 Poster: A snowHead
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Another playing the self drive roulette to the 3 Valleys, though not til the 28th Feb/1st March. Any locals want to stretch their Crystal Ball... I think its departure week for France Zone C and mid week change for Zone A. Possibly some late UK/Private school leavers too, and is also Fasching week the week we are out (1-
Current Plan is Chunnel Friday Morning, B&B just outside Chambery, Drive up to Meribel on Saturday morning (original plan was 'and get a couple of hours afternoon ski before we can check in'), however we'd also do a shop in Albertville on the way up, so absolutely not leaving chambery at 5am as we'd just have to drive back down to so the weekly stock up as self catering.
Alt Option A is plough through on the Friday to Brides (currently B&B available sub £200 on tinterwebs), meaning we are doing the 'poo-poo bit' at 11pm on a Friday rather than 9am on a Saturday, however we'd potentially have to head back down to Moutiers for the Carrefour for 8am on the Saturday anyway which maybe puts us in the 'desperately trying to leave' queue, before turning round and coming back up to resort.
Alt Option B is shop pre Chambery, and hope its cold enough overnight in the car for stuff, given it will also have to do until 4pm on the saturday, so 24hrs rather than 8 (we'd have a cool box, but it needs the car to be powered to power the socket to actually run the thing), then 6am up to resort on the Saturday and get a croissant for breakfast in resort and go skiing for a full day.
In our usual haunts (first time for me in France) we'd know roughly what to expect when roads/trains/buses have issues and where it's worth doing the compromise depending on where the issues is, but not being familiar with the area, just knowing the problem road is a problem for more than just Meribel, happy to have my ideas picked apart. Can't leave any earlier than the Friday morning (circa 9am) Chunnel because of other work commitments.
If it matters, I'm happy driving for hours and hours but crawling along does my tits. There are 2 of us splitting driving too, and we've done Buckinghamshire to the Valais via the Jura in one hit through the day arriving late and through the night arriving at sunrise a few times each. No kids to factor which I appreciate gives more flexibility but will (within reason) throw money at the problem before I have to park the car and sleep in it with nowhere for a wee. Have front wheel drive with new-ish (sub 500 mile as of today so good tread) all seasons (3PMSF) but can't fit chains to the car so only have socks. Have taken previous RWD on 2nd season winters up the road to Saas Fee slowly and carefully in a Blizzard so respectful of conditions but not freaked out by driving twisty roads at night in (fresh) snow in a slightly sub optimal vehicle (250+ bhp estates with big wheels and 35 profile tyres, but plenty of weight to them).
Caveat, I know nobody can say for certain but happy to pros/cons with people who've done the drive 'on the regular'
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| lampygirl wrote: |
Another playing the self drive roulette to the 3 Valleys, though not til the 28th Feb/1st March. Any locals want to stretch their Crystal Ball... I think its departure week for France Zone C and mid week change for Zone A. Possibly some late UK/Private school leavers too, and is also Fasching week the week we are out (1-
Current Plan is Chunnel Friday Morning, B&B just outside Chambery, Drive up to Meribel on Saturday morning (original plan was 'and get a couple of hours afternoon ski before we can check in'), however we'd also do a shop in Albertville on the way up, so absolutely not leaving chambery at 5am as we'd just have to drive back down to so the weekly stock up as self catering.
Alt Option A is plough through on the Friday to Brides (currently B&B available sub £200 on tinterwebs), meaning we are doing the 'poo-poo bit' at 11pm on a Friday rather than 9am on a Saturday, however we'd potentially have to head back down to Moutiers for the Carrefour for 8am on the Saturday anyway which maybe puts us in the 'desperately trying to leave' queue, before turning round and coming back up to resort.
Alt Option B is shop pre Chambery, and hope its cold enough overnight in the car for stuff, given it will also have to do until 4pm on the saturday, so 24hrs rather than 8 (we'd have a cool box, but it needs the car to be powered to power the socket to actually run the thing), then 6am up to resort on the Saturday and get a croissant for breakfast in resort and go skiing for a full day.
In our usual haunts (first time for me in France) we'd know roughly what to expect when roads/trains/buses have issues and where it's worth doing the compromise depending on where the issues is, but not being familiar with the area, just knowing the problem road is a problem for more than just Meribel, happy to have my ideas picked apart. Can't leave any earlier than the Friday morning (circa 9am) Chunnel because of other work commitments.
