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Driving Down - Route Choice Advice Please

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Heading down to Ste Foy from Rotterdam (Fri am), in April, and have planned to avoid Lyon by going via Bourg-en-Bresse, to overnight at Pont D'ain, then heading via Aix-les-Bain. Aiming for Saturday early pm in SF.

I'm sure I saw this route recommended somewhere, but I'm checking - is it a logical, sensible, worthwhile route??

Many thanks in advance for advice!
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Why Aix-les-Bains?

From Pont d'Ain you could just take the D1075 to Ambérieu-en-Bugey then pick up the D1504 to Chambéry.
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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?
I say Aix-les-Bains, when I suppose I just mean Chambery (I think I mean what you have suggested) - does that route not make sense?

Via Belley and the tunnel to Bourdeau??
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
Why the aversion to Lyon? It's not bad for traffic round the autoroutes. Overnight at Chambery or Albertville or Moutiers.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@NickYoung, I would take that route, was just thinking that putting Aix-les-Bains into a satnav would take you on a detour.

Is taking the Rotterdam ferry the best use of your time? From Manchester I leave at lunchtime on a Friday, get Dover-Calais ferry or tunnel early evening and stop overnight in northern France, can still get to a resort in the Tarantaise the next evening.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
@NickYoung, Your route is logical and the shortest if via Belley it is fine . If you were doing it in one hit the quickest route would be via Lyon airport but avoiding Lyon , the shortest route is the route you are taking by 50km but takes about 30 mins longer . I’ve done the them all to Ste Foy with over the last 18 years at least three plus times a year .
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Is there an argument for waiting and checking traffic on the day? I wouldn't expect to encounter mega-traffic in April.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
@rjs, Hi, we are based in Yorkshire, don't want a mega drive (missus won't want to drive any stints), and to be honest, we like the ferry as part of the holiday. It adds to the event for the kids.

I have to say, it has actually worked out cheaper to use the ferry, when factoring the fuel saved between Yorkshire and Folkestone!

(Of course, I have ignored calculating in anything I'll spend on the boat - that doesn't count Very Happy )

We're in no dramatic rush to get down - we haven't driven down before and don't want to stress ourselves with it.

Your driving schedule makes perfect sense too.
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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.
Thanks for all the answers - very reassuring!
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@NickYoung, I'm guessing that you're using the overnight Hull>Rotterdam crossing. (such a pity that the Zeebrugge route is no more)

We drive from the N.W. and using the ferry knocks 500 miles of driving off the journey. The only downside I found with R'dam route was the timing of docking meant hitting the Antwerp area around morning rush hour. I should probably been a bit more proactive with my route choice but absolutely torrential rain didn't help. Other than that it's a fairly chilled drive down. I also usually stop somewhere nice en-route but I'm retired so no pressure time-wise.
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@GeorgeVII, you got there first, I was wondering whether to point out that if @NickYoung is happy navigating the Antwerp ring road (plus Brussels) there shouldn't be any big worry about Lyon.

The other problem which we haven't solved yet: on the return trip the satnav takes us on the eastern of the two motorways heading to Rotterdam whereas the one to the west (which we come down on) is better for the docks and minimises any Rotterdam congestion. There must be a solution, some intermediate town to follow signs to.
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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.
@j b,

Does it take you along the "wrong" route if you set it to take you to the specific point in the docks?
If so, does it have the facility to avoid a stretch of road or an area which is permanent until you choose to delete it?
As an example I have to pay to enter Bath CAZ so I have set many of the roads into Bath as "avoid".
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Thanks all.

I shall hope that the satnav is intuitive enough to avoid any major hold-ups.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Rotterdam is great as if you are northern based the worst part of any journey is to Calais. Normally 40% of the driving time.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Quote:

I shall hope that the satnav is intuitive enough to avoid any major hold-ups

it depends on the set up and what you tell it....

Quote:

on the return trip the satnav takes us on the eastern of the two motorways heading to Rotterdam whereas the one to the west (which we come down on) is better for the docks and minimises any Rotterdam congestion. There must be a solution

The solution is called a map. Doesn't have to be an old fashioned paper one (though there is a place for them). Google maps will do it. Though it does help to have someone in the car with a wee bit of navigational ability.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hello
I'm from Yorkshire, the Hull route makes perfect sense. I've done the Dover crossing once in last 20 years, the UK leg was gruelling. You've the pressure of a ferry at "x" o'clock, but will it take 4.5 hours or 7 hours to reach the south coast. The other 19 years, it's been Hull.
I just brim the tank at hull, forget about saving £20 by buying fuel in Luxembourg (big queues) and just let the sat nav do it's stuff with some initial help from google maps and a road Atlas. The french autoroute tend to be quieter, toll cost irrelevant in scheme of things. If toll free roads are ok, so be it. Traffic round Rotterdam can be so so. The ferry overnight is just a relaxing way to start a holiday, the kids, wife and myself all agree on this, a novelty.
Enjoy.
Ps...Be interested to hear what hull / Rotterdam check in / clearance is like!
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