 Poster: A snowHead
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Evening all,
my 1st post here...I am driving the family down to Chatel for the Feb half term and am looking for the fastest route, as having to do in 1 go this year. Any thoughts on the best route?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Dorking Tiny, welcome to snowheads.  There are a number of Chatel regulars here who will confirm the best route for you but equally important is the timing, if you don't want to spent a lot of time in traffic jams. What time will you be planning to leave the UK? If you can't arrive early in resort it is probably best to plan to arrive late - and maybe have a good break to eat on the way down. timing the journey back is equally important. either leave at sparrow's or ski all day Saturday and leave after the lifts shut.
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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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Hi there, thanks for the quick response.
Am leaving on 6.30 am Eurostar Saturday morning. for the home ward leg will probably leave early and aim to get out of the mountains to have a nice lunch somewhere on way home.
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Hi - we always drive to the Alps, via Eurotunnel to Calais - usually in January and March (off peak) - however, my one and only experience of skiing / driving to the Alps during half term, about ten years ago was not good compared to usual Jan & March trips. I cant remember exactly how long it took us but it was many hours longer than the usual 8.5 - 9.5 hours from Calais, the traffic was awful. We dd not arrive until very late - 10-11pm and we usually get a 5am ish train. I would really recommend either driving on the sunday or overnight fri/sat - as I say I only ever did it once (never again) so perhaps I was just unlucky! Now I just take the kids out of school - but thats another subject!
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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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Dorking Tiny, Expect heavy traffic all the way - whichever route you choose and factor in extra time - you are travelling at the peak time on a peak weekend. Reims - Dijon - the I think most people go round the lake, but I can't advise on Chatel. On your homeward leg get out of the resort before 6 am but if you stop for a "nice lunch" everyone will catch up with you. 
Maybe take some good audio books to listen to en route - makes a big difference to the journey.
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Dorking Tiny, welcome to snowheads We are Chatel regulars and will also be driving down again at half term. As pam w says expect it to be very busy indeed with your timings, it is not just UK hols that week but Paris zone too (and goodness knows who else) and the roads will be about as bad as they can get. If you can go Friday or even friday night I would do that to get ahead of the traffic. Re. route we go Calais, Reims, Troyes, Dijon and into the Jura usually Dole, Besancon, Pontarlier and then down to the Swiss border near Vallorbe and then onto the Swiss motorway and round the North side of the lake Lausanne, Montreux, Monthey and up via Morgins. Sometimes we vary the Jura route slightly and sometimes we have gone as far as Bourg en Bresse and then cut across. But the first option is usually the best. In the event of very bad weather then it might be better to avoid the Jura route as it can be quite a difficult drive. I wouldn't want to be doing it in heavy snow, at night towards the end of a long drive  We are usually driving it in the day having had an overnight stop the night before. Hope this helps a bit, there are quite a few of us on SHs who regularly drive out here. We are just getting ready to drive back home tomorrow 
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Thanks all,
good advice and looks like the roads will be bad, will investigate going Friday night to get ahead of the traffic as you suggest.
cheers
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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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sarah, has it right. We always go via the Jura as I don't like to pay tolls to sit in a queue! Expect a queue at the Swiss border to buy a vignette. Buying in advance doesn't really help as you are still in a queue with those who didn't.
If you go Friday night get as far as you can bear AND have an early start Saturday. If you hang around (say to 08.00) then all the Parisians who had early starts will be on you. Staying arounds Reims is pointless. Get to Troyes as a bare minimum (say 3.5 hours from Calais)
Bison Fute has some decent detailed advice.
If you have space in the car shop before you get to your accommodation if you are self catering. Intermarche in the village will be a zoo by early afternoon.
Coming home approach the tunnel from the West (Boulogne) and avoid the last toll on the motorway by branching W before it. Sounds crazy but well worth the 30 mile detour.
Thankfully our youngest is now at uni so we don't need to do it again. don't get me wrong I love the place and we've had some great half terms but the logistics are a challenge and this year with Paris, another third of France, Brits and sundry other Europeans on holiday it will be busy.
Bonne Chance!
Edit for fat fingers
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I've just booked to drive to Chatel to spend that last 2 weeks of March. Where would you regulars recommend stopping to purchase provisions on the way?
Also, can anybody give me a steer re other driving requirements in France /Switzerland. I know of the high viz jackets for each occupant and the warning triangle. It seems that the breathaliser has been deferred for now. What about chains?
Thanks
A
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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abd, Best two weeks of the season! All the school hols finished, a decent chance of good snow and starting to get a bit more sun. Enjoy!
You can get everything you need in Intermarche, La Chapelle (on the road running up the valley bottom) but bigger hypermarket alternatives depend on the route you choose to drive out. If you come via the Jura and Switzerland there are big supermarkets in Pontarlier. If you come via Thonon there is a big Carrefour near the start of the Thonon bypass. If you are heading over the pass and are late it is worth stopping at the Co-op petrol station in Monthey (just before the tunnel) and getting the basics (bread, milk, butter, jam) so you can at least manage breakfast on the first day.
You are hoping for lots of snow, right? In that case you need chains! You might get away with just winter tyres but on summers if there is even a modest snowfall you will be stuck and limited to using the buses. If you are out for two weeks you will probably want to get further afield (drive over to Morzine or Les Gets, St Jean d'Aulps, Bernex even Verbier for the day)
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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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Best two weeks of the season!
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Absolutely. Good choice. Don't even think of going without chains if you have summer tyres, and even with winter tyres you could find yourself stranded without them.
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and strictly speaking you only need a high vis jacket for the driver, though it's good sense to have them for everybody. Warning triangle. I think you also need spare specs for driver, if needed for driving. I have a new car and it doesn't have a GB plate - only thought of it once I was in France, but nobody has noticed yet. You should have beam deflectors unless you have one of the snazzy cars which can do it electronically.
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You know it makes sense.
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DJL, thanks for that. My friend and I are doing our BASI L2 so don't expect to be driving around too much (if at all). Thinking that at the mid weekend we'll go and restock provisions, otherwise will probably use the Navette to get to Pre La Joux. Just got standard road tyres on this car, so think chains or those socks, might be an idea.
Anyone know where chains can be picked up economically?
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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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thanks pam w,
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Poster: A snowHead
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Cheap snow chains - LIDL - about 20 quid a pair, and they are fine.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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thank you skimac,
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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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abd, There is a Sherpa and a Petit Casino in the village centre so depending on where you are staying you can stock up there (smaller range and a bit more expensive than Intermarche). Dont waste the middle Saturday on chores though it is always the quietest day of the week on the slopes!
You could probably get chains in a Feu Vert or Norauto on the way down (like a French Halfords) or sometimes in the supermarkets. Petrol stations also have them but more expensive. Start looking now on ebay and you should be able to pick up second hand ones and get some practice in.
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DJL, don't worry about me wasting time going food shopping! I was thinking about going down late afternoon early evening. Are they open then?
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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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Open 'til 7 I think
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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thanks DJL.
Dumb question I know, but how do I work out what size chains to buy or are they pretty much universal?
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They are not universal, find out the size of your tyre, for example mine are 195/65/15. On the chain container, or on a shop display, it will say which size of tyres they will fit. Often the containers are colour coded, this realtes to the size of tyres that they will fit.
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FAQ
] we are traveling Feb 1/2 term from the N West, we have booked a hotel south of Dole will leave there 0600 with the intention of getting in resort [Les Menuires this year] for 09.30 & getting on th shill for lunchtime 
we achieved this 2013 went to Tignes.
