 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi,
I'm new to skiing holidays and I am thinking of going on a ski drive holiday to the french alps. I know that you can go by driving your own car either by crossing to france by train or by ferry but are the coach options any good? Does anyone have any recommendations of the best way of going about it and with what tour operator?
Thanks
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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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Welcome to snowHeads PAFCSlipperySlope 
Loads of good info around here. How new to skiing? And any ideas where you're looking to go in France?
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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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PAFCSlipperySlope,
Not saying this is the best, but this is the way we do it.
1) Book eurotunnel crossing with tesco club card vouchers ( so crossing is in effect free )
2) Book 1 night stop in a Formula 1 Hotel on the Friday Night costs approx 32 euro ( room sleeps 3 ) we book two rooms for 4 of us.
3) Catch a Friday early morning eurotunnel crossing ( usually 0620 hours ) drive as far as Formula 1 in Chambery, normally arrive between 1800-1930
4) Go out for meal and a few beers on the Friday night
5) Saturday leave Formula 1 at 0630 hours to arrive in resort around 0900
6) Ski all day saturday and check in the accomadation that we usually book off French websites because it is far cheaper than booking through a UK tour operator (just got a 3 room self catered chalet in Termignon Val Cenis in March for 330 euro )
7) ski up to and including Friday ( so 7 full days skiing )
 Leave accomadation at 0730 on Saturday morning, drive all day for about a 2030 eurotunnel home ( we only live about an hour and a half from chunnel )
9) If in a 2 litre diesel estate like ours with 4 adults and loaded up allow approx £75 per person for fuel and tolls.
We have also done it driving in one go both ways, takes us 12 hours door to door.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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PAFCSlipperySlope, exactly what Timbobaggins, said but I usually do it slightly differently. Load up the car on the final Saturday and ski all day...8 days skiing, then drive to a Formula 1 Saturday evening, drive upto Calais on Sunday.
However, one word of warning. If you are new to skiing you might be better off with the security of a tour operator. They can take care of all the hassle, get you to your hotel/apartment/chalet, arrange your equipment hire, lift passes, lessons etc. Obviously you'll pay a bit more for all that but until you get familiar with all the fiddly bits it might be worth considering. If you are comfortable making all the DIY arrangements it is by far the cheapest way to go. (except last minute deals but thats a different story which I wont bore you with now)
Good Luck
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Hi Timbobaggins
Could you give me the address of a couple of French accomodation websites? The ones I've found via google haven't been too much cheaper.
Ta muchly
PG
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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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that's great, merci bcp
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PAFCSlipperySlope, Welcome to Snow heads!
Don't you just love it when you get told to 'use the search function' (as if you didn't know how to do that already!) 
Timbobaggins, has a good few points as does Dorset Andy,
If it's your first holiday the security of a TO can help when you get to resort. Most allow a self drive option.
I have done 2 self drive trips a year for the last 5 years. Currently do the following for a 3V or Les Arc holiday.
Outward:-
Travel Friday, Eurotunnel (paid by Tesco vouchers) pre 06:00.
Drive through France stay overnight in Albertville, Etap or F1
Saturday, final drive to resort. This can allow a full days skiing on Saturday.
For example:- 2005 arrived in Courchevel 08:00, spoke to rep in hotel, they sorted out lift pass and ski hire while i parked the car. Excellent service! Got changed in spare room on hotel, was skiiing by 09:30.
Return:-
Ski Saturday till late PM.
Drive to Albertville or further , stay overnight.
Complete journey to UK on Sunday.
2 extra days skiing!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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PAFCSlipperySlope, welcome to snowheads. When are you thinking of going - and where? And is this a singleton trip, a family, a group? Makes a difference for travel recommendations.
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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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BMF_Skier, using the search function gives you access to so much more information than we will submit on this thread alone. I love planning holidays, it's probably better than actually going!, and I find reading others' opinions and experiences great fun and generally rewarding. If you are new to the site you may not realise there is a search.
