 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi
Ok, so we are heading down to Sainte Foy on Friday. Hopefully catching the 6pm ferry Dover to Calais - but who knows what will happen with ferries, gales, hoards of people, so very much playing it by ear.
It is the start of UK holidays and the Paris holidays, so it could go either way......
We have snow tyres, snow chains, also taking snow shoes (may be a quick option if dark, cold etc.).
We have never driven to France before, so has anyone advice on routes, must do's, must not's etc.
Is anyone else doing the same, what is your plan?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Were on the overnight ferry from hull and driving to italy, got the usual high viz and stuff, just got to get the tablet ready for the boy with fond new films and pack plenty if goodies.
Baby wipes are always a good call on long journies
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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 I have a place in Ste Foy and I am going Friday morning . Def A26 to Reims , after Dijon go via A6 towards Lyon then after Ville France A432 past Lyon airport or after Dijon go down past Bresse then towards Lyon Airport , Chambrey , Albertville etc .The A 6 route is shorter but you may encounter Paris traffic . Try and get up to Bourg as early as possible then look for Coffee .
The sat nav may want to take you towards Geneva then Annacy don't do this .
Good fuel stop come off at Reims South and there is a big Hypermarket at this junction , cheapest fuel on route , credit cards only at night , then refuel at Suoer U Bourg st Maurice .
It is a fairly simple route , that will take 8.5/9.5 hours from Calais if you drive about 80 Mph .
Have a good. Holiday you have made a good choice .
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Thank you, speedy response!!
We have never been to Sainte Foy before and only picked it because friends are staying there and we may get a chance to meet up, my other half is a very (ex seasoner) good skier and was worried he wouldn't have enough to ski. I however, am happy to potter with my 9 year old!
Route looks similar to what we were thinking, but not going down towards Lyon and going via Bourg en Bresse? Is that a bad idea? We thought it may be worth avoiding Lyon.
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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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Really nothing between the two routes with the A432 you don't go near Lyon , on balance I would go via Besse just to avoid potential Paris traffic .
I've been skiing for 35 years and I will not be venturing anywhere near the big local resorts they will be too crowded , your partner will find plenty to amuse , I hope .
It really is a nice place .
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Lyon Airport via Bourg not Lyon itself. After the turn east towards Albertville you only have the one choice. As RobM said get to bourg as early as possible. Before noon should be OK. After 3 pm a bit if a nightmare (I used to drive transfers in that part of the world),
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Don't stint on the Wine Gums 
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K8T, Routes as per Rob Mackley. We always go via Bourg En Bresse, as I have experienced issues at the tolls approaching Lyon. Dont forget money or CC handy for toll fees, and ideally a willing passenger. Expect the roads to be busy and possibly queues at the tolls. Particularly when you are south of Dijon (Paris traffic joins there)
You didn't say if you had kids. We invested in DVD players for the kids, keep them fed, watered and occupied.
I know its not necessarily cheaper but we top the tank at the Tesco just off the motorway at Ashford. It means we have longer legs on the other side and don't have to hunt or queue for fuel in Calais.
Minimise the stops if you can, without being overtired. If you stop to refuel, everyone takes comfort break. Autoroute stops without proper facilities (Aires) can be interesting to say the least. Ensure you have toilet paper and sense of humour if you intend using these.
Good luck!
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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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With a 6pm ferry crossing you should get to St Foy very early in the morning (about 7:00) and avoid all the traffic problems in France. Getting to Dover, however, may be another matter. At that time of the morning there probably will not be sufficient traffic to clear the road up to the resort and chains may be necessary.
Having once got stuck in the Lyon rush hour and come across very heavy traffic on the A6 I now always go via Bourg en Bresse.
Enjoy the holiday.
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K8T, you have made two good choices:
1. Friday night channel crossing: presume you're intending to drive through the night, and arrive early morning.
As johnE mentions: Half Term Madness on the roads don't start until later in the day.
2. Saint Foy: to avoid Half Term Madness on the slopes, you couldn't have made a better choice.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Dont forget to take the breathalyser kits you are required by French law to have, not expensive and available at Halfords.
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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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| FFIRMIN wrote: |
| Dont forget to take the breathalyser kits you are required by French law to have, not expensive and available at Halfords. |
No need, they are not fining for not having these at present.
