 Poster: A snowHead
|
So, I've finally had to get on the Half Term Treadmill. By booking something early we've managed to get a few cubic metres for the four of us at what seems an ok price but I am curious about the drive to Tignes.
I've heard a couple of horror stories but just how bad is the traffic likely to be?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
|
|
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?
|
| Quote: |
just how bad is the traffic likely to be?
|
very. The thread sarah has linked will be highly relevant! getting the timing right can make a big difference.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
The traffic will be apocalyptic. Truly unbelievable. Expect near total grid-lock between Albertville and Bourg Saint Maurice. My record for the 45-minute drive from Sainte Foy to Moutiers is 4.5hrs (set at New Year - half-term is worse).
If possible avoid the roads into the valley between 12pm and 7pm and avoid the road out between 8am and 2pm. Even then, it could still be pretty bad.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| Quote: |
My record for the 45-minute drive from Sainte Foy to Moutiers is 4.5hrs
|
When being driven, in a coach, up the winding road to La Rosiere, for the first cheap week in January we passed traffic coming down the way gridlocked for miles and miles. People were out chatting, walking around, smoking. I almost expected to see people squatting down beside primus stoves, brewing up. It was just lovely to see all those people who wouldn't be competing for space on the slopes. They all seemed very cheerful. One English driver, seeing a British coach, asked the driver if the jam went right down to Bourg St Maurice. When the guy replied that it went right back to Albertville he just laughed. probably thought it was a joke.
As far as I'm concerned, if you have to drive into the Tarentaise on a peak changeover day, if you can't up to the resort before about 11 am just leave it till the evening.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
The new road through Albertville might help a bit with jams there.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Drove from Dundee to Tignes last February. Got to Bourg st Maurice the night before we were due in Tignes, booked into the Hotel Petit st Bernard for the night,then drove up to Tignes the next morning. Arrived at the Chalet, rested and showered, at 10-30am. Only took about 40 minutes from Bourg st Maurice to Tignes le Breviers, road wasn't too busy at all. As Pam W and Stevomcd mentioned, if you can be INTO the valley early,happy days.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Backcountryboarder, you did well. There was a thread a year or so ago about the difficulty of booking hotels near to the slopes for those nights - need to book early, but it's the way to go.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
all of this is why we will be arriving at Zurich Airport at Half Term and then doing a train transfer.... 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Quote: |
When being driven, in a coach, up the winding road to La Rosiere, for the first cheap week in January we passed traffic coming down the way gridlocked for miles and miles.
|
Fascinating fact #1 - the road down from La Rosiere has right-of-way over the road down from Val d'isere/Tignes at the junction where they meet (Seez). So if the La Ros road is grid-locked, well....
Fascinating fact #2 - it is possible to cut through from the Tignes/Val road to the La Ros well before this junction
Fascinating fact #3 - it is possible to turn off the La Ros road immediately after this junction and then by-pass Bourg Saint Maurice
I'm saying no more than this! None of it will help with the Bourg-Moutiers road anyway, which is pretty-much (but not entirely) unavoidable.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
stoatsbrother, me too, done it the last 2 also to Zermatt and Laax, St Anton this time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
So, even worse than I thought. Fortunately the plans we had already made, tunnel approx 9pm Friday and then skiing until the end of the day on the final Saturday, means we should miss the worst of it. I did consider spending the morning in Bourg St Mourice to have breakfast and chill out a little as I think we will all be just too shredded to ski on the Saturday. I still expect the traffic to be heavy into Tignes but surely a lot of the traffic will have turned of further down the valley. Does that sound reasonable or am I making a mistake.
Thanks for the comments
Dean
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Quote: |
I did consider spending the morning in Bourg St Mourice to have breakfast and chill out a little as I think we will all be just too shredded to ski on the Saturday.
|
Hmm. That's not a bad idea. You probably won't have access to your accommodation till around 4 pm? You're planning to drive all night, presumably? You'll be leaving Calais around 11 pm local time so the road up to Tignes will certainly be pretty busy by the time you arrive and the last bit to BSM pretty crowded too - breakfast might have to be a bit further north. When I'm driving overnight I'm desperate for 7 am to arrive, as the caffs aren't generally open properly till then. You could afford to take frequent and decent breaks on the way down overnight, which will make the journey much safer, as there's no point rushing only to spend hours and hours in BSM. Do you have a couple of drivers?
