 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
Yes, it might be sensible to wait and see. Though we found, driving down at Christmas, that google maps and the like were struggling to keep up with rapidly changing conditions. And half term will be much worse. Personally, if driving on my own and arriving in Calais early evening I'd just keep going, not stop.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
arriving at Chambery around 09.00-09.30 what are the chances to find less traffic as usual for Half Term (at 10th Februar)? heading to Chamrousse.
I dont need to pass through Albertville etc.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
@turms2, what do you mean by "less traffic as usual for Half Term"? What do you think that route might be less than usual.
I'd say expect double the normal time and you would be OK.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| Layne wrote: |
@Handy Turnip, I'm no expert either but in 2022 we would have been during the Lyon bypass around 7am and once south of that it started to become stop/start. We then stopped at Albertville supermarket (estimate 10am) and then it was an hour to get the last 25 miles to Les Coches. My impression is that was a relatively good outcome.
We always ski the second Saturday and driving down late afternoon. When we come down after Christmas week (and HT 2022) the traffic is horrendous coming the other way - stretching for miles and miles barely moving. Heaven knows what time some people get into resort.
For you, leaving Geneva airport at 10:45 you will do well to get there by 6pm I reckon. |
Thanks @Layne, useful to know, even if it's just to warn the kids to expect a long slow journey! Because we're heading towards Valloire, we miss Albertville and Moutiers, so I'm hoping that might help (even if it's just a little bit!!)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Overnight ferry from Portsmouth to Caen Thursday night.
Friday night in the ironically named Premiere Classe hotel in Chambery.
Early start Saturday morning to try and get up to Les Menuires for coffee and first lift.
Looking snowy from next Fri / Sat, although 9 days away. Will be practicing my chain technique this weekend......
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
What suits us best and will be doing again on 16th Feb is to:
- collect kids straight from school on Friday; Eurotunnel @6-7pm; drive through the night with regular breaks and swapping drivers, arriving in resort for a nap early Saturday, breakfast and most of the day skiing with a loooooong lunch.
- Route is traffic dependent but usually Dijon, Bourg-en-Bresse, Chambery, Albertville but sometimes Geneva/Annecy.
- Return is following Saturday afternoon after skiing/tobogganing; hotel Dijon; Eurotunnel Sunday afternoon.
We always pack pillows and sleeping bags, kids are used to changing out of school uniform at Eurotunnel and then sleeping in the car in their bags. We pull over and grab a couple of hours in an Aire if needed. I am lucky with my job and can 'flip' my hours the week prior to work at night, sleeping the day to shoulder most of the driving.
We have tried flying/rental car, flying/transfer but with flight prices including our own equipment topping £2k on Easyjet etc and being stuck in crazy traffic, this way works for us best
Easter is a far more leisurely affair!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sorry to say, in my experience (c10 times now) there is no way round the traffic, unless you drive Friday (which is also busy).
When I have had to stop over the most north I have ever stoped was Troyes, I then left at c3:30/4am to grind out the remainder of the journey to the Tarentaise.
Sorry.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The plan described by @Snowmadmum, is a good one. There simply is no easy way.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Leaving Birmingham after school to get to Eurotunnel for a ~9pm crossing. Travel through the night to get to Samoens early morning - kids find it great, they just teleport to the destination. My wife and I swap driving every ~2hrs or so.
Not planning on skiing the first day, but we may head up to 1600 for some sledging or ice skating in the town.
Watch out for a white MG ZS EV with skis strapped to the back, feel free to say hi (maybe on one of our charging stops).
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
Fly on Thursday to Milan. Pick up hire car (9 seater) to fit 6 of us and skis/boots. Drive to Champoluc in time for pizza.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
leaving home early morning Friday for a 6.36 chunnel crossing, fortunately its an inset day. Drive down to Stuttgart, hotel there. up early again 4hrs on to Kirchberg for a days skiing
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I like the idea of driving but not an option for us given where we live. But it still sounds a mission!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
@zikomo, where you live?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
We are getting the train on Saturday to Lyon and picking up a car, driving to the Monterosa Saturday evening. Hoping most of the traffic will be gone by then!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
| Baron von chippy wrote: |
| @zikomo, where you live? |
Perthshire
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Friday9pm eurotunnel crossing for us. Its our first time driving overnight, last night we set off at 5am on Saturday morning and pretty much crawled from Troyes onwards. I'm assuming the roads will be much quieter overnight on Friday?... Hoping that the tiredness outweight spending all of Saturday stuck in traffic.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
| Snowysarah wrote: |
| We are getting the train on Saturday to Lyon and picking up a car, driving to the Monterosa Saturday evening. Hoping most of the traffic will be gone by then! |
Monterosa in Italy?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| kopt22 wrote: |
| I'm assuming the roads will be much quieter overnight on Friday? |
Overnight yes but will get busy early in the morning (7am onwards).
