 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi Guys / Girls,
Has anyone drove the 'stint' from Calais to Les Menuires (Trois Vallées Area)?
Doing the journey @ the end of December and need a bit of advice on best route from Calais and any decent stop areas on the way, and also how long did it take.
Cheers
Ted.
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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 haven't driven that route, but I've done Calais - Tignes, which isn't a million miles away, and to other destinations in the general area in the summer. I prefer the Reims - Troyes - Dijon route rather than the route via Paris which many route planners recommend. We tend to go across the channel in the evening, stay a couple of hours from the coast and then do the bulk of the driving the following day, in which case it's an easy if dull day's drive to arrive late afternoon/early evening in your resort.
BTW when I say 'via', I mean past, not through (obviously).
For stopping, most (but not all) French m'way services are pretty good for grub. Are you looking for an overnighter? If so, after how much driving?
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Fri 15-12-06 14:50; edited 1 time in total
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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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8 hours Calais to Courchevel, les M should be comparable. Take the motorway via Reims, Dijon (and around) Lyon, then to Albertville. We don't stop on the way down (take early tunnel) but do stop in Burgundy on the way back and take the opportunity of a spot of sampling!
ARe you going for the races?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Hi yes, son is racing first time in the BARSC.
We're also doing the Eurotunnel early hours Sat morning.
Thanks for the direction tips!
Are you taking snow chains?
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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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anthony81077, welcome to snowHeads 
I've done it once, but went via Switzerland.....so I'll not give you any suggestions!!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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anthony81077, I use the Calais - Rheims - Troyes route. I would say that to do it in 8 hours you'd have to strike very lucky, especially once past Albertville. If you don't have chains and it's snowing when you hit the run up from Moutiers you won't exactly be the Gendarmes' favourite person. Chains are obligatory.
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yes you must take chains.
son (11) also racing - see you there. I am just off now!
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anthony81077, welcome to snowHeads!
You might want to look at BMF_skier's report on his trip to Courchevel here, he drove Manchester-Courchevel but the trip to Les Menuires will be very similar.
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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 go Reims - Troyes - Dijon too, but last time then took the autoroute to Bourg-en-Bresse, past Lyon airport then Chambery & Albertville.
I always travel over in the evening then stop north of Reims. Petrol stops are at supermarkets in Reims and Albertville.
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Chains are a must, the first bit of road up from Moutiers is quite windy and narrow, but it opens out higher up. Keep an eye out for buses coming down above you in the hairpins - sudden manouvers not unknown.
As for stops - we have enjoyed meals in Chablis, Tournus, Beaune all of which are close to the Autoroute and nicer than the Autotoute stops themselves. There are Aires with loos every 10-15km or so. anthony81077, are you going through the nightor in daylight?
Fuel generally cheaper on the Calais side of the tunnel
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Calais-Reims-Dijon and you can do that in 4 hours easily enough, if the weather is good you might want to head to Geneva but take the Annecy turn-off (N201) and cut through to Albertville- Mountier and then upto Les M. I would look at this personally as I hate the road down to Lyon, its endless and then to tack on Albertville moutier etc etc, that finishes me off.
I also think the roads from Albertiville onwards are where you shead time, so any sense of getting somewhere is soon lost, IMV.
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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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Another vote for the Calais-Reims-Dijon-Lyon route
Used to take 8 hours at Easter weekend without problems, with family now take a couple of days. Would recommend a stop over and early start Sat to get to resorts mid-morning/lunchtime so you can get settled before all the bus transfers from airports arrive
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you might want to head to Geneva but take the Annecy turn-off (N201) and cut through to Albertville- Mountier and then upto Les M. I would look at this personally as I hate the road down to Lyon, its endless
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I would support that, it seems to make the journey go quicker. Also yes, from Calais head to Dijon - I can't imagine why even the maddest route planner would travel Calais to Lyon via Paris??? The Calais motorway has a lot less traffic than the A6 between Paris and Dijon.
Personally, with a sensible amount of stops and some allowance for traffic, 12 hours from Calais to Les Menuires would be nearer the mark than 8.
Take chains. If there's one thing likely to make you encounter a blizzard, it's being without chains. Though on second thoughts..... 
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You know it makes sense.
