 Poster: A snowHead
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thefatcontroller, I would go stir crazy driving all that way in one go. My X-trail is very comfortable, but perhaps not for 15 hours?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Sounds expensive to me.
Why not take a ferry? cheaper than tunnel.
I do Nottingham to Accettura (200miles south of Naples) every year, exactly 1500 miles each way in a 2.3 Galaxy, 6 adults + roofbox.
Last year, petrol and tolls (I mainly use motorways to save time) came to £955.50 for the return journey - this figure includes fuel used while we were there - , £60 for the ferry and £100 for 3 rooms at a nice place between Allesandria and Genova.
Mrs Spurs does a massive pack-up that lasts us the two days it takes (nice big coolbox)
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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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| youspurs1 wrote: |
| Why not take a ferry? cheaper than tunnel. |
Not if you use Tesco vouchers, average cost for return is £40, also high vomit count with 3 kids on ferries in middle of winter 
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thefatcontroller,
| Quote: |
Overnight stop each direction (2 adults and 3 kids 2 rooms £100) = £200
Meal for overnight stop and other food £150 each way =£300 |
£500 for rooms and food? If you're paying half of that then you are still paying too much!
Book an Etap if you want to save cash. Etap Calais, end April €43 per room for 3. 1 double bed and above it a childs bunk.
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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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youspurs1, you can use Tesco vouchers for all kinds of things but not, now, for ferries. Car hire with Avis. Trips to the cinema. I agree about the vomit count, and not only for children either. I am not a big seasick sufferer but a queasy hour on a ferry is not a great start, and the tunnel experience is just hugely less hassle, quicker and more comfortable. And after the kids have vomited, they'll get hungry later!
My 3 kids hated travelling long distances in the back of the car - no nintendos or DVD players in those days and always a big of a struggle about who was going in the middle. They much preferred an overnight coach where they could get up and stretch legs, and they showed a film (usually a rude adult one with naughty words). I find one problem with an overnight stop is that I often don't sleep too well, and lie there wishing I was on the road, making progress. I've learnt to take Syndol, usually does the trick. "Rationing" the entertainment as described above sounds a very good idea.
One problem with doing the journey in one hit is that it depends on really good conditions; you hit bad weather (fog, most frequently) and it all goes pear shaped.
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| pam w wrote: |
| I agree about the vomit count, and not only for children either. I am not a big seasick sufferer but a queasy hour on a ferry is not a great start |
Embarassingly I too have a high vomit count along with the kids. Ferry is a no, no
| Quote: |
| They much preferred an overnight coach where they could get up and stretch legs, and they showed a film (usually a rude adult one with naughty words). |
More info please, telephone number so I can book 
| Quote: |
| One problem with doing the journey in one hit is that it depends on really good conditions; you hit bad weather (fog, most frequently) and it all goes pear shaped |
Thye other problem with the one hit it that our apartment will be Sat to Sat. So if we decided to do it in one hit on the Saturday we would arrive about midnight or even later which will leave us screwed on the Sunday and that would be first day of lessons for the kids. If we drive through the night from Friday to get an extra day on the Saturday that is still impractical as we would have 3 very young and knackered kids on our hands. No skiing really possible. Also I would not feel safe driving through the night.
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thefatcontroller, I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned snowchains and the other mandatory bits and pieces. Obviously less if spread over a number of trips.
I believe a certain learned snowHead and iPhone lover from these parts could drive to the Alps for 17.5p. 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Something to add to your bottom line.
The flexibilty you have in resort by having your own wheels.
The ability to cram wine into every spare nook and cranny at Eastenders in Calais on the return trip.
I find these two bonusses outweigh many negatives....possibility of theft/accident, wear and tear/mileage on car.
All things considered, I go for the car every time.
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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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youspurs1, Agreed, the ability to stock up on lager and wine in Calais is a big plus for the car. 
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I know it's been said before but I never cease to be amazed by these "one hit" tales. If I leave home at 9 am (look, this is a holiday - if I wanted to get up at 3 am I'd go on a charter flight  ) and go directly to the Chunnel via M4 M25 etc, no stops unless P absolutely necessary, get the first crossing I can after arrival then drive Autoroute from Calais, only stopping for fuel and P, I can get to around Troyes by 7 -7.30 pm. That still leaves 6 - 7 hours driving the next day to, say, Val T. All this assuming no problems with traffic and/or weather and using a telepeage. "One hit" is insanity as far as I'm concerned.
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You know it makes sense.
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Yoda, 100% Agree. One hit for me would be (3 kids in the back)
8am leave home - 4 hours to Ashford.
1pm train - Arrive 1.30pm got forward 1 hour. Now 2.30pm
10 hours to Alps, stops, dealing wiht quarelling children etc...
