Driving from Manchester to French resorts

A snowHead

We have always flown from Manchester for our ski trips either to France or Austria. However, we don't feel confident or well off enough to risk booking far in advance considering the snow being so unreliable these days. Our plan for next year is to drive from Manchester through the Eruo Tunnel and on to the resort, either La Plagne or somewhere close. Plus, going in the car will enable us to take more kit with us (snowbikes and skis, which is impossible on the plane) We are semi retired and getting on a bit so we thought we do a stop over on the way perhaps leaving Thursday to get there Saturday. It all looks pretty straightforward but any advice would be appreciated.

A snowHead

Pick a couple of nice places to stop, Laon 2 hours out of Calais is nice. Your biggest variable will be the time it takes you to get from Manchester to Folkestone, unless you can afford an expensive open ticket. That’s why I leave York at 5AM on a Sunday, but I’m not tied to Sat to Sat accom. So it may be easier for you to stop somewhere darn sarf, hop on the tunnel and motor down to Beaune/Lyon and do Laon on the way home.

As for car prep - there’s endless threads on that!

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Thanks

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@alan_1951, I typically leave at 11:00-11:30 on the Friday then go M6 - M5 - M42 - M40 - M25 (anti-clockwise) - M26 - M20 then to Dover at about 6pm , this usually gets me to the M25 before traffic builds up. Have stopped overnight at various places in France then drive to resort the next day.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

As noted above, its a pretty straightforward journey with plenty of option to get a good fit for your own itinerary.

Would think a good start could be to aim for stop after Calais as first leg, likely 325 miles ish. To then give the remainder split however it fits.

It's not a tortuous route through France and pretty simple to roll along heading for whichever overnight destination suits you. Plenty of experience in recommendations for places regularly used by those on here. Many very nice places to route through on the journey.

Seems a fair distance setting out, but we always enjoy the anticipation and relative freedom to travel as we choose when driving to the French Alps.

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When we've been at Feb half term we've crossed on the tunnel Thursday tea time and then just done an hour and stopped (Arras). With the addition of an hour that works out to around 8pm French time. It's an overnighter for us but many people say Arras is nice to look around.

Friday is a drive day with a stop around the Macon area. Tournus is a lovely little town off the beaten track but next to the autoroute.

Then Saturday becomes the drive into the resort.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Our car is a VW Tiguan and we planned on getting a pair of snowchains for the front wheels. Winter tyres will cost a fortune, are they necessary?

After all it is free

It's our fist ski trip in the car this year, but we've done a lot of driving to campsites around Europe and it's pretty simple - we're in Rugby so probably 2hrs less driving than you to get to the tunnel. I do the journey to EU a few times a year with work in a van - definitely use the M6 toll just to avoid the hells cape of Birmingham, M1 is usually fine, and M25 isn't as bad as people make out if you're outside of standard rush hour.

If you have 2 nights as stopovers then you definitely can take your time and not try to cram too much driving in, make it part of the holiday.
Also means you can get to a destination and do some sightseeing and actually relax as part of the holiday.

I've never had an issue getting onto another tunnel crossing with a standard ticket when I've missed it, but it's always worth giving yourself the extra time in the UK just to be careful, especially at busy times of the year when tunnel use is at its peak.

France - loads of lovely places to stop, the list is endless; to get to Provence we've stopped at Riems area on night 1 and then in Grenoble (a fantastic city) for night 2, which gives you just a few hours to get to resort, so a nice lie-in. Amiens and Troyes are also lovely places for stopovers.

If I was doing Austria I'd look at doing the Belgium/Luxembourg/Germany route - it's toll-free, there are some stunning views across the Ardennes and in Germany, and the roads are decent. Strasbourg is a wonderful place to stop, as is Innsbruck. Maybe do Ypres > Strasbourg > Austria if that works.

Make sure you get a Vignette in advance if you ravel through Switzerland. Also check for ULEZ-type zones in major cities.

