Ski Club 2.0 Home
Snow Reports
FAQFAQ

Mail for help.Help!!

Log in to snowHeads to make it MUCH better! Registration's totally free, of course, and makes snowHeads easier to use and to understand, gives better searching, filtering etc. as well as access to 'members only' forums, discounts and deals that U don't even know exist as a 'guest' user. (btw. 50,000+ snowHeads already know all this, making snowHeads the biggest, most active community of snow-heads in the UK, so you'll be in good company)..... When you register, you get our free weekly(-ish) snow report by email. It's rather good and not made up by tourist offices (or people that love the tourist office and want to marry it either)... We don't share your email address with anyone and we never send out any of those cheesy 'message from our partners' emails either. Anyway, snowHeads really is MUCH better when you're logged in - not least because you get to post your own messages complaining about things that annoy you like perhaps this banner which, incidentally, disappears when you log in :-)
Username:-
 Password:
Remember me:
👁 durr, I forgot...
Or: Register
(to be a proper snow-head, all official-like!)

Car Hire french side or swiss side to travel to avoriaz

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hello


I was wondering whether anyone could advise us.

Is it best to get car hire from either the French or Swiss side, we are driving up to Avoriaz?

I think it takes between 1.5 - 2 hours is that also correct
snow report
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Swiss as you'll get snow chains/tyres and a vignette. Transfer times about correct.
snow conditions
 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?
Swiss as it's easier to find your way in and out (although your destination is French) you'll get a vignette, you'll get snow tyres (but my have to pay extra for them, even though they're standard) and you'll probably get chains (but you do need to check). Some recent long threads on Snowheads have demonstrated yet again that the "snow tyres and chains included as standard" claim for the Swiss side of Geneva airport is not by any means always true. But it remains much the easiest - though not as easy as it was before the cars were moved a short bus-ride down the road.
latest report
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
PJ, Swissside
Check the snow chains are in the boot. By law the swiss cars should be supplied with them and winter tyres this time of year. You will ususally need to pay a nominal "winterisation" charge on location (about £6 per day). I book all hire cars through www.auto-europe.co.uk who search all the hire companies and get good prices. Extras such as winterisation charges are not usually included and need to be paid locally. The only advantage I saw booking French side was one extra driver was included and it was slightly cheaper. But snow chains were not definetly included and the French side of the airport is a pain in the ass by all accounts. I've no experience of the Frenchside for once I've learned from the experience of others. Thanks snowHead snowHead snowHead
ski holidays
 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
RPF wrote:
You will ususally need to pay a nominal "winterisation" charge on location (about £6 per day)

Have to say I wouldn't describe £6 a day as 'nominal'. For a 10 day hire that's £60, for which you could buy a couple of pairs of chains Smile
snow report
 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
rob@rar, Budget (I couldn't extricate us from Budget and back to Alamo, btw Sad ) are charging CHF32 for a week's chains. Not TOO bad. At least I think it's CHF - one bit of the voucher says CHF and another says Euros, but CHF sounds more likely. wink

Sorry, a bit O/T, but it does reinforce pam w's point that, on the Swiss side, you have to check carefully whether both snow tyres and snow chains are included in the price and that different companies have different terms.
ski holidays
 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
We bought excellent snow chains at Champion in Moutiers for €15 last month. Most years you will not need them, but they are a necessary investment unless you want to risk getting stuck in the mountain an extra day on your way home....
latest report
 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Recently my brother managed to accidentally hire from the French side, collection was reasonably smooth, but no snow chains, and I doubt they were even winter tyres.

Long story short, trying to find the french side of the airport to return the car too proved impossible (we nearly missed Easyjets strict check-in closure times) and having circled the airport way too many times trying to find the french car hire drop off we eventually abandoned the car in the Swiss sector of the airport with the correct hire car company and 'legged it' down the road to departures. We haven't had a big bill.........yet, and I'm sure can't be the first ones to do thsi.

Seems funny now, but not being able to find the French car hire drop off, even though we were in Ferney Voltaire gave everyone a sense of humour failure at the time!
latest report
 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.
kyoto49, Bill for drop off on the wrong side will be 100 euros, eventually - unless you are lucky and find a generous operator. For others, follow signs for Ferney to find the French drop off point - it is further than you think and panic in my case meant I turned back too early when under time pressure.
latest report
 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Quote:

We bought excellent snow chain

how do you know they were excellent? Most chains at that kind of price will tend to break after very few miles - but maybe you were lucky. Cheap chains can also be hard to mount, but presumably yours were OK.
snow report
 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
PJ, How many of you are going? The reason I ask if there is a couple a taxi would be cheaper! If you are staying in Avoriaz you probably will not need a car! If you are going by car however, leave the car down at the Prodains lift car park as it is cheaper.

Hope it helps. BTW about 1.5hrs max.
snow report
 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.
Quote:

how do you know they were excellent? Most chains at that kind of price will tend to break after very few miles - but maybe you were lucky. Cheap chains can also be hard to mount, but presumably yours were OK.


I have had 40 miles on them already in 2 months. Solid and easy to mount Very Happy
snow report
 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
Thanks chaps
latest report
 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Roy Hockley,

Is that the open car park in the resort - or one much further down with a cable car up?

We cant get into the accomodation until 5 - so I wanted to leave the car and luggage - somewhere that I can get back too! and ski straight away - is that possible?
ski holidays



Terms and conditions  Privacy Policy