Arrive 12.30 midnight screwed. Why...  It would save me a few quid but as I will do nealry all the driving I will mostly likely have crashed wiht tiredness as well.
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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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thefatcontroller, well I'll probably regret passing on this "tip" but if you want to save a few euros on tolls forget the Rheims route and return via Metz/Luxembourg/Belgium. Adds about 80-100 miles to the trip but is a little more interesting than the flatlands of northern France, cheaper on tolls and if you time it right you can fill up with super-cheap fuel in Luxembourg (join the queue of Belgians and Dutch doing the same thing). Swings and roundabouts depending on your mpg I guess. Just don't fill up all the hotel spaces en route when I'm there 
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Poster: A snowHead
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surely the cost of driving to the alps is the boring long drive. I thought it would be cheaper than flying for the same amount of people, but it appears not.
But the benefit is freedom of having a car and being able to go to other resorts and go to larger towns to go shopping.
I think the cost outweighs the benefit massively.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Yoda, thefatcontroller, So guys, I guess that's a no to 1 hit driving then?
Yoda, Telepeage- a must.
thefatcontroller, Wine certainly, almost makes up for leaving one of the whining little darlings behind to get that extra couple of cases in the car! 
Joking apart, to me it still makes sense to drive, you've just got to be sensible about the add on costs. BUT, only if your'e real keen. You can get nearly 2 days extra ski-ing if you are prepared for the pain. Young families tend to rule that out or cost you! IMHO, keep the kids as happy as you can.
Why not fly them with the wife, you drive earlier and take the luggage, skis etc. You slum it a bit, get there early, have a day of peace. They have any easy day, no luggage worries. You also get an extra day on the return. As the kids get older they'll appreciate the opportunity to do the same. Good luck! 
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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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| Yoda wrote: |
| I know it's been said before but I never cease to be amazed by these "one hit" tales. If I leave home at 9 am (look, this is a holiday - if I wanted to get up at 3 am I'd go on a charter flight ) and go directly to the Chunnel via M4 M25 etc, no stops unless P absolutely necessary, get the first crossing I can after arrival then drive Autoroute from Calais, only stopping for fuel and P, I can get to around Troyes by 7 -7.30 pm. That still leaves 6 - 7 hours driving the next day to, say, Val T. All this assuming no problems with traffic and/or weather and using a telepeage. "One hit" is insanity as far as I'm concerned. |
Ditto , like you say it is a holiday. Rather spend a comfortable night with a decent meal in a pleasant hotel than end up dead on a French autoroute.
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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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I have done the "one-hit" several times. I have been blessed with good weather which means 83mph speed limit. I am lucky to have a decent car (A6 allroad) and it is a dream on the autoroute. As I said, timing is everything - if you can time it to do almost all the driving in daylight it makes a big different. I do Calais to Samoens in 7-8 hours - record being 7 - longest being 8. On the way back this Feb, we left Samoens at 7am, and the kids were so well behaved we didn't stop for 5 hours - I guess it depends on your car/tollerance of driving. It has never bothered me sitting at the wheel for a long time - especially if kept entertained (ipod/itrip). As I ain't keen on flying, it's a no-brainer for me. Samoens is probably 2-3 hours closer than some of the more popular resorts I guess.
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thefatcontroller;
Dont forget to get yourself some decent car beakdown insurance as well...............+ get some snow chains ( just in case ).
Driven to south of france several times now & stopped overnight both directions.........if your careful you can do it for about £600-00. Would recommend the 'logis' hotels & get the food included option. Get one of the telepeage thingy's, saves time at the toll's.
After flying for the first time in 10 years in January ,to grenoble, I calculated 'we' could have driven it in almost the same time ( assuming no major road problems) after the delays at check in, baggage reclaim etc....Athough you dont have to concentrate like you do when driving.........this can be very tiring.
However, it will be a lot cheaper than flying 2 adults & 3 kids...........assuming you want to travel at a decent time & date. The real cheap flights are always when 'I' cant take them!!
Good luck.
Mitch
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Looking at these things is often very different depending on where you are driving from the time of day you can set off and which week you are going. I live in the West of Scotland and have driven in the past but prefer not to, particularly as now I almost always go for a week rather than two. I looked at the cost of driving to and from the South West of France for our summer holiday and reckoned that unless I did a very short cheap x channel crossing it would be cheaper or the same price to fly and hire a car.
From here I can get longer on the slopes by flying as I need to spend less time travellling, I am also far less tired when I arrive home after the holiday. If I could afford a bit more time to drive leisurely through France stoping at some pleasant places en route and I did not have the long flog up through England it could be pleasant and bringing home decent French food and drink is always an advantage, but the extra time I would have to take off work eating into my holiday entitlement it just ain't worth it.
