 Poster: A snowHead
|
Hi , I’m looking to visit my daughter in Les gets lateish if feb, no accommodation available so I was thinking I’d stay in morzine , no accommodation there either ( for the price I can afford any how)
So I thought hire a car and stay in cluses . But an option, what about hiring a motor home . There’s a parking lot for motor homes at the bottom of Perrier lift.
But what’s it like to stay in one during the winter? Am I legal driving it without winter tyres/ chains or do you think they would come with the van.
The price is slightly more than a cheap car hire , but a lot less than car hire and a room in cluses , plus I can walk home from town rather than drive .
Any thoughts are welcome 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
For how long? 4 days or 4 weeks?
Have you lived in one before? Sleeping would be ok for me (with thick blankets!), not sure about showers or chemical toilets though.
Don’t you need to park in an approved place?
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
It is absolutely doable. Ideally you want a motor home that is suitable for the task, ie. one that is 'winterised' and you would be fine. Many people do it and it works perfectly.
However, I would want to know how it works before venturing into the cold for a week.
Chains and/or winter tyres, you would need to abode by the local rules.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
If you have never been in a motorhome before it would be a bit of a baptism of fire.
I own a motorhome, and longingly thought about taking it skiing (It would be more than up to the job once I have upgraded the tyres and got snow chains)
You have to think about the simple things that you would take for granted with being in a room ............ mainly where do you empty your waste water and your ****, and how do you power things and keep warm.
Also where and how do you store your cold and wet ski gear.
But please don't think I am trying to put you off, I just want you to think it would not be as easy as the youtubers make out.
Oh and the fuel and toll charges will be a lot more
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| Quote: |
The price is slightly more than a cheap car hire , but a lot less than car hire and a room in cluses
|
That surprises me - they're usually very expensive. I would be tempted by the option, too, but I have done a lot of camping, and lived in a small (Toyota Hiace) camper and very small boats. But done none of those things in the Alps in winter! Yes, people do it, but they are experienced and tough and tolerant of inconveniences which would drive most of us mad. People have sailed round the British Isles in a small sailing dinghy I wouldn't take out of Chichester Harbour.
Cluses is probably your best bet if you can't change dates to avoid the "vacances scolaire".
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
I'm wondering if @bigtoe is literally looking for a place to sleep and his daughter will offer him a shower and other facilities, which would ease the prospect.
Great point about drying wet ski gear.
I don't know the battery capacity of these things, my wife is now using an electric underblanket at home, I wonder if that would be a more efficient alternative in terms of targeted heat, retained by body and blankets on top, than heating the whole "room" of a motorhome.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interesting, isn't it. I inferred, with no reason at all, that the OP was a woman!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
as you are giving the price in £s are you renting from the UK and driving over?
Is it possible to post the website so we can guage what these motorhomes are
Also, will you be staying on a campsite where you can connect up to the electricity.
(For some reason I am thinking you are staying in the lift carpark)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Aire at Les Gets is very busy and there's no pre booking. I arrived in early March and there was no space at all. In the end I booked a local site. I had a look a few times while skiing and the Aire was still full. Some people were parked on the road, hoping for a spot to become available, but the gendarmes were on their back all the time.
Personally I wouldn't venture into the mountains without snow tyres and chains. You'll be lucky to find a hire company who will supply them.
The mountains aren't a great place to learn about motorhomes. If you get sub zero temperatures then a lot can go wrong, usually the heating system! That said, having your own "home" at the ski resort is really rather nice.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
I've no experience of cold motor-homing. Do water and waste tanks freeze up? I used to see guys on top of their vans in the aire at Les Saisies, shovelling snow off the roof after heavy falls. I've used an Eberspacher diesel heater on a boat - works very well, though noisy to the point of being embarrassing if you have near neighbours.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
@jellylegs, Is The Aire at the bottom of Perrier lift?
My daughter is going to venture tgere and see if there’s many there at the mo. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
While your motorhome may have a shower in it, and apologies if this is stating the obvious, you can't have a long hot shower. Rinse, water off, soap, water on and rinse off. Even with a large onboard tank you'll go through water quickly and, unless the water point is on the pitch, you'll then have to move the van to get more water.