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| welshskier wrote: |
| BMF_Skier, using the search function gives you access to so much more information than we will submit on this thread alone. ....... If you are new to the site you may not realise there is a search. |
Similarly, just as I dont need to be told about a search function, I'd prefer to assume most people have at least a modicum of inteligence ........ 
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You know it makes sense.
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Personally I wish that someone had pointed me at the search function sooner than when I tripped over it by accident. This website has lots of little clever things going on, but some of them aren't immediately obvious, things like clicking on posters names in threads to quote them instantly in bold, the being able to click for new posts on threads, being able to click on users to find out what they are looking at, going straight from a thread to another forum - I had never scrolled beyond the quick reply box until someone pointed it out to me, finding out where to click to get the exact reference for a posting within a thread, how to post piccies etc. Then even if you find the 'search function' there is an art to remembering to set up all the search parameters to look for posts not thread titles, the AND and OR aspects of the search term and many other features etc. Folks will say well check the stickies and find the info out - and yes, often it is posted somewhere, but when you new and still finding your way around it still takes a while, not to mention the fact that this might be first someone has ever tried something like a bulletin board or social networking site.
That said I DO think there is a tactful way of suggesting that someone may not have found the search function, rather than assuming that someone isn't trying because they haven't tried it and hazing them appropriately (which I understand is the response on some other skiing sites from what I have read recently. That is not pointing fingers at ANYONE it is just my own feelings on the subject based on my own experience.
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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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Megamum, lots of things there I've never found out!
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Poster: A snowHead
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i didnt understand a word off big mumma But i agree too
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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blockhead,
Me too. Doesn't do to tangle with Big Mumma. 
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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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| Timbobaggins wrote: |
PAFCSlipperySlope,
Not saying this is the best, but this is the way we do it.
1) Book eurotunnel crossing with tesco club card vouchers ( so crossing is in effect free )
2) Book 1 night stop in a Formula 1 Hotel on the Friday Night costs approx 32 euro ( room sleeps 3 ) we book two rooms for 4 of us.
3) Catch a Friday early morning eurotunnel crossing ( usually 0620 hours ) drive as far as Formula 1 in Chambery, normally arrive between 1800-1930
4) Go out for meal and a few beers on the Friday night
5) Saturday leave Formula 1 at 0630 hours to arrive in resort around 0900
6) Ski all day saturday and check in the accomadation that we usually book off French websites because it is far cheaper than booking through a UK tour operator (just got a 3 room self catered chalet in Termignon Val Cenis in March for 330 euro )
7) ski up to and including Friday ( so 7 full days skiing )
Leave accomadation at 0730 on Saturday morning, drive all day for about a 2030 eurotunnel home ( we only live about an hour and a half from chunnel )
9) If in a 2 litre diesel estate like ours with 4 adults and loaded up allow approx £75 per person for fuel and tolls.
We have also done it driving in one go both ways, takes us 12 hours door to door. |
Good summary, especially for first time. After a few efforrt, you may think about driving over night.
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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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to be honest ive done london to avoriaz ( to fit Roy hockleys bathroom) driving door to door it only took 16 hrs, thats including a 2 hr wait at the tunnel and stops. i found this to be quite easy, if you factor in its 9 hrs from calais, thats not too long, sometimes in traffic it takes me that long to get from london to middlesbrough.
A little tip i learned: if you book on the standard tunnel you have to be there at a certain time, therefore this will prob mean you get there a few hours early ( just in case)
if you book on the freight train its about £20 more but you can turn up any time on any day, this was so good because you didnt need to plan when u leave.
however unless you own a place there i fail to see how it can be financially better to drive, the tolls are a fortune.
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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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| bookham_mat wrote: |
however unless you own a place there i fail to see how it can be financially better to drive, the tolls are a fortune. |
Really ? Possibly for one or two. Not for a family.
We`re a family of 5.
We`re driving out in 4 weeks time. Michelin (who we have found to be reasonably accurate) predicts tolls @ 69 euros and petrol at 94 euros, from our home address in the UK to our destination in France.
