 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello everyone
After lots of advice on this forum (thanks!) I've managed to find a job for the season in Ste Foy as a chalet host for a small independent company. I've got my snow tyres ready, car insurance sorted, electronic sanef toll thingy for the car and am just about ready other than snow chains (Thule) and seasonaire insurance.
Has anyone driven from London to Ste Foy (or VD) before? I'm wondering if I should catch a really early ferry or train and then just gun it in one day, arriving in the evening. The alternative would be to take my time, stop off en route in a cheapie hotel and arrived nice and relaxed in the afternoon. I drove back from Lyon recently which was fine until I got to London so maybe the other way around is ok.
On that subject I'm looking to head out around Dec 5/6 and as mentioned would be driving. I wondering if anyone else is working the season in Ste Foy or nearby and would be interested in a lift or possibly me taking some of their kit out? I'll be driving a Volvo C30 and have a roof box.
Cheers!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Davecon70, I did this two years ago (not to St Foy but to Peisey Vallandry which is nearby) at exactly the same time of year. There were two of us driving - we left London around 6am and arrived in resort at about 9pm. We didn't stop much, just to get fuel, a short lunch, and driver changeover every 3 hours or so. It started to snow heavily just after Lyon. The road up from the valley wasn't cleared - we were ok in snow tyres (just) though we did have chains we could have used if needed. My partner drove the last bit in the snow, and although he has a lot of experience driving in snow he still found it hard going at the end of a long day.
If I was doing it again at that time of year, I'd split it into two days. Snow storms are common at that time of year and it's a long drive for one person in one day. With Lyon to London (over summer?) it's motorway all the way. I think the extra 2-3 hours from Lyon to resort feel quite a lot longer at the end of a long day, in the dark, and especially if it's snowing as you come up the mountain.
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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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@Davecon70, I've done the trip to Tignes a fair few times.... If you can spare the time and expense of an overnight it makes the journey more palatable. We've been stuck in Operation Stack on the M20 before (amongst other things) and having a 12 hour buffer makes this a lot more pleasant.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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The road up to Sainte Foy can get pretty bad if theres serious snow, it always seems to be the last road that gets ploughed. (This is in my experience from last season driving up there at least 5 times a week)
I'm driving out to Bourg next Friday in a Transit van from the Norf so will let you know how we get on. Where you working in St Foy? I'm often found in the bar up there!
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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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Thanks for the advice. I think i will split the journey. No sense in killing myself before the season begins!
@timlongs I will be working with a relatively new company called the Ste Foy chalet company. I'm going to be a semi host- cooking breakfast, cleaning and the cake followed by helping and cleaning down in the evening. Originally my accommodation was meant to be right in the town but that has fallen through so I'm out of town but in the quiet weeks will be able to stay in another apartment. Regardless I will find my way to the bar!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Davecon70
I know of them, cool. Hopefully bump into you out there, you'll often see me ragging round a white transit van for a certain ski rental company...
The ribs in the bar are expensive but excellent!
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We usually one-hit it from the channel, but that's with 2 driving. 10 hours door-to-door (or port-to-door!) is pretty doable. As above, the road can be bad pre-season - they don't really clear it properly until the tourists arrive!
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There are a couple of Facebook forums ' Whats on the the Tarentaise' is one that I use and sometimes see people offering lifts in return to a share in costs - so you might find someone via that route.
We generally recon to do the drive from calais to our place in Landry in about 9 to 10 hours when we drive out in the summer. Guess it would be wise to give more time in the winter, as others have said on here, the conditions can be more challenging.
Hope you enjoy the season - keep us updated. Always refreshing to hear what seasonaires are up as we sit in work in the UK and dream of the slopes. 
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Anyone got space early Dec for me and my dog from london to st foy as there in my chalet for 4-6 weeks and will pay whatever and only need one way or return.
Regards
Bryan
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