Driving to Zermatt - the bit between Dole & Lausanne

A snowHead

We've only ever driven to Zermatt (well, Tasch) in the summer and I remember slow progress around Besancon and Pontarlier. Various mapping sites come up with different routes - Google picks some dubious-looking D-roads.... has anyone any suggestions? This will be in mid-February.

A snowHead

You have to watch the snow over those 'top' roads after Pontarlier towards the border at Valorbe.

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We have just driven down today to Taesch via J3 of the A36, around Besancon and down the N57 to Pontarlier. The roads were fine and the traffic was quite reasonable, much better than the last time we went around Besancon. Basically you turn off at J3 and follow signs to Pontarlier and Lausanne.

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I prefer to come off A39 at J6 near Dole and head to Pontarlier via Mouchard and Salins les Bains. The traffic can be a bit slow at Pontarlier, but nothing like Besancon. After trying many different routes from Calais to Grimentz, I have found this to be the fastest.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

We've done the route over the Jura a fair few times now and tried several variations on the route. Most recently a couple of weeks ago the SatNav determined route was Dole, Poligny and skirting over the top of Champagnole then quite a stretch on a D road until meeting up with the usual route south of Pontarlier at Les Hopitaux Vieux. I was fully expecting to go via Pontarlier as usual and had planned a stop there and so we had to deviate off the planned route to go there and it was snarled up with traffic as it pretty much always is. On the way back we took this route as planned and it worked really well. Quiet roads and no hold ups. That said parts of this route are quite remote and you need to be well prepared for winter driving. I would want to be on winter tyres and there are some sections where you might need chains. I would fill up around Dole and have food supplies and warm gear in the car. I would think twice about taking this route in bad conditions at night too. Also have a map handy and beware of following the SatNav off the main road, ours gave us two 'shortcuts' on this route both were ok given we had clear conditions but otherwise they would have taken over unploughed roads.

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have always found the road over from Besancon to pontarlier and Lausanne to be speedy and quite a welcome break from motorway driving. only once did I consider avoiding it when it was actively snowing (not dumping to be fair) but it was well cleared and we progressed solidly without chains or even snow tyres (mental slap on the wrist)
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Just to clarify, I'm sure the major route Dole -Besancon -Pontarlier -Border- Lausanne is always well cleared, it's the D road alternatives across the Jura where I would not be so certain and would maybe modify the route in bad conditions.

Whichever route across, it is indeed a welcome break from the autroute and very scenic, one of those places I'd like to explore more one day Smile

After all it is free

And the bakery in Besancon (ignore new road, follow the river towards centre, through the tunnel and turn right, 200m on the right just before leaving town) is well worth a visit or even a detour.

Now Besancon bypass is running, its a lot better.
Pontarlier still a pain, but only 15 mins at worse!
Ive done the N57 about 30 times return now, and have never been held up by weather.
If doing Half term, there is a sneaky trick to get down to the border avoiding 95% of the queue - Rue Des Forges from Jougne - Use google maps to work it out.
HOWEVER if snowy / Icy, be wary - its a minor road with little or no clearing!

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Thanks everyone for all the tips. We'll take Sarah's general advice:

snow reports

caughtanedge, ...we do this route 4 or 5 times a year. For speed we go besancon bypass, Pontarlier, Jougne, Lausanne on autoroute. We do this section between 2 and 5pm having come from Calais or Arras, and we only have ever had one instance of a queue at the border, and that was avoided by using the side road mentioned above. Waited 15 mins in total. All other times, just gone straight through. We've done this in extreme weather.

I've done the D road option and whilst picturesque, can be isolated and very slow in heavy snow. I've been across the D roads in thick and falling snow on winter tyres, no problem, but it is slow in those conditions. The main road route, as above, is much clearer in extreme weather, due to its character and the activity of ploughs.

Good Hypermarche in Pontalier (off the bypass by Decathlon) with excellent wine and fantastic cheese.

Help!!

Driving to Zermatt - the bit between Dole & Lausanne

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