 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all, I will be going to La Plagne (for the first time, quite excited!) in January and doing it in the car. On the way down we plan to get an earlyish crossing on the Eurotunnel (possibly around 8:30) and then drive all the way to Chambery. Stop there for the night and a bit of dinner and then get on the road for about 6:30 to hopefully make it up to La Plagne by 8:30/9. Bit of breakfast then ski from the car all day.
For the return, when I've driven in the past we've left the resort at about 7AM and driven back home all in one long blast. This time though I'm thinking of potentially skiing that Saturday and heading down the mountain in the evening, driving a reasonable way and staying in a cheap hotel to do the crossing the following day. Get an extra days skiing this way. At least that's my rough plan.
To anyone who's done the same thing; how feasible is getting a good days skiing on the last Saturday? Will the traffic be revolting heading down the mountain and back north (I've always left super early to avoid just that)? If so, when would be a good time to leave to avoid it as much as possible?
Another quick question; does anyone have any thoughts on where a reasonable place would be to stay on that Saturday night? Will have done a full days skiing at the end of a long week so I'm not sure how far it's really worth pushing it.
Thanks in advance for your help!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@PrinceJohn, we always ski the second Saturday. The pistes will be quiet and the traffic light when you leave.
We drive overnight generally - if we've stayed somewhere it's to extend the trip - so can't advise on a good place to stay but I would imagine you would only want to drive 2-3 hours before checking in, showering and having dinner.
By the way for La Plagne there are weekend deals https://www.skipass-laplagne.com/en/weekend-good-deals which can mean it's better to buy a 6 day pass and then the Saturday separately.
Also if you buy a Paradaski pass you get the afternoon the day before for free. As we drive overnight we do a supermarket shop first thing and then get into resort late morning and ski the afternoon.
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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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@Layne thanks very much. Unfortunately I've already bought the passes (they had some promotional thing on so the Paradiski passes were actually cheaper than the La Plagne only ones so I think I'm still quids in).
I had assumed that leaving later on the Saturday I'd get stuck behind the transfer traffic heading back to Geneva, Grenoble and Lyon - is that not really the case?
This will be the first time on the way down I've stopped. Normally I'll just go through the night but I've found that I don't sleep at all well in the car so that first day I'm not sure how much I really enjoy the skiing having been up for north of 24 hours before the day even starts. For another day of annual leave and an extra £35 a head, this seemed (perversely) potentially better value as I'll appreciate the Saturday skiing more rather than it seem like a chore.
Do you drive back home through the night as well? If so, you're made of sterner stuff than me!
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@PrinceJohn, i have done the same thing as you are planning to do a couple of times, leaving on the sat afternoon after leaving the apartment and getting a few hours skiing in, it is generally quieter on a Saturday as it is normally changeover day, you will see the benefit of this on your first Saturday on the way in.
unless there is a lot of bad weather that day, traffic is usually quiet on the way down in the afternoon, as the tour operators have been and gone by then.
with regards to where to stay on the way back, this is all dependant on how much driving you are prepared to do on the saturday eve, and what time your return crossing needs to be on the sunday, also an idea to book accommodation with flexible check in times.
last season we stayed in tours (we were returning via caen on the sun afternoon) on the sat eve, from memory it took about 6 hours to get there, followed by about a four hour drive on the Sunday.
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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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@terrygasson. No real firm time we need to be back on the Sunday as haven't booked the tunnel yet. Although, to avoid having to take the monday off work ideally it wouldn't be too late (still have a 3 hour drive the other side to get back home).
Seeing as chances are it will be my one week of the year I get to ski, I'm tempted to make the most of it and keep going until lifts close. I'd guess 3-4 hours driving on that Saturday would get us somewhere between Macon and Dijon. Still, that would leave a fair old chunk to do on the Sunday. Swings and roundabouts I guess.
