Physique des Houches
149 Chemin de la Côte 
F-74310 Les Houches
FRANCE

Phone: +33 4 57 04 10 40 (from Monday to Friday, during office hours)

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

You may contact participants at mealtimes (12:30-13:30 and 19:30-20:30) by calling the Restaurant at +33 4 50 54 41 24

Emergency numbers, only reachable during the meeting and outside office hours:

+33 [TBA] from outside France or [TBA] within France.

More emergency numbers are given on the wiki.

Facilities

The School has the following facilities:

• a small library with the main scientific journals and some reference books,
• three working rooms with blackboards and an auditorium for 70 people,
• projectors, video-projectors, multi-media equipment...
• a printer/photocopy machine,
• WiFi/LAN

Your Stay

Participants will be staying at the Ecole de Physique des Houches.

Meals are taken at the restaurant building (Les Balmes). 

Coffee & tea are available (for free) in the cafeteria (Les Balmes) and in the main building. Other beverages (soft or alcoholic drinks) are not included.

Meal times:

• Breakfast: 7:45 to 8:45;
• Lunch: 12:30;
• Dinner: 19:30.

Participants are housed in "chalets". All the buildings have been renovated recently. Most rooms are single occupancy. Please note that pets cannot be accepted.

The cafeteria has a piano, a guitar, table soccer and table tennis. A few mountain bikes (and helmets) are available.

Here and here are pictures of the Housing and Conference complex at Les Houches.

There is a new piano. Bring your music sheets and instruments! (See here why)

Weather

Weather is unpredictable (altitude 1150 m), temperature may range from -15 to 5°C in winter and from 5 to 25°C in summer. Sport clothes are preferable. Warm sweater(s), rain gear and good walking shoes are necessary. Shoes such as slippers for indoor use could also be useful. Note that we will most probably organise some excursions. If it is sunny and we are hiking, it is strongly recommended that you bring sunglasses, sunscreen, and a sun hat.

Albeit generally warm in June, we recommend that you bring some warm clothes: it gets chilly in the evenings. 

Weather in Les Houches and Chamonix (8 km down the valley...). See also here.

Miscellanea

A flashlight is handy at night; the school chalets are scattered on the mountainside and outside lights may be poor (power failures, storms,..).

Electricity: AC, 50Hz, 220V. Bring an electric plug adaptor for your laptop and other electric equipments.

Telephone: There is 3G/4G coverage with Orange, Free,... 

Access and Arrival 

For this section and the following, please consult the wikipage (restricted access) for up-to-date information. You will get an email with access credentials.

It is a good idea to download/print the leaflet of the Centre and bring it with you especially if you are not taking the Conference bus. The map in the leaflet indicates the location of the various buildings including the chalets you will be sleeping in. The room/chalet allocation will be available a few days before the start of the session as a link on the wiki (restricted access: for session 1, for session 2), make a note of your chalet and room number. You will also be given the pin code needed to enter the chalet: make a note of that code too. We recommend that you save the pin code of the chalet in your phone contacts, together with the name of the chalet and room number.

By Conference Bus from/to CERN

Only those who are registered to take the conference bus will be able to board the bus. The final list is here (check your session subpage).

In case of a problem on the day of departure or if you are late to take the conference bus, send an This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.You may also call or send a SMS to the (mobile) telephone numbers of one of the organisers who will on the bus. See link above.

One or two organisers will be at the meeting point at CERN. Make sure you are not late. The bus will not wait long.

Conference Bus: CERN <-> Les Houches (Centre de Physique). The bus journey from CERN to Les Houches takes about 1h40.

• Departure from CERN: Monday 12 June 2023 at 14:30, visitor parking close to the globe.
  
• Departure from Les Houches: Wednesday 21 June 2023, after lunch (13:30-14:00)
  
• Departure from CERN: Wednesday 21 June 2023 at 16:00, visitor parking close to the globe.
• Departure from Les Houches: Friday 30 June 2023, after lunch (13:30-14:00)
  

Once the bus arrives at the Centre we will distribute a leaflet that indicates the location of the room and chalet you will be sleeping in. You can also download/print the map before you trip. The room/chalet allocation will be available to download through the wiki (restricted access: for session 1, for session 2). Make a note of your chalet and room number. You will also receive the pin code needed to enter the chalet, save it somewhere (i.e. on your phone).

