 Poster: A snowHead
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Have just returned from a week's holiday over Xmas at Serre Chevalier, travelling by car.
We got our route via the AA from internet as usual (by Autoroute - Calais, Reims, Troyes, Dijon, Lyon, Grenoble). However going round Dijon on the way down we saw Grenoble signposted A39 via Bourg-en-Bresse, so we changed our route, got the map out and followed the signs to Grenoble from then on. Before Bourg we joined the A42 until the junction for the A432 which we took which took up past Lyon's 2nd airport St. Exupery to rejoin the A43 autoroute leading to Chambery and Grenoble.
The advantages of this modified route are
1, A39/A42 is a quieter route, and only slightly further.
2, You miss the main Lyon peage often with long queues,
3, You avoid the congested ring road round Lyon with its frightening junctions.
My second tip concerns our return journey.
I am permanently tuned into 107.7 FM for a mixture of music and traffic reports. I managed to hear that there were queues for the Taissy peage outside Reims ( I have queued for 1 hour at times here before).
To avoid this we turned right away from Reims at the junction of the A26 and A4 heading towards direction Metz but for only 1 km to leave the autoroute at junction 27. From here we travelled direction Chalon-en-C. for a few hundred metres to turn right towards Reims on the N44 and N944, to cross the autoroute on which we had just travelled. This N road runs parallel to the autoroute. In 26 kms approx. turn left and rejoin the A26 autoroute at St.Leonard. Just keep a look our for the blue autoroute signs here at a round about and you should be fine.
The obvious advantage here is that one avoids the Taissy peage direction Paris where there are large queues particularly on French holiday weekends.
Hope this helps a little for all would-be car travellers to the French Alps! 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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DAVID SNELL, ....... thanks ! I know about the A39 / Bourg-en-Bresse cut, but the Reims 'by-pass' is interesting. I am driving out on Wednesday although I expect Wednesday night / Thursday morning will be fairly quiet on French roads.
..... that's assuming I will get to Calais Wednesday evening. Just received an e-mail from Irish Ferries advising that my SWIFT crossing from Dublin on Wednesday morning will be cancelled. Now have to transfer to a ferry which leaves my 18:00 Dover - Calais crossing looking decidely dodgy .......
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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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| DAVID SNELL wrote: |
| A432 which we took which took up past Lyon's 2nd airport St. Exupery |
This is Lyon's main and only passenger airport.
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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We've driven down a couple of times now and my time saving tip is - take a couple of days and drive early  Left Calais at 6am and was past Reims by 8.30am and into Hotel just north of Lyon at 3pm. Left there at 6am and was past Lyon by 7am and in resort by 10am.
Of course not always possible, but works for us
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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DAVID SNELL, that Bourg en Bresse road is only recently opened. I've used it twice now and it's deffo better than the other route. slightly further, but quiet and anything to avoid that aweful Lyon Rocade Est! I have always used the motorway route you describe BTW, although I've tried others it is the quickest and best.
davidof, they've confused the whole world by changing the name of the airport but not the buses or all of the signs. How many of us still think of Satolas? Really stupid thing to do - I don't care how famous St Exupery was!!!
In case anyone doesn't know the airports of Satolas and St Exupery are the same place!! 
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| easiski wrote: |
davidof, they've confused the whole world by changing the name of the airport but not the buses or all of the signs. How many of us still think of Satolas? Really stupid thing to do - I don't care how famous St Exupery was!!! |
St. Exupéry, sheesh, have you read any of his books... boring or what? The Little Prince with his constant whining and bleating about "draw me a sheep" is, what the French would call a "tête à claque". Yes yes I know it is all allegorical and everything but... and Vol de Nuit... as if anyone cares about the logistiques of postal deliveries in French Bongo-Bongo land.
But the whole Satolas thing is very confusing.
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| davidof wrote: |
| DAVID SNELL wrote: |
| A432 which we took which took up past Lyon's 2nd airport St. Exupery |
This is Lyon's main and only passenger airport. |
Dont forget the Cowshed that is St-Etienne!
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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 always go via Germany, and then full throttle to the South. 
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My only tip! telepeage
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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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davidof,
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only a crack smokin' tinker would conceiveably try to con the public that St Etienne is a "Lyon" airport.
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...It's been done ....!
........ Mr 'Ryan-hot-air' would surely be agreable to your definitive descriptive .....
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Don't Ryanair call Grenoble "Lyon"?
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You know it makes sense.
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davidof,
Well - excuse my ignorance I didn't realise St. Exupery was Satolas. Yes that Rocade-Est loop is suicidal - there is a part where there is a very obligue cross lane change which is absolutely terrifying!!
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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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| DAVID SNELL wrote: |
davidof,
Well - excuse my ignorance I didn't realise St. Exupery was Satolas. Yes that Rocade-Est loop is suicidal - there is a part where there is a very obligue cross lane change which is absolutely terrifying!! |
That corner sure wakes you up at stupid 'o' clock in the morning.
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