 Poster: A snowHead
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Traveling to Courchevel 1650 Jan 2nd -24th Jan 2009 by car for the first time crossing dover calias, any advise would be gratefull on the best route.
can it be done in one go there are two drivers or would overnight stop be best.
also is there anything that would be usefull for the journey I have snowchains.vis,gb sticker,triangle.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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peteski, welcome to snowHeads.
It can be done in one go, but it's a long day especially if you're coming from the West Midlands. I'd be tempted to stop overnight - you get a cheap place like Formule 1 which won\t add much to the cost of your journey.
In addition to the chains and stuff you listed you should also carry, by law, a high visibility vest and (I think) replacement lightbulbs for your car.
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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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Thanks,
We will look to stay overnight we can't get into our apartment till 4pm sat the 3rd jan its about 10hrs from calais, so a stop about halfway looks to be the best bet any idea's. on best towns:P
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peteski, welcome to Snowheads.  If you would be overnighting on the 2nd (?Friday) I don't think the hotels will be too busy. I'd be inclined to wait and see how you feel, and when you want to stop (if the weather is bad, particularly if it's foggy, you might want to stop early, but if it's a bright clear night, you might want to carry on till late). The major towns on the motorway usually have an array of cheapish hotels - if you drive off the motorway you'll normally see signs, or ask the man/woman who will take silly sums of money off you, at the péage gate, about finding hotels. They tend to have big neon signs - Etap, Formule 1, etc. They take credit cards at the door if the reception is closed. If one hotel is full, they will direct you to another. We've done this a lot and never yet had to sleep in the car. 
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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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| pam w wrote: |
| peteski, welcome to Snowheads. If you would be overnighting on the 2nd (?Friday) I don't think the hotels will be too busy. I'd be inclined to wait and see how you feel, and when you want to stop (if the weather is bad, particularly if it's foggy, you might want to stop early, but if it's a bright clear night, you might want to carry on till late). The major towns on the motorway usually have an array of cheapish hotels - if you drive off the motorway you'll normally see signs, or ask the man/woman who will take silly sums of money off you, at the péage gate, about finding hotels. They tend to have big neon signs - Etap, Formule 1, etc. They take credit cards at the door if the reception is closed. If one hotel is full, they will direct you to another. We've done this a lot and never yet had to sleep in the car. |
Thanks thats good info we arrive in calais at 21.50 it could take us a while to get out of the port and on our way if you can use a credit card to access hotel it would save having to pre book an hotel at a set way point and wishing we could have gone on a bit further. 
Have you any thoughts on the other i.e. things that might be usefull on the journey. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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peteski, I drive down from Banbury each year - have done it in one go (with 2-drivers) but is so much more relaxing over 2-days. Now generally arrive lunchtime on the Sat and have a relaxing time shopping, getting skis and passes etc before the hordes arrive in the evening.
Check out the AA website (or search facility here) for good advice on what's needed legally - High Viz vest, triangle and bulbs all a must
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peteski, the French autoroutes make for really easy driving. Use a credit card to pay the tolls. Just the usual, really - plenty of good music, some drinks/snacks. The motorway "aires" are fairly frequent, some just some picnic stops (not much use on a cold night in January) and others with snacks, restaurants, petrol etc about every 50 kms. Most (maybe all) have cash points too. Some aires have hotels with beds on, to make life extra easy, though sometimes they're not the cheapest. If you arrive late at one of the cheap hotel chains, there will probably be nothing available to eat/drink (except out of a machine). You will no doubt have eaten earlier in the evening, anyway.
You will be asked to opt in or out of breakfast when you check in - we usually opt out, and have breakfast an hour or so down the road. If you change your mind you can pay in the morning.
And you have, of course, practised putting on your snowchains, haven't you?
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| Boris wrote: |
peteski, I drive down from Banbury each year - have done it in one go (with 2-drivers) but is so much more relaxing over 2-days. Now generally arrive lunchtime on the Sat and have a relaxing time shopping, getting skis and passes etc before the hordes arrive in the evening.
Check out the AA website (or search facility here) for good advice on what's needed legally - High Viz vest, triangle and bulbs all a must |
THe AA thats a good shout the thing about the light bulbs don't most cars have clusters so you have to buy the whole cluster which will work out very expensive 
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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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| pam w wrote: |
peteski, the French autoroutes make for really easy driving. Use a credit card to pay the tolls. Just the usual, really - plenty of good music, some drinks/snacks. The motorway "aires" are fairly frequent, some just some picnic stops (not much use on a cold night in January) and others with snacks, restaurants, petrol etc about every 50 kms. Most (maybe all) have cash points too. Some aires have hotels with beds on, to make life extra easy, though sometimes they're not the cheapest. If you arrive late at one of the cheap hotel chains, there will probably be nothing available to eat/drink (except out of a machine). You will no doubt have eaten earlier in the evening, anyway.
