 Poster: A snowHead
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We are heading to Samoens on Friday/Saturday (along with the rest of Europe!!) and were wondering whether the D907 is a road where you have to put snow chains on by law in snowy conditions. We are driving a 4x4 and really want to avoid the cost of hiring chains if possible. Any locals out there who know 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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michelin, Even with a 4x4 it you may need chains. If you don't have them what are you going to do? Leave your expensive car blocking the road and walk?
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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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As posted elsewhere you don't have to have chains by law, but the police may stop you driving up the mountain, although you ought to be OK on the D907. If you don't have snow tires you could be held liable in a "sliding" accident. I think most of us would rate snow tires as a higher priority than chains.
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| Quote: |
I think most of us would rate snow tires as a higher priority than chains.
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Personally I'd also rate them a higher priority than 4 x 4. It's possible to be required to put chains on snow tyres - happened to my brother in law in a hired car from the Swiss side of Geneva airport, which had snow tyres on. Sometimes you lose traction even with good snow tyres.
It's not so likely that you'd be asked to put on chains on a 4 x 4 but not impossible, I guess. But that would only happen if it's very snowy - and at the moment it doesn't look like there's much chance of that.
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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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michelin, Isnt the D907 the road that follows the valley floor up to Samoens, and as I recall, dead flat. So I wouldnt expect you would need or expect to have to put chains on.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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It is a fairly flat road - but it will also depend exactly where you are staying once you arrive in Samoens.
Sometimes you just need chains if you haven't got winter tyres, even if in a 4x4, for the last little bit of the journey to get up a hill or a steep drive - happens where we are in Les Gets.
As Boredsurfing, says you don't want to be the ones that block the road - and besides you may want (or have) to drive somewhere else while you are there
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michelin, Depends on how you get to Taninges. If you follow the vallee verte you may get away with it but if you are coming from Cluses it is a mandatory snow chain road.
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steve, very true - we always take the vallee verte road nowadays but the first time we visited about 11 years ago we came up the road from Cluses and ended up putting chains on in Chatillon.
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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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michelin, We have been driving to Samoens since 2003. We have chains and have never used them. We have been there in extremely snowy conditions and never encountered a problem - even driving up to 1600. However, the chains are always in the car - you never know.....
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My personal beliefs are;
- Legalities - You cannot legally go past a blue snow chains sign without carrying them in the vehicle regardless of tyres and number of drive wheels.
- Safety - no matter what vehicle you drive there are times when chains are necessary.
In response to your question on the D907;
- I live on the D4 which runs parallel to the D907 by about a mile and there are times when the vast majority of vehicles driving past do have chains on including a lot of 4x4s.
- I have never had to put chains on my 4x4 on the D4 or D907 but there again it's a proper 4x4 not one of these "imposter 4x4s".
- I have had to use chains on our other 4x4 on the D4 and D907 but it is an imposter even with snow tyres.
- I also have never had to put chains on my mini bus on either road.
- As for route; Valley Verte or Col de Chatillon........ I have seen chains needed on both by imposters!
And finally food for thought;
- if chains aren't needed then why do Pompiers and Gendarmes use them on their Land Rover Defenders?
- if chains aren't needed on big 4x4s then why do snow ploughs have them?
- if size and weight are the reason why do buses have them?
- this season I have seen a snow plough, tow truck and proper 4x4 in ditches........ let alone the usual collection of cars, coaches, lorries!
Finally; by all means save your money on not buying/renting them..... how much is a suspension rebuild, new panel(s) or tow out from a ditch these days?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Pamski, Yes we also use it as even getting into Samoens early on a Saturday we found the autoroute exit busy and slow thereafter. Last year we made good progress as it was pretty quiet on the vallee verte - until my son projectile vomited!  -Too much hot chocolate or something for breakfast! We're probably passing ships as we drive from Hampshire as well!
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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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As marcellus, says I personally always carry chains regardless of the route I take. With an automatic 2wd car it would be a false economy to not have them- and they've come in handy for the last two years in the UK! I've driven the last 5 years along this road and not needed them for that stretch but sod's law says if you don't have them!!!!!!
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Oooo btw guys quicker route than Vallee Verte... there's a new junction 17!! 
(so just after Bonneville services and Cluses........ saves about 10minutes on Cluses route and about 20 mins on Vallee Verte when all are flowing!!)