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| zikomo wrote: |
| Fly on Thursday to Milan. Pick up hire car (9 seater) to fit 6 of us and skis/boots. Drive to Champoluc in time for pizza. |
Hi, do you let the schools know why your kids aren’t going in on the Thurs & Fri?
I never had the courage, instead I’d ring in that they were ill. About the time they were 10, much publicised, it became a statutory or criminal offence to keep kids out of school (or existing laws were used and headteachers lost their discretion).
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| Snow&skifan wrote: |
| zikomo wrote: |
| Fly on Thursday to Milan. Pick up hire car (9 seater) to fit 6 of us and skis/boots. Drive to Champoluc in time for pizza. |
Hi, do you let the schools know why your kids aren’t going in on the Thurs & Fri?
I never had the courage, instead I’d ring in that they were ill. About the time they were 10, much publicised, it became a statutory or criminal offence to keep kids out of school (or existing laws were used and headteachers lost their discretion). |
My kids have good attendance and good results so I just tell them. I’d rather be honest about it than inevitably caught lying. Kids been absent from school enough due to teachers strikes and covid so why not for a much more important development reason.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Snow&skifan wrote: |
| zikomo wrote: |
| Fly on Thursday to Milan. Pick up hire car (9 seater) to fit 6 of us and skis/boots. Drive to Champoluc in time for pizza. |
Hi, do you let the schools know why your kids aren’t going in on the Thurs & Fri?
I never had the courage, instead I’d ring in that they were ill. About the time they were 10, much publicised, it became a statutory or criminal offence to keep kids out of school (or existing laws were used and headteachers lost their discretion). |
I take my kids AFTER the afternoon registration (1pm) so they are not marked as absent. No one bats an eyelid and we travel straight to the Eurotunnel.
On the route (from my original question to the group), I’m going to go on the A39 at Dijon and see what Waze suggests in terms of going via Chambéry or Geneva. I’m favouring via Geneva at the moment.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Quote: |
My kids have good attendance and good results so I just tell them.
|
This must be the right approach. Even if the parents could convince themselves it would be right to lie about it, telling kids that they must lie, rather than chat excitedly to their friends about their ski holiday, seems particularly reprehensible! We always took kids out of school to ski in the cheapest early weeks in January. Always told the schools (kids had good attendance and good results) but times have changed. The school is heavily judged on overall attendance - and blamed for problems. Even kids with good attendance and brilliant results can get horrible messages full of scowly faces and warnings that it will blight their entire lives if they miss school. Happened to my granddaughter, even though her only absence was for Covid, she was the top academic performer in a comprehensive school with over 200 kids in her year group and even though the school had themselves imposed isolation rules which ran counter to those set centrally by government. So many kids, brought up in this atmosphere, will be very reluctant to miss school, even for a ski holiday. I was always delighted to miss school (sometimes school exams) because my antisocial father hated crowded camp sites etc and always took us away in term times.
Current government policy on school attendance in England is far too rigid. No idea about Wales and Scotland. Middle class ski holidays are not the key problem - the lack of any flexibility or understanding for kids on the brink of becoming "school refusers" is really damaging.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
@Origen, We are going through this at the moment with our eldest. She had proper flu, bed ridden for a week, fever, horrendous cough. We were threatened by school in various ways including a home visit, send her in after a week off on the conditions that she is excused from P.E. and is not to go outside because she is still ill. Pick her up from school much worse than she went in, it turns out that they made her stand outside and watch them play rugby in her P.E. kit. . The most infuriating thing about it is that she caught it from her friend who was being pushed to attend in the morning and being sent home in the afternoon because she was too ill! All of this after their stinking covid measures 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Snow&skifan wrote: |
| zikomo wrote: |
| Fly on Thursday to Milan. Pick up hire car (9 seater) to fit 6 of us and skis/boots. Drive to Champoluc in time for pizza. |
Hi, do you let the schools know why your kids aren’t going in on the Thurs & Fri?