You will be asked to opt in or out of breakfast when you check in - we usually opt out, and have breakfast an hour or so down the road. If you change your mind you can pay in the morning.
And you have, of course, practised putting on your snowchains, haven't you? |
Not yet received the chains had to order them as they are specials they are bl**dy expensive I'll have to keep the car about 30 years to make them pay. So when come I will have a good play with them. 
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Make sure you practice with the chains. Also take a couple of pairs of rubber gloves, a torch and a bin liner to put them in when you are finished.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| ringingmaster wrote: |
| Make sure you practice with the chains. Also take a couple of pairs of rubber gloves, a torch and a bin liner to put them in when you are finished. |
Ha thats the stuff not the gear you would think to take and then when you groveling around in the snow on some mountain pass you'll think why did I not bring this or that good advis thanks 
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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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| ringingmaster wrote: |
| Make sure you practice with the chains. Also take a couple of pairs of rubber gloves, a torch and a bin liner to put them in when you are finished. |
Definately required equipment, from past experience. Can I suggest you have a head torch?
It is do-able in one hit if you prepare beforehand, but I now always stay over en-route. For me, it means a fresh start and the chance of being in resort early morning on day 1. As I have my own skis, the opportunity to have an extra (usually quiet) day on the pistes.
Worth having an idea where the cheaper hotels (if thats what you intend staying at) are along your route, and before you set out. If you havent booked be prepared to be 'flexible' on where you stay and how much you may have to pay. I'm one of those unfortunates you use a sat nav and have set up these establishments as POI's. I use that to plan a route and before I leave and I set a realistic target and book that. I try to get a close to the resort on the first day and stay over somewhere, that has been a close as 50 miles but as far away as 200. I usualy find its the UK based leg of the journey that the problem and is more difficult to get the timing right, but then, i travel from Manchester. I 've had it take as little as 5hrs but as long as 9 hrs to get to Dover! 
Usefull kit for journey and have the necessary bits on top of the luggage not buried under it (from experience);-
chains, chain putting on gear (assume its going to be freezing cold, v.wet), duct tape, extra washer bottle concentrate, breakdown\recovery insurance!, High Vis vests for ALL passengers, warning triangle, a map and sat nav, good navigator, snack food and beverages, mobile phone with roaming enabled, a sense of humour, if you intend speeding - lots of cash to pay the gendamerie (remember , they dont have a sense of humour), money for the peage (cash, CC) or a telepeage tag.
Have fun! 
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| Quote: |
have set up these establishments as POI's
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that's a good idea if you use a satnav - you can find the time to various fleapits along the way and check how far off the motorway they are. If you had their phone numbers as part of the POI you could even telephone to reserve a bed. Except that on a UK mobile that could cost more than the bed. And that preparation is quite a lot of work - they're usually on the outskirts of towns, on the optimum route in from the motorway.
Just for getting from Calais to the 3V there is absolutely no need for a satnav, by the way. So if you don't already have one that's one expense yu can do without.
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You know it makes sense.
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peteski, spare bulbs is a real odd one - by law you have to carry them, even though on many cars (mine included) they are all dealer fit! The battery has to be removed on my VW to fit the nearside bulb, not something I would attempt by the side of the road.
As others have said - practice with the chains
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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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| pam w wrote: |
| Just for getting from Calais to the 3V there is absolutely no need for a satnav, by the way. So if you don't already have one that's one expense yu can do without. |
The navigation is pretty straightforward, but I do find it useful to have an estimated time of arrival, especially at Calais when I have a fixed time train to catch.
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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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I've done it overnight from London with one other driver. Left after work on a Friday at about 8pm, drove through the night, got to Meribel at about 10am the next day, parked up, threw on the ski gear on and had a wonderful day on the mountain. Shattering but worth it. Don't count on getting much sleep in the car and account for various wrong turns which will invariably happen when you're navigator has dozed off.... If really necessary, park up in one of the hundreds of service stations en route and have a short kip to recharge the batteries.
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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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| Quote: |
various wrong turns which will invariably happen when you're navigator has dozed off...
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Would have to be a dozy driver, as well as navigator; there aren't that many places to go wrong down the autoroute if you have a few key place names in mind! About six names should get you to the 3 Valleys.
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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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| pam w wrote: |
| Quote: |
various wrong turns which will invariably happen when you're navigator has dozed off...
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Would have to be a dozy driver, as well as navigator; there aren't that many places to go wrong down the autoroute if you have a few key place names in mind! About six names should get you to the 3 Valleys. |
It is pretty straightforward. I did it once, pre-sat.nav days, without any directions as I'd left the road atlas at home.
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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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| pam w wrote: |
| Quote: |
various wrong turns which will invariably happen when you're navigator has dozed off...
