Speaker Guide

The purpose of this guide is to gather all answers to questions you may have about the Snowcamp conference. It aims to provide information useful before, during, and after the conference.

Before the Conference

Where will the conference take place?

The conference will be held at Alpexpo, espace 1968 in the south of Grenoble. The venue is a bit out of the city centre but is well served by public transport, bike paths, and roads.

Address: 2 avenue d’Innsbruck 38100 GRENOBLE – FRANCE

More information about the venue is available here: https://alpexpo.com/acces/

Where can I book a hotel?

Although there are hotels near the conference venue, we recommend booking one near the city centre or near Grenoble train station.

The conference venue is located in an industrial area where there is not much to do in the evenings, and public transport is less frequent after 9 pm. A speaker dinner will take place on Thursday evening near the city centre. Speakers frequently organize meetups in town on Wednesday and Friday evenings. It will be more practical for you to stay downtown.

What should I prepare to connect to the projectors?

Alpexpo projectors have an HDMI connector, so bring a laptop with an HDMI port or an adapter.

Pro-tip: Put your slides on a USB stick that you keep with you. If your computer fails, or there are compatibility problems with the projectors, we can use your USB stick on another laptop.

Pro-tip 2: Use a slide clicker/remote so you can speak to the audience without staying behind the lectern.

What microphones are available?

Each room is equipped with a headset microphone and a handheld microphone.

I have specific needs (equipment or network) – who do I ask?

Rooms have a desk, a projector, and a power strip available for speakers. Wi-Fi is provided for all participants, but some ports may be restricted.

If your presentation requires more equipment, if you want to plug in something other than a laptop, if you bring non-conventional items (e.g. soldering iron, robot, etc.), or if you need specific network ports, send an email to the Snowcamp organizing team: team@snowcamp.io. We’ll check what’s possible within the venue’s rules.

How much time do I have for my presentation?

Depending on your session format, times are:

Talk: 45 minutes
Schuss: 20 minutes
Keynote: 45 minutes
Workshop: 3 hours

This time includes Q&A.

Should I plan a Q&A session?

Recommended but not mandatory. As a speaker, it’s up to you to use your slot as you see fit.

Can I go over my scheduled time if I don’t finish?

Please respect your timeslot. The few minutes between sessions are mainly for the next speaker to set up. If a technical problem linked to the organizers or venue impacts your session, we will help you finish your talk without impacting the rest of the program.

Before the conference, we will send you resources so you can add:

The list of event sponsors
A QR code and a link for participant feedback

If you can number your slides (with total slide count), it reassures the organizers at your talk who like to know how far you are as the end approaches 😊

My Stay in Grenoble

Hooray, I’ve arrived in Grenoble! What now?

If you’re not from Grenoble, you might want to explore the city or meet other speakers between conference days.

To make your stay easier, we will invite you to a “Snowcamp-Friends” Slack group for speakers and organizers.

This invitation will probably arrive a few days before the conference. If you haven’t received an invitation during the week of the conference, please contact us.

On Conference Day

How do I get to the venue?

The easiest way is by public transport. All information is on reso-m.fr. Key points:

You need a ticket, which you must validate:
- At a machine outside tram stops, or directly on the bus
- Again at each change of tram or bus. Ticket is valid for 1 hour
Tickets can be bought:
- At machines at tram stops
- By credit card: tap your card on the validator – price €2
- By SMS: send “1H” to 93123 for a 1-hour ticket. Price €2.50
- Via the M app

More details and prices: Tarifs & Vente. The M app offers schedules, itineraries, and ticket purchase.

If you arrive at Grenoble station and go directly to Alpexpo:

Take tram A from near the station
Departure: Grenoble train station, direction Pont-de-Claix L’étoile
Arrival: Polesud – Alpexpo, then walk (follow posted signs)
Time: ~30 minutes

Route from the station

From the city centre to Alpexpo:

Take tram A from Victor Hugo square
Departure: Victor Hugo
Arrival: Polesud – Alpexpo, then walk (follow posted signs)
Time: ~25 minutes

Route from the city centre

If arriving by plane, there are shuttle buses:

From Lyon Saint-Exupéry (BlaBlaBus or FlixBus)
From Geneva Cointrin (3 trips/day, 7 days/week) to Grenoble bus station, then public transport to the venue.

