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Driving Route.....Calais to Les Arcs..........

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
boredsurfin gave me this route a while back. Cool Anyone disagree?

Quote:
1. Calais A26 => Reims

2. Reims A26 => Troyes

3. Troyes => Chaumont A5/E54

4. A31 Dijon

5. A6/E15 Chalon-sur Saone =>A46 Lyon Bypass
(follow Marseille then Grenoble until Chambery is signed)
(On return follow signs Paris A46 onto N346 to A6 )

6. Lyon A43 => Chambery => Albertville

7. N90 signposted Moutiers to Aime

8. At Aime (take Right Turn signposted La Plagne)

9. Straight on for Bourg St Maurice and La Rossiere ! etc etc
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
thefatcontroller, Nope that route looks pretty good to me Very Happy
There is a slight variation whereby you pass Lyon airport rather than using the by pass but it is slightly longer. (And involves Roast chicken at a service area, but that's snowHeads for you!)

Update for 2011 New bypass around North of Lyon now open see thread here
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=1694196&highlight=lyon#1694196


Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Wed 30-03-11 8:29; edited 3 times in total
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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?
Boredsurfing, Just seeing if anyone is brave enough to question you wink Laughing I need to chack the sat nav agrees with your route.....
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thefatcontroller, Other routes are available as they say, but over the last 25+ years of driving over the route above is the best for us Very Happy
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Boredsurfing, 25+ years...........can't believe that, you must have been driving underage then Shocked
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thefatcontroller, Its 27 years actually Embarassed
We went via Paris and around the peripherique ...once, haven't gone that way again. Toofy Grin
When we started not all that route above was motorway!
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
thefatcontroller,

I think that basic route is good - when I used to drive we used to miss out the section where the motorway swings to the West to Troyes and take the straighter Route National from Chalons en Champagne -> St Dizier -> Chaumont -> Langres (where you can go back onto motorway). This is a nice bit of road if you are bored of the motorway and Langres in particular is a very attractive walled town if you want a rest / food stop.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
thefatcontroller, for us at least, the route via Bourg en Bresse (famous for it's chicken) and therefore Lyon airport, ( knocks off a fair bit of time, and according to our sat nav it is only 5km further, but we do not go to the Tarentaise. Especially the case if you are travelling at peak times, as you avoid the busy toll booths either side of Lyon, the ones on the other route are normally much quieter, as are the autoroutes which always get busy south of Dijon.
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Trenmold, Helen Beaumont,

Thanks. Tolls ain't an issue as I have the old telepeage Toofy Grin but worth noting. With 3 kids in the back stops in nice towns (and I like chicken) are not to be missed.
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thefatcontroller, Stops? Get some discipline into those kids, Toofy Grin Fill right up in Calais and there is no need to stop again until you see the snow (or in your case the traffic jam in Bourg st M) Toofy Grin
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Boredsurfing,
Quote:
or in your case the traffic jam in Bourg st M


Easily avoided by those in the know and I know, as you told me how Toofy Grin Laughing
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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.
thefatcontroller, on a really busy day the telepeage is of only limited help. If you're stuck in one of three lanes of solid traffic, either crawling or stationary, it doesn't cut much ice. We passed some miles of 3 lanes all stationary heading south into Reims, when we were driving north at the beginning of the half term week last year. Like

Helen Beaumont I go a bit further east, via Bourg en Bresse (and not just for the chicken). I can't abide the A6, if it can possibly be avoided.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Boredsurfing wrote:
thefatcontroller, Stops? Get some discipline into those kids, Toofy Grin Fill right up in Calais and there is no need to stop again until you see the snow (or in your case the traffic jam in Bourg st M) Toofy Grin