If it matters, I'm happy driving for hours and hours but crawling along does my tits. There are 2 of us splitting driving too, and we've done Buckinghamshire to the Valais via the Jura in one hit through the day arriving late and through the night arriving at sunrise a few times each. No kids to factor which I appreciate gives more flexibility but will (within reason) throw money at the problem before I have to park the car and sleep in it with nowhere for a wee. Have front wheel drive with new-ish (sub 500 mile as of today so good tread) all seasons (3PMSF) but can't fit chains to the car so only have socks. Have taken previous RWD on 2nd season winters up the road to Saas Fee slowly and carefully in a Blizzard so respectful of conditions but not freaked out by driving twisty roads at night in (fresh) snow in a slightly sub optimal vehicle (250+ bhp estates with big wheels and 35 profile tyres, but plenty of weight to them).
Caveat, I know nobody can say for certain but happy to pros/cons with people who've done the drive 'on the regular' |
I'd go with alt option b. Very likely to be cold enough in the car overnight (especially if in an insulated box, even if not powered) and getting past the queue on Friday night will be a huge win. If you're worried about the food getting too warm but willing to throw some money at the problem you could even just avoid buying anything that might spoil (probably just meat, dairy and any prepared food) and buy that in the resort supermarket, it will be a bit more expensive but not hugely so. Or eat out a bit more even!
I'd definately avoid trying to go from Brides to Moutiers on Saturday am as you'll undo all your queue avoiding prep by getting in the queue going the other 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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@lampygirl, there is no way I would factor in the tiny saving of shopping outside resort. In the context of what looks like a very difficult transfer I'd completely forget about supermarket prices and just get to resort. There's a super u after moutiers if that helps but really how much will the supermarket prices save you? Your brides les bains plan looks perfect or your chambery and leave at 4am plan. Either of those should get you well ahead of the traffic.
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I would avoid the shopping in the valley options. I self catered in Tignes recently and the prices were not too bad in the mini supermarkets. Not as much choice perhaps but more than enough for me.
Given the current circumstances I would want the least chance possible of anything to go wrong.
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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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| Kingsdown wrote: |
| Thank you for all of the responses. You've all been very helpful. We could always travel late on Saturday evening and spend the day in Geneva. I don't think I'll be able to get past Moutiers on Friday night as we land late - but not impossible. |
What about sticking with existing flights/car and skiing somewhere else for the first day - e.g. drive to Megeve or St Gervais (sort of en-route), ski on Sunday, then drive Sunday evening onto your resort when the jams are minor. It'll also add a bit of cost (for a hotel maybe in Sallanches) but you'll be getting something back for it (skiing) rather than just paying more to shorten your holiday by a day.
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@lampygirl, i would stick with current plan, and do a shop at the massive hypermarche in chambery on the friday eve.
we normally stay and do a shop on the friday eve in albertville, and have always been ok with food in a (non powered) coolbox until the sat afternoon check in, even when we have been at easter when temps are warmer.
if you are worried about food going off, depending on the size of your coolbox, you could buy a pack of ice cubes in the supermarket to keep the food chilled, i have done this several times before. also, i have cooked and frozen a couple of meals, curries/spag bol etc, before the trip and have them in the coolbox, saves a bit of cooking time (and money) on holiday, and these work as "ice blocks".
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@richjp It's more the choice and not having to repeatedly go to a small shop on foot than the savings for us to be honest. We mostly holiday in Switzerland so the fact the lift pass for the entire 3 valleys is less than we usually pay for a week would likely cover mountain vs town supermarket. We do however both have diets that are often catered for very easily in big supermarkets but less so in the smaller ones, nothing life or death, it's stuff like finding sugar free ice tea/cordial vs only the full fat, so you end up on only diet coke or water. Mind you, could deffo do the non-perishables somewhere big, or even bring them from the UK. We'd local bread and pastry shop either way.
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@lampygirl, agree with others do the shopping Friday evening. I wouldn't wait until 6am. I would do shop, have dinner and drive through the problem area late at night. I would then get into resort, park up and sleep in the car (best you can) before going skiing for the day.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Thanks for all the useful insight on this topic. I’m heading out with a group of 12 for UK half term - thankfully Sunday-Sunday having endured half term Saturday transfer mayhem previously.
