 Poster: A snowHead
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This has probably been posted before, but can anyone suggest things to be aware of when driving to the Alpes (or point me to an exisiting thread). Will be travelling from Calais on Wed and driving overnight hopefully arriving Valmeinier mid-morning. Any advise gratefully received. Cheers, Neil.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Two things immediately spring to mind.
1. Fuel. You will find it cheaper in France, but some of the motorway places are self-serve worked by credit cards that are not compatible with ours. Maybe they are now that chip and PIN are universal, but it caused me trouble last time I went.
2. Speed limits. You can get around on the peage very well at 130 but it drops to 110 in rain. Lots of cameras, radar and on-the spot fines these days.
Other than that I think you will enjoy driving on comparatively traffic-free roads, oh, and by the way, French for traffic jam is bouchon. (sadly, not confiture de traffique).
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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 French fuel cheaper? Last year, I found petrol to be almost identical in cost to the UK. Austria was dirt cheap.
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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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Elizabeth B, You might well be right. I'm a diesel person...
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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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Chris Bish, diesel is certainly much cheaper.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Elizabeth B, Unleaded 95 was €1.19 this morning ... Diesel €1.00 ... seems a bitter cheaper than UK , no?
The only other points I would add are :-
a) Motorway exits are invariably short run-offs - take your time
b) Consciously adjust to your road position on LH but with RHD car as early as you can
c) Treat all drivers as idiots. The French are as bad as folks say ( They have no indicators and lane discipline is poor) and The Brits all think they are good and always seem in a hurry ... without mentioning every other nation on the roads there.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Wed 7-03-07 19:50; edited 1 time in total
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| Chris Bish wrote: |
| French for traffic jam is bouchon. (sadly, not confiture de traffique). |
Ah, but bouchon means "stopper" (as in a bottle), so kind of appropriate... 
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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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Some things about the way the French drive are much better than in the UK. Example .... use of the outside lane..... move out, overtake, pull in again
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How long does it take drive door to door and what is the average cost?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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1) Dont fall asleep and die
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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, you're such an optomist!!  .
GordonFreeman, post below is from another thread. Yes. I know. I'm sad
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Just thought I'd cost this out. For trip 16th/17th March-31st March/1st April.
Hull-Zeebrugge
£329 for a return trip in March, with meals and 2 berth cabin, 9hrs 44 mins to resort. Tolls and petrol £129 (x2) = £587
Easier to negotiate P&O than the DFDS site.nd a 2.5hrs shorter drive from the port. Although we would have to get to Hull, I still think the drive in France of 11.5 hours from Imuiden is too far to do in one go.
Newcastle-Ijmuiden
£442 for same dates, meals and outside cabin. 11hrs 40 mins to resort. Tolls and petrol £126.75(x2) = £695.50
Durham to Serre Chevalier via Dover.
Driving time 15hrs 42 mins, tolls and petrol £167 (x2)
Crossing £126 (noon both ways) (free with Tesco Clubcard vouchers)
Hotel Campanile Reims 54 euros (108 total approx 75 pounds).
Breakfast 14 euros for 2 (total approx £22)
Dinner about £80 for decent meal with wine (40 each way)
Total cost. £637
Additional costs and things to consider-fees for dog. Possible overnight stop Ijmuiden-Serre Chevalier.
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| Marvel wrote: |
| This has probably been posted before, but can anyone suggest things to be aware of when driving to the Alpes (or point me to an exisiting thread). Will be travelling from Calais on Wed and driving overnight hopefully arriving Valmeinier mid-morning. Any advise gratefully received. Cheers, Neil. |
Just done the trip to the 3V, see my post "CarlT's Les Menuires report". I would advise against driving through the night and try and get some kip in a hotel overnight ! Fuel is not cheaper in France!
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You know it makes sense.
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CarlT, diesel is though.
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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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And unleaded is slightly cheaper in supermarkets but dearer in motorway services.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Helen Beaumont, They are really milking it by saying they are considerably cheaper than the UK. Those prices are only slighly less per litre. However fuel prices (and many others too) do seem more expensive closer to Calais.
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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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Colin B, on petrol I agree, but not on the diesel. I just posted them for info. Calais in general is more expensive.
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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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Helen Beaumont, When I first started holidaying in France Diesel was less than half the price of unleaded, etc. Despite french uproar they have increased the prices steadily over the last 10 year but yes it is still much cheaper than here. Tolls seem to have increased pretty rapidly over the years also.
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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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Colin B, Blame the world diesel shortage 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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How much are the tolls Calais to Alps, I know Helen gave the combined cost for fuel and toll but intrested in the cost of the toll, are they the same for night and day time or like the M6 toll cheaper between 11pm and 7am.
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if you use www.viamichelin.com you will get a toll and fuel cost. They are the same night and day. Also consider Norfolk Line to cross from Dover to Dunkirk.
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