Double that for the return journey = 326 euros, say 350 euros for luck.
Return Eurotunnel: 116 euros (admittedly travelling at anti-social hours).
Roughly 500 euros to get all 5 of us (plus as much luggage as we need) out and back.
Travelling by Easyjet (same dates - but we would end up with one or two days less skiing) would cost us £1241 PLUS transport from airport to resort (and back) - a rough total of £1500, i.e. about 3 times the cost of driving.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Megamum, so close to being a guide to using the site. You mention functions I never knew existed!
jonty, Driving isn't always better than flying if you book a long way in advance but can be more interesting if you might go to different resorts or want to go shopping somewhere more than 500 yds away if self catering. The drive isn't fun but the use of the car to get around can be great especially in Spring after the lifts have closed but there is still plenty of daylight. Our rule of thumb is For a weekend, fly; For a week, fly or drive; For two weeks, drive if possible.
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| AndrewBailey wrote: |
Megamum, so close to being a guide to using the site. You mention functions I never knew existed!
jonty, Driving isn't always better than flying if you book a long way in advance but can be more interesting if you might go to different resorts or want to go shopping somewhere more than 500 yds away if self catering. The drive isn't fun but the use of the car to get around can be great especially in Spring after the lifts have closed but there is still plenty of daylight. Our rule of thumb is For a weekend, fly; For a week, fly or drive; For two weeks, drive if possible. |
Totally agree - tho I didn`t say it was `better` than flying - I suggested it was cheaper than flying for a family of 5. Even if we booked well in advance (and I`ve tried it) flying would work out at double the price of driving (tho I accept there`s no wear and tear on the car etc).
As to whether it is `better` - that a subjective judgment call. We always drive overnight - taking turns at the wheel; the children sleep. It`s quite relaxing in a knackering sort of way ! Personally I can`t stand airports with all the attendant hassles and inevitable delays. We found that by the time we had factored in things like getting to the airport in good time for check in, delays on taking off, delays in car hire queue, our door to door journey time was about 8 hours on a goodish day. Sometimes much longer - especially if using a t.o. Going by car - and we do live in the south east - takes about 11/12 hours door to door. So, yes, longer, but far less stressful, a whole lot cheaper, and we can take as much luggage as we like.
Having said that, we got stuck outside Eurotunnel last year for about 7 hours ! Bl**dy irritating (especially listening to some Bozo from Eurotunnel on the radio the next morning telling everyone how much the company had done to keep passengers informed of the developing situation - absolute b*ll*cks. Nothing on the phone - just a voicemail; nothing on the website; nothing at the terminal). Still, I don`t suppose the airports were any better.
Completely agree about having the car in resort in spring.
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depending on whether you have kids or not, it might make more sense to drive back up to Calais on the Saturday in one hit. We used to ski all day Saturday as a changeover day is alwats much quieter on the snow and then drive up to Dijon or as far as Riems in the evening. However, with kids, driving on the sunday meant they never got over the drive before going back to school the next day. Now we hit it on the Saturday, have a long day but they wake up at home and can then enjoy a lazy day before school week starts. has worked out better for us but just thought I'd share...
We've done it alsorts of ways over the year but typically works best for us to travel Friday, stay overnight nr Dijon and then enjoy the nice journey on the Saturday morning through the Jura and into the mountains refreshed. also helps to be down earlier to avoid the busy Saturday afternoon of traffic all descending on the pinch points in the valleys.
If you have the stamina after a busy week, the overnight drive can be really good....dead quiet, really easy driving and you arrive at daybreak. Can confess to a few Friday to Sunday weekends doing that but getting too old for it these days with two kids and high pressure job lol 
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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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| Quote: |
A little tip i learned: if you book on the standard tunnel you have to be there at a certain time, therefore this will prob mean you get there a few hours early ( just in case)
if you book on the freight train its about £20 more but you can turn up any time on any day, this was so good because you didnt need to plan when u leave.