Note that on Wed 21 and Friday 30 the bus from Les Houches to CERN will first stop at Geneva Airport before continuing to CERN. This is not only very useful for those taking a plane but also those taking a train. If you have a train to catch on those days it is advisable to start your train journey from Geneva Airport rather than Cornavin (Geneva Main Train Station). You will save time not taking the bus/tram from CERN to Cornavin.

By Shuttle/Limo service from Geneva Airport

If you are not taking the Conference bus, this is the most practical way to get to the Centre.

Geneva Airport is 1 hour drive from les Houches.

The simplest way is to use a shuttle service (approximately 40 euros up to the School, book at least three days in advance). Check the official hints here. If you already have your return date, we would recommend to book a return trip. Click here for a complete view of the different companies. Beware: The Ecole des Houches does not recommend the Alpybus company since this company will only take you to the Les Houches village, which is 5 km away from the Centre. NB: You can have a discount with the company Mountain Drop-Offs: check here ! Mountain Drop-Offs transfer desk at Geneva Airport, look here.

You could also rent a car from Geneva Airport.

By train

Arrival at the Les Houches train station is through at least one change at Saint-Gervais (from France) or at Martigny (from Switzerland). There are about 10 trains per day between St Gervais and Les Houches. If you are coming from Geneva, we would advise you not to take the train, as there are many changes. Les Houches train station is about 5 km from the Centre de Physique (the latter being uphill!!). If you do not want to climb on foot, we advise you to take a taxi. See tips on taxi in the above section on "Local Buses from Geneva".

For fares, updated train timetables and reservations, you can consult the French Railways site.

By Local Buses from Geneva

Currently there don't seem to be any direct buses from Geneva to Les Houches, but rather just buses to Chamonix. Once you are in Chamonix, you can get to Les Houches by taxi.

Some buses leave from the main bus station in Geneva, others from the airport. 

Overall, this service is not very convenient. See however the official information from the webpage of the Ecole des Houches here.

You need to reserve a taxi to get from Chamonix to Les Houches by calling one of these companies (you may also ask the secretariat to reserve the local taxi for you, but inform the secretariat at least 4 days before the trip).

Cham Taxi: +33 6 07 26 36 62 (mobile) 
Taxi Carrier: +33 6 22 75 19 37 (mobile)
Taxi Plus: + 33 6 12 35 30 72 (mobile)
To go from Geneva train station to the bus station, see here.

For a map of Geneva and general information, go here.

Once you arrive at the School, go to the Secretariat in the Chalet Cécile DeWitt (previously Jacassière) or just look for your pigeon hole in the lobby. In the main building, there will be a list indicating your room (Lodging Plan). You still need the pincode to enter the chalet. The pincodes will be sent to you by email a couple of days before the meeting. Bring the leaflet with you, and save the pin code on your phone.

By car

The best way to find your way (if you don't have a GPS or a mobile phone with a data plan) is to print the itinerary given by the online Michelin interactive map or of course google maps

Les Houches is easily accessible from France (A40 highway), from Italy (Mont Blanc Tunnel), and from Switzerland (Martigny and Col des Montets).

From Geneva and Le Fayet: 8 km before Chamonix, 300 m after passing under a tunnel, take exit 26, then keep right, following "Les Houches Les Trabets".  

When arriving at the cable car station "Bellevue", turn right and continue upwards (roughly 2 km starting from the cable car station). You will reach a small roundabout, near a second cable car station, named "Prarion". Turn left and follow the sign "Ecole de Physique". Go uphill till the Route de la Côte des Chavants where you will have to make a sharp (right) turn (there is a sign for Ecole des Houches/Centre de Physique).  You should then drive almost all the way up the Côte des Chavants and follow Parking Visiteurs. 

From Chamonix: bear right for "Les Houches-Chef-Lieu", turn right in Les Houches, go ahead until the cable car station "Bellevue". Then proceed as above.

Cars may be rented from Geneva and from Chamonix, but it is useful to make a reservation well in advance.

Once you arrive in the Centre, please park your car in the "visitors' car park" then walk down (or take the stairs) to the main buiding. The Secretariat is in the Main Building (Cécile DeWitt). You can also simply look for your pigeonhole in the lobby of the Main Building. There will be a list indicating your room.

 Tourism

Les Houches tourist office.