I never had the courage, instead I’d ring in that they were ill. About the time they were 10, much publicised, it became a statutory or criminal offence to keep kids out of school (or existing laws were used and headteachers lost their discretion). |
We have always just told the school, I agree with others that lying is not really worth it and I would not be comfortable doing it. The vast majority of the time I get a standard email saying the school does not condone absence etc. And a quiet word from the relevant teachers that given attendance and performance they were fine with it and we should enjoy our holiday. A couple of times the response was a bit more unpleasant, on those occasions I had a fairly robust conversation with the head explaining I am fully cognizant of the consequences and don’t appreciate the lack of respect in the communication. My kids are very, very rarely off school for any other reason, which cannot be said of their peers, so I have always been comfortable taking them out for skiing.
These days we only take them out for a day or two extra at the start of the holiday. When they were wee we would take them out for a week in January.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
As an aside, when the kids were at the local primary school they only had 3 days off in February anyway, so it was impossible to have a weeks winter holiday without them being absent from school anyway. Their current school has a full week half-term.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| Layne wrote: |
@turms2, what do you mean by "less traffic as usual for Half Term"? What do you think that route might be less than usual.
I'd say expect double the normal time and you would be OK. |
hi...i mean when i arrive at Chambery eg before 10.00 am will be less traffic ? or the traffic jam because of Half Term starts from really early?
Never been for Half Term in FR and i have no idea how the traffic goes during the day.
For example i know that from South Germany heading to Austria in you are around Munich at 10.00 am , then you have to expect more than double time. If you pass Munich at 06.00 at morning then there nothing special until Austria
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| zikomo wrote: |
| Snow&skifan wrote: |
| zikomo wrote: |
| Fly on Thursday to Milan. Pick up hire car (9 seater) to fit 6 of us and skis/boots. Drive to Champoluc in time for pizza. |
Hi, do you let the schools know why your kids aren’t going in on the Thurs & Fri?
I never had the courage, instead I’d ring in that they were ill. About the time they were 10, much publicised, it became a statutory or criminal offence to keep kids out of school (or existing laws were used and headteachers lost their discretion). |
We have always just told the school, I agree with others that lying is not really worth it and I would not be comfortable doing it. The vast majority of the time I get a standard email saying the school does not condone absence etc. And a quiet word from the relevant teachers that given attendance and performance they were fine with it and we should enjoy our holiday. A couple of times the response was a bit more unpleasant, on those occasions I had a fairly robust conversation with the head explaining I am fully cognizant of the consequences and don’t appreciate the lack of respect in the communication. My kids are very, very rarely off school for any other reason, which cannot be said of their peers, so I have always been comfortable taking them out for skiing.
These days we only take them out for a day or two extra at the start of the holiday. When they were wee we would take them out for a week in January. |
Previously when taking kids out of school, we've written to the head explaining the we are taking them away and will make it a cultural/educational visit and give examples of what we "plan" to do. This has always been well received.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
| turms2 wrote: |
hi...i mean when i arrive at Chambery eg before 10.00 am will be less traffic ? or the traffic jam because of Half Term starts from really early?
Never been for Half Term in FR and i have no idea how the traffic goes during the day. |
IME (2022, others do it more often) the traffic was a little bit stop start at 10am but still OK. It gets worse as the day goes on. So yes, fingers crossed you will be alright.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
| Layne wrote: |
| turms2 wrote: |
hi...i mean when i arrive at Chambery eg before 10.00 am will be less traffic ? or the traffic jam because of Half Term starts from really early?
Never been for Half Term in FR and i have no idea how the traffic goes during the day. |
IME (2022, others do it more often) the traffic was a little bit stop start at 10am but still OK. It gets worse as the day goes on. So yes, fingers crossed you will be alright. |
ok thanks. Now remains the question how i wake up the kids around 02.00 am and put them in the car 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
| Layne wrote: |
| Snowysarah wrote: |
| We are getting the train on Saturday to Lyon and picking up a car, driving to the Monterosa Saturday evening. Hoping most of the traffic will be gone by then! |
Monterosa in Italy? |
yes
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
| Layne wrote: |
| Snowysarah wrote: |
| We are getting the train on Saturday to Lyon and picking up a car, driving to the Monterosa Saturday evening. Hoping most of the traffic will be gone by then! |
Monterosa in Italy? |
yes
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
@turms2, There are several useful traffic predictors that should give you a clue as to what times to avoid.
https://www.autoroutes.fr/en/traffic-forecast.htm
For Saturday 10th Feb, it looks like you want to be past Albertville before 9AM. Chambery at 9AM (never mind 10AM) looks to be already too late.
