 Poster: A snowHead
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We're driving via Eurotunnel to Verbier Sun 27th Dec.
I'm considering going via Chamonix over the Forclaz pass to Martigny to avoid the need for the Swiss motorway vignette.
Anyone know what this pass is generally like around this time of year, and, specifically, what it's like right now?
Any alternate recommendations for route?
Viamichelin reckons the fastest route is via Dijon, Dole, Besancon, Lausanne, so I might have to give in & buy the vignette.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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| petem77 wrote: |
| Viamichelin reckons the fastest route is via Dijon, Dole, Besancon, Lausanne, so I might have to give in & buy the vignette. |
Thats the route I use. I reckon the cost of the vignette equates to the cost of autoroute tolls that you miss
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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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| BergenBergen wrote: |
| Thats the route I use. I reckon the cost of the vignette equates to the cost of autoroute tolls that you miss |
How long does it take you?
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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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Do any Francophiles know what "Col de la Forclaz" means? I know of half a dozen just in the bits I'm familiar with. petem77, the trouble with cols which are sometimes shut is that if you arrive to find a fresh snowfall has just closed it you could end up with a big round trip detour. The Swiss vignette is not exactly super expensive - how many hours of your holiday are you prepared to lose to save a few francs?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Petem77, Calais via Dijon, Dole, Besancon, Lausanne, Verbier 8.5 hrs inc brief food/fuel stops.
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petem77, Much of the road is dual carriageway so its fairly quick. However early evenings at the weekends it can get busy due to day trippers returning from the ski stations in the Jura. Also the road does get up to 1000 metres in altitude so check the weather beforehand
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buy the vignette, I drove both ways last season and the besancon route is much quicker, any snow in the Jura is likely to be less of a problem than the corresponding snow in the cham-martigny route. you can also just avoid the swiss motorways and stick to A roads but that will turn the last 80mins of your journey into somthing substantially longer.
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I had run a mobile home in Chamonix for 8 years. The only time I know Col De Forclaz was shut when there was a avalanche in Le Tour that took out several buildings. Even at that time they opened the train tunnel for letting the vehicles to pass through.
I often arrived late at night from Uk to cross the pass from the Swiss side. The route is kept open all year round but it may be challenging immediately after a heavy dump. Snow chains are mandatory for using Col de Forclaz, at least it was displayed in the Swiss side.
I did trips on 2WD with newish tyres. Laters years I changed to a 4x4. It is not particularly challenging but there are 10 hairpin bends and 2WD car without winter tyres are not recommended unless there has been no snow for some times.
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