Actually on this point, considering a 1 hit on the way home. Leave Les Arcs 7.30am reckon we can be home 10-11pm that night. Not sure its worth about £200 (2 hotel rooms and dinner) to stop the night in Calais?
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
pam w, Agreed. We left La Plagne in March this year to see solid traffic from Moutier to Chambery Shocked Shocked Shocked
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
thefatcontroller, even with the telepeage we had a ten minute wait at lyon (villefranche) on two occasions , god knows how long it would have been without it. And the Dutch and Belgians all pay by bank card, so they aren't any use either. YOu don't even need to go into Bourg en Bresse for the chicken, they serve it in the autoroute restaurant.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
One general point - the "Déviation d'Albertville" - a road along the bank of the river Arly - has just been opened. That should help ease traffic through Albertville on busy days. Though according to the news I just saw the original traffic forecasts which were used to justify this new road turned out to be highly inaccurate - and traffic hasn't actually grown much since before 2001, when the initial studies were made.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Quote:
Actually on this point, considering a 1 hit on the way home. Leave Les Arcs 7.30am reckon we can be home 10-11pm that night. Not sure its worth about £200 (2 hotel rooms and dinner) to stop the night in Calais?

Nothing in Calais is worth £200 even at todays Forex rates Laughing
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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?
Boredsurfing, I'd agree with you there. If you are going to stop at all it has to be somewhere better than Calais. However, 16 hours in the car with kids is not my idea of a good day.
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Helen Beaumont, Depends how good the kids are Very Happy
Mine were born to the journey, having done it at least twice a year since they were 3 months old Toofy Grin
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Not sure I'd even fancy 16 hours without kids to be honest. 10 is about my limit.
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Trenmold wrote:
thefatcontroller,

I think that basic route is good - when I used to drive we used to miss out the section where the motorway swings to the West to Troyes and take the straighter Route National from Chalons en Champagne -> St Dizier -> Chaumont -> Langres (where you can go back onto motorway). This is a nice bit of road if you are bored of the motorway and Langres in particular is a very attractive walled town if you want a rest / food stop.


Anyone else confirm this (N4 N67), I am overnighting at Langres and will have done about 500 miles by then, so a change of scenery might be welcome, according to TomTom it's 7 miles shorter and 1/2 an hour longer. If you have to go through a lot of Town's and Villages definitely don't want to do it.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Helen Beaumont, Good point, our longest trip is 13 hours. Apart from one year when the M20 in Kent was closed and the 2 hour UK journey took nearly five Sad
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Kel, IFIRC its the bit that we used before the Motorway was all built, there are a few villages and quite a few junctions but in those days you didn't have to slow down too much for them, but today I bet it's all speed signs and cameras on each junction Confused
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Quote:

I bet it's all speed signs and cameras on each junction

There are some, and of course it's 30mph through anything big enough to have a name. But tomtom will presumably have taken those into account in deciding it's only half an hour longer. I sometimes find that 3 hours off the motorway passes quicker than 2 hours on it. In darkness I'd stay on the motorway, though.
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thefatcontroller wrote:
boredsurfin gave me this route a while back. Cool Anyone disagree?

Quote:
1. Calais A26 => Reims

2. Reims A26 => Troyes

3. Troyes => Chaumont A5/E54

4. A31 Dijon

5. A6/E15 Chalon-sur Saone =>A46 Lyon Bypass
(follow Marseille then Grenoble until Chambery is signed)
(On return follow signs Paris A46 onto N346 to A6 )

6. Lyon A43 => Chambery => Albertville

7. N90 signposted Moutiers to Aime

8. At Aime (take Right Turn signposted La Plagne)

9. Straight on for Bourg St Maurice and La Rossiere ! etc etc


Be it on your own head to diasgree with his Lordship. At xmas we will be doing this exact route with his lordship 1 hour 20 min behind. As the nappy stops are becoming less frequent I reckon we shall stay ahead until lunchtime when we will wait for him and crew to buy us coffee Toofy Grin
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Mouth,
Quote:

I reckon we shall stay ahead until lunchtime when we will wait for him and crew to buy us coffee

I thought you were buying us lunch Toofy Grin wink
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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.
Boredsurfing,

Peage then, intend leaving between 5 & 6 next morning to beat the traffic and have a full extra day in resort. I'll leave the sightseeing till then Laughing Laughing
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Helen Beaumont wrote:
Boredsurfing, I'd agree with you there. If you are going to stop at all it has to be somewhere better than Calais. However, 16 hours in the car with kids is not my idea of a good day.