Loads of threads on here about travel from regulars but it should be fun - you're on holiday after all

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@Specialman, Great info thanks. I also asked.
Our car is a VW Tiguan and we planned on getting a pair of snowchains for the front wheels. Winter tyres will cost a fortune, are they necessary?

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@sah, The problem is that my car is a contract Hire and will go back next July and unless I get the same one again, I am stuck with a set of tyres. That has thrown a spanner in the works.

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@alan_1951, I guess by your name that you are the same age as me. We drive from Birmingham to Les Arcs 3 times a year, usually without an overnight stop, but then Manchester is another stage harder. For us gettting to the tunnel is the hard part of the journey (1/4 the distance, 3/4 the stress) for you it will definately be the tough part. For me stopping overnight in France feels pointless and just makes the journey go on for ever.

However, your case is different and you sound as if you are making a tour out of it.

Nice places to stop on route and spend half a day looking around include Troyes and Annecy. My wife once stopped at Rheims overnight waiting for me to arrive by train from the Black Forest (long story) but thought the town very uninspiring to visit.

Start rescue offer good breakdown insurance (yes, we did need them once)

Talking books are, IMHO, essential to keep you entertained.

Just relax, it's an easy journey (once you get out of the UK)

@sah, Winter tyres are not required in France. Carrying chains satisfies the law.

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@johnE, Great advice thanks. Yes old codger of 72. Mind you not too old to be going to Glastonbury for the first time in June.

A snowHead

@johnE, Potentially Feb 25

A snowHead

@alan_1951, will you be younger than some of the acts?

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@johnE, Haha certainly won't be watching Englebert who is rumoured to be on. It's a big wedding anniversary for us so we are hiring a motor home.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@johnE, What type of accomodation do you stay in Les Arcs, we haven't ruled out going in March, is we can find something reasonable.

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@alan_1951, May I suggest waiting until after the half term holidays. Prices will be less and crowds certainly less.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

@alan_1951, we have a Tiguan and the snow chains that fit were around £350.00 when we bought them a few years back. Normal cheaper chains won’t fit due to the lack of space on the wheel arch. We also have a set of winter tyres and I think they are worth investing in as we have managed to drive round resorts with a slight covering of snow without needing to use the chains which we probably wouldn’t have got away with on summer tyres.

After all it is free

@alan_1951, don't go in French school holidays which take up most of February. Chains fine as long as you can fit them quickly and do so as soon as there's any loss of traction.

@snowymum, Like I said, our Tiguan is contract hire and goes back next year so buying a set of tyres is not an option. I didn't know because I haven't thought about it but the handbook says we only need chains on the front tyres and there is a company that can do a pair that will fit. for about £160

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@johnE, Don't I know it, last year we went to Saalbach with the family because we wanted to be with the grandkids so it had to be half term, the whole thing cost us well over 4K

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We have our own apartment so usually do mid week to mid week trips of about 10 days each. As I've posted before one of the pleasures and hidden costs of Les Arcs is the SuperU in Bourg st Maurice and their range of exotic foods.

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Hi

We have undertaken the drive to La Plagne a couple of times.

Our usual plan differs from yours as we are based in the South - we tend to get the 6.20 Eurotunnel and then drive to La Plagne in one go. Not too bad if you have more than one driver. We usually arrive in La Plagne around 18.00 local time. Our route is down towards Reims and then on to Troyes, Dijon and then skirt to the East of Lyon past the airport and then towards Chambery and Albertville. Trip is fine on good roads - having a Payage token helps although not strictly necessary with a passenger in the car.

In terms of vehicle preparation we have a 4wd estate. We put on winter tyres all round and also carry snow chains. It is not actually necessary to have both but I take the chains anyway rather than just leaving them in the shed for years on end ! Skis travel in the car through loaded in a double ski bag secured by a rear seat belt.

