 Poster: A snowHead
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Is the road into Chamonix from Martigny usually ok in winter? It looks like it has a good few hairpins.
I am approaching fro Bern and it looks like going around via Geneve is a huge diversion.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The col de forclaz and the col des montets can be tricky. It depends how soon after recent snowfall you're doing it and how warm it's been. If you've got winter tyres and the passes are posted as open you should have no problem.
As you say the alternative is a very long way around.
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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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The Col De Forclaz is a road designated to open all years. In my 8 years ownership of a mobile home in Chamonix it was never shut during my visits. Even in the year where there was an avalanche in Le Tour that killed some residents and parts the pass were closed they use the train tunnel to pass the vehicles through (one lane controlled by signal). I have been going to Chamonix from Martigy side for about 85% of my trips. It is possible during a very heavy snow fall and before the snow could be removed they could close the Col De Forclaz and display the information on the approach to Martigny but I have never seen it happen or encountering the police demanding snow chains to go up. Before I run the 4x4 I have driven the pass on various 2Wd cars but always with newish tyres and carrying a set of snow chains.
There are 10 hairpins. The Swiss side has about 7 while the French side has 3 near the bottom end. Pretty mild stuff nothing exciting to write home about. The 26 miles journey takes about an hour and I will not encourage people to rush it. Do slow down when passing the border control which is seldom manned outside office hours.
The Swiss are very attentive to their roads so you may find the Swiss side is black while the French is white as the French don't bother to scrap the last bits of snow on their roads. In one trip I found one side was completely black while the other side was nearly all white.
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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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Thanks for the replies. I have someone in Chamonix to contact on friday who will know the current conditions.
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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 never seen it happen
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I have - I rarely drive the Col des Montets but I frequently pass on of the signs indicating whether it's open. It was closed for some time in January this year, for example. It's usually open, but when it's closed, it's closed.
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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 am coming from bern direction so don't want to get all the way down there to find it closed. Do they issue the closures on the net somewhere
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stevev,
Before you finish coming down the mountains and join the T junction of motorway near Lausanne from Bern there is a sign displaying the condition of Col de Forclaz, Grand St Bernard etc. You can make a snap decison to turn right then to head for Geneva instead of turning left to Sion/Martigny. Just keep an eye on the signs and don't charge downhill too fast to miss it. Not a big distance between Lausanne and Martigny and you will have some other warning signs well before you hit Martigny.
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saikee, cheers
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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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stevev,
Steve Sparks is right...we recently did this and got turned round at Col d Montet so check all is well ALL the way through.
I would guess that all will be ok unless recent snow and then the Montet is your biggest problem. This is very high-sided and there is a lot of snow up there this year. Also, this is the site of a HUGE avi a few years ago which took out many houses and lives so is doubly sensitive...
Forget the Petit St B through the Mt Blanc as this looks good on a map but is very rarely open in winter.
Your car will need to be decent in winter to get up the hill just out of Martigny if it has snowed recently .... chains might do but a 4x4 and winter tyres are the min as far as I'd be concerned.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I've seen the Forclaz shut twice and I've only been to Chamonix four times!
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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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Would agree with saikee that the Col de Forclaz is very rarely closed. If the weather is bad the Swiss have an alternative route to bypass the actual Col. The Col des Montets can be closed slightly more often though so you could be stuck in Vallorcine. In those instances they make the car pass in vonvoy through the train tunnel between Vallorcine and Argentiere.
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XS
Peak Retreats http://www.peakretreats.co.uk
Ski Collection http://www.skicollection.co.uk
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I needed chains to get from Vallorcine to Praz over New Year. This road can get heavy snow when its falling lightly in the west of Cham valley.
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