 Poster: A snowHead
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Expect disruptions on the roads in the Savoie region if you are travelling on Friday or Saturday.
Announcement from the Prefecture of the Savoie:
"Due to exceptional snowfall tomorrow on the day of Friday, December 10, Pascal Bolot, Préfet de la Savoie, calls on motorists entering the department's ski stations to be particularly vigilant.
From dawn, snowfalls will take place on all the massive Savoryards. They will be intense in the morning, especially in the valleys (about 20 cm in Albertville). The snowy episode will continue throughout the afternoon and some into the night. Over 1,200 meters of altitude, at least 50 cm of snow is expected.
Traffic conditions will be particularly difficult on the access routes serving ski stations.
Chaining vehicles will be mandatory to be able to drive from 1000 meters altitude.
Pascal Bolot, prefect of la Savoie, invites to the highest precaution and calls on drivers to equip themselves with essential equipment to access the stations.
It encourages drivers who are not equipped with special equipment to postpone, 24 hours, their arrival at stations, from Friday to Saturday. It is recommended that drivers keep a hotel for the night of Friday, December 10th to Saturday, December 11th before arriving at the confluence of the Tarantaise and Maurienne valleys
and to get into the station at the end of the episode."
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Ah - not great given we land in Geneva at 9pm tomorrow night and were planning on driving straight to Tignes.
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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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FWIW Mr P drive home from St M yesterday morning. The snowfall had been pretty epic overnight and it took him 2 hours to get down to Moutiers starting just before 8am (usually takes 30 mins). Police out in force, at least one car crash on the way down and chains mandatory. I think it’s the first time he’s needed to use chains on our Discovery- which is already fitted with snow tyres. He said the road surface was lethal, and one set of chains fell off somewhere on the way down. The roads were snowy until the other side of Chambéry. Ignore the above warning at your peril! I think I’d be booking a cheap hotel just over the border into France or in Annecy if you can get that far…
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Just booked a room at the Ibis in Albertville for tomorrow night, cancellable up until 6pm so I can make a late call about stopping or not. The forecast looks like stopping overnight will be a sensible option!
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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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I'm going to be driving up to Tignes on Friday afternoon in a rental car.
I know this may be difficult to predict, but do the snarl-ups generally start AFTER Bourg St Maurice? I was planning on abandoning the effort and taking a hotel in BSM if the roads are really bad.
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@Contrarian, on a bad day the traffic approaching Bourg from Moutiers can be very slow from a long way before you get to the town.
Will your rental car have chains and/or winter tyres. You’re almost certain to need winter equipment, and it’s very likely that the police will be turning around traffic if they are not suitably equipped. This often takes place at police checks around BSM, but I’ve heard it can take place lower down the valley.
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@rob@rar, it will definitely have winter tyres, but I'm having to bring my own chains. I'm hoping to be able to select a car which fits the chains, at the car rental place, but it is possible that they will just be incompatible. If so, I suppose I'll have to give up earlier than BSM.
Thanks for your help.
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Maybe I'll end up in Albertville too! I suppose I can get a very early start from there and still make the first lift.
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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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| Quote: |
If so, I suppose I'll have to give up earlier than BSM.
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or buy the right size chains. In those sort of conditions, and with 20cms in Albertville, which is unusual, you really don't want to be out without them. I'd take a small plastic child's spade too, to clear the ground round the wheels. And an empty black plastic bag to put the chains in when you take them off. Wouldn't take up much room in your luggage.
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Our ETA in Les Menuires would have been just after midnight on Friday. Normally not a problem in December. Although we have winter tyres and chains we have booked into a hotel in Chambery for Friday night and hopefully the roads will have improved for Saturday morning.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@pam w, I will try to get chains at the rental place, but because I don't know exactly what rental car I'm getting, I can only hope that there is a car that fits the chains I'm bringing. I've got an avalanche shovel which may get its first real life usage (though not for its designated purpose!).
