 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Thanks all. If anyone can use our (stupidly booked non cancellable) aix le bains B&B hotel rooms please let me know - I will pass on codes (free). Might work for someone ahead of us who planned to go all the way but now wants to stop a couple of hours out...
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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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Grim driving down from up north. Fog and heavy/queuing traffic on A66 and A1. 8 hours already and still not at M25. Glad we did not book a crossing for tonight.
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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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We finally reached Calais at 1600ish. A bit foggy there for the first half hours driving, which was worrying as my plan is seeing the cruise to 130 and pointing the car SE seemed a bit reckless. Thankfully it cleared and has been mostly smooth since. ETA just short of Moûtiers now 0130, which should be worse. We're seven in Sharan and the other two of our party who went by train are now miles ahead of us despite also being held up.
Still, it will all be worth it tomorrow!
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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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Managed to get across 3 hours late a train broke down in the tunnel I think.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Good luck to anyone starting or continuing their journey today.
I'm regretting not driving again myself. We're currently sat on the tarmac at Luton on Saturday morning after our Friday 6pm flight was cancelled last night due to the fog and ATC delays. This rescheduled flight now has an additional 90 minute delay so far already.
So much for missing the Saturday traffic jams by flying out on Friday night! We're going to be lucky to get there by Saturday night at this rate.
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Sitting waiting to board the tunnel. Things seem to be moving smoothly.
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We drove from SW London to Châtel yesterday which was the longest it’s ever taken us at 14:30 hours door to door. Normally takes 12. It seemed many across Northern Europe has decided to leave after Boxing Day to beat the Saturday chaos!! We were scheduled on 8:30 crossing but delayed until 9:30. We did sail through passport control and no signs of any new finger print scanning. Heavy fog on both sides ends of the journey slowing us down and a few long bouchons on either side of Dijon. We decided to cut through the Juras (Polingny, Jourgne route) to escape autoroute chaos which was so beautiful covered in snow from about 600m elevation - the roads were clear or use and snow other than when driving through the villages. Glad we did it yesterday. Good luck to everyone driving or flying today.
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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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| shrew wrote: |
Good luck to anyone starting or continuing their journey today.
I'm regretting not driving again myself. We're currently sat on the tarmac at Luton on Saturday morning after our Friday 6pm flight was cancelled last night due to the fog and ATC delays. This rescheduled flight now has an additional 90 minute delay so far already.
So much for missing the Saturday traffic jams by flying out on Friday night! We're going to be lucky to get there by Saturday night at this rate. |
I feel your pain. I proudly used years of Avios to book BA flights yesterday afternoon to Salzburg for £27. Only flight cancelled from Gatwick was ours. They rebooked for today, then cancelled that one too. Fortunately (and I am feeling so pleased with myself, so apologies to those still stuck) I had a gut feeling they might so took a risk paying £600 for the last 3 easyJet flights at 7am this morning. After an hour to get thru passport control (I think Salzburg had fog so a few planes landed at once when it cleared) we made our booked train with 10 minutes to spare so we’re now in Schladming ready for tomorrow (and a massive sleep). Good luck those still trying to get out!
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Well driving isn't necessarily straightforward. We're heading home. Bowling along towards Bourg en Bresse with miles and miles of solid traffic going the other way. It was very busy when we . resort too, with a few people who'd decided to late to put chains on. Some shady stretches still enough compacted snow on the road to give problems for summer tyres. Major temperature inversion. Arve valley freezing but it was very warm and sunny up in the mountains.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Fog through most of Northern France. Quite busy, but nothing like as busy as the traffic going north.
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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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@Ozboy, we drove down yesterday & this morning. We were saying that we had never seen French roads so busy.
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10hrs+ from East Lothian in Scotland to Folkestone! Now in the 4* B&B hotel in Coquelles after getting on a Shuttle immediately.
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You know it makes sense.
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Every time I think about driving from home, Edinburgh, the bit to the tunnel fills me with dread  Graat to read all the journeys in progress.
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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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Wow, I'm leaving Edinburgh on the 1st at 21h to get the shuttle at 8 on the 2nd but worried about the awful forecast with gales over 60mph 
Hopefully we can make it on time
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Poster: A snowHead
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Lots of jams and delays: M25, Eurotunnel, A39, and fog across northern France slowed things even further. But the journey across Jura was glorious, and we're now in Zinal surrounded by what seems like a crazy amount of snow. Happy travels everyone!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Lozza1uk wrote: |
| shrew wrote: |
Good luck to anyone starting or continuing their journey today.
I'm regretting not driving again myself. We're currently sat on the tarmac at Luton on Saturday morning after our Friday 6pm flight was cancelled last night due to the fog and ATC delays. This rescheduled flight now has an additional 90 minute delay so far already.
So much for missing the Saturday traffic jams by flying out on Friday night! We're going to be lucky to get there by Saturday night at this rate. |
I feel your pain. I proudly used years of Avios to book BA flights yesterday afternoon to Salzburg for £27. Only flight cancelled from Gatwick was ours. They rebooked for today, then cancelled that one too. Fortunately (and I am feeling so pleased with myself, so apologies to those still stuck) I had a gut feeling they might so took a risk paying £600 for the last 3 easyJet flights at 7am this morning. After an hour to get thru passport control (I think Salzburg had fog so a few planes landed at once when it cleared) we made our booked train with 10 minutes to spare so we’re now in Schladming ready for tomorrow (and a massive sleep). Good luck those still trying to get out! |
Oh well done, great decision (and I do genuinely mean that, just in case it sounded sarcastic)!
We also made it in the end thankfully (although after we got onto the runway and then taxied back towards the terminal again to sort out a technical problem I thought that was it for the day, but luckily not).
