 Poster: A snowHead
|
Hi
Living in Jersey we usually have to go via Gatwick, using premier inn for an overnight stay in case of local fog etc which means trips to the alps have a door to door journey time of up to 24hrs. A short hop on the ferry and I can be on the autoroute at Rennes in 1.5 hrs an in the alps in around a further 8 hrs - also at 50% of the cost of flights. Rather than investing in winter tyres and being a very inexperienced winter diver (we get very little snow/ice here) I was wondering about possibility of driving to somewhere like Moutiers, parking the car for the week and getting a taxi up to resort.
Anyone any experience of doing similar or know of long-stay parking options at the very bottom of the mountains?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Driving in the mountains is not nearly as difficult as you might think because the French are excellent at clearing the roads. I've done several road trips in a variety of cars (none of which had winter tyres) and never had any issues. You must have snow chains (legal requirement) but even then I have never had to use them. The resorts are there for tourists and the French seem to correctly understand that profits are driven by people being able to reach them. My advice would be to get yourself some snow chains, practice fitting them when warm and dry so you can be like greased lightning when cold, wet and snowy on the off chance that they might be required.
Couldn't recommend driving across France enough - saves the hassle of airport queues, busy transfers etc etc. The French autoroutes are well maintained and never busy apart from School holidays when you get queues at the tolls which can get pretty bad.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
@RobJsy,
To give this some scale. I have driven to the Alps every year for the past 30+ years and have had to put chains on twice!
As Ruddster, says the French are brilliant at clearing the roads even if there has been heavy snow overnight the roads are usually cleared by 11am. (There was the now infamous 'snowmageddon' at Feb half term, the season before last, but that was principally due to sheer volume of traffic and the snowploughs not getting through it) ...
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| Quote: |
(There was the now infamous 'snowmageddon' at Feb half term, the season before last, but that was principally due to sheer volume of traffic and the snowploughs not getting through it) ...
|
There was a bigger one on the transfer Sauturday between Christmas an New Year. The day after was one of the few occaisions I put snow chains on - and I took them off after only a km or so because the road had been cleared.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
@RobJsy, I've driven to the Alps for the past 7 or 8 years. Each year I have carried chains in the car. They have left the boot once, that was near St Martin de Belleville on the way to Les Menuires.
As others have said, the roads are nearly always clear.
The only other time I wanted to use them was a few years ago when Kent had a couple of inches of snow and Dover ground to a halt. I was at the top of the loop over the port and asked the copper to remove the barrier and I'd put the chains on. Couldn't see a problem meself but he wouldn't have it. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
boredsurfin,
I second that! I've driven on several hundred days in the Alps over the past 30 years (including 130 days in the past 2 winters) and have had to use snow chains only 2 or 3 times.
More often than not winter tyres alone proved to be enough on snow covered roads - including the climb to Val Thorens from Les Menuires. That trip did surprise me somewhat as I expected to have to stop to fit the chains when I saw the road beyond Les Menuires. However, traction was surprisingly good (given the gradient) and I managed the drive up (& down later that day) on winter tyres without chains.
The only ski area I've consistently needed snow chains to access in the past 3 years has been La Dale (de la Wear), which is often impossible to reach without them. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