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 Practical Information

Planning

To allow more participants in Les Houches there will be two 10-days sessions. The first session is from 30 May  to 8 June 2011. The second session will take over from 8 to 17 June 2011. See here for  the working group schedule and the programme of the sessions. 

Fees

The total fee covers lodging (single room) and meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner). It amounts to 750 Euros for a 10 day period. This fee should be made payable to the Secretariat in Les Houches upon arrival.  How and when to pay.

Visas

Some nationals require a visa for France. This is delivered as a Schengen visa. Note that if you are travelling from another Schengen country to France you will be permitted to enter France provided your visa is valid during the whole periof of your stay.

The situation with Switzerland joining the Schengen protocol has changed for the better. A Schengen visa will now allow you to enter Switzerland. Likewise Swiss authorities are also  issuing Schengen visas. 

If you require a visa, please indicate so when you register so that we can send you appropriate invitation letters.  We also urge you to apply for visas at least  two months in advance.

How to contact the Centre des Houches?

Postal Address:
Ecole de Physique des Houches
La Côte des Chavants
F-74310 Les Houches
FRANCE

Phone: +33 4 50 54 40 69 (from Monday to Friday at office hours)

Fax: +33 4 50 55 53 25

E-mail: secretariat.houches@ujf-grenoble.fr

You may contact participants at meals hours (12h40-13h40 and 19h40-20h40)
by calling the Restaurant at +33 4 50 54 41 24

Emergency number, only reachable during the meeting, outside office hours:

  +33 7 77 72 48 26 from outside France or 07 77 72 48 26  within France.

+33 6 11 32 84 85 from outside France or 06 11 32 84 85  within France.

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 for standard slides and for transparencies, video-projectors,...
  • a photocopy machine,
  • a fax


    • For the Workshop Physics at TeV Colliders  special arrangements have been made as concerns the computing facilities (details will be sent to the participants later).  A network, with in particular a WiFi connection,  will be installed.
     

    Your Stay

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

    Stay in the Centre de Physique
    Meals are taken at the school dining room. Drinks are not included.

    Coffee, tea (free!) and liqueurs are available at the cafeteria.
    Breakfast : 8:00 am to 8:45 am ; Lunch : 12:30 am ; Dinner : 7:30 pm

    Participants are housed in "chalets". All the buildings have been renovated recently. Most rooms are single occupancy.

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

    Pictures of the Housing and Conference complex at Les Houches. 

    There is a new piano. Bring your music sheets!

    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, good walking shoes and home shoes are necessary. Note that we will most probably organise some excursions.  If it is sunny and we are hiking it is strongly recommended that you bring sun glasses and skin cream/sun block.

    For the period 30 May to 17 June we recommend that you bring some warm clothes, just in case it gets chilly in the evenings.

    Weather in Les Houches and Chamonix (8kms away in the valley...)

     

    Various:

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

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

    Telephone:  There is GSM and 3G coverage. There is a coin operated landline phone in the main building.

     

    Access: 

    As of 2009 a Schengen visa is valid for both France and Switzerland
    By Conference Bus: CERN<->Les Houches (Centre de Physique )
     The bus journey from CERN to Les Houches takes about 1h40.  
    • Departure from CERN (CH):  Monday  30 May 2011 at 16.00    Main Entrance B.  Click to view.
    • Departure from Les Houches to CERN: Wednesday 8 June at 13.30.

    • Departure from CERN (CH): Wed.  8 June at 16.00 , Main Entrance B.  Click to view.

    • Departure from Les Houches :   Friday 17 June at 13.30

    By Local  Buses from Geneva:
    From Geneva centre (main bus station) to the Les Houches Village. Take the bus  going to Chamonix  and get off at the stop Office du Tourisme (tourist center) of Les Houches. This bus starts in fact at Geneva Airport before continuing to Geneva centre, then the Chamonix Valley (les Houches)
    Bus Timetable:  Geneva bus station website

    Note however that the service is not convenient. First  it is not frequent. Second, the bus stops in the village which is still 4kms away from the School. If you do not want to climb on foot, we advise you to take a taxi. Fare: about 15 Euros.
    You need to reserve a taxi by phoning oen of these two companies:

    • Taxi M. Persault - Les Houches : 04 50 54 41 09 (landline)  06 07 27 71 61 (mobile)
    • Taxi Garny Hervé - Les Houches : 04 50 54 44 60 (landline) 06.12 35 30 72 (mobile)

    To go from Geneva train station to the bus station

    For a map of Geneva and general information.

    By plane, Shuttle/Limo  service from Geneva Airport

    Geneva Airport is 1 hour drive from les Houches. There is a regular bus service between Geneva Centre and Les Houches (see section Local Buses from Geneva).

    We recommend a shuttle service.  You would need to make a reservation online with one of these  companies:

    • Chamexpress: instant on-line booking, flat rate 28euros (Tel +33450547372)
    • Alpybus: from 23euros  Office phone: +41 227 232 984 Emergency contact: +41 795 393 754
    • Chamonix Cabs:   from 25euros (Tel: +33 632741470, mobile phone number)
    • Chamonix Shuttles (Last minute transfers at no added cost can be made by telephone :  (0)6 42 70 81 44, this is a mobile phone number)
    • Airport Transfer System

    When you make the reservation specify Geneva-->Chamonix Valley.
    The fares varies depending on how many people share the limousine, it ranges from 40 euros up to as much as about 200euros if you happen to be the only person in the limo!

    For further updated information on Geneva Airport see the site of the Airport.

    By train:

    Arrival at Les Houches station, with one change at Saint-Gervais (from France). There is about 10 trains per day between St Gervais and Les Houches. If you are coming from Geneva we strongly advise you not to take the train. Les Houches train station is about 5 kms 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. Fare: about 12 Euros.
    You need to reserve a taxi by phoning oen of these two companies:

    • Taxi M. Persault - Les Houches : 04 50 54 41 09 (landline)  06 07 27 71 61 (mobile)
    • Taxi Garny Hervé - Les Houches : 04 50 54 44 60 (landline) 06.12 35 30 72 (mobile)

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

    By road:


    The best way to find your way is to print the itinerary given by the online  Michelin interactive map or of course google maps 

    Les Houches are easily accessible from France (A41 highway), from Switzerland (Martigny and Col des Montets).
    From Geneva and Le Fayet: 8km before Chamonix, 300 m after passing under a tunnel, bear right by the first road out for "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).  You will reach a small roundabout, near a second cable car station, named the "Prarion". Turn left and follow the sign "Ecole de Physique", "U.T.A.N." (Union Touristique les Amis de la Nature). 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).  For those going to the Hotel Les Amis de la Nature, look for a sign (entrance to the hotel) on the left hand side of the road. Those driving to the Centre should drive almost all the way up the Côte des Chavants and follow Parking Visiteurs. 

    Click for detailed road maps

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

    Cars may be rented from Geneva and from Chamonix, but it is useful to make reservations.

     

    Les Houches Tourism web page