 Poster: A snowHead
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Quick question. Driving from Milan Malpensa to Sestriere. Cost of winter tyres on car is very expensive. Would a standard car with chains be sufficient for the drive?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Chains are nearly always "sufficient" in that they generally have more snow grip more than winter tyres.
They are bad for varied routes, where you'll either need to take them off and on, or be restricted to very low speed and a lot of clanking. They're also a PITA if you're not used to them (which you won't be, with rental chains on a rental car) - fitting, tightening, and then potentially re-fitting if you drop one.
Compounding that, for Sestriere, there aren't many areas to chain up (can't think of any decent space after Oulx at 1200m ASL, with 800m of ascent left to go), so if you need them, you're risking either jangling along on tarmac at 25kph from before you really need them, or stopping in a snowdrift trying to put them on.
I'd pay the money for the winter tyres.
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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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The final 10/12km from Cesana is uphill / alpine type road. So if its snowing and laying then you will either need winter tyres or be comfortable fitting chains. Sestriere town is at ~2000m.
If the roads are clear you'll be fine. If you're used to / confident fitting chains you'll be fine. The choice is yours!
In terms of "expensive" for chains - is it more expensive than a return private transfer?
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Tue 7-01-25 12:38; edited 1 time in total
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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 drove a few times from Turin through Mongenevre, essentially the same location and altitude as Sestriere. On one occasion we needed to use chains, that was horrible at -10C in a blizzard.
You’d be unlucky though.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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we literally had an epiphany moment as we realised it was a National Holiday 6th January.
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it was only a couple of cms on wet roads, enough as ever to cause carnage
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This is a key point. People who might have driven to the Alps for some years, but have nonetheless just spent a few days on alpine roads, too often just say "Oh the roads are cleared quickly". It really doesn't take much of the "wrong sort of snow" to cause chaos. I had to put chains on very good winter tyres one time, on a not-very-steep road, when there was a sudden flurry of wet snow in April. I just couldn't get up the hill. Had to slide back to a place I could pull off a little bit, put the chains on and get up the hill. Did some shopping a few miles away, took the chains off, drove back over a road already almost dry, without a trace of snow. It was mid April - I'd not seen a plough for weeks, and the problem had probably only lasted 30 minutes.
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if you're comfortable with chains then not an issue, but do make sure before leaving the airport to check you have the right sized chains and they are not broken!
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This. Absolutely this.
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@Weathercam, was in Sestriere over Christmas, snowed on arrival day and the coaches had to fit snow chain. Not sure why, but we went up the quieter side road via Sauze Cesana and through the tunnel, maybe it's an easier drive (apart from the one hairpin). Return leg was via the main road in full sun, dry conditions - coach driver was channelling his inner Colin McRae, pretty sure we went sideways at one point
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Wed 8-01-25 9:48; edited 2 times in total
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@Specialman, "channelling" or "attempting to channel, in a helicopter"? Mind you, when I lived in Les Houches I used to Roger Clark my Defender up our longish lane. Very good for removing the stresses of the daily workload!
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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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I’m not entirely familiar with the rules in Italy and France, but I worked briefly for an insurance company, and the general concept was: summer tires are not suitable from +2°C and below, even if the roads appear clear. Whether this is accurate or not, I can’t say for sure.
That said, I’d like to add that the best setup is winter tires combined with snow chains. While rare, there are situations where winter tires alone aren’t enough—especially during heavy snowfall, on steep climbs, or at higher altitudes. Since 2005, I’ve only had to use chains 3–4 times in addition to winter tires. However, until 2021, we typically traveled to Austria, where accommodations are usually at a maximum altitude of 1,300–1,500 meters (with a few exceptions). France, however, is a different league altogether.
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