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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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| Contrarian wrote: |
| Maybe I'll end up in Albertville too! I suppose I can get a very early start from there and still make the first lift. |
Not sure much will be open Saturday morning, it will take time before pisteurs secure huge area like EK
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| Contrarian wrote: |
| I'm hoping to be able to select a car which fits the chains, at the car rental place |
This just seems like a strange way to do it, to me. Chains are heavy, and generally only fit a small range of wheel sizes. If you're renting at Geneva airport, the rental desk isn't near the cars and will pretty sure they won't know the wheel sizes there. So it will be difficult to check before hiring.
If the hire place doesn't have suitable chains (check that they fit, before leaving) then do as @pam w suggests and buy en route. Even then, you may end up staying down the valley of the forecast is correct.
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You know it makes sense.
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| mgrolf wrote: |
| Contrarian wrote: |
| I'm hoping to be able to select a car which fits the chains, at the car rental place |
This just seems like a strange way to do it, to me. Chains are heavy, and generally only fit a small range of wheel sizes. If you're renting at Geneva airport, the rental desk isn't near the cars and will pretty sure they won't know the wheel sizes there. So it will be difficult to check before hiring.
If the hire place doesn't have suitable chains (check that they fit, before leaving) then do as @pam w suggests and buy en route. Even then, you may end up staying down the valley of the forecast is correct. |
Checking fit is key. I once rented in Milan and after arriving to my destination and needing chains for the last 500m discovered chains in lego mode … broken in many pieces
Last edited by You know it makes sense. on Thu 9-12-21 23:48; edited 1 time in total
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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Hoping to get to BsM Saturday... Spent a reasonable part of this afternoon practicing putting on the chains at home. OK, not snowy, but damn chilly, so if necessary, we know how, and can do.
Still, without the snow, there'd be no skiing, so...
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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, 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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Just checked our house webcam. Snowing at 1450m and the forecast for Moutiers is snow all day. https://www.meteoblue.com/en/weather/week/moûtiers_france_2991325?day=6
All of you guys travelling should bear in mind that another issue could be road closures on the way up due to avalanche risk, but I think you might struggle to get as far as the bottom of the mountain!
Stay safe! If anyone does go for it, I’ll looking forward to your posts about what happened!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Has to be said, we have had rather a lot of snow already! Wednesday in Chamonix would have been a bit of a snowmageddon ... closed the tunnel due avvy risk!
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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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Snowing steadily in Mottaret. The road up to Meribel was closed for an hour and a half yesterday evening, as they recovered a snow plough that had gone off the road! Recommend thick gardening gloves; something to kneel on; a jacket you don't mind getting dirty and a head torch, if you are playing with chains. Also thoroughly recommend the Thule/Konig easy fit type https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B009NPLESK?tag=amz07b-21, which can be fitted in a couple of minutes. Lower lifts opening on time 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Pics from our balcony webcam. Hottubometer virtually disappeared. (It’s the square shape at the back)
Also a screenshot from our rear cam of snow clearing down to our neighbours’…that’s what fallen, un ploughed since Tuesday. Up to his thighs. He’s not the neighbour, he manages their house. Usually we get a council snow plough down, but I guess they’re a bit busy!
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Traffic webcams in the Savoie can be found at http://www.webcams-dir.centre-est.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/
Of most use are la Lechere, Aime, and just outside Bourg which are refreshed every 2 or 3 minutes. There used to be a camera at Gilly, just outside Albertville, but no more.
Indicentally, I always suggest Marigold type gloves (or even disposable mechanic/medical ones) for chain fitting - your fingers stay dry and there's more "sensitivity".
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@Nemisis Would agree if you work quickly but your fingers can get ******* cold!
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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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I always fitted chains with bare hands - and yes, I worked very fast. Marigolds tend to get caught in the clips. It's important to clear well behind the wheel (small child's beach spade) and to shake out the chains to make sure there are no tangles, before you start. Then shake them again, when you've put them behind the wheel. Practice, of course. And put them on the first moment you think of it, when you still have a choice of where to stop. Head torch (or a grumbling passenger) if it's dark.
