 Poster: A snowHead
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I am not sure there are any manual booths anymore but there is a button to speak to a human if needs be. I needed to last year (long story).
The machine will over up options if they are available and the cost.
Going over recently we got offered an earlier crossing for free. Coming back late on new years day the service was more infrequent so even though we were a bit early no earlier options were available.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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There was a manned booth this afternoon. Eventually left about 15.30 . We have an overnight stop in St Quentin.
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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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Manned booth at 0730 this morning who very helpfully bumped us onto an hour earlier train. As others have said look for the logo.
IME getting bumped onto an earlier train depends on capacity and whether you can make it through all the checks and labyrinth in time - once were told we could get the next train but only on the understanding that there was no time to visit the terminal or toilets.
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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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Departure destination- Canterbury
Dog dropped off
Bags packed
Champagne for entering France is chilling in the outside fridge ( very cold tonight)
First train Canterbury to St Pancreas at 0723 - departure from St Pancreas 1018 - now I wanted to get the 0823 which would have left us 1 hour and 15 minutes to check in; But was out voted 2-1 ( wife and daughter) to go for the earlier train, I’m not happy , I can cope with less sleep, but they can’t!
We have a tight connection across from north to Lyon Paris - 1 hour - but we have watched the video which was kindly posted by a fellow SNOWHEAD .
Expect to arrive in Bourg at 8pm local time - then funicular up to 1600 then bus to Arc 1950
Looks like we shall have some snow/rain on arrival , then God knows for next week !!
I will keep you updated 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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Last 4 times on tunnel this year it’s offered me earlier departures ranging from 20 minutes after the time I was there to an hour all FoC.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks for the info folks, I’ll look for a manned booth.
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Well, disadvantage with Irish Ferries, is that there aren't as many, so we couldn't get on an earlier one, advantages, as well as being cheaper it's quicker than DFDS, we followed DFDS out of Dover, overtook it, and were at least a mile ahead going into Calais.
From there a very smooth easy run, and overnighting (in, for us, luxury) at Ibis Metz Woippy.
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@Layne,
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but there is a button to speak to a human if needs be. I needed to last year (long story).
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That's therapy for you...
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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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@sparkzter, Download the Le Shuttle app. As you get closer and have an idea of what time you'll arrive at Folkestone you'll often find that you can reschedule you crossing on the app foc.
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@Matt1959, if its within the price band it will be free, otherwise a supplement if more expensive but maybe not much
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Once we'd overcome the tunnel issues, France was plain-sailing. I tried rescheduling due to ourr traffic delay but at an extra £80 I decided not to bother. Overnight in Ibis in St Quentin. Quick breakfast and into day 2.
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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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Smooth start for us. 1hr45m Colchester to Folkestone. Checked in 0733 for 0852 booking and offered 0824 departure. Drove straight round and were the last car to load on 0754 departure. Tunnel very quiet and running efficiently. Just unloading now. Hope the autoroute treats us kindly. Snow due this afternoon so just in time for us crossing the Jura.
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Smooth from brightlingsea to Ashford. Booked for 10.24, given 8.52. We only had 25 mins but got to the train in only 10.
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You know it makes sense.
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Just gone past a very recent shunt on the A6 northbound carriageway just south of Macon Sud (J29). Pompiers etc yet to arrive and 3 mile queue already.
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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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First stop at Sandbach m6. So far driven through, snow, rain and fog!
Roads been free flowing…..so far.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Thanks folks, coming from up North, I have to allow a 90 min buffer for the jams etc.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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First stop and driver change at Reims Sud, 200miles/2h30m from tunnel. Plain sailing so far. A bit misty South of Reims but traffic light. Lots of roof boxes heading the opposite way.
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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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On the London St Pancreas to Paris - on Time - due in at 1348 then it’s a quick dash to connect to the Bourg St Maurice at 1448
Fingers crossed
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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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Lunch stop at Chaumont (has a splendid viaduct). Then onto Maçon overnight. Taking it easy due to winter viruses.
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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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@RobinS, DFDS 04:40 Friday morning took 1hr 50. Incredibly slow. Price for their multitrip is the only advantage. Really smooth journey yesterday. Glad I wasn't heading north and westbound on A40 was rammed. Arrived to beautiful snow, so different to the green grass of last year.