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Thu 26-09-24 16:26; edited 1 time in total
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| PrinceJohn wrote: |
| I had assumed that leaving later on the Saturday I'd get stuck behind the transfer traffic heading back to Geneva, Grenoble and Lyon - is that not really the case? |
Pretty much all the traffic is going the other way. When we are driving out after Christmas week the traffic is horrendous coming the other way but going out is fine. If you think about it, it's logical. Everybody has to check out in the morning. Only a minority stay to ski.
| PrinceJohn wrote: |
| This will be the first time on the way down I've stopped. Normally I'll just go through the night but I've found that I don't sleep at all well in the car so that first day I'm not sure how much I really enjoy the skiing having been up for north of 24 hours before the day even starts! For another of annual leave and an extra £35 a head, this seemed (perversely) potentially better value as I'll appreciate the Saturday skiing more rather than it seem like a chore. |
We share the driving and I get some sleep. And then the joy/adrenaline/mountain air kicks in once we are on the slopes. Doesn't take much wine to make me dosey after dinner though I will give it that. But yeah I got why a stopover is attractive.
| PrinceJohn wrote: |
| Do you drive back home through the night as well? If so, you're made of sterner stuff than me! |
Yeah, we stop for a small shop and meal in Chambery and then straight through. It's nice to get home 8/9 Sunday morning and have a full day to sort yourself out for work Monday. But again I get there are plusses to stopping over. TBH I could do it whichever way, my wife is keener on the overnight drive.
One thing about driving overnight is the lack of traffic.
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@Layne I certainly see the attraction. Just not sure I have the stamina!
*So far* the only significant traffic I've faced driving back on Saturday morning is between Moutiers-Albertville-Chambery but that wasn't too bad. And another at a peage north of Lyon which, thankfully, my Liber-t tag allowed me to skip (peak smugness). Now I've said that though I've almost certainly jinxed it!
The autoroutes in the small hours are an absolute joy though. Sometimes you don't see a soul for minutes at a time. Possibly I'll miss that this time around and switch back to doing it your way.
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| PrinceJohn wrote: |
| I'd guess 3-4 hours driving on that Saturday would get us somewhere between Macon and Dijon. Still, that would leave a fair old chunk to do on the Sunday. Swings and roundabouts I guess. |
The last few years I've used the Ibis Budget just off the motorway exit for Amberieu-en-Bugey both on the drive down and when coming back after Saturday skiing. Rooms are very basic, though. Last year I instead tried the Ibis Budget a little south of Dijon at Nuits-Saint-Georges which I found preferable and could be an option for you.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Skiing on the last Saturday will likely be the best day - yes locals will be out but it's transfer day so everyone working with the big tour ops/hotels will be busy with swop over (and fewer holiday makers on the hill)
I'd stay in Troyes to break up the journey back it's a stunning little city full of restaurants and bars. There's an Ibis in the centre and loads if other branded and independent hotels.
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Yup do this every time. We drive to Lyon and then have a tunnel at about 4pm the next day. Note if it's a snowy day -- you will take a long time to get down -- our PB Tignes-Lyon is 11 hours! On the plus side, at least we weren't going all the way to Calais.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| andy n netty wrote: |
Skiing on the last Saturday will likely be the best day - yes locals will be out but it's transfer day so everyone working with the big tour ops/hotels will be busy with swop over (and fewer holiday makers on the hill)
I'd stay in Troyes to break up the journey back it's a stunning little city full of restaurants and bars. There's an Ibis in the centre and loads if other branded and independent hotels. |
I second that. We love Troyes - and enjoyed a lovely Indian restaurant there (twice - outward & return) on our summer trip last year  .
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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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Now that my wife and I have retired we tend to leave les arcs sometime between 10 and 11 in the morning and drive to the tunnel for a 9:30pm ish crossing and get home about one the next morning. But we don’t travel on a Saturday during the ski season.
In the past when we were working we’d do it @Laynés way; ski all day Saturday, get an early hours crossing and get home breakfast time on Sunday morning. I couldn’t see the point in breaking the journey. The hassle didn’t seem worth it.
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I'm a stop on the way home sort of gal, but we've a long drive back to Durham, and Serre Chevalier is a couple of hours drive further than Les Arcs. I'm leaning towards leaving the resort on Friday afternoon next time though.
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You know it makes sense.
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@andy n netty
I'm not so sure we'd really get the most out of Troyes if we stayed there. If we leave the resort at say 16:30 (allowing time to change and pack the gear) I can't see us getting there much before 23:00. Could do some exploring on the Sunday morning I suppose. I hear it's a lovely place.
