Poster: A snowHead
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We had a booking in La Tania and Eurostar all sorted for the 15th, so had already cancelled the Eurostar (well actually they cancelled our inward trains) and claiming a refund. The apartment offered to postpone to 2023. But it’s still available, it has secure parking too.
So we are thinking a last minute booking maybe in order. What have I forgotten?
Folkestone hotel Friday 14th - refundable
Eurotunnel - not booked checked prices for 6am
15 min antigen walk in test - £44.98 each but don’t think we have time to wait for one to be sent.
Can book skis, lift pass online before we go
Need to do PLF and upload it all to eurotunnel before we go.
Can book return hotel when we decide on a stopover place.
Checking with dog walker that she’s still free, as we cancelled that too.
What have I forgotten? I am a planner and NEVER book last min.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Lucywuk, thing is, if they lift restrictions to travel, they might still insist that you have to isolate for 48hrs and take a test.
My OH who travelled out landing at Lyon 11:00 29th had a visit from the Gendarmes, 10:30 the next day, who then advised her where to email the test result to, and that email address was the local gendarmerie, she then went to the pharmacy for a test 11:00 the following day.
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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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We were going tomorrow. Now thinking about going next Sunday instead if we will be allowed.
Would have to book tunnel (we do have credit towards it from our original booking), insurance, plus any testing requirements for two fully vaccinated adults. We are staying with relations, so no accommodation worries and all our skis are there. Hoping they will beat us out there by a couple of days and take our skis down to be serviced after being stored so long. We had lift passes booked, I've enquired to see if they can be moved. Car is good to go, winter wheels on as run them all winter anyway.
I've got little ones headteacher on board for a last minute decision so all good there, he is under the age of any testing and vaccination requirements.
We work in a small team of 3, other staff member is ok with us doing last minute and he will cover us.
I'm also a planner (I love a list!) and so I am currently planning multiple options and am now also debating what I have forgotten to do.
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@Weathercam, tourism mandating quarantine isn’t tourism. I would be amazed if they kept that in place.
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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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@Timmycb5, the UK have only just done away with the 48hr test and France is a good few weeks behind the UK with numbers still rising, so I wouldn't be surprised if there's still a degree of restrictions in place if only to show that they're not opening all the doors completely.
Hope I'm wrong?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@weathercam good point. But they are not doing that now for fully vaccinated and boosted from other countries. So it would make no difference to open to brits and then put that criteria on
However we have not booked anything yet, just pencilled in the apartment. And checked prices/times on the rest of it.
I did forget snow chains.
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We’re booked for Sat 15th morning Eurotunnel and antigen tests arrived today. If it relaxes sufficiently (even with 48hr quarantine we might go) we’ll test Friday, set off crack of dawn Saturday, tunnel 0930 ish. Arrive Chatel 1900ish. Staying in own apartment and travelling in own car we can cancel at short notice and just shift the tunnel booking (it’s the last of our deferred 2019/20 frequent traveller tickets). Changing to winter wheels/tyres tomorrow!
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Are all weather or 4 season tyres good enough or should we buy some snow chains/socks and keep in the car (return if not used?)
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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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Mostly you’ll be OK with all season but you might need chains/socks if it is significantly snowy (and you’ll hope it is!).
Since I’ve had the car (Octavia Scout, 4WD with winter tyres) I’ve never fitted my chains, even in a few inches of snow.
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Well actually already booked - when France closed down my wife moved our Eurotunnel bookings to 16th. Fingers crossed it can actually happen, have asked C19 Testing to cancel PCR tests and assign a PLF reference to lateral flow tests we have already received.
(Otherwise it will be Plan C - or is it D or E by now?)
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Eurotunnel booking has been moved for about the 4th time to Friday morning. We are optimists. We have a load of C19 antigen test kits which were bought when we thought we needed them for our New year returnees, so we are ready to pull the trigger the moment we know it’s on.
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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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Lucywuk wrote: |
Are all weather or 4 season tyres good enough or should we buy some snow chains/socks and keep in the car (return if not used?) |
Last Sunday you would be fine, today no way, you would need chains! I'm sat here watching the snow fly past the windows horizontally, the snow plough came up half an hour ago, you wouldn't know he had been now, and the forecast is for heavier snow this afternoon. But tomorrow is bright and sunny from the off!
The hairpin bend by us is covered in around 30 sms of snow, no one has bothered driving up past us so far apart from the snowplough. The guys from the ski shop next door must have walked up from the main car park!
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@Lucywuk, full winter tyres or chains are compulsory in the mountains in France during the winter .
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You know it makes sense.
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I'm holding off booking a last minute package with either Crystal or Inghams to Austria (I've never done a package before!) - was planning on going sat 15th
May be brave and wait and see what France decides as would prefer to jump in car and head to France.
Its just the 48 hour PCR for Austria thats a total pain to organise last minute!!
