 Poster: A snowHead
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We are driving to Tignes to join 5 families there. We’re staying overnight near Chambery to ensure we have clear heads and daylight for the climb, and snow chains, if needed.
We had a last minute trip at Christmas (Alpe D’Huez) and I found the Christmas drive down thread hugely useful, especially when we arrived at Calais and we faced a stagnant queue of lorries at 6 AM in the filter lane. My OH thought we would miss our train but I remembered someone on the thread had advised to drive past and, lo and behold, there, indeed, was a lorry trying to get into the correct lane and we slipped into the clear road ahead and made the train. I was so thankful I’d been a longtime lurker!
We find driving in France a pleasure (compared to flying), audio books, a doofer, a meal at Poulet de Bresse and the prospect of snow/ski and mountain air at the end; awesome. I love the fact there are other people counting down the number of sleeps!
Half term is crazy busy and expensive but it’s so worth seeing the girls (9 and 11) ski and share the same obsession as us. Say hi/shout Snowheads if you see us download with 2 girls travelling in crazy onesies...they always get bemused glances from the French!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Boris, thanks for the tip, will try out the right hand lanes as well, like most others I normally go for left hand lanes!!!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| Quote: |
No. You can avoid the least of the queues, but in the worst of the queues, with all lanes solid for some distance approaching the barriers, it makes very little difference. Good to have, though, especially driving alone!
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We experienced that in the summer but given we will be driving past Reims at about 0300 I will very surprised if all lanes are solid! One of the advantages of pushing through the night and seeing the dawn as the mountains come into view. Excitement building! 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Boris wrote: |
@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 |
But do you get charged the PL (HGV) rate?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Boris wrote: |
@terrygasson
I’ve found that the quickest 30km toll lanes are on the far right for lorries. Everyone heads to left from fast lane |
Do you mean quickest because they’re empty or quickest because you can go through them more rapidly?
I assume the former because it is the weekend or late at night?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@boredsurfin, I just looked at the emovis (uk) website, and in the FAQ section it mentions that the LIBER-T tags are only valid for vehicles up to 3m and 3.5 tonnes, it also has a sensor that can detect the height of the vehicle going through the oversized lane, the left hand lanes are for max height of 2m. if you have a roof box, like I will be for the first time with a doofer, you need to go through the other lanes.
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@terrygasson, So you get charged the hgv rate then?
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no, as my LIBER-T tag is only valid for non hgv vehicles, presumably there is a different tag for hgv motors
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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The 2m limit on the '30' lane seems quite liberal; my car is slightly > 2m and I've not lost my roof box yet!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Yes it's prob 2.1m at the most at top of roof box on my car.
I should say I'm not attributing skill to any of this; simply observation after driving under many '2m' gare du péage without thinking!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Watch your bills. I often get charged for a Class 2 vehicle, I always email them when my statement lands and have always got a refund. We have a Hyundai i800 which is classed as a car (but is essentially a van) and it confuses the sensors. The different classes are here:
https://www.autoroutes.fr/en/vehicle-classification.htm
I'm fairly sure "height" is the height of the car not the height of the roofload although happy to be corrected.
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| pam w wrote: |
| Quote: |
hopefully I can avoid the worst of the queues thanks to my tele-peage doofer-thingy
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No. You can avoid the least of the queues, but in the worst of the queues, with all lanes solid for some distance approaching the barriers, it makes very little difference. Good to have, though, especially driving alone! |
Just about every time there is plenty of space on the left and everyone with tags squeezes past the queue. This Christmas trip I have never been held up for more than 2 minutes despite massive queues around Chamberry and Grenoble where my friends without tags spent ages
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
This Christmas trip I have never been held up for more than 2 minutes despite massive queues around Chamberry and Grenoble where my friends without tags spent ages
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We were held up for a long time at the Chambery toll over Christmas, but so were the telepeage people. The queue was caused by grid lock in Chamberey and actually had nothing to do with the toll booths. Apart from that without a telepeage transceiver a 20 second wait is the norm. We challenge ourselves to pick up the ticket without actually stopping. However we did get caught once when the woman in front of us droped her card from the card reader onto the ground. She couldn't open the drivers door to retreive it. She had to climb over the passenger seat and walk round the car to get it. It delayed us a couple of minutes, but after the 4 hour stint from Rheims I did not get angry or even concerned, but simply thought "I am glad it's not me"
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@johnE, it was probably at a different time, we were driving quite late Chamberry-Alberville-Moutiers (arrived to Moutiers just after 19:00) and didn't see any grid locks, only massive queues at tolls which we had successfully beaten, as did other drivers with tags.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Me coming from Nottingham to PDS.