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Hi Everyone
Thank you so much for all the advice, yes the idea is to drive through the night, we will wait at the bottom of the valley if we are too early for the roads to be cleared, but hopefully will be ahead.
Otherhalf is stressing about the route after Bresse, but to me looks straightforward, guess a domestic may be in the pipeline - I need to print out/write down/make notes/sat nav in blocks, as much as possible!!!
Thank you for the fueling and supermarket advice. That kind of thing is just so helpful.
We have our daughter with us and are treating it as a bit of an adventure. I am desperately trying to find our DVD player, that is in the house somewhere (Help!!!) and intend to download some stuff onto the Ipad, which should keep her quiet.
Love the fact that someone mentioned the all important baby wipes - however, I hadn't thought of loo roll!!! Thanks.
Keep them coming if you have any more.
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You know it makes sense.
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Seeing this thread thought I'd copy and paste from what I've just put in the Serre thread - I've done 10 hours in the car today for what should have been a simple transfer !!!
The quote is what I posted yesterday wondering about what route to take and the conditions.
For those that don't know driving to Serre Chevalier can mean going over the Col du Lautaret which can be closed due to severe weather, and that can result in a very long detour.
| Weathercam wrote: |
And as ever, have the usual transport concerns as I have to get one daughter from here to Grenoble airport tomorrow to catch a bus to Tignes (as I refuse to drive up there again, especially on a Saturday with bad weather), so will face the options first thing in the morning.
Lautaret - will it be open, then if open will be fine driving down to the dam probably before picking up all the muppets from LDA and then ADH onwards to Bourg
Montgenevre / Frejus hopefully light traffic going up early in the morning and the muppet factor not too bad down to Oulx, negative yet one more ticket used from the carnet
Gap, never done that before, so not too sure it's an option unless we wake to serious shed loads of snow (watch that happen)
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Well how spectacularly did that backfire ?
Left here at 08:15 and Col was open, was pretty bad at times with a lot of wind but nothing like my last trip. Snow on the road pretty well all the way to the damn (Deux Alpes turn off).
Made it down to Grenoble in enough time to do some shopping and drop daughter off for her bus, think we left the airport around 11:30 had a really good run back to Vizelle and traffic coming down was beginning to stack up but going back towards Serre was good and signs showed Col was open.
Past Bourg lot of traffic on the way down and I was a happy bunny, however as we went over the damn there is a sign around 500m pass the Clavans turn and it had Col Fermé !!!!!!!!!!!
There was still a shed load of traffic coming down and some going up, so I took a chance, but after five kms or so near Les Freaux just below La Grave loads of cars and coaches were stopped, and on talking to various people "yes indeed it had just shut" !!!!!!!!
So turned around with a few others as I could see the potential of grid lock and I just wanted out of there, thought I'd have to go back to Vizelle, which I was dreading then on to Gap, having seen the earlier traffic.
As I neared Bourg I remembered a stage from last years Tour de France from Gap to Bour and ADH, and signs had the Col d'Ornon open, I could see cars turning off to go up there so duly followed, and sure enough twas a route to Gap without going back to Vizelle.
Only problem was that we picked up the main road that all the Grenoble traffic was using and it started to snow quite heavily, and outside Gap was pretty bad with people putting chains on and stop start stop start.
It got moving again and was not too bad till after Embrun and then snow was heavy again, and this time loads of cars were stopping to put chains on, ironically after Argentiere road was quite clear, but still had cars doing 20-25mph.
Journey back was just over six hours, think that was karma for not taking my daughter to Tignes in the first place.
But in those six hours I saw some crazy stuff, and at one point I was seriously worried that it could be a night in the car due to various muppets doing stupid things that could result in the road getting blocked.
We had blankets in the van and reasonable clothing, but not a lot in the way of food and drink.
I was so glad to get home arrive and I've subsequently sworn never to drive on a Saturday again, well until next time 
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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The route is actually very straightforward after Bourg en Bresse. Follow the signs for Chambery, then Albertville, then Boug st Maurice and follow the road to to Val d'Isere before turning off for St Foy. If your daughter is anything like my son she will sleep the whole way. He is now 20 and still sleeps the whole journey. May I suggest audio books (audible.co.uk). We got through 3 seasons of "more or less" from the BBC podcasts.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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Always a great question we are leaving probably around 0400hrs Friday from the north west heading for Les Menuires, we have booked the tunnel [ha ha no worries about the weather, no seriously only booked to save time] we have a hotel booked in Bourg en Bresse where we overnight after dinner of steak & chips with a glass or two of red, then up early Saturday 0600hrs & get into resort for around 0930hrs ish depending on traffic, hopefully we will miss it.