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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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| Quote: |
| surely the cost of driving to the alps is the boring long drive |
I don't find the drive too boring. Some nice music, some French CDs to get the "listening ear" into gear, and if the weather is good, it's OK. When I'm not driving I quite like looking at the map, to get a feel for what we're driving through. And in the summer, when the weather is good, we drive off the motorway, which is far more interesting. But then we never go for just a week - and hiring a car is far too expensive for long term stays. If you are stuck with Sat/Sat and busy holiday periods, then driving can be a real pain, especially if you encounter the sort of weather which hit transfer day last Saturday. The one thing I really dislike on the autoroute is fog - if we hit fog, we get off the road, asap, and try to find somewhere cosy to stay. We stay in pretty cheap hotels, and are not usually stopping early enough to worry too much about the ambiance. Generally we will eat around 7.30, then do another hour or two before stopping to sleep. I can drive all day - I did Albertville to Caen in one hit two years ago (my husband took the first spell at the wheel and got as far as Albertville before declaring he was falling asleep...). But I do always stop every 2 hours for a short break, coffee, etc. There is masses of road safety research which shows that concentration and reaction times start to drop drastically after two hours, especially at night. Even if you think you're OK, you're probably not. Add in some squabbling children, and it's an unpleasant mix.
The cheapest way to travel is by coach, and we did several family coach trips. Coach drops you outside your chalet, complete with all bags, and you get two extra days skiing - Saturdays, too, so quiet on the slopes. The Ski Olympic coach was the most civilised but Snowcoach was OK too. For the difference in cost between going by coach and driving you could hire a car for a week in resort, if that was really necessary. Ours has been in the garage for days - too much snow to want to bother getting it out. When I saw people on Saturday morning digging their vehicles out of huge snowdrifts I was glad I didn't have to drive home.
But any kind of travel with kids is a mission. Travelling alone is by far the best; sit in a corner with a good book and ignore everybody. There just isn't an easy way to get to a ski resort, especially on a Saturday. The first and most important step if you are stuck with packages, whether driving or flying, is to go on Sunday.
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Having 'lost' one of our kids in the airport when he was 4, I much preferred driving.
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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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Axsman, . turned out he was in the airport shop, cos he'd spotted some Lego. He'd managed to find his spending money and toddled off with it to buy the Lego.
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Last Thursday, left Montalbert at 7.30 arrived Bournemouth airport 11.00am. Home at Noon. Sometimes my preference to drive does take a hit
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You know it makes sense.
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The "one hit" route, this year:
Leave Norwich at 4.30pm Friday, after work, Drive to Ischgl via tunnel, arrive 8am, breakfast, go skiing. Finish skiing following Saturday afternoon, drive home for early Sunday morning.
Leave Norwich at 4.30pm Friday, after work, Drive to Serre Chevalier via tunnel, arrive 8am, breakfast, go skiing. Finish skiing at Alp d'Huez following Saturday afternoon, drive home for early Sunday morning.
Leave Norwich at 7.30pm Friday (wife working late!), drive to Cervinia via tunnel, arrive 11am, go skiing. Finish skiing saturday afternoon, drive to Holiday Inn Express for Saturday night. Drive to La Thuile to ski all day Easter Sunday, leave 4pm, and arrive home for 4.30am yesterday.
Works for us, and by doing it this way we have had 25 days skiing in three 1 week trips!
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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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RobinS, Your call but I would not feel confident driving through the night, even excluding the 3 kids.
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Poster: A snowHead
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thefatcontroller, We usually drive - last year to Morillon and previously about 5 trips to Oz/Vaujany. I keep very detailed records (bit anal really) and last year was £646 and previous year £637 - included in that is hotels on way down and back, chunnel, petrol, peages, snow chains, additional euro insurance for car, head lamp convertor thingies etc. I really have added everything into the calculations!
We tend to stay in small logis (2* type) where the meal of the day cost I think about 30 euros pp. We have managed to stay in a 4 bed room but an extra room should only cost you about 60 euros. We get to the tunnel for a 7pm crossing after work Fridays - stop around Chalons and then aim to arrive in resort around 3pm to get sorted for Sunday skiing. Picnic keeps us going on the way down to save on costs and chocolate seems to stop the squabbling from getting out of control.
Coming home could do it in one hit but it's so much nicer to take your time, stop for a good lunch, buy some wine, enjoy the final day of the holiday. This year we leave on Thursday (yippee) and spend 2 days in Paris before first class (only £10 more) Eurostar to Vallandry. Train tickets costing £626 for the 4 of us but it's so much more fun and we get to see Paris.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Are we the only mad fools that drive through the night? - 6pm ferry, arrive in France 9pm as the kids fall asleep (age 2 & 4), split the driving and arrive in the Alps for breakfast. No traffic, no food stops (odd choccy bar for the driver), no hotel costs and most importantly sleeping kids. We do the return journey over two days, avoiding motorways, stopping in Formula 1 (or Mr Bed this year which is equally grim but has ensuite!) and travelling through a bit of Luxembourg and Belgium for cheap fuel and shopping.