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Would have to be a dozy driver, as well as navigator; there aren't that many places to go wrong down the autoroute if you have a few key place names in mind! About six names should get you to the 3 Valleys. |
Twenty twenty hindsight is a wonderful thing. Without those six places in mind wrong turns are easy to make....
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Sorry, but 20/20 hindsight has nothing to do with this. A very modest amount of foresight, more like. Any sensible driver will stop at least twice on the autoroute down from Calais to the 3 Valleys. A quick check of the route, and memorising something like 2 place names and/or junction numbers to look out for should do it. French signposting is good but uses place names rather than road numbers, for the most part. If you have a satnav, fine, though they're not foolproof in mountain areas. 2 minutes spent jotting down a few names to be written in big letters on a piece of paper should do the job for people who find it hard to remember the names. It's cruel to wake a navigator in the middle of the night!
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It clearly is hindsight as the journey was over two years ago!!
I have to confess that I generally print off the directions from the michelin website, have a quick read through and then set off. Generally the navigator does the rest. Unfortunately work leaves me little time to learn them verbatim....
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I have done the bit from Lyon Airport by Coach loads so that part would be familiar. 
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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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pam w is spot on. Defo try to familiarise yourself with the route if you have time beforehand or risk making unintended detours.
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peteski, that's the only bit that needs any navigating, really. Lyon is signposted from well north. I find the directions from the michelin website far too detailed and cluttered - as well as impossible to read in the car in poor light. Writing down 6 key place names takes a lot less time than taking "various wrong turns". It's worth reading the thread on routes - though going in on Jan 2nd you'll find all the queues going in the other direction, with any luck. I remember coach journeys up on that first Saturday in January, passing miles and miles of absolutely stationary traffic heading home.
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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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| pam w wrote: |
| peteski, that's the only bit that needs any navigating, really. |
Sure if you are spending your time gazing at the mountains out the windows!!
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You know it makes sense.
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I like that route as the scenery is lovely. The new autoroute from St Julian towards Annecy will be open in a week or two, so it might be easier to stay on the A40 at Nantua until you get to the new section of autoroute.
I normally drive via Annecy (Annecy Sud exit and drive round the back by the hospital, rather than through the centre of town) and have only once been caught in really bad traffic there. Normally it's OK, and travelling at the beginning of January should be OK everywhere. The drive around the lake at Annecy is spectacular.[/quote]
Yea I've been this way on transfers form Geneva and its far more scenic than the route via Lyon. We noticed the new road when we were out in Sept
this should make life a bit easier. I'll have to buy an upto date map
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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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pete enjoy your trip!
Im driving down to chamonix on the 9th we are going to do it in one hit with me being the only driver. I have the 9th of so stay in bed till prob mid morning on the friday so had a good sleep.
Then down to the eurptunnel for 21:00 so by the time we get over will be 22.35 french.
then hit the roads a few red bulls bit of banter with the boys if I need a sleep break just sleeping bag an set alarm for 30 mins crack on should be there for the 8am lift, we all have our own gear and pre ordered lift passes!
Last time we drove in one hit though I shared the driving but we didnt stop on the way down other than for toilet then on return we stopped for about 2 hours in one of the picnic sites i dont recommend sleepingin your car unless you take sleep ing bags though.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I've done Pontypridd to La Plagne in one hit via the tunnel as a lone driver (my wife won't drive abroad). I didn't get one 'are we there yet' out of the kids either! Doing Pontypridd to Valfrejus on the 20th of this month, booked on the 4am tunnel crossing so hopefully will get there mid afternoon (going to sleep all day Friday before going). It's not too bad, it helps to be a bit loopy I reckon
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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 follow the directions from the ViaMichelin website. It is great and tells you the amount you need for the tolls as well. We tend to stop overnight at Lyon. It means we can meander our way up on the Saturday morning !
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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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I use this to get a route in France http://www.mappy.co.uk/ it shows what the signs should say when you need to make a turn, and also tells you where the fixed speed cameras are.
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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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Tommy4681, I've got a mate from work who's done exactly the same thing this weekend: then on Sunday night they're driving back, 4:40am ferry from Dover, 10am meeting in Bristol. I hope he turns up or I'm in trouble...
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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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With 2 drivers it is an easy drive in one day. We did London to the tunnel for an early crossing and arrived at Meribel at tea time to watch the skiers skiing down at the end of their day. Why spoil 2 days with travel.
However, going home we chose to go part way home after a days skiing (these days ski resort hotels prefer only to do Sat - Sat) - then drove the rest of the way the next day (sunday). A good way to maximise your skiing.
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aw-hicks,
Careful with the Red Bull, it's banned in France and apparently the Gendarmerie treat you like a cocaine smuggler if they catch you with it, take Relentless instead.
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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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Agree totally with George... the worst freezing fog all the way from just outside Calais to Dijon..... Didn't think it was going to end, easy run apart from that, just stretches the concentration a little!
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FAQ