Kids out of school early on the friday normally(this half term fridays an inset day) get a 3ish chunnel, hotel around Troyes or Dijon. Up for 4 in morning and drive on to resort for a days skiing.
Means i'll get a good solid 5hrs kip.
on way home bed early (as in 8ish) up at 1am, Having had 5hrs kip. 14.00ish chunnel.
For us that seems to be the best mix for kids sleeping while driving and me getting some sleep as well
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@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
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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We are on the February 1/2 term jolly to Les Menuires as well, leaving Hertfordshire lunchtime on Friday (taking girls out of school for 1/2 day  )
Flexiplus for journey to France to give some flexibility and then drive down to Macon for an over night stop, hopefully getting there for about 23:00
Early start for last leg to Les Menuires, hoping to leave about 5:30 for 9:00 arrival (anybody got any experience of the journey into resort at that time ? I've not done it early before, but hoping we beat the rush)
Hit the slopes Saturday morning, skiing from car and then check in late afternoon
Return journey similar going to ski Saturday until around 16:00 and then drive down to Macon for overnight stop, did this last year journey was good
Early start Sunday morning with 13:20 Eurotunnel, again same as last year, and journey from Macon was great at this time in the morning, at one point I saw only 2 or 3 cars in an hour and these were Brits, so obviously the French don't do early Sunday morning 
I enjoy the driving and means we get two extra Saturdays (so quiet) on the slopes
So if you see and white Audi S3 5 up (yes its quite tight inside, but plenty of room for the driver  ) with large roof box then give us a toot
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I can confirm that an ordinary tag won't work for a 7.5 tonne camper (Peage class 3). Strangely, it let me on the A16 south of Calais but wouldn't let me off again. Had to press for help then pay by card. Then the card machine died and we had to wait for some engineer to arrive. Nightmare.
In the car we often head for the lorry lanes on the right. We tend to approach peages cautiously anyway as there are cars bobbing all over the place. Often these lanes are empty so we just drive through. Biggest problem is on the other side where many numpties don't seem to understand that there are n-lanes funneling down to two or three and we don't all slam our foot down on the accelerator.
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Down to Vaujany for 1/2 term. Sunday - Sunday so the tunnel at midday Saturday, drive to Macon. I'm hoping that we'll be tailing the grand Great British depart and avoid the usual morning jams. If not we'll have to find a decent food stop on the way down.
Leave Macon c8:00am - earlier if I can rouse teenage son & his friend who is notoriously lethargic in the mornings, stop off at Intermarche at Vizille s long as we get there before 12, and hopefully an afternoon on the local slopes
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Probably a daft question, already covered elsewhere, but I assume we won't need IDPs for France in February?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| caughtanedge wrote: |
| Probably a daft question, already covered elsewhere, but I assume we won't need IDPs for France in February? |
No you wouldn't, assuming that the UK leaves the EU on January 31st under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement - which is looking the most likely scenario at this point, although still not 100% certain. Otherwise there isn't a huge amount of information.
They are only £5.50 from the post office though https://www.postoffice.co.uk/identity/international-driving-permit but I am sure you would know by the time you travel. We leave on the 31st Jan, so I am getting one just to be sure.
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| caughtanedge wrote: |
| Probably a daft question, already covered elsewhere, but I assume we won't need IDPs for France in February? |
You will and always should have had one if you are an old fart like me that still has a paper only licence, I only found that out last year
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I tried to buy an IDP for France in September and was told at the Post Office that they had been advised to not to issue them for EU countries until further notice...
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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The IDP thing was basically a nice little earner for the post office while the mass hysteria raged in advance of a couple of no deal cliff edges last year. In terms of actually ever being of any practical use to anyone with a British licence written in the latin alphabet, well, just lol
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Also heading down at half term. Blue Ranger (full) Flexi plus on Friday, aiming to leave Bristol as early as I can get the rest of the family into the car. Stopping at Dijon Friday night, Going to Verbier so won’t have to contend with Lyon. Any thoughts on where we are likely to struggle in traffic?