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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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Skimummy, I couldn't do it with kids that age - I need my sleep! We do both trips over a couple of days and for me it works fine. Our kids are now 7 (twins) and 5 and now they're a bit older and on booster seats rather than car seats, don't fall asleep as easily in the car.
pam w, I love the drive to - see a bit more of France, stop at nice hotel and generally travel at my own pace
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| thefatcontroller wrote: |
Mostly likely will look to drive next year and am wondering if anyonbody would agree/disagree with the costs. I am being conservative? (I Hope)
South Wales to Les Arcs (return) 2000 miles @ 20p per mile = £400
Tunnel £160 but use clubcard vouchers =£40
Overnight stop each direction (2 adults and 3 kids 2 rooms £100) = £200
Meal for overnight stop and other food £150 each way =£300
Tolls £70 each way = £140
Total £1,080
Am I way off? |
I've done South Wales to Central France with three kids several times, and you're about right with the costs. You could trim things by having a cheaper meal and packing sandwiches, but you're on holiday so you wouldn't want to. I'd do the return journey in one stint, though - you get the benefit of the time zone change in that direction, and it doesn't matter if you're running late when you're going home. Three kids should be fine for 15 hours in a large car - just spread them over two rows of seats so they can't fight (I have boys!).
At the risk of stating the obvious, if you're making the comparison with flying then many of the add-on costs will be similar - meals in the airport and on the plane, car parking, overnight accommodation with evening meals (why is it so hard to get flights from Cardiff?), 400 miles return to Gatwick or Stanstead. You also have to consider transfers - car hire for 5 with luggage isn't cheap. On balance, my preference is to drive because it's less hassle and you can easily pack all the bulky extras (teddies, board games, British breakfast ceral, etc) that make a family holiday more fun.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I tend to leave Nottingham around 9pm catch ferry from Dover 11:30pm
Drive through France overnight - well the motorways are deadly boring there anyway - hitting the alps late morning. We prefer to go over rather than through - saves money and is a beautiful drive.
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| Helen Beaumont wrote: |
| Yoda wrote: |
| I know it's been said before but I never cease to be amazed by these "one hit" tales. If I leave home at 9 am (look, this is a holiday - if I wanted to get up at 3 am I'd go on a charter flight ) and go directly to the Chunnel via M4 M25 etc, no stops unless P absolutely necessary, get the first crossing I can after arrival then drive Autoroute from Calais, only stopping for fuel and P, I can get to around Troyes by 7 -7.30 pm. That still leaves 6 - 7 hours driving the next day to, say, Val T. All this assuming no problems with traffic and/or weather and using a telepeage. "One hit" is insanity as far as I'm concerned. |
Ditto , like you say it is a holiday. Rather spend a comfortable night with a decent meal in a pleasant hotel than end up dead on a French autoroute. |
Rather depends where you`re coming from. We`re just north of London. Can leave home at 7.00 pm and be in resort by 7.00 am. Both my wife and I drive 2 to 2.5 hours shifts - one sleeps, one drives (we`re fairly strict about that). It`s strangely relaxing. The three kids fall asleep leaving Calais and usually wake up as we`re driving up the mountain to the resort. Because we have had some sleep on the way down we`re out skiing by 10.00 am although we tend to finish mid-afternoon and flop in front of a DVD.
Having said all that, if we had a lengthy journey to get to the Channel ports stopping overnight would make a lot of sense.
I know I`ve seen a thread somewhere but how do you lay hands on one of those telepeage cards ?
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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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Skimummy, no we do it too, well last two trips anyway and will do this weekend. Leave home early evening (kids,13 & 8, excited ++), late evening crossing (snack on train), kids to sleep while we share drive. Arrive in time for shopping which is blissfully quiet and then resort late morning, sort out kit etc etc and then early to bed. Has worked well for us but we don't push ourselves and stop whenever needed. Nintendo DS very useful - are rationed this week so that they are appreciated on hols
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Ta.
Feeling a bit bitter and twisted at the moment. Have jut received a text from a chum enjoying his after ski beer - here I am stuck at my desk with no prospect of skiing for another 9 months. B*gger.
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FAQ
)
. I apprecaite I could save a few bob on the £1,080 I worked on but better to budget on the £1,080 rather than lie and say 3600 when it won't be. I had thought of the potential of driving back in one hit. Cheers 