Hope it all goes well. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
clueless, after some horrible jams at half term we have taken the tunnel at around 7 - 8.00 am on the Friday , done 10 hours and then a short drive on Sat morning. Also used a map ( not sat nav for obvious reasons ) to find small roads round some pinch points ( but be prepared to drive on relatively uncleared snowy roads ).
And for the return we have left the resort on the Friday at about 17.00 or 18.00 , driven for 3 - 4 hours ( I noticed a lot of the French registered cars in the car park doing this ) , overnight in hotel then the rest on Sat. Some friends leave the same time on the Sat.
John
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
Sarah, just re-read the old thread and I noticed you started it but never finished it. What was the outcome of the drive or did I miss that bit? Might be worth updating the old thread with your findings on the drive at half term?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
We have to do this as I am a teacher!
However we find getting into resort for about 9am and then getting changed into ski gear in car park works for us before heading off to enjoy an extra day on the slopes, getting into accomodation later that day!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
| stevomcd wrote: |
| Quote: |
When being driven, in a coach, up the winding road to La Rosiere, for the first cheap week in January we passed traffic coming down the way gridlocked for miles and miles.
|
Fascinating fact #1 - the road down from La Rosiere has right-of-way over the road down from Val d'isere/Tignes at the junction where they meet (Seez). So if the La Ros road is grid-locked, well.... |
IIRC, and apologies if I'm wrong, but isn't La Ros predominantly a Sunday changeover? I thought that had been planned to try and alleviate some of the congestion bearing in mind the "family" nature of La Ros. As I say, Apologies if that's incorrect.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
Chasseur, could be, can't say I've particularly noticed. Changeover day is down to the individual tour operators/chalets/hotels.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Chasseur, Esprit have a lot of places in La Ros and they do Sundays which may give that Sunday bias but lots do Saturdays there as well.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
As I say it might be memory playing tricks. That said I thought I'd read it years ago from a comment from David @ Trax Vacs about the resort suggesting to operators that they provide easier transfers by opting to try and avoid the really heavy peaks on Saturday. Maybe he'll pop in at some point and clarify.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reading this thread only convinces me more that flying is the only option.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reading this thread only convinces me more that flying is the only option.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
It would take another revolution to shift the French from Saturday changeovers! sbirring, that's a cautionary tale. You were unlucky to have such bad weather north of Reims but it does happen, and all these people who talk about resorts "8 hours drive from Calais" make you laugh, sometimes. I don't do half term but some family and friends are teachers with no choice. Though even for them, easter is almost invariably going to be a better bet.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Snapzzz, so you are flying all the way to the resort? 
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
|
|
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.
|
As much as i would like a helicopter transfer i don't think my wallet will cope.
Of course there is likely to be traffic hampering my transfer but at least it isn't proceeded by 12 hrs driving and screaming kids.... Gotta be the sweeter option.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Snapzzz wrote: |
As much as i would like a helicopter transfer i don't think my wallet will cope.
Of course there is likely to be traffic hampering my transfer but at least it isn't proceeded by 12 hrs driving and screaming kids.... Gotta be the sweeter option. |
12 hours and screaming kids, sounds like airport travel to me. You obviously haven't driven much in France. A joy compared to Britain. I look forward to the drive, the thought of flying genuinely horrifies me with 3 kids. The kids quite like the journey to, we stop in a hotel and have a meal. Its a holiday not an endurance race.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
| thefatcontroller wrote: |
| Snapzzz wrote: |
As much as i would like a helicopter transfer i don't think my wallet will cope.