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You know it makes sense.
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Also invested in some noise cancelling headphones as I struggle to sleep in the passenger seat. Hoping it will aid relaxation!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@ah666, we are off to les menuires feb half term as well, staying overnight in Albertville on the Friday night leave around 7:30-8ish on the sat morning to arrive in resort for 9am, hopefully on the slopes for around 10.
we did this the last time we went to LM (17/18 season), hardly any traffic on the way up, though it also helped that the roads were clear of any snow.
will be in a grey Mitsubishi L200 truck with a large roof box on top
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Poster: A snowHead
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Quick thread grab... I'm driving down first week of March. Will I gain much by getting a doofer, or will it be quiet then? Ta. Carry on!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Thick As, We go to Chatel via Valais and find its best to turn off the A39 at the junction for Pullingy and head cross country via Champaglole, Metabief, Vallorbe and Lausanne. We avoid the Besançon / Pontarlier (and Geneva) routes as there can be some traffic on the ring roads they are bigger towns and many speed cameras (not advocating speeding).
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| Bodeswell wrote: |
| The IDP thing was basically a nice little earner for the post office while the mass hysteria raged in advance of a couple of no deal cliff edges last year. In terms of actually ever being of any practical use to anyone with a British licence written in the latin alphabet, well, just lol |
I've had to use one for work for over a decade.
Hopefully, these will now be rolled out beyond the few branches that used to offer this service. (my nearest branch is/was 30miles away)
It takes a while and is a bit blue peter involving scissor, prittstik and an ink stamp
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Quote: |
Quick thread grab... I'm driving down first week of March. Will I gain much by getting a doofer, or will it be quiet then? Ta. Carry on
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If you are on your own in the car then quite a bit. Otherwise about 2 minutes in total over the journey.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| SBP wrote: |
| Bodeswell wrote: |
| The IDP thing was basically a nice little earner for the post office while the mass hysteria raged in advance of a couple of no deal cliff edges last year. In terms of actually ever being of any practical use to anyone with a British licence written in the latin alphabet, well, just lol |
I've had to use one for work for over a decade.
Hopefully, these will now be rolled out beyond the few branches that used to offer this service. (my nearest branch is/was 30miles away)
It takes a while and is a bit blue peter involving scissor, prittstik and an ink stamp |
Hopefully they'll soon start doing them standard issue. Otherwise in some distant future we can look forward to the "will my blue licence be valid in the event of Breturn" threads.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Charliegolf, it should be quieter but there are some French children, I think, still on holiday. We did a cheeky weekend, sans enfants, in early March last year so flew and hired a car (doofer left at home). It wasn’t massively inconvenient to wait a few cars (or not, time of day depending), wind the window and pay by card but I did miss the rolling through (most of the time) convenience, personally.
@knackered knees, Vaujany is fab. If you’ve not been before, you are wise to stock up at the intermarche or casino in Bourg D’oisons. The tiny shop in the village ran out of milk during Christmas week and is not well stocked, although the new deli and shop in Allemond helps.
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This time next month we should be in France and well on the way to Reims
Sideways and I will both be "working from home" on the Friday while also loading the car (oh my it's gonna be loaded - 2 boards, 3 pairs of skis, 6 pairs of boots, car snacks, car entertainment, self catering linen and food plus obvs all clothes etc, 2 boys and us in a Golf SV), get boys from school at 3.20pm and then straight on the road for 6.20pm chunnel. Overnight in Reims then onto Les Contamines, hopefully arriving about 4pm.
31 sleeps!!!
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31 sleeps for me too. Woo boo. Now if would just oblige and absolutely belt it down with snow for a week or so before that would be great
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Thanks Ozboy.
Yes, Swiss are very efficient at speed camera processing (I have heard!)
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That’s heroic packing @always29
Sums up our experience. It’s amazing how you can squeeze just one more thing...one year OH and I disagreed on the size of the Christmas tree...and we managed to take a mattress topper. I’ve no idea how.
So many cars pass us rammed to the hilt with just elevated passenger feet visible in the window. Makes me feel better that I’m not that inefficient. I joke we should pack around our children, in situ, but we are losing space each year as they grow! Need a bigger car...
Keep up the sleeps!
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FAQ