Our route as others have confirmed will be heading for Albertville, then Boug st Maurice then straight to resort. We have done the same for the last two years to Tignes, the important thing we do is make the journey part of the holiday, we have 3 kids, well not exactly kids anymore ages 14 -19.
We self cater & have a brilliant time, we take food, wine with us [we share the apartment with our best friends so every night is party night!] & would thoroughly recommend it 
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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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Is the week after next the biggest chunk of half term in France? We normally do Les Arcs at Easter but this year are chancing Feb half term and driving as well from 6.30am Sat. Should we prepare for traffic then piste hell ?
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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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DaveB, leaving UK at 6.30am next Saturday?
Next Saturday is start of Paris holidays
if you are lucky, assuming normal travel speed, you will hit the moving car park around Albertville
If unlucky, you will join it before Lyon.
Pistes? Depends on the weather.
Hope for clouds and snow, then half of the hordes will stay indoors.
Might be better leaving UK 12 hour earlier.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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K8T, don't forget to check the latest list of 'must haves' for driving in France from the RAC or similar website. I think it includes a warning triangle and high vis vest from memory, but have a feeling there are a few more things on it, too. Take a spare set of bulbs, even if they're not compulsory, as stopping and buying if required would slow you down. And don't forget the headlamp converters, much cheaper on ebay than from Halfords.
We also freeze, or semi-freeze small bottles of drink to take. They can thaw on the way and are more refreshing than lukewarm ones.
If we are going somewhere new, we also print the route out (both there and back), and have a map book, rather than relying totally on the Satnav. It means the front seat passenger can start thinking ahead around possible stopping points, marking them up on the printed route if they want to.
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| Quote: |
have a feeling there are a few more things on it, too
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spare specs if the driver needs them. I think a first aid kit too. Definitely triangle and high vis vest - I passed a lot of cars chaining up in the dark yesterday, some in silly places. One man had put out his triangle AND was wearing his high vis vest. Likely to live longer than some of the others. Best to have high vis vests for everyone. Not the breathalyser thing - that's been forgotten about for now. The other stuff all makes good sense. Starting at 0630 from the UK isn't a bad time, actually - take it easy, have plenty of stops, have a good meal early evening and arrive in resort late. If that's 0630 from Calais (don't forget you'll lose an hour) it's not so good. You will probably hit traffic long before Albertville - the péage gates at Reims can have big queues. If you arrive late, make sure you know how to access your accommodation after hours.
On the way home, don't leave the resort between 0600 and 1600. Why not spend the Saturday skiing, leave about 5 and get a few hours north, then stop for a good dinner and a night in a hotel?
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Another thread , cheapest diesel on way on , Reims South , Leclec 1.30
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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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Worth buying some waterproof hi-viz trousers and a pair of half-dipped mesh backed gloves or similar to put in the bag with your snow chains. Kneeling in the slush at the side if the road is marginally less miserable if your legs are not soaking wet and covered in muck, while the thinner gloves make it easier to fiddle with the chains while still offering some protection. No need to break the bank - I've got some of these - take seconds to pull on and save soggy kegs.
http://www.bestworkwear.co.uk/workwear/hi-visibility-clothing/b-seen-hi-visibility-overtrousers.html
Other Stockists are available etc.etc blah blah 
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Diesel in Super U, Boug st Maurice, 1.33 including winter adative.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
thinner gloves make it easier to fiddle with the chains while still offering some protection
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I can't do chains in gloves, but have chopped the fingers off some old fleece inners for when it's very cold. When I put chains on in Arabba, for getting round the village, having not needed them on the road, it was so warm that my hands didn't get cold at all, even though I didn't bother with the gloves, although I made a bit of a meal of one of them and had to take it off and start again.
I have a little fold up mat I use to kneel on - couldn't be bothered to climb into a pair of waterproof trousers. Some hand-wipes are useful, particularly after taking the chains off. and a big strong black plastic bag to drop them into.
A little kid's beach spade is useful for clearing the snow round the wheel - I seem to have lost mine, must replace it.