If you come by car, a large outdoor car park is available for free opposite Alpexpo’s entrance.

If you come by bike:

Route from the city centre by bike

What should I do at the venue?

First, go to reception so the organizing team can welcome you.

A dedicated speaker desk means you don’t have to queue with other participants.

The team will give you your badge, answer any questions, show you the speakers’ lounge, and ensure everything is fine for you.

What is the speakers’ lounge?

A room is available so speakers can relax, concentrate, finish their presentations or meet others. The room has sofas and a large table to work at. You may leave your things there if needed. Note: the room is reserved for speakers, but not supervised.

Important: It is forbidden to eat or drink in this lounge.

How can I identify the organizing team?

To be easily identifiable, the team will wear white hoodies or polo shirts with the event logo on the back.

Organizers

What can I ask the organizing team about?

We aim to make sure the event goes as smoothly as possible for you. Topics we can help with include:

Conference, venue, or side event questions
Technical support (connecting to projector, computer failure, need adapter, etc.)
Issues with a participant, another speaker, or a member of the organizing team
Health problems
Or just to say hello!

Can I connect to the venue’s Wi-Fi?

Yes. On the day, we will share Wi-Fi codes on the speakers’ Slack group, or you can ask the team at reception.

Will someone be there to help me during my session?

Yes. We aim to have at least one member of the organizing team in each room for each session. That person will help you get set up, ensure the presentation runs smoothly, manage technical issues, and can help pass the mic for Q&A.

Will I have a visual aid to manage my session time?

Each room is equipped with an electronic timer so you can see your remaining time.

The organizing team member present will start the timer at the beginning of your presentation.

If they’re not there:

Press once: start/pause the timer
Long press (1s): reset timer
Double press: change mode (talk vs schuss)

Will I get a water bottle for my session?

Yes, water bottles or jugs will be made available for speakers. To avoid single-use plastic, ideally bring your own bottle.

A github repository is available for all session slides. If you wish, you can submit a Pull Request: https://github.com/snowcamp/snowcamp-supports-sessions

Is lunch provided?

Yes, we provide lunch. A few weeks before the conference, you’ll receive a link to a form to choose your menu (vegetarian or not) and let us know about dietary restrictions (e.g. allergies, intolerances).

Around the Conference

Thursday Meet & Greet

The Thursday conference day finishes at 5pm with a snack for all participants. You are very welcome to join! This lasts until 6pm.

Thursday Speaker Dinner

On Thursday evening, a dinner is organized with all speakers and members of the organizing team. A few weeks before the conference, we’ll send you a form to confirm if you’ll attend and to choose your menu. Venue and time details will be in that email.

Saturday Mountain Trip

Each year, we organize a mountain day on the Saturday after the conference. It’s a way to thank speakers for their contribution to Snowcamp’s success and show you our beautiful region.

This day is held in Chamrousse ski resort.

You can choose ski, snowshoe hiking, or wandering the resort.

If you wish to join, please fill in the relevant form, which will be sent before the conference.

Dress warmly! Ski equipment can be rented onsite. For hiking, bring waterproof hiking shoes, a backpack, lunch/snack, and a water bottle.

A bus will leave at 8:30am from Grenoble bus station. Please arrive early: 8:30 is the departure time, not the meeting time.

In the evening, the bus will leave Chamrousse at 5pm, getting back to Grenoble around 6–6:30pm.

Self-organized speaker events

Every year, some speakers organize gatherings in a bar or restaurant for evenings when there’s nothing planned by Snowcamp. To propose or find such gatherings, use the “Snowcamp-Friends” Slack group.