 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm in a Ducato van, car prices are £500 & £208
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| tangowaggon wrote: |
| I'm in a Ducato van, car prices are £500 & £208 |
Aha! I'm taking my Boxer camper over in Summer, but that will be via the channel.
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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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We will be setting off from Scotland to 3V next week. Tried every possible route having driven out many times since 1990s!
We leave early, get to Dover for late-afternoon ferry, meal on ferry. With 2 drivers its 2x2 hours each to Dover. Then stay the night just south of Calais (not telling you where!). Reception will be closed when we get there but we are regulars so they have told us our room number and the key will be in the door. Good breakfast in the morning then about 10 hours to 3V (2 x 2.5 hours each driver).
Return costs from Easter 2024 trip Ferry £170, Fuel £375, Tolls £128, Hotel each way £100 total £773. Apartment for 3 weeks just under £1000 and we get veteran season ski passes so last winter was 9 euros a day.
We drove out twice last winter, Christmas and Easter and left our ski gear out there with family who work in 3V. Did an extra few weeks mid-season just flying out Easyjet EDI - GVA with little luggage, then train to Moutiers.
Yes Hull is much nearer Edinburgh than Dover is but when you get off the boat in Rotterdam you have a much longer and unpleasant drive to the alps (can be over 12 hours much of it in the dark and wet).
Its an entirely different journey from SE England.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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As per @Mogulski, travelling via the channel this year from Glasgow - leaving 27th. Used to use ferry from Hull to Zeebrugge, but that was withdrawn so migrated to Newcastle to Amsterdam Port, but only one boat operating over festive period so every other day and prices really inflated (fair enough). We have successfully been able to avoid P&O since the fire and rehire debacle. So down to cheap hotel in Folkestone, Tunnel in the morning and a Logis near Beaune on Saturday night before picking up supplies and hopefully arriving in Tignes on the Sunday afternoon missing most of the traffic. Keeping an eye on the forecasts for road conditions near and far.
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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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I mentioned the weather forecast for next week to my wife and she kindly reminded me to not forget the snow chains and importantly the snow shovel for digging the car our when we come to leave. On occaisons the car has been a mere blob under a metre of snow so the shovel is essential.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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As per @Mogulski, travelling via the channel this year from Glasgow - leaving 27th. Used to use ferry from Hull to Zeebrugge, but that was withdrawn so migrated to Newcastle to Amsterdam Port, but only one boat operating over festive period so every other day and prices really inflated (fair enough). We have successfully been able to avoid P&O since the fire and rehire debacle. So down to cheap hotel in Folkestone, Tunnel in the morning and a Logis near Beaune on Saturday night before picking up supplies and hopefully arriving in Tignes on the Sunday afternoon missing most of the traffic. Keeping an eye on the forecasts for road conditions near and far.
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We get an underground parking space with our appartment rental in Brides so no need to dig the car out (we hope). Family live in Les Allues for the winter while working so will drive up to them most days as the Brides gondola closes at 5pm. Can get bus from there. Its not as convenient as walking out onto the piste like we did last season in Mottaret but we want to be near wherever the family are to help with childcare.
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Ferrying from Ireland to PDS with car and dog next week. 18 hour overnight ferry Rosslare-Cherbourg which lands in at lunchtime. 4 hour drive to nice hotel near Tours. Next day 6 hours to our destination. Arrive early enough to pick up some fresh food in our local village. Trés civilizé 
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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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Leave East Lothian (just east of Edinburgh) morning of the 28th. All being well we will be on a Eurotunnel around 17:30 and have a hotel in Coquelles booked for the night - cancellable up until 19:00 if we fancy going a bit further.
Might do La Chapelle d'Abondance in one go on the 29th, or we if we fancy it we might stay somewhere en-route for a night. Out until 23rd January so we have time!
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@Matt1959,we're considering doing a more relaxed journey too. We don't leave home until 3rd Jan, but it might be good to chill out on the way and arrive on Sunday instead of Saturday. Just weighing up options at the moment.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I'm just hoping that the A1M isn't flooded at Durham like it was when we did our October trip ....