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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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Wow, thank you everyone so much - Pam your ideas of black bag and staying somewhere on the way back on Saturday are sensible and think we may do that anything for another day of ski!
Thanks too for the route information, we sat down last night and wrote out our route And contingency routes! We have also ordered a Paege tag for the tolls, by next day delivery, hoping that may save a little queuing.
We have revised the plan to leave very early Friday (ferry ticket is flexi and still good availability on earlier crossings). Like Michaelbury, now intend to overnight further down, just sorting a hotel out now near Bourg - any suggestions? Other half happy to pay the extra if it means we can get up the valleys fresh in the morning and ski, which we probably won't do if we drive all night.
We have high vis vest, courtesy of Aldi, triangles come with the car, along with first aid. Practice snow chains planned this afternoon - not looking forward to that
Michaelbury, other half is very interested in what car your are in to get there with teenagers, kit and bags!
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| Quote: |
just sorting a hotel out now near Bourg
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Which Bourg? If Bourg en Bresse, you need to get closer. But book a hotel - I never do, but that will be an exceptionally busy night as lots of people stay near the resorts on the Friday night.
The péage toll does save some time but won't save you from the long queues, where the whole road is queueing for a few miles.
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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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if it isn't a silly question, why an inverter? A French adaptor thingy and a 4 socket power strip will keep everything charged though obviously you wouldn't want to plug 4 heavy power using items into one socket.
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Poster: A snowHead
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pam w, Its for in-car use 12v - 230v
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Great idea to invest in a Paege tag, if nothing else it's fantastic nipping past all the beemers that fly past you in their specific only lane [got a thing about BMW owners, yet our friends who we are traveling down with have an X5 LMAO & it won't fit in the garage in the apartment we've booked ] but as Pam W says if there is traffic we are all stuffed!
We are booked on the 10.00 train & anticipate arriving in Borg en Bresse around 1800hrs, time for shower, dinner & early night = early start & ski Saturday afternoon
We have an E class mercedes estate packed to the gunnels with roof box & skis on the roof, great discovery this year was to get vacuum packs from Asda to shrink towels etc, saves loads of space, manage to get 4 pairs of ski boots, food & minimal clothing in as well, it's tight but we manage  but the kids put up with the uncomfortable journey for a free week on the hill, we do stop often though for comfort/coffee breaks.
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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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K8T,
I suggest you have 90 euro cash so when the rozzers alter the speed limit signs to 110 you can pay the tax and move on without having to be be escorted to an ATM.
Ibis at Troyes functional and clean, if you're thinking of stopping.
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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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Been going half term for the last three years and have never needed chains as the roads are always looking good we leave Devon at for make our way to the Chunnel cross and then stop in hotel in Calais and then get up early and drive down as we have two 8 year olds may see you there we the volkswagon with box covered in snow head stickers give us a beep lol
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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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Michaelbury, I have a Merc., but we are taking the estate - won't tell you what it is 
Jonathan, Thank you, will look at Troyes, that made me chuckle, we got escorted once before to the cashpoint - many years ago we were driving down the west coast of France in a sports car, we had a radar detector on the dash, not plugged in either, got spotted. Fined and confiscated!
Jamie will keep an eye out. We are in a Blue (cough) estate car, no box, everything in the back and one 8 year old, still can't find the DVD player. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Nick D wrote: |
| pam w, Its for in-car use 12v - 230v |
An inverter is very inefficient and will place a lot of load on your alternator.
Much better to run from your 12v source in the car and but individual 12v transformers for whatever iPod / pcs you have.
Current draw on inverters quite scary and the sin wave output they produce is pretty crap.
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Anyone know how French diesel prices compare to uk prices at the moment? On of my kids said their school friends dad doesn't fill up til he gets over there and I don't know whether there's much in that strategy or not.
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bpirkle, cheaper in France, as long as you fill up at the hypermarkets not the autoroutes service stations. E.g. the Leclerc just south of Reims (Champfleury) currently €1.30/litre. We often fill up at the Calais Auchan as soon as we're off the Eurotunnel.
Full price list by region at http://www.prix-carburants.gouv.fr/
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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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About 20% cheaper over there
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Be aware that many devices are getting quite fussy about what USB/car chargers they are plugged into. iPads in particular...
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FAQ