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Anthony
IMHO: from Calais via - Reims - Troyes - Dijon - Lyon - Chambery - Albertville - Moutiers - Resort........
I've seen some route planners attempt to send you towards Paris. Dont do it! Autoroute and tolls most of the way, If at peak times be prepared to have a lot of patience, they can be busy. To pay, take plenty of cash, or use a TelePeage tag.
Travelling early on a Saturday you should have good start to the journey, it's later when the roads can get congested. Dont under estimate the last 50 or 60 miles. Traffic, weather etc can have a major effect even though you are real close to the journeys end. Absolute minumum of 8 hours, can easily be 11 or 12. There are plenty of rest areas only the route, but as with any Mway, they can be comparitively expensive. Depending on your car, you'll need at least 1 or 2 stops for fuel. I refill at supermarket in Calais, and final full-up near Chambery or Albertville. This gives me good 3/4 tank ready for the return journey.
Another vote for chains, only used mine once for about 30 mins, going up the hill from Moutiers, but I really needed them!
I agree with Boris's comments re the stopovers and early start, but then I have to travel from Manchester to Sth coast. That always seems to be a long journey, anywhere from 6 to 10 hrs in the past! Done the same route twice, same again in Jan 2007. 4 weeks, 1 day and 5 hrs from now! (not that i'm counting!) 
Good luck!
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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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To pay, take plenty of cash, or use a TelePeage tag
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I find it far easier and quicker to handover a credit card than to use cash. Or you can stick a credit card in a machine. Gives you more choice of "windows" if the one with the little man in looks busy. Here you have the two preferences - longer journey, all autoroute (via Lyon) or shorter one with more off-motorway, via Annecy. 6 of one and half a dozen of the other, really. Main problem is that will be a busy Saturday so BMF_Skier is dead right about the time needed for the last 60 miles or so. We are crossing 8pm that Saturday, aim to drive all night and get to resort on Sunday morning. If it's bad weather, fog on the motorway, we will have to stop overnight. But that is probably not an option if you're racing. Good luck.
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There are plenty of rest areas only the route, but as with any Mway, they can be comparitively expensive
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for fuel, they are a bit, but for food and drinks very reasonable, far cheaper than ours. Usually have quite good "help yourself" salad bars, cheap as chips (and better for you) and delicious "pain aux raisins".
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Poster: A snowHead
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pam w wrote
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| I find it far easier and quicker to handover a credit card than to use cash. |
Even quicker with a Telepeage tag, drive up, barrier lifts and though you go. Also means you dont have to disturb your passenger at the toll gate. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Another vote for Reims-Dijon. Avoid going anywhere near Paris, especially if travelling on a Saturday during school hols. And the A6 Paris-Dijon stretch seems to go on forever
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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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Wow, fantastic response - thanks everyone!!
Looks like Reims-Dijon-Chambery is the way to go!!
Looks like I need to invest in some Snowchains. 
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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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driven Calais to Les Menuires a million times - 8 hours is my average. 12 hours door to door from Hertfordshire and exactly 701 miles. If you do go via Lyon, make sure you take directions for Rocade Est to go round it. (that's from memory, I hope it's right!!).
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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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600 miles from Calais in 8hrs. nightshift, you drive too fast.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Looks like I need to invest in some Snowchains.
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yes, in theory, but the forecasts are pretty dry and they are expensive here. If I were you I think I would wait until getting down there and if the weather looks dodgy (hurrah!) stop in Albertville or somewhere in buy some in a French supermarket. Unless you have unusual tyre sizes. Yes, of course you should really have them before you start, but even if you eventually had to get them in resort they probably wouldn't be any more expensive than in UK. An alternative would be to try to buy them here on a "sale or return" basis. Our local ski shop does that - if unused, they refund 75% or something. I did that for a hired van full of furniture once. They cost £80 and we only needed them for a few hundred metres... and were too big for our car. I gave them away to a Snowhead!
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Frosty the Snowman ViaMichelin gives time as 8h45m.
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pam w, with respect, I don't think that's very good advice, based on my experience:-
Scenario 1:- Go to Val Thorens April 2 years ago. Pick up hired VW Touran at Geneva. Query no chains? with hire company, told it's OK, you have snow tyres sir.