What the traffic predictors don't show is the hold-ups caused by the flow control traffic lights at the Tunnel du Chat just north of Moutiers. It can easily take over an hour to get from Albertville to Moutiers when these lights are on, and the Rozzers will block the Autoroute exits to stop you using the back roads. Once past Moutiers it's usually slow but steady progress.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| zikomo wrote: |
| Snow&skifan wrote: |
| zikomo wrote: |
| Fly on Thursday to Milan. Pick up hire car (9 seater) to fit 6 of us and skis/boots. Drive to Champoluc in time for pizza. |
Hi, do you let the schools know why your kids aren’t going in on the Thurs & Fri?
I never had the courage, instead I’d ring in that they were ill. About the time they were 10, much publicised, it became a statutory or criminal offence to keep kids out of school (or existing laws were used and headteachers lost their discretion). |
We have always just told the school, I agree with others that lying is not really worth it and I would not be comfortable doing it. The vast majority of the time I get a standard email saying the school does not condone absence etc. And a quiet word from the relevant teachers that given attendance and performance they were fine with it and we should enjoy our holiday. A couple of times the response was a bit more unpleasant, on those occasions I had a fairly robust conversation with the head explaining I am fully cognizant of the consequences and don’t appreciate the lack of respect in the communication. My kids are very, very rarely off school for any other reason, which cannot be said of their peers, so I have always been comfortable taking them out for skiing.
These days we only take them out for a day or two extra at the start of the holiday. When they were wee we would take them out for a week in January. |
With all due respect this answer masks a bigger difference, the attitude between private & state schools on this matter is night & day
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Judwin wrote: |
@turms2, There are several useful traffic predictors that should give you a clue as to what times to avoid.
https://www.autoroutes.fr/en/traffic-forecast.htm
For Saturday 10th Feb, it looks like you want to be past Albertville before 9AM. Chambery at 9AM (never mind 10AM) looks to be already too late.
What the traffic predictors don't show is the hold-ups caused by the flow control traffic lights at the Tunnel du Chat just north of Moutiers. It can easily take over an hour to get from Albertville to Moutiers when these lights are on, and the Rozzers will block the Autoroute exits to stop you using the back roads. Once past Moutiers it's usually slow but steady progress. |
i am heading to Chamrousse. I do not need to go durch Albertville. I will go further to Grenoble. There will be a little bit traffic of course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I suppose private schools are masters of their own destiny.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
@Jonny996, I guess there are many differences. But as I said when they were in the local (state) primary school I took them out for a week every year. And damn the consequences frankly. Happy to argue the toss/take the fine as it's a nonsense.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Judwin wrote: |
@turms2, There are several useful traffic predictors that should give you a clue as to what times to avoid.
https://www.autoroutes.fr/en/traffic-forecast.htm
For Saturday 10th Feb, it looks like you want to be past Albertville before 9AM. Chambery at 9AM (never mind 10AM) looks to be already too late.
What the traffic predictors don't show is the hold-ups caused by the flow control traffic lights at the Tunnel du Chat just north of Moutiers. It can easily take over an hour to get from Albertville to Moutiers when these lights are on, and the Rozzers will block the Autoroute exits to stop you using the back roads. Once past Moutiers it's usually slow but steady progress. |
Thanks @Judwin, really useful link. For us, we're going from Geneva to Valloire - and looking at that link, it looks green until the A430, which we have to endure for 20km until we turn off. My assumption is that the majority of french traffic will be coming from the Lyon direction, less so from Geneva. And thankfully we turn off before Albertville and Moutiers, so avoid all that.
That said, I'm still expecting it to be a nightmare - prepare the worse, hope for the best!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
).
before stopping overnight at Grenoble (Moirans) and then making our way to the resort on the Saturday morning.