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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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Must admit I love second Saturday once the car is packed and the keys handed in. You know it's the last day so just want to enjoy and make the most of it. And then at the end you just change into your civvies, leisurely drive down to the valley, fill the belly at a restaurant and then drive on clear roads, looking forward to getting back to your own gaff.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Driving overnight is not for everybody but skiing that last Saturday and leaving resort towards 5pm definitely makes good sense. If you want to book a hotel to stop overnight, Dijon would be a good spot.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Dijon is a good place for a stop like this, as it's around 3.5 hrs drive. The drive can be a bit tiring though after a full day of packing up and skiing, and it will also be at night. It's worth it though, as the next day's driving is much more manageable.
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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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My wife and I usually stay in the Holiday Inn in Dijon. It’s the bigger one rather than the HI Express, which you pass on en route.
Only about 7 or 8 minutes off the motorway. Nice rooms, room service and car park directly outside. There is also a huge Carrefour behind which is useful if you are on your outbound journey. Cost is circa 110 euro for the pair of us with nice breakfast included.
They also accept dogs
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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My wife and I usually stay in the Holiday Inn in Dijon. It’s the bigger one rather than the HI Express, which you pass on en route.
Only about 7 or 8 minutes off the motorway. Nice rooms, room service and car park directly outside. There is also a huge Carrefour behind which is useful if you are on your outbound journey. Cost is circa 110 euro for the pair of us with nice breakfast included.
They also accept dogs
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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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My wife and I usually stay in the Holiday Inn in Dijon. It’s the bigger one rather than the HI Express, which you pass on en route.
Only about 7 or 8 minutes off the motorway. Nice rooms, room service and car park directly outside. There is also a huge Carrefour behind which is useful if you are on your outbound journey. Cost is circa 110 euro for the pair of us with nice breakfast included.
They also accept dogs
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Nickbrad, so good they named it thrice 
Funny when you get upload delay jitters
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@Nickbrad sorry mate, I didn't quite catch that. Can you say it again?
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We often use the HI Express in Saint Apollinaire, just outside Dijon. Perfectly acceptable and they also allow dogs. It's about 3.5 hours from Bourg St Maurice. You can leave resort late afternoon and still get there for dinnertime. Leisurely breakfast and then about 5.5 hours to Eurotunnel.
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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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Never driven to/from skiing but have done many drives back from the Alps on cycling holidays. Deffo best to get as far north as you can on your last day of action, despite the fatigue, though leaving time to eat properly and get to bed at a normal time is a key component. We overnight in Calais too as it’s too hard (*) for us to do eg Dijon to York in a day.
Have driven to/from Alps overnight when young, but it really messed with sleep pattern. Would be really bad now I’m the wrong side of 55.
(*) Could do it in an emergency but wouldn’t choose to.
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For overnighting near the coast, I used to love Montreuil, with a lovely dinner and a walk round the ramparts before bed. A tradition since childhood.
Overnighted after a morning's skiing for the first time last season. Stayed in central Beaune, in an AirBNB, it was great. Spoiled for choice dinner-wise!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Origen wrote: |
| Driving overnight is not for everybody but skiing that last Saturday and leaving resort towards 5pm definitely makes good sense. If you want to book a hotel to stop overnight, Dijon would be a good spot. |
I second that. Dijon is gorgeous. Especially inside the walled centre with the old battle flags hanging off the ramparts and the quaint bars and shops.
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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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There’s a Mercure at Dijon Sud we often stop at both ways to/from SOPiB with an adequate bar & restaurant
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We do this every trip so great to see what others do. We ski until 4pm ish, return all equipment then on the road by around 5pm ish. Drive to Bourgoin-Jallieu (resort side of Lyon- roughly 2-3 hrs depending on traffic and which resort we've come from), Check in to the Kyriad (now a Best Western by the looks of things) there, then go to a great all- you- can- eat chinese buffet restaurant. It changes it's name each time we go, looks like it's currently called 'Grand Buffet'
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You know it makes sense.
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@Ski knees, we always go to "Buffalo Grill" in Chambery after driving down on Saturday
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