Outside of SH, there is still very little information available on winter tyres to general public and they don’t seem to be marketed as much by Quick Fit etc I never knew they existed before SH Easter is far easier drive down, still busy on main routes but a lot keep heading south for the beach. Run to Albertville etc is fine.

@James77, not mandatory in France, take a look at the Paris and Dutch cars most of them will be on summers as well See zillions of other threads for more indo

Sounds like the SH invasion of France is under way - safe journey everyone and have a great week. Although I have had my week's skin this season, I am very jealous! On the plus side I know I'll never have to do Feb half-term again now kids are older :-D

@PeakyB, doesn't even come close to the circus one

@philhitch, is try viamichelin as a start

@holidayloverxx, tbh I don’t care, I was just trying to lighten the tone and avoid the B word

What was a boarder doing with ski poles? Can only assume he was a bit crap on the flat bits.

It's worth checking the skiing pass/lift situation as well. A day's lift pass can be surprisingly expensive, some places have a 1 or 2 free lifts on Saturdays. For Les Arcs (where we go) you can buy a pass which includes the Saturday afternoon. Same for ski hire etc Basically no point driving through the night if you can't ski when you get there IMHO

@Tricky38H, Very difficult one to answer - only you know what your tolerance is for staying awake through the night. I could do it, but won't as it would wipe me out for days afterwards. Even then I think I'd have to have a power nap around 2-3am - based on the odd night shift I've done! For your first trip I'd personally stick with the hotel and then review for the next time - but that's me! For many it works as @Page23, proves, for us (three late teens in car) a long drive on Friday means that holiday starts at overnight hotel with a decent meal and a few drinks. Early start next day gets into resort Sat morning and afternoon's skiing. Horses for courses

@James77, @snowymum, based on last year, if you want to be avoiding traffic you'd need to be on the road earlier. We stayed in Macon and left at 7am and queued for hours. Over New Year we left MAcon at 5:30 and missed the worst - but it was still busy. We may have just had a bad year as that was the only Feb Half Term we did

Here

@bobcat, everything you do currently is possible with children, more planning required and generally more expense. I'm not entirely sure you can really prepare for parenthood as everyone's experiences are different. As @ousekjarr, says go with the flow and do what feels right

Peacefully doing your own thing, becomes a distant memory.... Yeah, but in the blink of an eye they're off at Uni, the house is quiet and you miss them :cry:

@bobcat, not skiing was not an option for us. Ok we missed one season when our twins were born. But we went the following year when they were13-months and Mrs B was 2-months pregnant. The following year we had 3 under 2s First couple of years we had catered chalets then went self catering to give more flexibility. We were lucky that grandparents came with us to assist with childcare, but from age 4 they were in ski school morning and with us in the afternoon Skiing with kids is no big issue - just needs a little more prep Boys are 19 and daughter 17. We still ski

@chriswg, I don’t really like cruise, driving helps me stay alert. FWIW I stick to 85 which as you say is 82. No tickets in 20+ years

The Vallandry bowl would be a great place to go - wide space to get confidence back. As above Foret is also a dead easy long cruise (it should be a green but as is a road is blue). Top of Vagre chair there are a load of blues off to right which are quite and straightforward. Mont Blanc above 1600 is also a lovely run, although top section is a little tricky. Echo the comments that drop down to 1600 can be a mare as snow conditions crowds etc - easy enough is stay to side and take it easy

Never driven through night but have had to do a few night shifts with work. Would agree 2-4 is the worst time for nodding off Like my sleep so overnight sleep and early start for me

@crosbie, Always go through the Telepeage lanes so no tickets - periodically it gets picked up as Class 2 but email to request adjustment sorts it. Only time I've been picked up as HGV is when towing caravan and having 4 bikes on roof - can understand the radar picking us up as lorry. Gate wouldn't open automatically, pressed call button and (I assume) they then check camera as it was opened immediately and tag beeped

@crosbie, tolls are also the same - Class 1, parking in resort we visit is free, don't think we pay anymore for Eurotunnel but can't be sure

