 Poster: A snowHead
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With the prospect of driving to the alps more likely this season what weird and wonderful stuff do you take with you that you wouldn't when you fly? ( i am not including necessities such as skis or safety items such as tyre chains). Only thing on my list extra is basic food which consist of a few bags of aberdeen butteries and a few cases of irn bru.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well for the drive itself I always take some talking books. Apart from that I take veg such brussel sprouts and parsnips and curry spices, but then again I usually empty the fridge going both ways.
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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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Bags of Haribo 
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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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As empty a car as possible so it can be filled with wine and other European delights for the return journey!
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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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@Inboard, you won't need much room for your statutory litre of spirits and couple of bottles of wine
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@johnE, if you're surviving for the week on Parsnip and Sprout Curry for a week, I suspect you'll empty the car out too...
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"A laminated packing list"
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@boredsurfin, and a photo of how you packed the car on the way out.
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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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@Yoda, all the more reason for one last trip this autumn
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@Inboard, ah - that would be the "essential travel" then 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Your own loo roll and hand wipes.
We have a kettle that plugs in in the car and some instant type food hopefully not to be used.
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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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Thin crap gloves (marigolds) for fitting said chains so as to not sully your lovely skiing gloves or bare hands, and a piece of old cardboard to kneel on whilst doing so.
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@Richard_Sideways, Have you tried to get sprouts or parsnips in france or even gala masala?
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You know it makes sense.
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and a big black bag to put the chains in when you take them off, because they'll never go back in the dear little box when your hands are frozen.
If you're self catering, some pre-cooked meals, deep frozen and wrapped in bubble wrap (or the best ski jacket you won't be wearing to put snow chains on) will keep for days. A good kitchen knife (but don't gift it to the apartment owner when you leave). Small choc snack bars, if you have kids. Some dishwasher tablets (a whole box will be expensive in a resort shop), tea bags, kids favourite stuff. A few spices. Bits and pieces for cooking which will save you buying a whole pack of something and using hardly any of it. etc!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| WASHOUT wrote: |
| With the prospect of driving to the alps more likely this season what weird and wonderful stuff do you take with you that you wouldn't when you fly? ( i am not including necessities such as skis or safety items such as tyre chains). Only thing on my list extra is basic food which consist of a few bags of aberdeen butteries and a few cases of irn bru. |
I learnt a lesson many years ago about leaving unattended pop in a vehicle in an outdoor resort parking in sustained sub zero over a week...
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Poster: A snowHead
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As @pam w, kitchen basics for the week and at least one pre-frozen meal to make things easier on arrival. We try and stop on the way down at a big supermarket for food for the week so leaving some space in the car for shopping is useful although didn't manage it last half term and sorted breakfast and evening meals for the week via the local very small Sherpa store although it wasn't particularly exciting.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Slow cooker is ideal for self catering, chuck in your ingredients in the morning and ready in the evening. Head torch for putting chains on whilst fingers are freezing in marigolds! 
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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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Car fridge to keep your supplies nice and fresh - with a mains adaptor if your doing an overnight stay, car kettle and some ramen noodle pot meals (basically posh pot noodles) to eat at the stops.
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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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Sharp objects and explosives. Just because you can.
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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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A box of easy peel oranges
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@WASHOUT, As little as possible, even less than you would take on a flight, only take stuff that you are happy to throw away at the end of the holiday leaving as much room as possible to bring back as much wine, cheese, tartes aux pommes and anything else that you fancy.
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A teapot and my a metric feck ton of proper tea bags.
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Home made blackberry whisky and raspberry vodka. Recipes can be provided on request.
At least two frozen meals so cooking dinner is a breeze. Shepherd’s pie, bolognese mix, and a good beef and mushroom stew.
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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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A telepeage doofer.
Red Bull or your favourite energy drink for the journey.
Enough fresh groceries for the first few days (in a car fridge, as above).
Small coffee machine.
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@Tazz2bme, err... surely you mean proper loose tea and a strainer.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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In terms of the vehicle:
Original V5C from DVLA; Car Insurer's original Certificate of Insurance; Insurer's Green Card; International Driving Permit (IDP); Crit'Air Certificate [windscreen]; télépéage Tag [windscreen]; Vignette [windscreen] if applicable; spare bulb set [mandatory]; breathalysers [I know, but just in case]; spare winter tyre; winter windscreen washer concentrate; head torch [to hand]; snow chains [to hand] already positioned/separated in bag for easy fitting; carpet piece to kneel on in snow [to hand]; boots for snow [to hand]; extendable snow brush for windscreen; ice scraper; windscreen cover; folding shovel [to hand]; warning triangleand flashing road light. [EDIT] Hi-vis Jackets for all [to hand] and 5L Petrol Can [OK on Eurotunnel].
