 Poster: A snowHead
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Question is all in the title really, planning a boys off piste trip in January and we are considering driving as an option, out Thursday, prob drive all day, back on the following Monday post ski
Cheers,
Greg
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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kitenski, We have driven to the Alps several times (from the coast north of Liverpool, so not much different for you), but NEVER for a long weekend  If you are setting off from Leeds-ish to the coast, the ferry will take c.2 hours, and it's then 8-10 hours without any meaningful stops. You may get into the resort in time for bed on Thursday night. You could ski 3 days admittedly, but if only then setting off after skiing all day Monday, you would need to stop somewhere for the night, meaning you won't get home until Tuesday pm, dependent on ferry schedules, which makes it closer to a week, than a (long) weekend.
Are you scared of flying 
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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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Used to do this all the time, (from North London).
We'd meet up after work on, say, Thursday evening. Ferry (then later on, the shuttle) at say 9.00pm, then take turns driving overnight down to the French Alps, arriving at dawn.
Some strong coffee and the sight of the snow covered mountains is enough to banish the uncomfortable night. Ski Friday, Saturday, Sunday, then have a more civilised drive home on Monday.
We actually ended up getting too efficient at the drive, sometimes turning up in the resort at 4.00 in the morning and having a cold uncomfortable wait for the cafes to open.
I don't see why you couldn't do similar from the North, although you'll probably need a full car to make it economic, and at least three drivers.
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Haggis_Trap, I play (and captain) a hockey team so last minutes Sats are out of the question unfortunately! I did manage a very nice mid week trip myself to Nevis and Gorm in March....
Anniepen, I have 3 other friends in Reading who quite fancy it, so I'd go down to their house the night before...it's the coming back driving on my own (either from Folkestone or Reading) I am not so sure about!!
I am more inclined to fly than them, but then hire car for 1 doesn't cost in very well!
Cheers,
Greg
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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 once drove Brighton to Fort William for a weekend on a half open Nevis Range.
About 26 hours travel for about 12 hours snowtime.
Hardcore.
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kitenski, apparently they are introducing a brand new transport system for the folks in the north called an "aeroplane" - kind of a pointy aluminium tube with wings. Seriously, google it.
I used to regularly drive to the alps for week-ends - from London but pre-tunnel - and that was only because flying was darn pricey back then for anything other than a week. Even with a clear run both ways (unlikely given that you've got the UK bit to do) I reckon it's just too much of a faff for a few days.
Mr Technique, pah, I once did that and got NO skiing.
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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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Bode Swiller, read the whole thread before making smart back bottom comments please....
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kitenski, we've done a week for the EOSB (9 days including the stopovers), but not for a long weekend.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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kitenski, we drove down to Courchevel overnight Thursday, arrived and had breakfast, met up with friends who were already there for the week, skied for the day, big dinner, then the next day we skied till about 2.30 or 3, changed and attended the wedding in the church of the same friends which must have been late afternoon; back to their chalet and all the chalet staff from the three chalets everyone was staying in had pooled resources and done a great meal. The sight of all the Champagne out in the snow was quite something. Then we drove back during Sunday, arriving back before some of those who had left the same time as us and flown. Think we used the tunnel that time.
So just had Friday off and back to work Monday - lovely - 'had a nice weekend?' - 'yes skiing in the Three Valleys'
But we started off from Guildford area
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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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kitenski, I'd point out the maths to them I suspect there wouldn't be much of a saving (if any) by driving. Certainly not worth the hassle. I drive at Easter but that is for 9 days skiing, cheap it isn't for 2 of us, but in that instance the convenience wins.
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Colin B, maths from reading folk:
Flying
Car hire - £100-200
Fuel - £40
Flights - £125 each if cheap (x 4 inc skis/bags)
Driving
Fuel - £130
Tolls - £130
Tunnel - £120 (tesco vouchers possible too)
Insurance - £30 ?
£172 ish flying vs £102ish driving each....
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You know it makes sense.
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kitenski, For 4 of you probably is quite a bit cheaper, for some reason I thought it was 3. Still a lot of hassle though.
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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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kitenski, how much is £70 versus the amount you spend on electronic gadgets every year? 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Yep - done it a couple of times. Would probably prefer flying but I think there are upsides to driving even for a long weekend:
- feels more like a roadtrip
- can take more kit
- don't get stung for car hire excess etc
- avoids the extra boredom/stress at both ends - leaving contingency time to get to airport/security scrum/flight delays. Leave resort when you want rather than early doors to get the earlier flight or be left hanging around the airport for the last flight of the day, almost inevitably delayed after a full day's schedule
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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kitenski, Done it several times for a long weekend. Usually leave Warrington at 9pm. Down to Folkestone to catch Le Shuttle and have been sitting in a cafe in Chamonix by 11am the following morning. Helpful to have at least 3 or 4 people so rotate the driving. Only stop for petrol, toilet; coffee and sandwiches on the go. Would leave on Tuesday evening and back home/to work late morning/lunchtime on Wednesday. Tiring but great fun.