Does anyone know how many vehicles are estimated to head up the valley on Sunday 16th? Trying to estimated anticipated queuing time based on the 1000 / hour rate…
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@lampygirl, if you can get a B&B in Brides then I would combine the two for an Option C - drive straight through to Brides on Friday night with a stop on the way for your groceries.
Wouldn't worry at all about the groceries being in the boot of a car parked outside overnight, it's highly likely that the car will be less than the 5°C a fridge would be. I've left stuff like spreadable butter in the boot of my car with other groceries closer to sea level and it's still rock solid in the morning. You can then get up the hill early on Sat morning and ski the whole day. The car will be parked another 800-1,000m higher up during the day which will again keep your groceries more than cold enough while you ski.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@lampygirl, just re-read your initial post where you mention you are reasonably happy to pay out some money to alleviate any concerns with traffic, in that case i agree with @Je suis un Skieur, and go for the B&B in Brides on the friday eve after a shop.
can you cancel the B&B in chambery without being charged any money at this stage to counteract the Brides cost?
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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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Google maps is showing that the road is closed until 14 Feb. I dont know where they are getting the information from though.
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| cham08 wrote: |
| Google maps is showing that the road is closed until 14 Feb. I dont know where they are getting the information from though. |
Its also suggesting a detour up via the D92 which I very much doubt is allowed. One of the local mayors or whatever was on twitter already criticising sat navs for diverting people onto the emergency access roads.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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France Bleu not reporting any dates for resumption of normal service. But they are looking at ways of alleviating the flows of traffic in Moutiers at "the Roundabout of Europe" where the 3V traffic enters the fray. One hypothesis is to open one lane of the flyover up by erecting a barrier in the other lane. Stuff up the mountain is still moving - its at teh confluence of 2 geological faults evidently.
(I've moved my departure from Sunday to early Friday on the basis of the evidence).
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Poster: A snowHead
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| AH473 wrote: |
| Does anyone know how many vehicles are estimated to head up the valley on Sunday 16th? Trying to estimated anticipated queuing time based on the 1000 / hour rate… |
"Le Dauphine" had this (Sat 30,000 + Sun 15,000) for the weekend of the 1st .... predicting 5,000 more for the 8th, so my guess would be something similar
| Quote: |
They are expecting 5,000 more vehicles than we had this weekend, because we are only on the first departure.
Finally this weekend we had about 30,000 vehicles this Saturday, February 1st and 15,000 today, or 45,000 over the weekend.
With 5000 more they think they can manage, everyone will have to be patient. |
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Mike S, @Layne, Thanks for your responses , Im hoping you are correct ,
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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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@lampygirl, I agree with those who have suggested it would be mad to head back down to shop on Saturday morning! Hours and hours and hours on the road to save a few bob on the beers! Heading up on Friday would make sense if you have somewhere to sleep (not in the car).
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For some, switching to the train to Moutiers/BSM would be worth serious consideration.
Eurostar still has tickets for the Ski Train from St Pancras (via Lille) next Saturday, returning Sunday the week after. Not cheap though. And if you already have non-refundable flights booked, this would really hurt.
Or change trains at Paris. Or (as suggested earlier) just get to Chambery by road and then get the train.
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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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@lampygirl The other advantage of getting up to Meribel early on Saturday is that you have better chance of finding a parking space.
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Wonder if it’s worth starting a separate thread to record travel details and travel times to assist people in following weeks make their decisions? We’re sticking to our original plans skiing Saturday and then making our way back. Have cancelled our original stop in Beaune and will find something once we get past Moutiers. As booked with flexi plus on Sunday we’ll get there at some point and as only the 2 of us only concern will keeping me occupied during the wait. Will keep an eye on the traffic and adjust our departure times accordingly.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Irrespective of whether they're still operating a contraflow through the tunnel or they've managed to open part of the blocked carriageway, and local news reports suggest that the damaged section won't be fully opened before this coming weekend (8/9 Feb), I would recommend you make as early a start from Chambery as you are able on Saturday morning.
I typically aim to leave Chambery by 6am Saturday having done a bulk shop Friday night, and that's an average Saturday without anticipation of rockfalls blocking the N90, simply to not be in a slow traffic queue up the mountain and to secure the most convenient parking, deal with accomodation agency damage deposits, collect ski hire kit, etc, etc, and get in a few hours skiing.
Granted you'll not be alone in trying to get ahead of the herd but at least you might avoid hour upon hours of the usual stationery holiday traffic which will no doubt be exacerbated by the rockfall.
