 Poster: A snowHead
|
anyone with any experience of this able to give some tips/advice the good and the bad?? thinking of trying this out
thanks 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Yes I've done it a few times.
Depends where you're starting from really, north or south?
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
@iskar, Done this by bus a few times but not been the one driving, relatively painless apart from the time the driver was doen for speeding in France!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
which bit are you needing to know about? I've done it too but, as @homers double points out, it all depends what you are starting from, what you are driving and what the timing is. And whether you suffer from claustrophobia. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
@iskar, it's very straightforward. Motorway all the way from Calais to Aosta, no nasty mountain roads. Italian authorities can require winter tyres/chains from Oct onwards. Make sure you have all the paper work for the car incl registration docs as they do checks for these at the MB tunnel.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| Quote: |
Make sure you have all the paper work for the car incl registration docs as they do checks for these at the MB tunnel
|
not been checked at the tunnel but was randomly stopped in Turin, by two young policemen who seemed to have no idea what they were looking for, or why, and just fingered the documents in a wondering sort of way, as though they'd never seen anything quite like them before.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
thanks, it will be via Calais, we are about to get a new car, and one of the thoughts is too pay abit more and instead of using to's, drive . weve done meribel before in one go and it looks as if theyd be about the same time??
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
have also been stopped in Megeve, in a pre-Christmas clampdown on booze check, I suspect - all cars were stopped.
It's essential to carry car documents, and your licence, in the car at all times.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Travelled to Aosta a few years back, didn't have winter tyres but had chains. No questions asked. Travelled from Calais - Luxembourg - down through Switzerland (don't forget your vignette which you can purchase online prior to leaving) then through the St Bernard Tunnel down into Aosta valley. Journey was really easy and straightforward, it worked out cheaper than the French autoroute and Mount Blanc tunnel. We did have the benefit of not much snow fall even though it was February. I can post more info, but not sure what you are after?? Skied at Pila all week which is a great resort with the lift from Aosta town taking you up to the resort in about 15 minutes. Seemed strange at the time as Aosta town had no snow, yet a 15 minute lift and tons of it..
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Quote: |
and one of the thoughts is too pay abit more and instead of using to's, drive
|
 why would you need to "pay a bit more"? You mean for the car? any ordinary car could drive to the Aosta Valley.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
We do the Geneva to Aosta - then up the hill to Pila every year, late feb or early march, and it is an easy drive in a normal hire car. I have not looked at the tyres, but as we have always hired from French side then they may not have been snow tyres. However, swiss side this year so I will be happier as it should have winters on.
It is all toll motorway to Aosta through the Mont Blanc tunnel (€50 return) 2hr ish from Geneva. The A road straight out of the tunnel goes through Courmayeur so that has always been fine. You pass the La Thuile turn off but never been up there so not sure what that road is like.
We then head on up to Pila and the roads have always been clear (Feb-Mar) though there are often people overtaking you ! It is Italy after all. If the road is bad you can always park in Aosta at the huge car park and just get Gondola up to Pila anyway if you did not fancy the roads.
Mind seeing the chaos on the A40 I do wonder if we are just lucky as the Motorway up past Chamonix is quite steep.
If you do break down Pam can tell you all about the garages 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Quote: |
Italian authorities require winter tyres/chains on the motorway from Oct 15 onwards
|
| Quote: |
they do checks for these at the MB tunnel
|
really? Never been stopped.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
| Quote: |
Quote:
Italian authorities require winter tyres/chains on the motorway from Oct 15 onwards
Quote:
they do checks for these at the MB tunnel
really? Never been stopped.
|
Both MB and Saint Bernard do checks. UK and Ireland aren't part of the Schengen Agreement, I suspect that's part of the reason why. I keep my passport in the glove compartment.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
@moseyp, Britain isn't at either end of the TMB.
We do have a Swiss car, but in 8 years and using the tunnel ? ~ 8 returns a year we've never been stopped. Maybe UK plates?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
@moseyp, no doubt there are sometimes checks - clearly not 100%. Never been asked for passport or car documents going through either MB or Fréjus tunnels and I've done both quite frequently. But yes, of course you need documents to hand at all times.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
| Quote: |
@moseyp, Britain isn't at either end of the TMB.
|
There's no need for that.
Because the UK & Ireland opted out of the Schengen Agreement, citizens from both are subject to passport checks at the borders of other EU member states. Just because it hasn't happened to you doesn't mean it doesn't happen, it's not hard to understand.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
| Quote: |
citizens from both are subject to passport checks at the borders of other EU member states
|
"potentially subject to passport checks" no doubt but in practice these seem rare - and my car is UK plated. Loads of border crossings into Switzerland, at Bardonnex and up on the Jura, and into Italy through both tunnels, never been checked.