COVID Forms
And if the requirement still applies at the time, completed French Interior Ministry Forms - An ATTESTATION DE DÉPLACEMENT VERS LA FRANCE MÉTROPOLITAINE and a DECLARATION SUR L’HONNEUR D’ABSENCE DE SYMPTOMES.. for each adult, 2xOutbound and 2xReturn plus a UK Visas & Administration Covid form and Q-Code if returning from a non-bridge location. I'm not certain, but each passenger may need their own Declaration but I think children are covered by the Attestation - worth checking.
Apps
And if they're still in use, you might as well download the French STOPCovid app and turn it on when you get onto French soil and ditto the SwissCovid App if you're going to CH. And the ViaMichelin travel app and MetéoFrance weather apps can be quite useful too. Worth knowing the postcode of any key places en route and of your destination for the ViaMichelin and weather
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Wed 9-09-20 0:00; edited 11 times in total
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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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“Cuddly toy, fondue set Good game good game, nice to play at home”
Hi vis jackets for all, driver needs to reach their one I think.
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| Quote: |
At least two frozen meals so cooking dinner is a breeze. Shepherd’s pie, bolognese mix, and a good beef and mushroom stew.
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Don't bother taking frozen meals, French supermarket ready meals are brilliant, Confit duck leg is my favourite. Their jars of bolognese sauce are lovely with about 17% meat content. A bag of 3 minute pasta and heat a jar of bolognese sauce gives a meal in less than 10 minutes without using a microwave.
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Red Bull or your favourite energy drink for the journey.
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One year I knew I was tired before we even started so kept washing Pro-Plus tablets down with Red Bull on the drive. Did the journey in record time but then couldn't sleep for 48 hours. Never again.
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You know it makes sense.
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If it's a diesel, a can of E-Z-Start to help you if it can't start after being parked in very cold conditions. Identify where the engine air intake is to spray it into if you need it.
A couple of European to UK power socket adaptors, plus a couple of 4 gang extensions to give you easy connections for chargers etc all in UK sockets
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| Timc wrote: |
| so kept washing Pro-Plus tablets down with Red Bull on the drive. Did the journey in record time but then couldn't sleep for 48 hours. Never again. |
You should have chased that lot down with some espresso and you'd have been fine.
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Poster: A snowHead
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If your driving then the biggest benefit is you get to take the dog
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Fancy Dress
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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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Can't believe you lot - A MAP. Maybe I'm old skool but can't beat spreading the map out and sense-checking the sat nav.
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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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Rather than a binliner or similar for the used chains, (which will have snow/slush on them) take a washing up bowl or plastic bucket - when the slush melts it will be contained (I used to use a catering baked beans can, but the chains have got bulkier since then!). Otherwise LaForet's list looks like it's the result of many years experience.
In terms of EasyStart - if your diesel doesn't start first time in the UK in winter it'll struggle in the Alps - have the glow plugs checked.
Crit'air sticker - if, as most are likely to do, you buy it on line put the emailed paperwork with the car docs just in case the sticker doesn't arrive through the post.
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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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What the heck is a Crit'air sticker all about? Not bought one of those before travelling through France.
Also really would be interested to know how many people genuinely take a spare winter tyre based on the thousands of Brits who travel by car each year. I can see the benefit but even if you pack sensibly it'll take up half a boot alternative is to lash it to the roof and revel in the wind noise and barn door effect.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Pruman wrote: |
| Can't believe you lot - A MAP. Maybe I'm old skool but can't beat spreading the map out and sense-checking the sat nav. |
You don't require a map even if your nav fails just follow everyone else! Where's your sense of adventure.
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| ski3 wrote: |
If it's a diesel, a can of E-Z-Start to help you if it can't start after being parked in very cold conditions. Identify where the engine air intake is to spray it into if you need it.
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After having a car in which the diesel froze a couple of years ago I now use a winter additive whch goes in at every fill up and something that might get overlooked as it is a new (old) requirement aGREEN CARD from your insurer and the Crit air is not needed unless you are going to Paris, Lyon, Toulouse, Villeurbanne and Grenoble which is where you need to show them.. and check your battery ..it might be good on the UK but it might die in the cold ..mine did in January and a new battery costs at least doube in the resort snow tyres are mandatory in Germany if it is at all slippery ..the same in Austria
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@James77,
I suspect that "spare winter tyre" really means "if you have winter tyres on the four road wheels. consider putting a winter tyre on the spare wheel". Most continental countries have slightly different tyre laws from us - the tyres on an axle must be identical - i.e. they must be the same pattern/size/etc.
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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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@Nemisis,
Ah I see, sadly I do not have a full sized spare on either of my cars. They're a dying breed I thought, you either have a mobility kit or space saver. RRs have them, see them hanging low under the rear and they're often stolen too.
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I always take a brush to clear snow off the car after heavy snowfall. It gets a lot more use than snow chains ever do, though that's probably because I have 4wd & winter tyres. Also a spade in case I need to dig out any snow. Other than that a packet of Haribo sour bears (more easily sourced in Germany). And then fill the car with Beer and Wine on the way back.
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FAQ
