 Poster: A snowHead
|
Thinking of going to Chamonix as a prelude to my main summer holiday in Briancon area.
All the route planners are inaccurate for mountain journeys times
How long would the duration of this drive last? I'm sure not many people have undertaken it, so if you gave me rough times between places. Much appreciated.
Chamonix
Mont Blanc Tunnel
Courmayeur
Col du Petit st. Bernard
Val d'Isere
Col du L'Iseran
Col du Mont Cenis
Susa Valley
over the col de Montgenevre and into Briancon.
Also is it worth it? Will be driving over the course of a day. You can do it on the motorway in about 2 hours 30 i think but it isnt very scenic and there wont be as nice places to stop off.
Other thing it will be Saturday 26 July, will the roads be busy? and when do tjhe french and Italian school holidays start?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Christopher, I can't give you any times on that journey, but I do wonder why you think the route planners are inaccurate. I have found viamichelin.com to be pretty good, and certainly better than any guess I could make looking at the map. Have they given you duff information in the past?
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Christopher, Pam is right, viamichelin is your best bet. I'd say motorway was more like three hours though not 2.5hrs, and I've done it quite a few times from Geneva now.
This is the route I came up with myself, choosing 'Discovery' and 'avoid tolls' as an option (obviously can't avoid the Mont Blanc tunnel ones though).
http://www.viamichelin.com/viamichelin/int/dyn/controller/Driving_directions
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
Can I suggest you get yourself a good old fashioned Michelin map of the area, and plot your desired route using it. Anyway, you're meant to be on holiday, so if you aren't using the autoroutes, why worry? You will probably stop a couple of times on your route,lots of twisty cols,lots of nice views, and a long lunch.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Christopher - I did Morzine to La Grave in about 3 hours last season.
Actually, it was 2.5 hours there and 3 hours back. My satnav decided to send me over a closed pass and I foolishly didn't check the route before I left. It took me 2.5 hours to get to the point where I realised and 3 hours to backtrack and go around 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
The distance is 234km, which is 145 miles.
120km (half of the distance) are all on roads which can be averaged at 60mph.
Via Michelin predicts 4 hours 15 minutes. I'd have predicted more like 3 hours 30 at max.
the other thing, how much is the mont blanc tunnel? and can you get a return ticket?
I found last year using journey planners such as AA, ViaMichelin and RAC in the Pyrenees that the durations of mountain journeys were normally ridicolously long compared to how long it actually took us. The most reliable information came from the satnav in our hire car, which worked it out by calculating our average speeds at the time. Thats why I'm sceptical about it taking 4 hours 15.
I'm sure it won't be too tiring driving with stops in resorts and at the top of all the cols.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The toll costs €40 return.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Christopher, if you can average 60mph on the Col du Petit St Bernard your name should be Michael Schumaker and you'd be driving a Ferrari.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Christopher, I should imagine 4h15mins to be a good guide, considering the autoroute from Geneva to Grenoble takes us 2 hours, and the trip from there to Monetier between 1.5 and 2 hours, meaning 3.15-4 hours total journey time. An 8.15 departure from Monetier got us arriving at Geneva airport at 12.15 last month due to traffic between the dam and Bourg d'Oisans.
Other things to consider are your date of travel, and the possibility of the Tour de France being in the area, which will mean road closures. Motorway tolls from Chamonix to Briancon will be less than the toll using the tunnel. David is right, you will find it hard to average any where near 60mph on the Cols, and there are several of them in your route.
www.letour.fr will give you the route and the dates they are in the Alps.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
David@traxvax,
Big tour buses also use Petit St Bernard pass in summer and they use both lanes in every hairpin bend to get by. 60mph is achievable in dreams only even for Mr. Michael Schumaker .
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
How about an alternative? Take the autoroute to Moutiers, along the valley to Bourg St Maurice,then Up to Val d'Isere, over the Col d'Iseran . Route continues as per plan.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
David@traxvax, I didnt say I would be averaging 60mph on any of the col's. I only commented that half of the distance of the journey is on major stright roads. I won't be driving, but Im sure my father won't be averaging 60mph on the petit st bernard. I think my boxers would be very brown if he did.
Helen Beaumont, the tour de france is in Briancon that saturday, we knew this orignially. We would have spent the thursday - saturday in the alpe d'huez area, but as the tour is passing through on the saturday and sunday the area will be hectic.
But coming from the Montgenevre direction shouldnt be a problem as we are staying in Les Alberts which isnt on the route and therefore won't be closed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