An hour for passport control for us at Lyon too, until unusually they let the Brits use the automated machines in the end. Got to have a look at the new kiosks for biometrics while we were waiting.
Then three and a half hours of driving instead of what should be two.
But we're here and the snow looks great so I'm a happy bunny.
Have a great week everyone!
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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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14 hours door-to-door from just south of Cambridge yesterday. Unusually, the UK bit was absolutely fine. As was Le Shuttle. France however was fog and slow traffic the whole way. Have a good NY week everyone!
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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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What sat nav are folks using?
I've always used Google maps, but this only offers the options of fastest or avoid tolls.
I've been looking at viamichelin that offers a hybrid, shortest route but it doesn't seem to have a live navigation function, just written instructions 
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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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@tangowaggon, when we're in our campervan, I tend to use Waze.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@tangowaggon, we find Waze most accurate with alerts and routes all over Europe. They are a subsidiary of Google and have the route features you are used to but a lot more live info including speed cameras.
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Google did well finding our B&B hotel in Troyes last night but surpassed itself this morning finding a boulangerie open early on Sunday on the route back to the A26.
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@tangowaggon, we use TomTom app on iPhone, it’s great, never had any duff directions and it deals well with live traffic data (which mostly comes from TomTom anyway) and traffic jams/ accidents etc. Downloadable maps for all Europe (and indeed most countries globally). Works nicely with CarPlay so it’s on the dashboard - although previously before CarPlay I just used the phone screen on a bracket stuck in an air vent.
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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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Returning from our ski trip now. We'd spent a couple days near grenoble with a friend and left at 10.00 this morning and making decent time despite fairly heavy traffic. Hopefully we'll be home before midnight but it all depends on the tunnel .
Ps we had a look around the centre of chambery yesterday. The old town is quite interesting.
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Reading about all the problems with fog delaying flights, I think the drivers did best this year!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I allowed extra time for my drive to the tunnel due to patches of fog being forecast but there really wasn’t much as a consequence we have a two hour wait at the tunnel for our booked train. It was, however, odd to be driving past the wind turbines where the towers just went up into the low cloud. You couldn’t even see the blades. Anyway it was an easy drive, but it looks as if we won’t get home until 1:00 tomorrow morning.
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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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@tangowaggon, TomTom app is subscription, but ad free. They have an offer at the moment for new subscribers https://www.tomtom.com/en_gb/store/basket-overview.html £13.99/year. And when I signed up they gave me an additional month.
Last edited by And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports. on Mon 30-12-24 20:28; edited 1 time in total
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We’re on the road (we’ll ferry now). Left Strathspey this morning, it was a foul drive down in heavy rain/ strong winds to Hull, but arrived in good time - happy to stop for a run near Beverley where it was warmer, drier, and sunnier than home. Tomorrow drive Rotterdam to near Basel, then Wednesday down to Aigle for 2 weeks of Magic Pass frolics.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Inboard, Have a good trip!
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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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@fuzzydunlop, thanks! Sad to miss what looks like a week of winter back home - hope you manage out to play
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Poster: A snowHead
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We got home last nght just after midnight. I wish I had something exciting to report but sadly no. Two 3 hour stints of driving each for my wife and me mostly on cruise control and that's it. Even the motorways in England were all open. fifteen hours door to door of which 3 were crossing the chanel.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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A bit of a different drive down tomorrow and Saturday.
Heading out from the NE of the Czech Republic towards Saalbach/Zell am See. Overnight stop in Melk. Not too far - about 7 hours drive time but just me driving so taking it as a leisurely pace.
Heading out for 4 weeks - can't wait!
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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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Got away early this morning, first issue was A1 closed near Grantham, but traffic was light enough for our "local knowledge" diversion to not be rammed. After that a smooth run to Dover, now waiting for the ferry. Irish Ferries this time. Not busy here, and most vehicles are foreign registered, heading home.
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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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@RobinS, we got caught in A1 closure at Grantham too. Now sitting in boarding lane at Eurotunnel. There are delays here too as we are supposed to still be on our booked train but departure is now 15.26
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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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We're leaving South Yorkshire at about 1:30am I think. 6:20 train so whatever we decide to get that.
Keeping an eye on Grantham but assume they'll have reopened it by then (or the diversion will be quiet).
Hopefully we don't need to get the chains on to get up to La Plagne.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Very early ferry this morning. Great weather for driving. Light traffic heading south heavy heading north. Looks like huge number heading home before the busy day tomorrow.
One of the best journeys ever.
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Van packed and sorted.
Callander, Scotland to the tunnel tomorrow, few hours into France. Stay over at a service station/parking spot, then onwards to Bozel on the Sunday.
Anyone any idea if I can get an earlier train on the tunnel if I arrive early or does it need to be the exact one I’ve booked?
Not done the drive on the Saturday, let’s see how it pans out!
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| sparkzter wrote: |
| Anyone any idea if I can get an earlier train on the tunnel if I arrive early or does it need to be the exact one I’ve booked? |
Depends - sod's law states that if you want an earlier train you won't get one, whereas if you're not bothered you will be offered one. I've always had more luck by going to the manned check-in booths than the automatic ones - you can always ask a person for an earlier train. Might be more difficult if you're in a van that won't fit inside the double decker trains though.
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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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@Judwin, I’m on the Tunnel for ghe first time next week. I watched the yoof tube on how to check in but it didn’t mention any manual booths, just automatic ones - hope they’re still there.
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@chocksaway, There were certainly manned booths still on the French side before Xmas. Can't remember about the UK side - pretty sure there are though. As you arrive at the check-in area there are about 10-15 lanes. Some of them have an automatic box legend on the overhead pylons, others have a man in a kiosk type symbol. Not all will be open - just follow a lane with a green X and a man in a booth symbol and you should find someone to talk to.
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FAQ