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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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At the euro tunnel waiting for my train. So far so good
Since I was last here in the summer they've put in a lot of infrastructure for EIAS and EES. The booths were powered up and it looks like the system might go live next year (possibly)
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It looks as if the train may actually leave on time!
They were taking every car through the security check which took about 20 minutes.
It's now my stint behind the wheel so no more posts for 3 hours.
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You know it makes sense.
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Happy travels everyone!
We will be doing our annual Boxing Day dash/ Top gear challenge. Me, Mr P plus dog in the car via the tunnel, leaving at 4am (we live near Gatwick). The boys plus one girlfriend flying LGW to GVA then a private transfer. Last winter we made it ahead of them by about 3 minutes..they knew where we were as the dog has a tracker on his collar. This year they will definitely beat us to it. It will be my first trip in the new EV. Mr P has done it once and it all went well- he was very impressed by the tech that tells him where and when to stop for a recharge, plus the cost being about half that for charging in the U.K.. But the combination of longer stops en route plus driving at 70mph rather than 80 means the days of 12 hours door to door are over.
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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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driving down on 27th...overnight at Ibis Styles in Albertville....Taj Mahal booked for dinner (fab indian)..onto SF on the 28th until Sunday the 5th.
Cannot wait
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Poster: A snowHead
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| johnE wrote: |
At the euro tunnel waiting for my train. So far so good
Since I was last here in the summer they've put in a lot of infrastructure for EIAS and EES. The booths were powered up and it looks like the system might go live next year (possibly) |
That shed and all the screens/terminals look ready to go - got to feel sorry for the owners of the Tunnel when they are now saying 2027 at the earliest for it to be used, by which time I guess all the tech will be out of date! What a huge waste of money, I suspect the taxpayer will end up paying for it to stand idle one way or another
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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 strong wind from the south has increased the fuel consumption a bit but we are still making good progress. A long fuel stop, lunch and a change of driver and we are on our way again 200 miles into france and 400 to go. It's now my turn to sleep in back. ETA showing as 19.30. A nice time to arrive.
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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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We got here at 7:15 exactly 12 hours after leaving our friends house in Ashford. From getting off the tunnel it was 9:45 of which about 45 minutes was spent filling up or urinating. It was a very smooth journey. Arc 1600 is very quiet and we were able to park almost outside our apartment making unloading much easier than normal. It’s just a shame the temperature is above zero.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@johnE, nice dash  How are the snow conditions around the village?
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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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@Oleski, there is no snow in the village but I haven’t been up to the pistes yet. I’m not worried.
We never exceeded the speed limit once, not even the 30 kph one in bourg st Maurice. Everything just ran smoothly. We stopped perhaps 1 second picking toll tickets up and 5 paying for each toll section. I did the first and final stints my wife the middle one, but she drew the short straw by driving down to ashford. I had the easy bits.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Hells Bells, we also leave on 3rd Jan.
Staying at Val Moret in Magnant on the way down. Nice and close to the motorway.
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We leave 26th Dec down to the train (3hrs drive). 2.5hr drive in France to stop over in Reims for the night arriving about 6.30 ish, then 27th up and ready to leave at 8.30/9am for the final 6/7hr drive to LM arriving 4pm ish then that's us locked in for the week. Return journey is going to be straight home bound with no stop overs.
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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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Leaving Yorkshire at about 1.30am on 4th Jan. Hope to be in La Plagne for tea time. 6.20 train then I'm assuming about 10 hours the other side (that's the normal sort of time it takes us). We're avoiding Lyon this year and heading across towards Geneva, Annecy, Chambery because I can't be arsed with being 10 hours into a day's driving and having to put up with 4 lanes of city motorway. I'm not getting at all excited.
I'd love to have gone down on the 3rd and broken the journey but working sadly and getting off after work would hardly get us into France before midnight so we'd still have a massive drive the Saturday anyway.
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Saturday morning, around 4 or 5 a.m., I'll be heading to Vaujany. Admittedly, I'm not overly excited—I was hoping for one of the "big" resorts (didnt find something in our budget)—but who cares, a ski holiday is still the best time of the year for me!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Chucking down with snow here this evening and due to continue, make sure you have practiced putting those snow chains on ....