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this is a bit misleading. I always book "standard" (ie cheapest) on the tunnel and you DON'T have to turn up at a certain time. You might have to pay a bit more if you switch to a more expensive crossing time (I always book the most expensive of the day, using Tesco vouchers, and never have to pay extra).
And when I looked just now, at booking onto a freight service, a return in January cost £246 which is a lot more than the ordinary car price (£150 max if you book in advance).
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We used cheap ferry trips, £20 return or something bonkers like that.
The sums only real start to make sense with more than 3 people in a car that will do more than 30mpg. And even then it's not significantly cheaper.
With 4 in a car it becomes worth it, however you need a big car to get all the luggage, skis and boots in there as well as entertainment for 4 people. We got a cheap ski rack for a couple of pairs of skis, but ideally we should have got 4 pairs up there to really be comfortable in the back.
We did it by hitting the ferry at 7am, had breakfast on the ferry and then just rotated the driving - I did about 4 hours into France, swapped and had a snooze, then did the last couple of hours getting into resort. If you don't have 2/3 drivers then you really need an overnight stop half way.
Our drive took much longer than it could have, because we took a load of A roads and had a relaxed lunch, still arrived in resort by about 9pm.
One advantage for us was one of the girls found a very cheap pair of skis in resort, we just bought them and chucked them in the back, if we were flying we'd have had to pay another £25 to get them home. The big difference was that that volcano in Iceland hit while we were over there so all flighs were cancelled for several days. We just drove home, with an extra passenger to boot.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Megamum wrote: |
Personally I wish that someone had pointed me at the search function sooner than when I tripped over it by accident. This website has lots of little clever things going on, but some of them aren't immediately obvious, things like clicking on posters names in threads to quote them instantly in bold, the being able to click for new posts on threads, being able to click on users to find out what they are looking at, going straight from a thread to another forum - I had never scrolled beyond the quick reply box until someone pointed it out to me, finding out where to click to get the exact reference for a posting within a thread, how to post piccies etc. Then even if you find the 'search function' there is an art to remembering to set up all the search parameters to look for posts not thread titles, the AND and OR aspects of the search term and many other features etc. Folks will say well check the stickies and find the info out - and yes, often it is posted somewhere, but when you new and still finding your way around it still takes a while, not to mention the fact that this might be first someone has ever tried something like a bulletin board or social networking site.
That said I DO think there is a tactful way of suggesting that someone may not have found the search function, rather than assuming that someone isn't trying because they haven't tried it and hazing them appropriately (which I understand is the response on some other skiing sites from what I have read recently. That is not pointing fingers at ANYONE it is just my own feelings on the subject based on my own experience. |
Mega some of site facilities are only available to folk that have paid....thus you have simply added to the confusion
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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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Someone mentioned tolls heres a post from earlier in the year
| Quote: |
The tolls are €72.50 about £69.00
To be precise
A26 Calais to Reims 267.2K € 20.20
A26 Reims to Villefranche limas 381.0k €28.10
A4 Reims to APRR 105.7k €9.10
A43 St Quentin F. Barriere to Chambery Nord 67k €10.20
A43 Chignin Barriere to Ste Helene Barriere 36.0K €4.90
Total €72.50 each way
Tolls charged on 02/01/2010
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Just to clarify a couple of points.
Driving is way cheaper if you've got kids and are therefore restricted to Christmas and Half Term. Not only do the tour operators and airlines shamelessly rack up their prices during the holiday but the tour operators don't count children so you end up paying under occupancy fees. I usually book an entire apartment for the price the tour operators charge per person if not cheaper.
As for tolls. In later years I started driving to Switzerland. There is 1 toll near Strasbourg and you need to buy the Swiss vignette for the motorways but overall its much cheaper. It takes the same time to drive and the Swiss resorts are so much nicer than France (IMHO) and not expensive as commonly thought.
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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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Boredsurfing, I think all those I mentioned can be used by all users  They were all available to me before I coughed up
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Poster: A snowHead
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FAQ
in nice loos (not airline someone has peed on the seat types )