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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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| Arno wrote: |
| kitenski, how much is £70 versus the amount you spend on electronic gadgets every year? |
feck all, but there are 3 others involved here......I'd have booked flights by now if it was just me...
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Spud9,north London Is hardly up north is it? Even if the traffic is bad you are at the channel tunnel in an hour. Get your timing right you could be in Chamonix in 10 hours, from your front door. It takes that long to clear passport control to get out of Leeds 
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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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| kitenski wrote: |
Question is all in the title really, planning a boys off piste trip in January and we are considering driving as an option, out Thursday, prob drive all day, back on the following Monday post ski
Cheers,
Greg |
Leave Weds evening. Rag it 100mph autopilot nonstop in shifts. Ski Thurs am to Mon pm. Jump from piste to car. Hoon it back. Work Tues with a tan. Sweet.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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kitenski, it's the Leeds to Dover trip that's the bad part of the journey. Have you considered getting the ferry from Hull across to Holland & drive from there - I know a few who've done it (.Dot for one) & they reckoned it was a lot better than drivin' down south.
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That's right make the make buggars from down south drive up north, see how they like that 
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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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hull-zeebrugge might make a bit more sense for french alps? don't think you gain much for a long weekend though. assuming you leave work for evening ferry, you arrive in zeebrugge early am and drive all day. makes sense for a week though - breaks up the journey a bit.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Last year I drove to Nendaz from Dundee in my Mitsubishi pick up with my 3 kids. Quite straightforward really. Left about 6.30am, got on the tunnel at roughly 7pm. Drove for a further 150 miles on the other side. Stayed in cheap hotel. Got up 8am next day and arrived Nendaz at 3.30pm. The next day I was back down to Sion to pick up the missus who had refused to come in the vehicle, thus had flown out and got the train from Geneva.
Admittedly it was not for a weekend, and I was a bit frazzled!
Kids watched the box set of Fawlty Towers on the DVD non stop, they'd never seen it before and were hooting themselves.
If it were me I would leave lunchtime and get to London to meet the rest for a quick start after they finish work. Drive till say midnight, stay in cheap hotel, get up sharp and finish the drive. I just wouldn't sleep in the car, driving or not and I would be so knackered it would all be a bit pointless.
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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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Last time I looked the hull ferries were very expensive & would mean three folk from reading driving up to hull, by which time they could have been across the channel!!!
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sound like you need to move to Reading!
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You know it makes sense.
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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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kitenski, ir's only cheaper because you ignore servicing, tyre wear and depreciation from your equation. All of those are mileage dependent. That's fine if you don't mind subsidising your three tight-fisted spongers.... I'm sorry.... my mistake - your three friends.
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Poster: A snowHead
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stoatsbrother, fortunately we wouldn't go in my car 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Arno wrote: |
| sound like you need to move to Reading! |
Woah!
There's no need for that kind of talk
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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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kitenski, ah ha....
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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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My Dad drove to Zermat for the weekend in the 60's in his frog eye Healey Sprite. Quality.
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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 think it depends how old you are. 30 years ago in my late 20s BT (before tunnel) I got a 5 day ferry ticket Harwich to Ostend (much cheaper than longer stay) drove from Cambridge early Monday (no roofrack, skis inside car) then ferry then drove through Belgium, Lux, Germany, Switz then France) and got to a B&B in France. Early Tue, with nothing booked, drove to Flaine (first time for me and had no chains), discovered there was only one week lets so bought a one-way cablecar ticket and skied top to bottom. Back in car, drove to Cham, found a hotel and spent Wed and Thur skiing in Cham. Had to make the ferry Fri morning so drove through Thur night (just me, OH not insured) and made ferry bleary eyed. Couldn't sleep on ferry and I remember almost hallucinating driving back to Cambridge (not very clever) but made it. Wouldn't dream of doing that now. Although I reckon driving is still the cheapest way (even for two) I wouldn't do it for less than a week now. But I'm getting old........
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Easyjet are currently offering January flights from Liverpool to Geneva for £67 return including tax (Friday out/Tuesday back). Add 2 ski bags between 4 and it's still only £86 each.
With those prices I don't think driving is worth the effort just to save a few bob....
Each to their own though. Driving for the wekend will still be far better than not going skiing!
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I was just looking at ferry prices earlier for middle of january and driving from Scotland (for a week admittedly) for 3 of us...
Norfolk Line is only £50 return! plus 3 tanks of fuel (£180) + tolls (£100ish)
£330 / 3 = £110 each
flights are coming in at around £500 / 3 = £166 each + transfers
Flying probably still wins!
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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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When the volcanic ash threatened my end of season trip to Tignes we drove ..... London - Eurotunnel - Tignes. We got into France at about 1am ish and were in Tignes at lunchtime. We skied for two days and then drove back, exhausted but so worth it!
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