We have only hit heavy snow on the final approach to resort once and this was last year when we were driving to Val Thorens. We were able to negotiate the drive up fairly easily and were able to overtake other cars on the way up. Our hotel told us when we arrived that we were not the last people to arrive as a minibus has stopped in Les Menuires and was refusing to come any further - they were amazed that we had driven it in a BMW estate !

Hope the above helps.

Regards

@Griggs, It certainly does help thanks, I have learned a lot in the last 20 mins since I posted this .

You know it makes sense.

@alan_1951, depending on your car you should get chains for less than that. Ask The Roof Box Company who give expert advice.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Can anyone confirm that we only need chains on the front tyres like the handbook says.

A snowHead

@Origen, I will call them now.

A snowHead

Brilliant they hire snow chains which is a good option as our lease car goes back next year.

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@alan_1951, +1 for the roofbox co. Always had great service from them.

We drive from the N.W. and always use the Tunnel now. Last 3 trips we have stayed in Folkestone Thursday night and booked a non-flexy train at around 7.20am Friday. The hotel is just 10 minutes from the terminal. Tesco supermarket and fuel nearby.
https://www.ihg.com/holidayinnexpress/hotels/gb/en/folkestone/lyxfx/hoteldetail

Gives you a full days driving in daylight in France. Comfortably get to Lyon (and beyond) leaving 2-3 hours on Saturday to get "up the hill".

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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

"Gives you a full days driving in daylight in France. Comfortably get to Lyon (and beyond) leaving 2-3 hours on Saturday to get "up the hill"".

We are doing this for our next planned trip in April - out on the 10.36 Eurotunnel and then driving to the Hotel Gatsby in Lyon for an overnight stop leaving a 2.5 hour drive on the Sunday morning to Aime La Plagne. Fancied a slightly more leisurely trip and driving all the way in daylight will be nice. We may even try and get a sneaky extra half day skiing on the Sunday afternoon.

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I really appreciate all the advice you guys have given me.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

@alan_1951,

I'm sure you will enjoy your driving adventure!

We've driven to Val Thorens a lot and have stopped off in some fantastic places en route. I would recommend building in a day or 2 extra on the route to see some World War sites. The Somme area is incredible for WWI sites - and likewise for the Pas De Calais area for WW2 sites. All are very close to your route.

The Somme area includes excellent museums, preserved underground quarries where 24,000 British troops sheltered (at Arras) before the battle, tunnels where the Canadians sheltered (at Vimy Ridge), preserved trenches and lots of cemeteries. Pas De Calais area includes the Blockhaus D'Éperlecques (a preserved German V2 rocket launching site and museum) and La Coupole, an underground V2 rocket launching site.

All are very moving and worth a visit. I'm happy to provide further advice if you need it.

And you will be driving past Troyes - a beautiful medieval town which is definitely worth a visit (even for only an hour...). It's like something out of Pinocchio Very Happy

.

After all it is free

@Bergmeister, Thank you. I am beginning to think that this 6 days skiing is turning into a 2 week holiday Toofy Grin

@alan_1951, If you are travelling for Manchester why not head to Hull and cross overnight P&O ferry to Europoort (Rotterdam) and head south from there, much easier than all the M6/ M42/ M40/ M25/ M20 Dartford and Eurotunnel hassle, cross overnight with a cabin. That's what we do anyway and works well. Think of the ferry as a floating hotel rather than a direct price comparision with Eurotunnel - its a great service. You can batter down and avoid the tolls too, what's not to like?

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Just a thought, having read all this advice, I am wondering if we might consider a trip at the end of next month. Firstly, although this season has been touch and go on the snow front so far, are we likely to get decent snow at the end of March and can anyone recommend the type of accomodation we should look for. We don't need anything fancy as long as it is clean and dry and has parking. Our preferred resort is La Plagne.

I just went on Vrbo website but I don't know which area to look at, we want to be near a supermarket and close to the best chair lifts.

Les Arcs would be another option.

Help!!

Driving from Manchester to French resorts

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