 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi Snowheads,
First post here, but i've been lurking for a few months.
I've been lucky enough to have been offered use of an apartment in Valloire towards the end of Feb, I'll be hiring a car a driving from GVA to resort. How reliable are GPS apps like Waze or Google Maps in the Alps in terms of navigating, finding the best routes and bypassing traffic and road closures due to weather conditions etc...
In the past, I've always used transfers, so this will be my first time driving.
Beyond using via michelin, can anyone recommend a suitable route that in the event my phone craps out?
Thanks in advance
Rich
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Have used Google maps on an Android phone many times driving between GVA and Chamonix and then on to local areas plus St.Gervais/Megeve/Courmayeur/Cervinia/Verbier etc, never yet let me down - as for avoiding traffic etc, there's usually only one route between a&b - especially if it's over a mountain pass or down a valley... You can even cache an area of map on your phone if you don't want to use mobile data - have done that in Ireland with success.
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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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@RichClark, Google maps has live updates bit does not give you work arounds. TomTom Live maps will give you fairly accurate updates on what is causing the hold up and how long you will be caught for but again does not give you work arounds.
Waze is not too good to be honest, I have it on my phone but rarely use it as it uses a lot of battery power. The best bet is to have a good Sat-Nav with up-to-date maps etc. I use a Garmin and it usually offers me a couple of work arounds. But to be honest the best idea is to plan your route using maps in advance and have a map with you to check for work arounds. If you have a Sat-Nav then pack it along with your maps and get them out of your luggage when you get to Geneva.
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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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@RichClark, the route will be easy . . . only tricky bit will be a bit of a faff out of GVA airport to get on motorway and secondly make sure you come off the motorway just before Chambery. Motorway all the way to St Michel de Maurienne, through the town/village and turn right up the hill. Google maps will be all you need - the traffic info will give you heads up to any hold ups but realistically there is no real Plan B.
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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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Google Maps for Android gives me traffic and workarounds when there's a better alternative, but you need a data connection for that. I think Waze does the same thing as its all based on the same data.
There are a few anomalies, like it tries to take me up a piste in Linderets when driving from Chatel to Avoriaz, but generally, it's all I use.
Workarounds are less frequent here, because the hills get in the way and the alternative routes are both much longer and affected by the same problem, i.e. snow.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@snoozeboy, that's because the col de joux vert is a road in the summer and your sat nav doesn't know it's closed/a piste in winter. Sat nav is only as good as the person using it. No offence to you just important to know in advance which "roads" are open and which are not.
Andy
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Yes, I know, but it also takes me to linderets via col de bassachaux, to which the road only goes halfway there, summer or winter.
However I should add, these errors are rare and for the most part, you shouldnt get much of a problem.
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I use TomTom Go Android App. Cheaper to use and get updates for than my TomTom SatNav that is now relegated to the drawer in the kitchen. If you are using any of these apps make sure you get an in-car charger with a higher ampage output as they tend to draw the battery quickly. The cheap chargers don't provide enough current to keep the charge ahead of the draw.
The TomTom app gives you full traffic information with options to re-route in the event of issues. It also allows you to download an entire map to your phone so no issues with needing an "always on" data connection.
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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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Thanks all, I use Waze pretty exclusively in the UK and in Spain and it hasn't let me down yet. I find that all the GPS apps on phones are pretty power hungry, so normally have a charger. Good to know that it should work... I've always had a decent 3G\4G previously when in the alps, so I'm not anticipating a problem, but wil make sure I have a back up.
@alti - dude, thanks for the genral directions, very helpful.
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I just take my TomTom satnav with me. A bit bulkier than a mobile phone, but easier in every other scale.
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