We at least have the following week as a fall back if we dont depart for somewhere on 15th
Not sure if this is fun or not!!!
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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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philipb wrote: |
@Lucywuk, full winter tyres or chains are compulsory in the mountains in France during the winter . |
There’s an exemption for “M&S” (mud and snow, not marks and sparks) tyres for a couple of years I think so they don’t have to be full winters yet.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Im hovering over a holiday on 22nd
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Lucywuk wrote: |
I did forget snow chains. |
Based on the good advice I've had on another thread about a similar drive on M&S tyres in March, definitely get the socks (or chains)!
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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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Thanks @skimum1 bought snow socks today.
Car ready to go
Downloaded TAC app and uploaded QR codes
Need to get the French forms to complete tomorrow (May as well do that
In advance)
And booked a summer holiday to corfu
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Are the links skiing from Switzerland into France (PDS) still open? If so are there any checks?
Thanks
(PS - not so that I can rule break, not due into PDS until late Feb. I’m just back from Sauze D’Oulx and we were told that the links to Montgenevre were closed)
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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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andy from embsay wrote: |
philipb wrote: |
@Lucywuk, full winter tyres or chains are compulsory in the mountains in France during the winter . |
There’s an exemption for “M&S” (mud and snow, not marks and sparks) tyres for a couple of years I think so they don’t have to be full winters yet. |
there
Having been in Tignes in Decemeber, I can tell you the Gendarmes do not let you up the road without winter tyres on.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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nevis1003 wrote: |
andy from embsay wrote: |
philipb wrote: |
@Lucywuk, full winter tyres or chains are compulsory in the mountains in France during the winter . |
There’s an exemption for “M&S” (mud and snow, not marks and sparks) tyres for a couple of years I think so they don’t have to be full winters yet. |
there
Having been in Tignes in Decemeber, I can tell you the Gendarmes do not let you up the road without winter tyres on. |
Thanks we have all seasons or M&S I think plus snow socks. We are only going up to La Tania and we meet the rules don’t we?
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Lucywuk wrote: |
nevis1003 wrote: |
andy from embsay wrote: |
philipb wrote: |
@Lucywuk, full winter tyres or chains are compulsory in the mountains in France during the winter . |
There’s an exemption for “M&S” (mud and snow, not marks and sparks) tyres for a couple of years I think so they don’t have to be full winters yet. |
there
Having been in Tignes in Decemeber, I can tell you the Gendarmes do not let you up the road without winter tyres on. |
Thanks we have all seasons or M&S I think plus snow socks. We are only going up to La Tania and we meet the rules don’t we? |
Yes you would meet the current requirements
From November 1, 2021, road users are required to equip their car with snow chains, socks, winter tires or snow tires during the winter period (November 1 - March 31).
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Yes, I meant winter tyres or chains, some socks seem to be allowed too, but a lot of them were self destructing en route So, if you have M&S tyres without the Snowflake the Gendarmes made you put Chains on.If you didn't have them you were sent back. I had a 4x4 with proper winter tyres and didn't need chains, nor did my car go into 4X4 mode, remained in 2 wheel drive. I also saw quite a few people whose chains had come off or were broken because there was snow on the road from Bourge, so a long way to drive on chains. Can't understand anybody not having winter tyres in the Alps, chains are a potential nightmare!
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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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We were fortunate to have had a couple of weeks in France up to Christmas. Originally hoping to return tomorrow but was put on hold. Given all the optimism about the 15th we have now pencilled in the 19th. Let’s hope everyone can get away from this Saturday.
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@nevis1003, presumably non-winter + chains is fine?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Frank Lundy wrote: |
Are the links skiing from Switzerland into France (PDS) still open? If so are there any checks?
Thanks
(PS - not so that I can rule break, not due into PDS until late Feb. I’m just back from Sauze D’Oulx and we were told that the links to Montgenevre were closed) |
Ah, interesting. Pushed back our trip to France to March and booked for Bardonnechia instead this weekend and was hoping to pop over to Montgenevre…. so …. we shall see if France relaxes its rules imminently.
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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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Fingers are poised!!
Eurotunnel booked refundable as I’ve seen prices rise over the last week. Interesting biggest price increase is midnight to 6am Saturday 15th
So companies are upping prices today with expectations of announcement.
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Quote: |
So companies are upping prices today with expectations of announcement.
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It's all automated and supply / demand based these days, the more people book the more the price goes up and vice versa. I suspect the price increases you're seeing are the impact of people such as yourself booking in anticipation of the changes.
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You know it makes sense.
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Boom we are all systems go!!!!
6:20 eurotunnel. Skiing by Sunday
Happy days.
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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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Hallelujah! V pleased for you and for those, unlike me, who didn’t bail out. I will go in March instead. Am also pleased to be able to ski for a day in Montgenevre next week now. A lot of happy people on here now as well! Mind you, with infections three times the amount of U.K., it’s us that should probably be careful………!!!
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