 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm thinking of driving a minibus to Tignes next February sharing driving with one other , hopefully two
Does anyone have knowledge of european driving hours?
Do you think snow chains will be necessary, i'm thinking they will
Any other useful advice greatly appreciated!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Driving in France, the road rules are slightly different from the UK.
You will need to ensure that you have a high vis jacket and a warning triangle in the minibus, as well as headlamp convertor stickers on the head lamps. Police have the right to demand your license on the spot so all drivers, and potential drivers, should make sure that they have their full license (paper and card) with them.
You will need to have snow chains with you, although you may find that you don't need them if it isn't snowing. If it is snowing when you arrive at the mountain road to Tignes, you should pull over into an "aire de chainage" (chain putting on area) and put the chains on. It is worth practising somewhere warm, dry and not snowing to make sure that you know how to do this.
Have a great trip!
Heather
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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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1969 - see the other thread on snow chains and snow tyres - lots of top tips. Also forget any notions of speeding in France the days of the 9 hour dash from Fulham are over if you wish to preserve your wallet. There are now a lot of fixed cameras and an equally large number of mobile ones (I average seeing 3 mobiles between Perpignan and Tignes). They have a nasty habit of hiding In Service 'Aires" where you have to slow down pretty quick to make the 110, 90, 70, 50 numbers. Make sure you have enough Euros to cover the tolls which may be quite high in a minibus if its over 2 metres tall as you move up into the class above car. Viamichelin.com will give you a good route and the car price of tolls. Diesel is much cheaper in France than petrol. Don't forget to drive on teh right 
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1969jma: Maybe we've just been lucky but after driving up to Tignes about a dozen times (maybe more?) in winter, we've never needed snow chains. Roads have been snowcovered above about 15-1700m, though we've always managed ok with snow tyres. We did once need to fit chains for the descent from the resort though, after particularly heavy snow.
Parking Tips:
Most Tignes car parks are pay ones - at about €75 for a week  ......As this money could be better spent on supermarket beer  , you may wish to know that there are two free car parks:
- One at Tignes Les Boisses (which I think is now signposted as Tignes 1800?). It's not all that big, though we have always got a space. It's also down a steepish hill, so there can be getting out issues after snowfall, although we did manage the snowcovered road OK in January (without chains) after digging the car out.
- One at Tignes Les Brevieres - this one is much bigger and always seems to have lots of spaces. Drive through the narrow streets of TLB and the parking is at the far end.
Depending on arrival time you can drop all your gear at your digs, park and then just walk to the lift system. If you arrive after lift hours, it's €15 for one night's parking - so move the bus the next day to the free parking and you'll still save €60  .
Les Brevieres parking is under 5 mins walk to the local gondola and ticket office.
Les Boisses parking is about 10 seconds ski to the new gondola - though there is no ticket office at the lift station. You'd need to buy a lift ticket before you park. There's a ticket office just along from the church - on the right as you first reach Les Boisses. We have found ticket office hours there a bit erratic, so you may end up driving up to Tignes Le Lac to buy one at the Maison de Tignes (ie main tourist office). The free parking is signposted - again, continue past the church and it's first right.
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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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mountainaddict, There is also a free bus between Les Boisses and Le Lac.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
chocksawaywrote, Diesel is much cheaper in France than petrol.
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Diesel in France is currently €1.35 / €1.50 only about 10% cheaper than the UK.
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| Quote: |
drivers, and potential drivers, should make sure that they have their full license (paper and card) with the
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you'll need the car documents, too.
The hours it will take you to get there will depend not only on the weather throughout the journey (obviously....) but also on the timing. Check dates of French school holidays (middish February to middish March) as well as the English half term and be prepared for some long delays if you are travelling on a holiday Saturday. If you can organise your accommodation Sunday/Sunday it will make a huge difference.
There are a number of threads about the best way of timing the journey but if you have to arrive on a Saturday then the short answer is either to be up into the resort by 10 am (which will probably be before your accommodation is available, so be prepared to ski from the van) or not to attempt it till after 6 pm. If you decide to stay in a hotel a few hours drive away on the Friday night (which isn't a bad plan at all) you'll need to book well in advance. Or if you have several drivers, drive overnight.
You can't plan for the weather, obviously - last year friends were stuck for hours and hours on the motorways in northern France, in both directions which was particularly bad luck. Northern France is no better at dealing with unexpected snow falls than southern England.
You don't need cash for the tolls - a credit card is much easier and feels less painful at the time.
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I got the impression that 1969jma was asking about the hours that a commercial driver is allowed to drive (as it's a minibus), not how long to takes to get to Tignes
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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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holidayloverxx, Hours taken to get there will also depend on whether the minibus has a speed limiter or not.
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Minibus is over 2.3m high - any ideas how many tolls and costs?
Thanks for everyones tips!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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1969jma, as Pam w mentions, getting the bulk of the drive out of the way on the Friday if you have to arrive on the Saturday is a great idea. My Brother and i are driving out to Val d'Isere again this Winter. We plan to arrive in Bourg St Maurice on the Friday night, then drive up to Val on the Saturday morning. You can stock up on supplies in Bourg first thing, then drive up to Resort before the road gets crazy with transfer traffic. Stayed in the Hotel Petit St Bernard in Bourg the last time we drove out, that way you arrive in Resort showered and fed, rather than shattered and hungry after driving all night.
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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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1969 viamichelin.com will give you a route and tolls. With a 2.3m vehicle I think you will be class 2 so you will have to multiply the tolls by about 1.4.
