 Poster: A snowHead
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The AA suggests 9.5hrs to cover 560 miles, which is an average of under 60mph. I think I can beat that, but am I being realistic?
Has anyone done it recently? Or even if you haven't what would you guess at?
The weapon of choice is a BMW 323i Touring which is more than happy to cruise at 90mph if it thinks it can get away with it. The driver has a similar attitude. The likely departure time from Boulogne would be about 2am on a Thursday morning at the end of March. I'm trying to be optimistic at this point so assume clear Cols and minimal rest stops.
Go on, think of a number...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Driving by myself and thus stopping for longer periods of time = 10 hours every time! No cols - motorway all the way, if you can keep driving you can do it in 8. Been done (to my knowledge) in 6.5 (Porche). I'm working on the same time from the barrage to here or LG. Good road - only worry in landslides!
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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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Merci mademoiselle, shame I don't have a Porsche but I think I might take a crack at a sub 8h time anyway...
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Easiski, do you take the route the AA suggests, by the way?
Which is roughly: N1 - A16 - N1 to Paris, a bit of Boulevard Périphérique, then A6 (beaucoup d'A6) - A46 - N346 - A43 - A48 - A480 - N85 - N91?
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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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| elvis wrote: |
Easiski, do you take the route the AA suggests, by the way?
Which is roughly: N1 - A16 - N1 to Paris, a bit of Boulevard Périphérique, then A6 (beaucoup d'A6) - A46 - N346 - A43 - A48 - A480 - N85 - N91? |
You would be mad to go via the Périph, sure fire way of getting lost or stuck in some kind of problem.
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viamichelin suggests 8 3/4 hrs. I'm not saying too much but have a look at the Drive or Fly thread in the Trips forum. I reckon you can do it in a touch over 7 depending on weather. The problem is the tolls at Lyon, they are usually very busy if you go through that way, and as mentioned on the other thread, watch out for plod and the cameras, there's a few about just now and a sign generally means there is a camera nearby.
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elvis, don't forget that "average under 60mph" means sometimes you'll be doing 70 or higher, other times you'll be stopped at toll booths, traffic lights, etc...
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elvis,
As always the doddle is down to Dijon which I think is an easy 4 hours from Calais. If you can make Lyon in 6 then allow 90 mins up the hill in good weather.
But we always do these trips with more than one driver so the hard work is done by the car. I wouldn't get too concerned about beating a target..more important to get there in one piece.
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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 would say A16 (south) -> (Abbeville) A17 -> A26 (Reims, Troyes, Dijon) -> A31 -> A39 (St Exupery) -> A43 -> Grenoble -> la Grave
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| davidof wrote: |
| I would say A16 (south) -> (Abbeville) A17 -> A26 (Reims, Troyes, Dijon) -> A31 -> A39 (St Exupery) -> A43 -> Grenoble -> la Grave |
Thanks very much, that looks a bit like the route I used to take down from Luxembourg, I definitely remember an Aire near Dijon with an amazing number of mustards on sale!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| speed8 wrote: |
| viamichelin suggests 8 3/4 hrs. I'm not saying too much but have a look at the Drive or Fly thread in the Trips forum. I reckon you can do it in a touch over 7 depending on weather. The problem is the tolls at Lyon, they are usually very busy if you go through that way, and as mentioned on the other thread, watch out for plod and the cameras, there's a few about just now and a sign generally means there is a camera nearby. |
Doh. Will do.
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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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Be a bit careful the next few weeks about any... ahem... speeding. A notice has gone out to the Gendarmerie to be very vigilant about traffic offences.
I think it is better to go south from Boulogne rather than up to Calais, the A16/17 motorway is very quiet (it is a good way into Paris as it has not really been discovered yet). The A6 is a dreadful road, especially in winter. You are better on the Dijon road - much newer and straighter but don't join the A6 but head down to around Bourg en Bresse then the St Exupery Airport (Lyon Airport) link road saves you any hassle about going near Lyon although the toll fee is a bit steep.
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elvis, good heavens, do not do the peripherique. watch for speed cameras near Reims and Dijon. (Check out viamichelin for the location, just enter your route). If going to Chamonix, I would go via Bourg en Bresse rathe than Macon, and avoid the main Lyon tolls, it takes you past the airport instead, out to the east side.
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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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Yoda, deffo not just 4 hours to Dijon, even with hubbys foot on accelerator. nearer 5 in my experience, perhaps a bit less.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| davidof wrote: |
Be a bit careful the next few weeks about any... ahem... speeding. A notice has gone out to the Gendarmerie to be very vigilant about traffic offences.
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Good point! Just saw a report about that on France3.
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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 always do Reims in exactly 2 hours from the Chunnel, but Dijon in 4 hours, no way.
That's with the cruise set for 160. Where it's possible.
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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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As in the other thread folks seem intent on getting the hammer down. Why not back off, save juice, stay legal and take an extra 90 minutes on your journey. I thought driving was about convenience an not speed 
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150 is 13mph over limit, car's speedo is probably over-reading by 10%. So at 150 you're probably only 5-6 MPH over speed limit. Does'nt make a lot of difference over a short journey but can make a big difference to the journey time over such a long distance. Used to do most of the quick runs leaving Calais at midnight, when the roads are empty. Get's you in at the resort in time for breakfast, misses the traffic & then go skiing. Now go by day ( getting too old for all night & all next day) so speed has to come down accordingly, as the roads are a lot busier & more plod about.
