 Poster: A snowHead
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Evening SnowHeads!
I’m leaving London for a family ski trip Thursday night and at the last minute have had to hire a car due to family car no longer being fit to drive.
Enterprise have confirmed the car hire. But now I’m fretting about snow chains and winter tyres.
Their policy says they will not provide any additional equipment like triangles etc.
What would you purchase and where from?!
I don’t know what car I’m getting yet so cannot pre purchase snow chains….!
Any advice would be much appreciated
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I read on an other thread recommendations to purchase snow chains in Albertville…… where??!
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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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Do I need anything else for driving in france / French alps?
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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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@SirCharles, one of the big supermarkets in Albertville will have them
Anything which is legally required will be in your car, there’s an awful lot of stuff that shops at tunnel/ports will try and convince/sell to you which are required, but aren’t.
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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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@SirCharles, in France, you'll need a hi-vis jacket/vest for each passenger. I doubt Enterprise will provide those. You also need to have them in the car, not in yhe boot so they can be put on before getting out should you break down.
You can buy chains at service stations or supermarkets (cheaper) but they'll be more available closer to yhe mountains.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I’ve no idea what happened to the requirements for warning triangle, spare bulbs, green card etc. I’m sure the aa or rac web sites will tell you exactly what is a legal requirement.
Until the last day of march you must carry snow chain or possibly snow socks in the alpine departments. This crops up before you get to Chambery so purchasing in albertville is not a possibility legally. I believe there is a company in Kent that rents out snow chains.
Unless you get stuck somewhere in the snow I doubt anyone would check that you have them. Come next Wednesday the legal requirement disappeares anyway.
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Quick google and from Enterprise site
Our vehicles have all the mandatory equipment required by law in France. You will find a reflective top, a warning triangle, a breathalyser and a first aid kit inside the vehicle.
The top and triangle are the only legally required items, the rest are recommended
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| Boris wrote: |
@SirCharles, one of the big supermarkets in Albertville will have them
Anything which is legally required will be in your car, there’s an awful lot of stuff that shops at tunnel/ports will try and convince/sell to you which are required, but aren’t. |
Anything legally reuired in the UK should be in the car.
But even though you will of course have to tell them you are taking it abroad,. it still probably won't have the things legally required in France.
You must have reflective vests for all occupants, a warning triangle, driving licence, insurance certificate, V5 (registration document). I don't think UK car hire companies give you an insurance certificate or the V5 by default, you will have to ask for those. If the car doesn't have adjustable headlights, you will need stick on beam converters.
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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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@alex_heney, that's a good point, I had made an assumption rental was in France.
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| Quote: |
one of the big supermarkets in Albertville will have them
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There is also a big "Feu Vert", the French equivalent of Halfords. By the time you are in Albertville the weather forecast for the week should be pretty reliable.
If you haven't got reflective vests in your UK car, they're a very good idea, and cheap, so no harm investing in a set.
It must be very stressful having to sort out a hired car at the last moment - hope it goes well! 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@alex_heney, You wont get a V5 but some other document. Its the same as having a company car or similar the V5 remains with the owner of the vehicle. You will get paperwork that is equivalent to the old green card confirming insurance cover for the drivers and geographical coverage (usually all of EU). I thought the French had dropped the breathalyser thing?
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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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You'll need to have the yellow vests in the car with you...not in the boot. They need to be accessible for all passenger to put them on before exiting the car.
I was out an about around Paris a few weeks ago and the Police were at toll booths pulling cars over for spot checks.
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I thought the French had dropped the breathalyser thing?
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I think you're right and that it was never made law. Spare specs for drivers is rather more important!
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You know it makes sense.
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Having played the same game in the past depending on the size of wheel either the big hypermarkets or Feu Vert or Norauto.
If it's a normal car you stand a good chance in the hypermarket but bigger wheels (we had a Ford Galaxy) probably need a "Halfords". We got ours from the Norauto north of Dijon from memory.
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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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| munich_irish wrote: |
| @alex_heney, You wont get a V5 but some other document. Its the same as having a company car or similar the V5 remains with the owner of the vehicle. You will get paperwork that is equivalent to the old green card confirming insurance cover for the drivers and geographical coverage (usually all of EU). I thought the French had dropped the breathalyser thing? |
Yes they have, which is why I didn't list it. Still "recommended", but optional.
To be pedantic, the V5 shows the registered keeper, not the owner. But in France they require you to have the registration document in the car. That is the V5 normally, but having lokoed again, apparently there is something called the VE103 for rental vehicles. I imagine you will have to ask Enterprise for that, they are unlikely to provide it by default.
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Poster: A snowHead
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this is all about your attitude to risk - a cautious person would buy chains just in case they get stopped. A more 'relaxed' person would say 'if it looks like snow then I will buy some but if it looks to be basically clear then wont bother.'.
Have no experience of rozzers stopping people when there is no snow on the ground and nice temperatures - they are out checking at the bottom of bigger climbs up when the snow is on the ground and they want to keep the traffic flowing and dont want the brits trying to get up without the right kit.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
dont want the brits trying
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Dutch, Parisians, Belgians
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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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Is it a question of attitude to risk (aka chancing it)?
My attitude would be to follow the law.
If I have an accident in my car in an area where winter tyres are mandatory but I do not have them on the vehicle then my insurance company will very quickly say "You are on your own". Now imagine this in a foreign country with clearly laid out laws that they expect people to follow in a car that does not belong to you.
Accident, insurance not valid as you have not followed the law, all costs passed onto you by the hire company, vehicle seized, more costs, hopefully no-one else is injured, foreign judicial process etc. My attitude is to avoid anything like that at all costs...
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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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| Quote: |
Have no experience of rozzers stopping people when there is no snow on the ground and nice temperatures
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I was stopped at a road block in Megeve - they were checking everybody. Not for chains, but for driving licence, V5 and insurance documentation (and as it was the festive season I suspect they were breathalysing some if suspicious). Our documents were in the apartment with our passports. I explained that, and that in the UK we don't have to have them in the car but in future I would of course ensure I did. They were polite enough but firm - and perhaps my willingness to have the conversation in French, of a kind, helped.
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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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have no experience of a 'chain check' in good weather.... yes they do random checks on other suff. Anecdotally if you don't have chains in bad weather they stop you from going up the hill, not fine you. I have a pair of cheap snow socks and a 4 x 4... put the snow socks in the car when weather not great
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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’ve had the yellow vest law in Portugal for some years, as a driver passing various accidents I think it’s great. And so cheap, a fiver per person.
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