Right.

I'm starting to form some gloopy idea about going to the alps this summer that may one day be a well-composed idea.

What I need to help with this are some websites where I can check out bus timeables/rail timetables and prices for that region of france, as I'm considering moving around a bit this summer if the weather's crap.

Any suggestions?

The SNCF website is good for trains. Don't know about buses, although I suspect their is an equivalent. The French for timetable is la horaire, and most sites you'll find will have an English page with them.

To add to that, the best thing I've found for working out what is possible with local transport is to use a combination of travel guides (Rough Guide etc) which are generally good for this kind of thing, and the assumption that you can get around by public transport in the rest of Europe cheaply and easily.

You can get a coach to Chamonix from the UK with National express, or a linked company.

Last year it was looking like £120ish return - but that was Brum to Chamonix, with upto 2 hold bags of 32kg, and an open return date.

There are some good websites about.