 Poster: A snowHead
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I am driving to puy st Vincent over the new year period. We have driven plenty of times but not to puy st Vincent. We have flown there before and the last stretch is very slow up the mountain. I have read a few things on here about the frejus tunnel? Does this cut out part of the long climb? It's a toll tunnel which is fine. Just wondering if anyone has done this route and could give me any more info about this?
Thanks in advance
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Jonselwood, best to wait and see what conditions are like nearer the time. Presume you're driving from Calais?
fastest route is via Grenoble, La Grave Lautaret, Serre Chevalie but is weather dependent. Once you're in Briancon then PSV is easy though best taking back route in via Prelles
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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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I assume the Frejus Tunnel option into Italy is to avoid the Col du Lauteret and come back into France over the lower Montgenevre pass instead...could be an option if conditions look iffy...looks like it could be quicker as you use motorways for longer, but there will be tolls and a charge for using the Tunnel...though I can't really comment as to which is best for PSV as I stopped at Montgenevre and have never driven the Lauteret...but it certainly looks like a good option.
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Thanks for the replies. We are really just trying to cut out some of the long climb up,down and then back up to PSV. We have done it in a coach 3 times and my youngest was travel sick twice!! Not fun trying to clean down a child from puke in a coach. 😊
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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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| Jonselwood wrote: |
| Thanks for the replies. We are really just trying to cut out some of the long climb up,down and then back up to PSV. We have done it in a coach 3 times and my youngest was travel sick twice!! Not fun trying to clean down a child from puke in a coach. 😊 |
You can't avoid the last climb into PSV, but you can go Montgenevre instead of Lauteret, though both have bendy parts on the ascent & descent. Looking out the vehicle and getting the brain to recognise which direction it's travelling in should help minimise motion sickness.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Jonselwood, I assume travel sickness medicines have been tried? All the routes in and out are mountain roads. One way might be an overnight train from Paris-Briancon, I think the station for Puy is L'Argentiere. Then there is only the coach up the hill to negotiate.
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@Jonselwood,
I suppose from Grenoble you could also travel South towards Gap and then North again towards Puy St Vincent (the route the train Hells Bells mentioned would take)? I've taken the train but not driven this route. It will certainly be lower than either of the other routes but whether or not an easier drive re sickness I don't know!
Also if you haven't already got your accommodation booked you could go for 1400 rather than 1600 which would also make the last part of the climb shorter and easier? This base is good with a couple of easy pistes heading down to the bottom. Obviously you're a little lower if the snow isn't great but otherwise a nice location (the piste straight down from 1600 may have snow cannons if I recall correctly - you may know better than me as it was a few years since I had a season pass at the resort).
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@Millom, the Col Bayard also has quite a few hairpins.
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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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Is the tunnel at La Grave not closed? There's a local detour in place but not sure it'd be good in winter!
Frejus is most direct alternate route but honestly the road up to and down from Montgenevre pass is worse than Col St Laurent route if you don't like mountain roads in my view.
Going via Gap is probably the best option after that and avoids all mountain roads bar the climb to Puy itself.
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@KenHy, the new section is due to open before the start of the season.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Jonselwood, there are two climbs up to PSV you can take if you look at the map. I cycle these three or four times a year so I know them well.
The best route up to avoid the bends, though that said they're certainly not too bad when compared to other resorts, is the one nearest to Les Vigneaux which you should drive through if you take the route via Prelles avoiding L'Argentière-la-Bessée
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