Don't disagree, not 100% sure if we will do it in one hit but either we get home on the Saturday night late and then theyn have Sunday to relax before going back to school MOnday (we are taking them out first week of January) or we stop on the Saturday night and get back lunchtime Sunday with a big rush to get things ready for school monday Puzzled Decisions, decisions............
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
thefatcontroller, Think of the journey like a Black piste, if the conditions are right go for it and you think that was easy wheres the next one. If the conditions are wrong take a break Very Happy
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Boredsurfing wrote:
thefatcontroller, Think of the journey like a Black piste, if the conditions are right go for it and you think that was easy wheres the next one. If the conditions are wrong take a break Very Happy


I like that analogy wink

Just planning my pit-stop strategy for next week...
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Our worst trip was the return leg in January 2007 just after we had bought our apartment. We hit really bad fog between Troyes and Reims, and after 6.5 hours on the road it was a nightmare. A planned 6pm arrival in Reims turned into about 8.30pm , and we could hardly eat our superb Italian meal we were so tired.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Helen Beaumont wrote:
Our worst trip was the return leg in January 2007 just after we had bought our apartment. We hit really bad fog between Troyes and Reims, and after 6.5 hours on the road it was a nightmare. A planned 6pm arrival in Reims turned into about 8.30pm , and we could hardly eat our superb Italian meal we were so tired.


Some friends of mine took 30 hours tignes to calais early in Jan a few years ago..snowing heavily on the A26 was the issue
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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?
If it had been snowing I think we would have stopped somewhere rather than try to continue, but then I suppose everyone else would have had the same idea.
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Helen Beaumont, Thats our back up plan but have never had to do so in all the years we have been driving, touch wood snowHead
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Boredsurfing, we've usually got the leeway of an extra night in the apartment if we need to , as we tend to leave on Friday morning rather than Saturday, but won't have that luxury this year, as our SnowHeads prize winner, Miss Trouble will be staying there with her family.
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Kel, when are you going? I think if I was driving down for a week's holiday I'd stay on the autoroute wherever possible.

The thing about unexpected bad weather - especially fog, which is more common than snow, is important; it's no good planning down to the last minute in advance. Go for it when the road is clear, the weather good, and you're feeling energetic. Quick pee and coffee stops, and straight back on the road. Stop when you're really tired, or if the weather/visibility is deteriorating. Those autoroutes, like our motorways, can be lethal in fog. Sometimes I've driven through the night without much of a problem. Other times, by 9 pm I've had it.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
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pam w,
Quote:

Sometimes I've driven through the night without much of a problem

Tried the night drive once, never again, it was an experience, but not one I would repeat in a hurry Confused
Must be me age wink
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
pam w,

Boxing Day, I have a 300 mile drive to the Tunnel crossing at 12.05, so hopefully should be in France and away for 12.30 local time, Langres 320 mile (4-5 hours) all being well should complete more or less in daylight and their are 3 drivers, however I will definitely be doing the bulk of it. That's the plan anyway and given the date of travel need to book hotel or may end up sleeping in the car. Will leave Langres very early to beat the coaches of those going Cattle Class, however going to Valloire so I do not go via Albertville, Peage all the way. Hope to be on the slopes for 10 ish on Saturday.

Return visit more leisurely, 10 days in resort, so leave on Tuesday, should be quiet, stopping 70 mile short of Calais, then home next day and straight into work the next day

Have done it none stop previously from North West to Val Thorens, however that was a boy's trip and all 4 of us very experienced drivers who all regularly do a 1,000+ mile a week, 14 hours door to door, but it was in a BMW X5, the fuel bill was hideous averaged about 23 MPG for the trip.
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Quote:

BMW X5, the fuel bill was hideous averaged about 23 MPG for the trip.

I once was overtaken at high speed by a Range Rover with two ski boxes on top, his mpg must have been in very low single figures! Toofy Grin
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Boredsurfing,

You sure it wasn't an X5 we had a skinny roof box and 4 pairs of skis and were going rather fast Laughing Laughing
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