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It has just been announced by the Prefecture that the RN90 will reopen for this weekend.
A controversial decision due to the risk of further rockfalls.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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This announcement is very surprising as experts were saying that it would be several weeks before the road was re-opened this morning and Martine Berthet, the Senator of Savoie, gave an interview, two hours ago, saying that the road would not open this weekend https://fb.watch/xybFhsZeaj/ . Who to believe?
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Savoie News https://www.facebook.com/reel/9613931871973880 has just announced:
'Following a meeting between the prefecture and different actors from the territorial area, Vincent Rolland announced that the RN 90 could reopen this Saturday. However, this information remains to be taken with caution, as it has not yet been made official by the prefecture.
To allow this to reopen ahead of a weekend marked by intense traffic – with 33,000 vehicles expected to roll up – an exceptional facility has been put in place. Several operations are underway:
- Finishing the purges,
- Repair of protective nets,
- Reinforcement of safety slides,
- Installing concrete blocks on RD 90.
The road will have to be completely closed Friday night into Saturday to carry out these operations. The teams, mobilized day and night, are doubling their efforts to achieve this ambitious goal.'
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You know it makes sense.
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| Quote: |
The road will have to be completely closed Friday night into Saturday
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Hmm. That's a high risk strategy but the French can be very good at this sort of operation once they get behind it.
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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I’m booked on a coach transfer from Geneva to val Thorens on Saturday but given all of this seriously debating re looking at the train. I can’t see that there’s a straight through train from Geneva to Moutiers but am I missing something? 3 changes seems rather a lot!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Origen wrote: |
| Quote: |
The road will have to be completely closed Friday night into Saturday
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Hmm. That's a high risk strategy but the French can be very good at this sort of operation once they get behind it. |
i think here comes "when money talks, cowdoo walks"...Of course, on one hand, they don’t want to risk having a road half-closed at this time of year, but on the other hand, are they sure they’ve taken all the necessary precautions?"
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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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| Cupofteaplease wrote: |
| I’m booked on a coach transfer from Geneva to val Thorens on Saturday but given all of this seriously debating re looking at the train. I can’t see that there’s a straight through train from Geneva to Moutiers but am I missing something? 3 changes seems rather a lot! |
We've done the train trip a few times and you will need at least 2 changes - 1 at Geneva Central (only about 7 minutes train ride from the airport and where you also clear French customs) and a 2nd change at Chambery or Aix Les Bains. We found it to be a very scenic trip and not too much hassle.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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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Since I have buy in for a nice early departure from GVA on Saturday, I will keep this news quiet from a few of the less enthusiastic morning people in our party...
Now to consider the 7 year old who has just come down with a fever before flight on Friday....
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| afterski wrote: |
Since I have buy in for a nice early departure from GVA on Saturday, I will keep this news quiet from a few of the less enthusiastic morning people in our party...
Now to consider the 7 year old who has just come down with a fever before flight on Friday.... |
Aw bless. Yep, changed my afternoon flight to an early one.
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There is a coordination meeting this afternoon. That will be interesting. If indeed the road has to close totally during the night (I’ve only seen that referenced on Savoie News) it’s going to be a living nightmare for transport managers to get folks to early check in times (around 7AM). That means the roads will have to reopen at 5ish providing buses have prepositioned the day before up the valley.
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We’re in Tignes and have booked a cheapy hotel between Chambery and Lyon intending to leave late Friday after dinner rather than Saturday am. Depending when they close it that could make life interesting.
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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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According to France Bleu....
PRESS CONFERENCE WEDNESDAY AT 6:30 P.M.
Will the RN90 reopen during the night from Friday to Saturday? This is the most optimistic hypothesis. But it could also happen on Sunday morning, the least favorable scenario. According to our information, the prefecture must specify the schedule this Wednesday at the end of the day during a press conference announced for 6:30 p.m.
Everything will depend on the fixing of the last safety nets and the installation, on several levels, of the various concrete block walls. A priori the area is stabilised, but the geologists still have to give a final opinion. In any case, it will take a 2-hour window to restore the 2x2 lanes in both directions of traffic.
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Friends came home from Tignes via Geneva airport today. No issues/delays.
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FAQ
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️The Aigueblanche-Muûtiers axe reopens on both lanes in the night from Friday to Saturday (prefectoral source).