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Wed 7-02-07 9:02; edited 1 time in total
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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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Sallanche to Dunkirk 7 1/4 hours excluding stops, from joing autoroute to leaving. Alfa Romeo Spider
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Wed 7-02-07 9:16; edited 2 times in total
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
Used to do most of the quick runs leaving Calais at midnight
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remember that diurnal body rhythms are at their lowest, and night time road accidents due to driver fatique highest, around 4am. Also that radar detectors, whether in use or not, are illegal and can lead to big fines and confiscation of vehicle.
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Spyderman, 150 is also 25mph over the limit if the conditions are not good - and not all cars are 10% inaccurate in their speedo - check your tyre pressure.
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Wear The Fox Hat,
I would'nt do 150 in the rain. Keep it down to 110, fat tyres and rain don't mix. Don't need to check pressures thanks, I've got pressure monitoring system on all 4 wheels, which tells me the pressure in each tyre. My speedo is up to 10% out dependent on speed and tyre wear. have checked it with handheld GPS.
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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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Spyderman, the speedo will be out more due to tyre pressure than wear. If the pressure is lower, the effective radius of the tyre will be lower (and it will be reduced by more than just a mm or two that is tread wear), so the speedo will be reading over.
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Thanks for all the tips folks, especially the viamichelin site Helen B, very handy and one I hadn't used before.
OK, so the new plan no longer includes caning it down overnight and then boarding La Grave, but rather to cruise down overnight and have a chilled afternoon either asleep, in a bar, riding a bit of Serre Che, or possibly all three at once, before going for it the next three days. Rocking up full of adrenalin at 10am and trying to meet friends, guide, get kitted up and head up top for a day's riding is possibly not the best strategy, La Grave really isn't the place to flake out mid-afternoon.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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You don't have go to mad to get to Dijon in 4 hrs. Its a brisk pace with fuel and a quick drink stop and probably wouldn't be done by the one driver but we have done it numerous times. The days of blasting down at over 100mph are long gone and you waste more fuel anyway.
If you say its 580kms, well I haven't looked it up but I'll believe you, but if you say its nearer 5 hrs, you aren't trying at all and must be losing time somehwere. It doesn't matter to me what time you want to do it in but as we have done it so often, we know we are running behind- for whatever reason - if we can't hit Dijon in 4 hrs from the port
From around Rheims, we used to have bets about what time we would make Chamonix and I once got within 5 mins of my guestimate.
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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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JT, I do admit though, that we never actually do that stretch in one go, as our drive from 'oop north' usually forces a halt around Reims/Chalons. Just 'guestimating' using the route plan, sat nav, although we ususally drastically cut the time that it says at start of journey. At 130 kph, I make it 4.75 hours for 580 km, just checking the distance
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Helen Beaumont,
It would be a concerted effort and Rheims comes up very quickly in just under 2 hrs..thats passing the city centre that the motorway runs right through. Dijon is longer and I know we have broken the back and made 2/3 of the journey - almost- to Chamonix when we pass there.
The bit I hate is going on to Macon or Lyon for the resorts further south. Where you lose all the time is down there. Abertville to LP, for example, is a hideous drive and I am not that keen on south of Lyon either....a case of so near yet so far...
I couldn't imagine driving from Durham unless I used the North Sea ferries so take my hat of to you for doing DOCA so often
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You know it makes sense.
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JT, I admit the UK drive is the worst bit, but if we take the dog, (until recently she wasn't allowed on the DFDS crossing to Holland) and I'm not sure how she would react to been left alone overnight in a strange place. The journey back is the bad bit, outwards not too bad as we leave about 6am, avoiding most of the traffic.
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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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JT, I love the drive once past Lyon. Mountains are in sight, scenery is great.
For what its worth - Calais to Reims - 2 hours - always! Don't really time the rest, generally aim to spend Friday night near Macon. Early start sees us past Lyon by 7 and in resort by 10
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Poster: A snowHead
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Boris,
Yes, I supopose 'hate' is a bit strong but you think you are there and the time goes so slowly. But on a nice clear day, the mountains set a good tone ............ and I'll be there in a couple of weeks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We took the route past Bourg en Bresse this time,rerouting from around Dijon area, then round the east side of Lyon. For us heading for Grenoble, it cuts off the nasty Rocade Est and the busy toll booths. HUbby gulped when he saw the extra journey time the satnav indicated, but it turned out not to be the case. I don't think it took us any longer, as the roads were quieter.
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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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elvis, Wow a Beamer 323i Touring - I'm sure you'll have some fun with that on the way down... nice wheels 
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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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Wear The Fox Hat,
Tyre pressures increase, at high speeds on motorways, due to heat build up in the tyre which causes the air to expand. Which is why you should always check pressures cold. The on board pressure system relays an increase of up to 5 degrees increase at prolonged high speed.
I think speedo inaccuracy is more to do with the general vagueness in the system, rather than tyres. It is safer for the manufacturers to build in over reading rather than under. Stops a lot of folks getting nicked.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Spyderman, ours is inaccurate , or is compared the the electronic speed chack devices they've installed locally, we can do 34 on our speedo before registering 30mph.
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But speedo accuracy is irrelevant - it's time/distance. 4 hrs to Dijon is averaging 90 mph whatever your speedo says 
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Yoda,
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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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No comment. 
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