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You know it makes sense.
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| marcellus wrote: |
| ........ saves about 10minutes on Cluses route and about 20 mins on Vallee Verte when all are flowing!!) |
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We are missing the half term bun fight this year -going at Easter so I'd appreciate your tactical appreciation of each of these routes during the peak weekends to come!
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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michelin, The Vallee Verte is a continuation of the D907 to Annemasse. You can pick it up from J14 or J15 of the A40. J14 needs a bit of going thru the suburbs of Annemasse tho. The road then goes straight thru to Samoens. It avoids paying tolls on the autoroute blanche (J14) and the queue getting off! I have not used J17 as advocated by marcellus, so can't comment - I'll give it a whirl in April.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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If you have a 4x4 and are presumably skiing at 1/2 term week prices, can't you just afford to buy a set of chains in case you need them.
They don't cost that much.
Peace of mind, sorted.
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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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marcellus, thanks for the tip on J17 - we will look out for it on return early March. Good luck with the February rush.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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steve & Pamski, J17 doesn't miss the Nangy toll which can be a pain in the **** but as long as the traffic if rolling it's not too bad (perhaps adds half an hour if you're using the Telepeage on the LHS).
The difference then is even more when busy (like last weekend 1st weekend of the French holidays)!!
J16 (Vallee Verte) services Les Gets and people use it for Morzine so always fairly busy.
J18 (Cluses) is used also used for Les Gets plus Grand Massif and usual "Cluses" people.
J17 (New One) doesn't really go anywhere so no holiday traffic has one one Village (Marignier (sp?)) on it, one set of traffic lights and no hairpins also the junction isn't on the maps or satnavs (yet!) so I've never seen a queue on it. It brings you out on the last hairpin before Chatillon with just a trundle over the col.
We all use it even if going to Les Carroz and sometimes even Flaine!!
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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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Snow chains are like insurance. You often don't need them and with insight you may feel it was a waste of money but when you do require them you are glad you have them in the car. Imagine you were delayed on the roads well before that and you arrive in the Alps late at night. If you get stuck 20 miles from your final destination what do you do?
PS. If you have a back wheel drive car (eg BWW) don't put them on the front tyres! Only mention this as I have seen it before. If you have a 4x4 you need 4 chains. No need to start putting them on the motorway when it's dry either! Have seen this before too although that was a long time ago!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Just to add that my Dad bought some and as he changes his car quite frequently got a deal where you buy, if the box remains sealed and you change cars and need a different size then the company will change them at £0........ not sure who it was through though but might be worth some investigation.
| XPeak wrote: |
| ....................................... If you have a 4x4 you need 4 chains. |
Only ever seen that on snow clearers, everyone else (locals, Gendarmes, Pompiers etc etc) with 4x4s use a pair on the front wheels only.. after all they are what you use for steering, stopping and the majority of the power......
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marcellus, it may well be that some of the 4x4 vehicle you have seen with only 2 chains have the ability to set the differential to restrict traction to front wheels. I am not an expert and I don't drive a 4x4 myself but my understanding is that in any case it is best to have them on all 4 wheels as it's not only traction one has to consider but also braking. I think it is what some car manufacturers recommend. I am sure there are 100s of other posts here on the subject. I realise it's off subject anyway and although I have driven many times in the Vallée du Giffre you are certainly better placed to answer the specific question raised. When you consider the conditions on all the Saturdays (main arrival day for anyone who is not familiar) of the ski season it is probably fair to say that the times when snowchains are required on that road is probably quite limited. That said as everyone has said it is foolish not to have them just in case. Police/Gendarmerie will stop cars that haven't if there is snow on the road. They regularly do at bottom of Morillon for road up to Les Esserts as I am sure marcellus can no doubt testify.
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Just a note on the Swiss attitude to this question: I once witnessed the swiss police stopping people on the Julier, at the top of the pass and sending them back down to St.Moritz to get chains if they didn't have any
The swiss police are, quite simply put, the biggest sons of bitches on this planet! So don't mess with them and have snow chains with you at all times!
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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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Does not surprises me Steilhang. Never try humour with the Swiss police or border control either  and you better have that tax disc when you cross the border on your way to GVA airport. Always afraid they will start firing before asking any question.
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