Drive to VAl T and have 6 dry days. Wake up on leaving Saturday to heavy snow falling. Told at Car Park that the Police are not letting anyone without chains go down the mountain. Queue for 2 hrs at only garage in town that sells chains. Get to front of queue - sorry, we don't have that size.
Decide what the heck and give it a go anyway. Snow tyres prove superb and police don't seem to mind a "non slipping" vehicle. Actually make the flight after a very slow descent.
Scenario 2:- Driving to Tignes 3 years ago. Mountain road up from Bourg no problems until several miles up when everything stops. Wait 3 hours in queue of stopped vehicles (approaching midnight). Feedback filters down that there is a snowstorm around VAl D and Tignes and some plonker without chains slid and blocked the road. When we eventually reach the "Chainage" where police are directing everyone to stop and put their chains on, we are waived through because I have the (much derided) 4x4. Fortunately Pete Horn was in Tignes and I had been able to phone him and he kindly explained to the hotel where we were.
Scenario 3:- Hired a VW Sharan some years ago. Tried to buy chains for it and were told "that's an unusual size - be 10-14 days delivery on those sir".
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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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Yoda, yes, if there is any chance of snow, obviously you should get chains, and getting them on a "sale or return" basis is a good compromise. But I still think that waiting till you are in France and getting them on the way down from Calais, at far less money, is not too daft. And I did note that the importance of having normal size tyres!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Frosty the Snowman,
Chamonix to Calais in 6 hrs 15mins with stops...we went through a lot of fuel...!!!
And that taught us that a brisk 85-ish mph with quick drink/fuel stops and 3 drivers is the way to go...cheaper and what you loose in road time you get close to making up in less stops
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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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Frosty the Snowman, perhaps but that's in a variety of vehicles, including a transit van (long wheel base, not loaded - clearly slower when loaded).
Rather than driving too fast I'd say I probably don't take as many rest stops as some may - obviously when I'm doing it on my own, I take more rest stops but when there's two or more of you sharing the driving, sitting around at a service station seems like a waste of time. Clearly for people with kids in the car, those rest stops are vital to stop the kids going mental!!
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You know it makes sense.
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It's an easy journey, that we are making far to complicated. (including my posting, but then i do dive in!). Should be just common sense, really.
Winter journey, could be:- fog, ice , snow, uphill (maybe) hmm... can the car do it?
Approx 600 miles. 8hrs +( a lot can hapen in 8 +hrs). But so what, if 10 or 12 hrs? On a weeks holiday, what's the rush?
Best journey, is whatever you need to achieve....the snow's comming, chill out, take it easy, get there happy but alive.
BTW, solution for the kids issue:- leave them at home, place them with a relative! where had all the 'poor houses' gone, child slavery etc. Oh dear I'm off on another one again... 
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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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portable DVD player for the kids - £50 from ebay..
600 mies in 8 hours I would not consider about right for a powerful saloon car capable of cruising at 100mph.
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Poster: A snowHead
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anthony81077, give snowchains.co.uk a look. Just bought new ones from there and were very helpful.
Personally always use cards for tolls - can see the benefits of Telepeage, but we are overheight
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hi Guys & Girls,
Trois Vallées Area first week in the new year was fantastic, good snow coverage from mid week onwards.
Unfortunate for the Guys & Girls racing @ the beginning of the week though not much snow coverage.
From Calais did Troyes/Dijon/Lyon/Chambery cost around 70 Euros on tolls and the stint from Lyon to Chambery was long... or it seemed that way.
Way back did Albertville/Annecy/Bourg-en-Breese and cut though to then re-join E15 back up to Calais, saved about 20 Euros on tolls and it did seem quicker.
Also tip for anyone driving out to a ski resort bring a set of junp leads with you, my car had around 6-inches of snow on after a week of being sat outside and for some reason the weight of the snow set the alarm off which resulted in a flat battery!!(Easy to get someone to jump start your car hard to find set of leads though)
Also accomadation wise Odalys Residence in the La Croisette area of Les Menuires clean cheap and faces the main meeting point of the six man lift @ the bottom of the slopes.
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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 telepeage something you buy at the start or what? I've always wondered how it works 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Ruth Cadbury, welcome to snowHeads . You can find more about Telepeage here. Tolls can be charged to your credit card automatically and you avoid most of the queues at the toll booths.
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FAQ