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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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@boredsurfin, practice every year and yet to use them in anger. I both want and don't want to find out what's it like
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it's better to find out on your drive up to resort, @Oleski. Really annoying on the drive down.
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You know it makes sense.
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2 cars setting off late morning tomorrow. Usually drive through the night but have decided to stay just south of Reims and head in to Morillon on Saturday. Safe travels all.
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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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Just off the overnight ferry in Dieppe. On our way to Annecy for tonight then up the hill to La Tania first thing Saturday.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Casa wrote: |
@Hells Bells, we also leave on 3rd Jan.
Staying at Val Moret in Magnant on the way down. Nice and close to the motorway. |
Val Moret has never quite worked for us with a drive to/from Durham .
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Hells Bells, This trip we booked the B & B 4* (ex Novotel) in Coquelles. €102 and cancellable until 19:00 on the night. If we have a good trip down from Scotland we can cancel and venture another 1-2hrs into France before we stop.
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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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We stayed at the Val Moret once, in the summer, on a leisurely journey, and had a good dinner. But generally we want to drive till later and stay somewhere cheaper! I have a cancellable booking in St Quentin tonight but we plan to get to Chalons.
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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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@Origen, we did stay one January on our return trip. We had a horrendous journey and far too long a drive to the Tunnel the next morning.
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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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Drove back from Tignes Yesterday.
French side, no delays or major road works - just a bit of faffing with a few bridges where it was down to one lane, but no delays. Autoroute fuel prices are eye watering though - think one was advertising 2.07 Euros for E10/95. Off motorway was 1.71 (Ambereau - where the Mirage 3R up a pole appears to have had a nice repaint), and 1.66 (Reims, where the Mirage V has had a not so nice repaint). Roads were quiet though it was raining for most of the way. Only hold ups were the occasional lorries comparing the difference in tread depth of their tyres.
Chunnel was quickest we've ever had. Picthed up just before 18:00 for our booked 19:20, and was immediatley offered the 18:20. I looked at the clock and thought this will be tight. The biggest delay was waiting for the Tesla drivers to get out of the effin way as they fannied about reversing into their charging booths. 5 minutes to get through Passport checks, then through to the departure lanes where we were the only car and the lights at the far end were already green. Straight onto the train, and departed on time. Just how it should be, but rarely is.
UK end - predictable carnage. Op Brock is in place, and they seemed to be holding ALL eastbound M20 traffic before that. Didn't affect us, except for the 50MPH limit for half the length of the M20. Then got stuck in traffic on the North Circular - didn't realise Spurs were playing Man U. Dropped PAX at Neasden, then off to Sunny Somerset.
Anyhow - If I were going outbound from Dover/Folkestone for the next few weeks I would seriously consider the M2 and cut across to the M20 close to Folkstone, rather than M20.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Judwin wrote: |
| Anyhow - If I were going outbound from Dover/Folkestone for the next few weeks I would seriously consider the M2 and cut across to the M20 close to Folkstone, rather than M20. |
As a "local" I would use the M20 to go to Eurotunnel, unless there are significant M20 delays. But when this happens the M2/A2 clogs up as it's a 2 lane carriageway and the "cut across" routes become a nightmare because they are mostly twisty narrow roads through villages, such as the A28, A260 and the other routes are B roads. Lorries, vans and lost cross channel travelers following sat navs are a pain as the roads are in no fit state for the level of traffic.
If going to Dover, then M2/A2 can be a good option, especially if coming via Dartford crossing direction. From the west, the M20 still works.
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Operation Brock only in place between 15th and 22nd December.
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Operation Brock is being lifted on Sunday evening, so M20 is closed 9pm Sunday night, but then the M20 should be back to normal for next 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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@BergenBergen, @The_Gate, That's good news. The only holdups in the summer and last week have been due to breakdowns or crashes in the contraflow 
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M20 was ok, despite 50 mph limit, train delayed only by 15 minutes. Otherwise an uneventful trip. We are 1.5h hours away from Troyes where we stop for the night
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FAQ