@boredsurfin, you also have to consider RR probably means 2/3 young kdis - so probably a lot of loo stops as well :-D

@dunc999, unless said Belgian drives into 30km toll lane and then gets stuck :twisted: @boredsurfin, you're optimistic ;-) - every 2nd station - Disco with large roofbox, managed around 28mpg this trip

@jamesford, your first post on the forum, bumping a 2-yr old thread, to promote your (I assume) website. Smells of pork luncheon meat to me

@jamesford, assume by luxuries you're offering SPAM

@Richard_Sideways, Don't brake too hard! I actually bought a dog guard purely to provide a little reassurance that none of us would be taken out by a flying suitcase

Why is this topic in The Piste section? +1 :~/

@boredsurfin, Nope - they're just toll lanes, with no height barriers and the sensors determine class. Occasionally get tagged as CLass 2, but email sorts for refund. Only time ever had an issue was when sensors decided we were HGV (car and caravan) and wouldn't open as we had a car tag - very quickly sorted with call button @sasha320, quickest in that people seem to ignore them or assume they are lorry only, this is during day

Resign yourself to the fact they'll leave you for dead in a few years time :oops: :lol:

@terrygasson, I’ve already got a list of things to consider for next trip in 2021. I’ve found that the quickest 30km toll lanes are on the far right for lorries. Everyone heads to left from fast lane

@jonathancarty, We're lucky in that we cross early Friday - avoiding the worst! Interestingly we have a high car and I actually think that helps, as there are fewer of them. Thankfully, I think we're now at a stage when we can return to out of school holiday trips 8)

I'm a big fan of driving down, but always take an extra day, I couldn't cope with the overnight! Did the Feb half-term drive last year, wasn't as bad as I feared and I think could have been avoided with an earlier start! We did take the kids out of school (teachers knew we were doing it and were fine, just warned us to expect letter) and crossed early Friday and drove to Macon for overnight. Left there at 7am and while we never stopped it was a real crawl from there all the way through to resort really - took 6 hours - normally would be dispatched in 3. @jonathancarty, hope the ferry is kind to you, we have been lucky with Eurotunnel and not been delayed more than an hour.

Tartiflette pizza - when you need extra carbs 8)

1. Pick up keys and lift passes from Rental Agency 2. Have lunch (usually) 3. Unpack car 4. Afternoon ski 5. sort out apartment, make beds, put stuff away properly 6. cook dinner, eat crisps, drink wine 7. drink wine until........ 8. sleep

Random 2-yr old thread bump :~/

:shock: :cry: Sort of an aside, but not sure why this is in The Piste?

Was in Les Arcs for New Year week, with a day over in La Plagne. Couple of pinch points in Les Arcs 2000 bowl and in Plagne Bellcote where the queues were horrendous. However picking runs carefully had some very quiet pistes - found the trick is to stay low as everyone seems to head up to "do" Aguille Rouge. Runs around 1600 and Vallandry were empty.

Should decent winter sports cover rule out the need for carre neige? Yes. But some take out CN because it's less hassle. CN also covers off-piste I believe, our free insurance with Bank does not. Note I'm not talking hard-core stuff, just little bumps between runs which is technically off-piste. For a few euros a day happy to have peace of mind

Not long till we head out :D 8)

I like the journey there, particularly as mountains start to appear and first signs of snow are visible. As others have said, journey back not so good! Once back to Lyon the mountains have gone and it's a slog through northern France to Calais and then home, with thoughts of work looming

@Boris, Alastair reported the lift as open yesterday, but with a big queue since Ours was closed. Belvedere all the way from the top of Comborciere to Valandry is one long piste. Do you do it non stop? Only when I was late to meet kids from ski school :lol: As a mixed group we'll usually regroup a few times. And make sure daughter doesn't get lost!

@johnE, I'm hoping the lift will open (has been open when there at Xmas before) the runs may be closed but lift is a great way from getting back from 2000 to Vallandry