I did once forget to take my passport, when taking friends into Geneva airport. Heart was in mouth as being stopped would have meant a detour through France and missing their flight. But sailed through as usual, despite my probably guilty look.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| Quote: |
"potentially subject to passport checks" no doubt but in practice these seem rare - and my car is UK plated
|
That's kinda the same thing - "subject to" doesn't mean it will happen, but that it can happen, and it's happened to me too. Don't know why anyone would purposely not be adequately prepared (ie. passport, driving licence, snow chains on board etc etc)?! I don't really want to argue this, I'm just suggesting to the OP to be aware of this stuff, because that was the question that he asked.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
We did it a few years ago. Stopped over on the way down somewhere near Troyes at a pleasant place just off the motorway and hit Aosta in the afternoon. We drive from the Midlands.
No Winter tires but did carry chains for the season. Didn't have any trouble but we were driving a panda 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Cheap:- Belgium, Luxenburg, France, Switzerland, gotthard tunnel around and up the south side 12euros or so tolls and 40 sf vignette(you will be going back through Switzerland) about 14 hours. try getting through Switzerland during the day as is spectacular or slide off at stans or gotthard and get some vertical recharge after one overnight and day ski then 3 or 4 hours into Italy.
Fast:- Autoroute and Mont Blanc tunnel about 10 hours 2 tag team from Calais and about 180 euros plus tank and half fuel each way I figure cheaper to fly and hire a car for anything less than 2 weeks for 2 people
Lost:- route national through France good lunch in Besancon, think you know better than GPS, traffic jam at route de vallorbe crossing into Switzerland across through grand Bernardo find 20cms of uncleared snow on Italian side, wet road side reaquantance with simple to fit chains get tailgated up the resort valley by grappa'd up local slide into bed 4 in morning and sleep through day 2 of holiday. 20 or so hours 10 euros on most expensive motorway in Europe (valley d'Aosta)
....just depends how you feel when you roll of the train in Calais....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@Super Steezy,  The long winded Luxembourg Swiss way isn't cheapest if you have to spend a night in a hotel.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@iskar, another thing - fuel in Italy is very expensive - if you're coming from the French side of the MBT I'd advise filling up in the Carrefoure in Chamonix before you head into Italy
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| Quote: |
it's not hard to understand
|
There's no need for that either
The point of Schengen is that once you're within the area, in principle and your point holding that you can, at any point, be checked, you're unlikely to be so. Undesirables (persons, goods, contraband, etc.) in theory are supposed to be detected and controlled before they enter the area.
The only time in 8 years of living in Switzerland and crossing the border at least twice a week that we've ever been stopped was when we were smuggling in a washing machine. Typical.
Fuel (Petrol) is even fractionally cheaper in Switzerland, not so diesel.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Quote: |
Don't know why anyone would purposely not be adequately prepared
|
I don't know either but as nobody has suggested anything of the sort it probably doesn't matter.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
@under a new name, you asked another poster if there were really checks at the MBT and I answered your question. I've been stopped already this year and it's only February.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
@moseyp, I'm not sure I really asked that question. Anyhoo, you are clearly a suspicious looking person.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@under a new name, well I am Irish so you might be right. And you did.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
@under a new name, this deserves further explanation!!!
| Quote: |
The only time in 8 years of living in Switzerland and crossing the border at least twice a week that we've ever been stopped was when we were smuggling in a washing machine.
|
Maybe think about using a car or a truck next time. Did the border patrol give you a spin??
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
Not at the TMB but twice on the road from StMoritz going to Torino, I've been delayed by the Italians checking passports coming into Italy from Switzerland. One time they were just glancing at passports and the other they seemed to be just playing silly bugs; Stop every car and then wave it on while still playing on their phones. Over an hour delay both times (not fun in an open top kit-car in the pissing rain)
...and @under a new name, you did.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
@adithorp, no, I typed, "really?" In the way you would say, "are you serious?"
I thought that reasonably obvious.
Never mind.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
@andy1234, requires a proper keyboard. We found it quite funny
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
@under a new name, well, all in good time then. I look forward to hearing. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| under a new name wrote: |
@adithorp, no, I typed, "really?" In the way you would say, "are you serious?"
I thought that reasonably obvious.
Never mind. |
Nah, you wrote "really?" in the way you'd say "Are you sure?"...though it could have been "Feck me!" or..
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
