 Poster: A snowHead
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We're off to Chatel soon and I've just looked at driving options. According to Google Maps they are:
1. Via Switzerland eventually to Lausanne, Montreux, Monthey, and Morgins. (Nice alliteration there. Didn't really need to name them all  ) 511 miles/7:42 (to Linga where our hire shop is)
2. Staying in France to Thonon-les-bains, then turn right for Abondance. (I believe we went this way ~17 years ago). 563 miles/9:07
We're aiming to drive up to resort by about 09:00/09:30 on a Saturday morning (weather/tunnel permitting during the previous 10 hours) and have winter tyres fitted. Also, we're driving back through Switzerland in the summer (on the way from Austria to Chamonix) so I don't mind buying the Swiss Vignette, as we'll end up getting one in any case (I think they are whole year only).
My concern is that option (1) does an up and over (climbing to ~1,300m) whereas option (2) seems to be a more gradual climb up the valley.
At that time in the morning what would you do? Is the road from Swizerland much used first thing?
Also, when we leave the following week (hopefully at about 16:00/16:30) which way would people go?
LR
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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There is no snow forecast over the weekend, so the Pas de Morgins would be my choice.
It is wide, the corners on the way up are niceley cambered, at that time of day it will be pretty quiet.
You are correct about the Vignette CHF 40- and it is valid till the end on Jan 2016 ( so might be good for next year depending on when you go).
Even though you have winter tyres (for Switzerland) you are obliged to carry chains in France.
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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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WindOfchange thanks for the speedy response. Its actually the week-end after (half-term) so this was more of a general "what's the pass like at 08:00 on a Saturday" query. We do have chains, but if the drive up to Chatel was clear, versus needing to put them on to come via the pass then it would be a false economy.
I think for now we'll assume we're driving over the top. Part of the problem is that although we have winter tyres, its the the first time so I've no idea how good they are.
LR
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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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@LittleRob, With winter tyres it is over the pass every time. It would take a really heavy dump to cause you any difficulty and it is a much easier drive. Winter tyres transform driving on snow - you'll never go back.
Back in the days of half term trips (haven’t done the last two now the kids are older) we were never arriving as early as you plan to but I would think you will be OK at 09.00. If you manage to ski on the Saturday it will be the quietest day of the week.
We usually follow the French motorway as far as Besancon then branch off via Pontarlier and over the Swiss border at Vallorbe. From there Swiss motorway to Lausanne then M, M, M. Most Chatel regulars use the same route.
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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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@LR I was not suggesting that you will need to USE the chains, just that when you are in France, you are obliged to have them.
As DLJ says if your Winter tyres are new-ish will be just dandy.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Final question (possibly ) where is the best place to buy the Vignette? Is there somewhere right at the border? I've bought one before, but its always been Summer and daytime, so more obvious.
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LittleRob, I have bought a Vignette from the garage in Vallorbe a few years ago. Most garages in Switzerland sell them.
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Any filling station in CH sells them, but you can normally get one @ the frontier too.
Top tip on how to defraud the CH govt:
Before you stick it on your screen, gently place it on something fabric (like jeans), which makes it slightly less sticky.
Then when you put it on your screen, should you ever wish to transfer it to another car, it will come off the screen without ripping.
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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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All back and no dramas. Drive up was easy-peasy, though my GPS wanted to go a slightly back-roads way through the Jura. We were parked at Linga by 9:30, and on a lift (having picked up skis, boots, and changed in Ski-set Evolution opposite) by 10:10.
Most of the rest of the week we parked at Pre la Joux. On the last day we were back at Linga by about 15:00, dropped skis, and drove up and over the hill back the way we came. There was carnage on the road. More so on the way up to the resort from the Swiss side. Cars stopped here, there, and everywhere to put chains on, or struggling vainly to continue without. Traffic our way was lighter, but there were a few cars driving down at ~walking pace with hazard light on.
The snow tyres were *great*. We even managed a couple of overtaking manoeuvres.
I'll try an post a bigger TR when I get a chance (before I forget which restaurants were good) but I will say that our overnight stop on the way home at the Vallee Heureuse (sp?) in Poligny was great.
LR
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our overnight stop on the way home at the Vallee Heureuse (sp?) in Poligny was great.
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the route across the Jura through Poligny is my usual choice, though I;ve never stayed there. It's a very good route - shorter, cheaper and much more interesting than the motorway and takes very little longer unless you stop for a meal in one of the excellent hostelries.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@LittleRob, Very interesting. Were you travelling on Saturday afternoon?
My brother left Chatel on Saturday morning around 11.00. He had put his chains on (to his summer tyre shod car) the night before based on my advice that there was a chance of a significant snowfall but there was no snow to speak of on Saturday morning. He took the chains off and made reasonable progress until he got delayed at Vallorbe. It was then snowy over the Jura (but OK) but very slow all the way past Pontarlier, then a pretty clear run once past Pontarlier with no delays on the motorway to the tunnel and no delay loading (he managed an earlier crossing than booked). Home in Leicestershire about 02.00 Sunday.
He phoned me from the traffic jam near Vallorbe and asked if I knew any alternatives and I mentioned that there was a route cutting across missing out Pontarlier and Besancon. I think this would have been the route through Poligny. I hadn’t however driven it and with the snow falling we concluded it was better to stick to our regular route which, though slowish, was almost certain to be passable unless the snow got much heavier.
Was it all OK throughout? I have winter tyres so would not be put off by a bit of snow. Looking at Google maps it appears to be 5 minutes and 15km shorter than my usual way – all of that could be easily lost if conditions (weather or traffic were poor). I might try it next time.
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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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@DJL, the road through poligny is fine - a well engineered road which bypasses quite a few of the places which could hold you up. I have never done the Pontarlier/Besancon route which only makes sense coming from further east.
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@pam w, I don’t have any worries about the N5 which I guess is as good as the N57 we usually drive on. The bit that would have me worried is around 45km between the N57 just North of Vallorbe and the N5 leading into Poligny. All marked on the map as Routes Departmentales and my experience of those is they can be pretty variable (and cleared much less than the RNs). Maybe one for a try out on a summer trip.
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You know it makes sense.
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DJL We left Châtel/Linga at about 15:30. It was a bit slow across to Monthey, though the traffic the other way was much worse. Then pretty fine all through Switzerland (though quite heavy rain which made the motorway pretty nasty). At Valorbe there was nothing going our way, but a queue about 4 miles long entering Switzerland FROM France. The Swiss had people manning the border (which they had not when we entered a week before at 06:00).
We slowed a bit through a couple of the smaller towns, not really sure why, probably just local traffic. Whilst the Jura has clearly had a massive dump of snow (as it had last week) the roads were entirely clear until the last few miles to Poligny where there was a bit on the roads. We spent the night at http://www.hotelvalleeheureuse.com/en/Welcome.html and would certainly go again. All a bit eccentric, but very friendly, and a swim was very welcome as we'd arrived still in our ski-wear
LR
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