And rejoice! It's snowing..... never ceased to excite me, even after all those years.
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The webcam on the road through Aime is looking very snowy and very little traffic moving.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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We live here in Meribel (during the season) and no vehicles were allowed beyond Moutiers without snow chains this morning. We have had another huge dump overnight and this morning. Most cars are completely buried in the resort - very little is moving.
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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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Roads have been temporarily blocked this morning by falling trees en route to Les Arcs and Val D'Isere and between Meribel Village and La Tania https://www.facebook.com/meteoalpes Les Arcs
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... if this weather repeats in Jan when we head out i'll think about putting the chain-saw in the car along side the snow-chains
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You know it makes sense.
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Just made it to Albervile. Weather got progressively worse once past Lyon. All main roads seem fine but care still required. Am expecting to dig the car out in the morning and get to put chains on as we make our way to Tignes. Any advice on driving tomorrow morning more than welcome.
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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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My son has come up from Geneva to Val d’Isere this afternoon in a SnowDrone transfer without any drama.
(Apart from about 25 people not having the correct PCR tests at Manchester)
Police checkpoints to make sure everyone had snow chains, cars weren’t allowed past if they couldn’t prove they had them.
Another checkpoint insisted chains were fitted unless the vehicle had 4 wheel drive which it did.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Just arrived in Bourg St Maurice, via the autoroute from Lyon. Roads are almost entirely clear of snow, and so far traffic moving fairly well except for the 5km approach to Moutiers where is was crawling speed. From here on up I think the roads will have much more snow on them, but so far this afternoon it’s been fine.
Light to moderate snow still falling, so conditions might change as the evening goes on, but not by much I’d say.
Snow depths looking amazing for this time of year.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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My son has come up from Geneva to Val d’Isere this afternoon in a SnowDrone transfer without any drama.
(Apart from about 25 people not having the correct PCR tests at Manchester)
Police checkpoints to make sure everyone had snow chains, cars weren’t allowed past if they couldn’t prove they had them.
Another checkpoint insisted chains were fitted unless the vehicle had 4 wheel drive which it did.
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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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@brovert, "Any advice on driving tomorrow morning more than welcome."
Start early if you can, with that much snow there's usually many "customers" to sell it too heading for the hills. 
Big snow saturdays usually build a big que toward Moutiers and onwards, worth trying to avoid just from that without weather complications that may add to it.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Town full of selfish people who thought it ok to park sticking out into the road. Lots of people getting stuck in normal cars. Funny seeing BMW x something with all 4 wheels turning and not going anwyhere in the main street. It was realy a day of chains and or 4wd and deep tread (not road biased) snow tyres. Very glad I took the wifes Jimny, a few turns of opposite lock at the end of any tight corner...and all roundabouts at 15kph.
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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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| muppet wrote: |
| Another checkpoint insisted chains were fitted unless the vehicle had 4 wheel drive which it did. |
There was a note on the Tignes website last night saying that this would be a requirement.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
Another checkpoint insisted chains were fitted unless the vehicle had 4 wheel drive which it did
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All those muppets who claim you don't need chains if you have good snow tyres should be made to read this thread.
This bodes very well for Christmas skiing!
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Drive from Bourg St Maurice to Les Arcs was entirely on snow-covered road, but not too bad and not a large number of cars doing the drive up the hill so nobody sliding around to block the road (although one chap did make a valiant effort to skid and block the road, but fortunately he was only partially successful  ).
There weren't any police checks to ensure that cars were equipped with chains and/or winter tyres, but without winterisation cars wouldn't have made much progress from the valley to the resort. I made it to Arc 1800 without any issues, winter tyres plus AWD.
There's a lot of snow!
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rob@rar, glad you made it
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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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Well done Rob - that'll be a very good feeling.
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@Jonpim, @pam w, it's certainly nice to be back!
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