Of course there is likely to be traffic hampering my transfer but at least it isn't proceeded by 12 hrs driving and screaming kids.... Gotta be the sweeter option. |
12 hours and screaming kids, sounds like airport travel to me. You obviously haven't driven much in France. A joy compared to Britain. I look forward to the drive, the thought of flying genuinely horrifies me with 3 kids. The kids quite like the journey to, we stop in a hotel and have a meal. Its a holiday not an endurance race. |
+1 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
It's horses for courses. Whether you drive or fly it can be absolutely crap if you plan it wrong. I've driven a couple of times to France, although not to the larger resorts and got very close on Friday, and it's been OK. The last 2 years though I've flown to Zurich and transferred by train to swiss resorts and it's been a dream. Personally I wouldn't drive again for a week, at half term or other times, but I always drive at Easter when I go for longer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
| Snapzzz wrote: |
| Reading this thread only convinces me more that flying is the only option. |
Quite right, those empty French motorways are getting so crowded these days. Everyone should stick to flying
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
| Quote: |
at least it isn't proceeded by 12 hrs driving and screaming kids..
|
The big delays are usually between airports and resorts - train is definitely the best way, but not always an option. so much depends on the weather. Last christmas and New Year, with snow at both the English and French ends, most methods of travel were pretty grim; many people never made it or missed days of their holidays. There's no painless way from the UK to the Alps, especially if you live far from the ports. If possible, avoid school holidays and Saturday transfers and if you can't, plan carefully but be prepared for the buggeration of the best laid plans. We met people here last year who'd had to wake up a hotel (8 miles short of their destination) at midnight when they could drive no further in heavy snow after one of the rather cheap and nasty chains with their hire car (which they'd probably not put on right in the first place) broke. The whole family was a bit traumatized by the experience though they subsequently had a great week despite ongoing poor weather and some difficult snow conditions and vis. The kids were beginners and the parents not much further on but they were all pretty feisty and didn't give up easily. Family ski hols are not for wimps.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
| Quote: |
the rather cheap and nasty chains with their hire car (which they'd probably not put on right in the first place) broke.
|
and before anyone gets on their favourite hobby horse, it was a Swiss hire car with snow tyres as well but it was one of the worst nights of the year, weather wise.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| Quote: |
Family ski hols are not for wimps
|
hear, hear!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
If driving would it be any better if 'you' were able book accommodation with Sunday change over so doing the 1st 1/2 of France on Sat then into resort on Sunday?
Then of course, leaving for home on Sunday.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
Suggestion - arrive during the night, say 3-4am when no queues on the roads and sleep in the car until daylight and get first lift up the slopes...........................or go somewhere else is my take on this. I think that whilst Espace Killy is a great area its a bit like doing your Xmas shopping at Bluewater the saturday before Xmas, why would you do it? There's enough other great undiscovered places out there.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Quote: |
would it be any better if 'you' were able book accommodation with Sunday change
|
Yes.
| Quote: |
arrive during the night, say 3-4am when no queues on the roads
|
doesn't sound like fun. You don't have to arrive quite that early.
| Quote: |
There's enough other great undiscovered places out there.
|
I can only speak for France but any resort still "undiscovered" in the peak French holiday period of the year would have gone bankrupt long since. There are many resorts where Brits are just a tiny minority - it's a bit like Columbus "discovering" America. But yes, there are advantages to avoiding the biggest Brit-infested resorts during the British half term.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Markymark29,
Unfortunately I,m one of those people who can fall asleep anywhere; a night drive would probably end in disaster for me.
The reports of the Fri/Sat jams sound pretty bad so was wondering if a Sat/Sun option would improve matters ; which pam w, suggests will.
pam w,
Would the Sat/Sun option be generally much better in your experience ( or only marginally so)?
Thanks
Mitch
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Mitchell, well my experience is a bit atypical in that our whole area is almost exclusively French, which means it's almost exclusively Sat/Sat. It makes a big difference here; there are local day-skiers on a Sunday but the roads are generally a lot easier. Some of the UK Tour Operators use Sunday changeovers - I've been into Geneva airport on Sundays sometimes, against my better judgement, and that's pretty busy. I would certainly choose Sunday over Saturday in any French resort, if I had the choice. Apart from having an easier journey it means you miss skiing on the first Sunday, which is a very busy day on the slopes, and get the last Saturday instead, which will be much quieter. Could sometimes mean complications with the timing of group ski lessons though. school.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