Showers in vans are pretty good - but they're not like a normal shower
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
Even if there are spaces right now, that's not a good guide to the likely state of affairs during the holidays. I imagine people are poised on "changeover Saturdays" ready to leap into any space vacated. I was always bemused by the fact that even the motor homers seemed to stick to the old French "Sat - Sat" model!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
@Boris, thanks , so gym it would be for the shower
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
@pam w, Yes very true , I was just wondering if there are any using it . My daughter and I walked through there from coming off the mount cherry side ( got a bit lost on the off piste) two weeks ago and I cannot remember seeing any there . But I wasn’t looking for them so it’s not a surprise
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
You're only there for a few days. Get properly into the van-living groove and forget about a shower.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
| Orange200 wrote: |
Have you lived in one before? Sleeping would be ok for me (with thick blankets!), |
That’s all you need if you’re not lucky enough to have one wife either side. Humans can sleep soundly under many your chosen hide. If you want to spoil yourself(ves) them a tea light is ample. It’s more important to make your presence felt outside the van than in, wildlife considered. I saw a black bear cub in the Pyrenees and fished with the Nike crocodiles on the Zambezi and if one remains aware with pincers aloft and nimble mind. You’ll do well.
Blankly and then some.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
@oneglove, thanks I like a bit of positive thinking. This could be a genius moment
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| pam w wrote: |
Interesting, isn't it. I inferred, with no reason at all, that the OP was a woman! |
Oh no. My (female) colleague heading the Gender Studies project, which I help with, will be most disapproving - guilty!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| pam w wrote: |
| You're only there for a few days. Get properly into the van-living groove and forget about a shower. |
To be fair, will be putting on same set of stinky base layer anyway. Pay for a swim at the local swimming pool & shower there.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| pam w wrote: |
| Do water and waste tanks freeze up? |
If it is a UK built motorhome then the tanks are usually bolted underneath as they expect most people to come from caravans and only use them april - october.
Most european motorhome have at least their fresh water tank inside where it is usually 18-21c (you are on holiday not a survival mission).
The "proper" german built vans have also got on board waste tanks that never freeze, but most people can get away with just leaving their waste valve open and draining and emptying into a bucket
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
Godspeed if you do make it in the motorhome. Perrieres is my absolute favourite run in Les Gets.
My Morzine apartment may be free 24/02-02/03 , the people that booked it now want to move dates, if you want a plan B drop me a PM.
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Tue 31-01-23 16:33; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| kiteman69 wrote: |
| as you are giving the price in £s are you renting from the UK and driving over? |
I've never looked into it, but met a guy in Canada who said it was so much cheaper to stay in motorhomes that's what he usually did. But as (there) they charged a hefty daily mileage fee, he calculated it was so much cheaper to fly to the city involved then rent the motorhome locally, and fly back. Even without such fees I could imagine that the terrible mpg and the motorway tolls would cost a fair bit and would be worth avoiding.
Damn nice for the co-driver to have a good sleep though 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Take a jerry can and refresh the fresh tank a few times from the tap (presuming there is one) and you can easily get a few showers in whilst you're there. If there is no available fresh water buy a few 5l bottles of water for a few euros a pop at the french super market before arriving and you'll be laughing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
There's at least one motorhome (more like a huge truck) that stayed in Perrieres since beg. of December 2022, so that's doable. Not that it's enjoyable, and I suspect they are season workers in catering rather than pisteurs - where does one hang/dry clothes in these?
Side note: cheap skiing holidays for us come at a price for season workers, there's a thread in sh.com about the new Piste Noire tv serie on French tv (France2), the serie's not very good imho but it still shows something we often overlook.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
@kiteman69, the tanks are generally onboard now, certainly for fresh water. Even in our caravan the onboard tank is inside.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
@Legend., perfect I forgot I can drop into a supermarket before going up the mountain
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
@patrick!, thanks for heads up , if doable since Dec , then my three night will be a breeze
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Saalnaches have cabins for around £30k
You can stay winter - but let them manage summer. Prob a better option for your own ‘lodge’ compared to a campervan.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You saw what oneglove said, @kiteman69, if you'd had two wives with you you'd have been just fine.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