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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 if heading North on A5. Lorry cab on fire just South of Chaumont exit. Long tailbacks
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@RobinS, DFDS 04:40 Friday morning took 1hr 50. Incredibly slow. Price for their multitrip is the only advantage. Really smooth journey yesterday. Glad I wasn't heading north and westbound on A40 was rammed. Arrived to beautiful snow, so different to the green grass of last year.
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A39 Northbound near Dijon looks absolutely mental as well (guess that's people avoiding the other route).
Good run for us so far. Giving Lyon a serve and cutting across to Annecy instead.
One weirdness.... We've seen ONE Tesla on the whole journey and no other EVs. I'm really baffled. Assume we're just in a pocket that's moving along where there aren't any but we're 12 hours in and saw loads on the same journey last year.
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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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Signs on the A26 in Reims area forecasting freezing rain after 8pm
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Waiting to load the ferry in Hull, hope we miss the snow across Netherlands in the morning.
Hopefully a nice wagon free run through Deutschland to Basel.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Well, an hours worth of delays in total from Metz to Westendorf, couple of minor issues on the A8, but then very slow round Munich and all the way to Kufstein. Problem with travelling at a civilised time, same as everyone else! Once off the autobahn plain sailing. Lovely sunshine all day, max temperature 0c, and there is snow on the ground in resort 
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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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Sounds horrid out there. We had such an easy trip down and back at Christmas. Take it easy, folks.
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Arrived at ‘le shuttle’ super early - the let me straight into the next train. It’s very quiet (heading to France)
Suspect it as quiet heading back to the uk.
Parked up and on the train waiting to depart.
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You know it makes sense.
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Anyone thinking of taking Jura route, avoid the Jourgne to Polingy cut through as road is covered in snow/ice for much of the way adding time to the journey. Very scenic though as everything is covered in a thick blanket of sbow.
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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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One consolation in the various "Stau" from Munich to the Austrian border was that the queues were much longer in the other direction.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Ozboy wrote: |
Anyone thinking of taking Jura route, avoid the Jourgne to Polingy cut through as road is covered in snow/ice for much of the way adding time to the journey. Very scenic though as everything is covered in a thick blanket of sbow.
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We took our usual route, turn off at Langres Sud and head via Gray to Besancon then Pontarlier. Very quiet until a car in a field being rescued caused a delay near Chateau de Joux. By then rain started and kept up all the way to Chatel.
12.5 hours Colchester to Chatel with around 1.5 hours stops for fuel, changes, loo and an Intermarche shop.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Snowing hard and lying on the autoroute between Reims and Troyes. Seen a couple of ploughs heading north. Not so lucky on the southbound as yet.
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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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Needed to put the chains on this morning just to get up a little hill in resort. Took 10 hours today (Saturday 4th) to travel from L2A to Reims. So busy and a few accidents. Overnight in Reims and it's snowing currently.
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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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| Ozboy wrote: |
Anyone thinking of taking Jura route, avoid the Jourgne to Polingy cut through as road is covered in snow/ice for much of the way adding time to the journey. Very scenic though as everything is covered in a thick blanket of sbow.
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I normally take that route to Chatel but have been looking at alternatives just in case. I did have an interesting experience at about 4am up there a few years ago in a storm!
Not going till end of January, so plenty of time to ponder..
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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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Stopped near Dijon for an overnight in the van. Rain now, paths are lethal as the rain has frozen to the ground.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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We had freezing rain overnight in Troyes - foot paths and side roads may be hazardous this morning. We saw many salt spreaders in action on the A31 and hopefully autoroutes will be fine. We are leaving Troyes shortly to make a 1:30 crossing.
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Milder this morning, just leaving Macon hotel for Serre Che.
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We drove home yesterday from Les arcs to south wales. It took 20.5 hours!! That was with hardly any stops and flexi plus on the tunnel. What an awful journey. Although not quite as bad as the other half of our group who’s flight out of Geneva got cancelled and now can’t fly home until Monday. Good job we’ve had a fantastic week!
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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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@breeze11, I sympathise- we had 18 hours door to door Val to Oxfordshire and it's never taken anything like that long before. Clearly leaving Val at 6.15am is too late for a NY transfer day...
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@swoafs, yes! It took 2 hrs to leave the mountains at 6.30am. I’m looking forward to non school holiday trips in the future. X
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