Bored surfin - my point on fuel prices in France is that diesel is cheaper so if you have the option of an oil burner it would be cheaper - of course thats easy if you live in Dover, if in Oban the sums would be a bit more trick
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is it a high vis vest per passenger and is it france you also need a bulb kit and fire extinguisher?
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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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We were in Val D'Isere in March and drove down. We took the train - much better than the boat - over to Calais, leaving there around 10.30am and we arrived in Chambery at 6.30pm and had stops equalling around an hour. Its then around 90 mins to Espace Killy from Chambery.. However, bear in mind I was in a Volvo V50 and not a minibus.
We tend to stay in Chambery the night before and then get to resort at 9am on the Saturday/Sunday - gives you an extra day for very little additional accomodation cost.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Thanks for everyones advice.
At the moment we are thinking of leaving at 3am Saturday morning for Dover using drivers who wont drive in France. Expected arrival in Tignes between 7pm and 8pm. Leaving a good nights sleep before first days skiing
Not far from Calais there is a wine / alcohol warehouse where I suggested we stock up on return - can anyone name it or even better have a post code
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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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Your a star!
It's a Saturday, defo want to get there Saturday evening!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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1969jma,
Many choose not to, but I have a feeling that carrying snow chains is a mandatory legal requirement - not an option: A third party accident could potentially involved some difficult conversations?
Purely from a budget viewpoint- you're driving a long way, loads of expensive fuel, tolls and channel crossing: There are plently of cheap and reliable transfers to Tignes from Geneva, so I'm wondering if the drive is a convenience or neccesity?
http://riviera.angloinfo.com/countries/france/snow_ice.asp
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Wed 3-08-11 0:14; edited 1 time in total
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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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| Jivebaby wrote: |
1969jma,
Many choose not to, but I have a feeling that carrying snow chains is a mandatory legal requirement - not an option: A third party accident could potentially involved some difficult conversations?
Purely from a budget viewpoint- you're driving a long way, loads of expensive fuel, tolls and channel crossing: There are plently of cheap and reliable transfers to Tignes from Geneva, so I'm wondering if the drive is a convenience or a neccesity? |
Driving for 6 - 8 of us is cheaper than flights, transfers.
Not sure how much fuel and tolls will cost , Cost of ferry crossing is one person outward journey!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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1969jma, the maths are on your side unless the Ferry costs a grand!
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Ferry cost is £150.00
I would like to know Toll costs & how many from peoples experiences
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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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I drive there 3-4 times every year and budget on 3 tanks of fuel and €75.00 on tolls either way, you should be able to get the ferry cheaper than £150.00 as well. I would also say to the people not willing to drive in France that it is far far better than driving in England, open roads cruise control set on 85mph/130kph, bliss!
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| Quote: |
open roads cruise control set on 85mph/130kph, bliss!
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130 kph would be better than 85 mph, to be on the safe side. AND that's if the roads are dry, otherwise it's 69 mph. AND if there aren't a huge pile of other people all driving down the motorway on the same day.
Personally, rather than leave at 4 am (which essentially means you don't get any kind of decent sleep anyway) I'd leave asap on Friday then drive all night.
Where in the South West of england will you be starting? And which Saturday? If it's the first in the month the traffic might not be too bad.
It's a legal requirement to have chains on some roads, but in practice this only becomes an issue when the roads are snowy. On snowy Saturdays (and of course, you'll be hoping the weather is snowy, won't you?) the police could be stopping vehicles without chains miles before you get to the resort. A detour to buy some could cost you a lot of time, especially if your wheels aren't a pretty standard size. Mad to go without them (and without having practised putting them on) in February.
I have noticed, over a good few seasons, the tendency for the heaviest snow to come on transfer days....
I drive 3/4 times a year, too (though never on a Saturday). Sometimes - usually - it's a breeze. But when it goes wrong it can go very wrong. You will be very fortunate to be able to drive to the speed limit all the way to Tignes on a Saturday in February.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Bristol
Saturday 11 February 2011 (thinking of leaving from school on Friday now)
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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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1969jma, Blimey................ watch out for the traffic, looks like 1/2 term - can you leave Thursday and drive down overnight? Serious queueing up from Moutiers a high possibility Saturday late morning onwards
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1969jma, I'd agree with Markymark29, you will encounter serious traffic up to resort and could be held up further north, too, for example at the Reims péage gates. If you leave Bristol at 0400 and get a eurotunnel at about 0830 (and the Tunnel will be mobbed - could take longer) then you'll start driving at Calais at 1015 French time. Ferry takes longer. You'd be in Tignes very late, even if weather conditions are good, and after a frustrating drive.
If you leave after school Friday evening then you've a much better chance (assuming you drive all night) but, even so, there are no guarantees because if you encounter delays (for example snow or fog in northern France) you'll still queue getting up to Tignes on Saturday morning. BUT Saturday transfer days are good quiet days on the slopes, if you can get there early. spending Saturday skiing with that hungover feeling of having driven all night isn't ideal, but it's better than spending Saturday in traffic jams.
One good thing, though, is that the French holidays don't start till the following Saturday - which will help quite a lot.
You need to think about timing for leaving Tignes, too. If you're not in a rush, it's good to spend another quietish Saturday on the slopes and then leave around 4 pm, when the road down will be quieter (and you can sympathise with all the people driving up). Alternative is to leave very early. Mid morning to early afternoon will be v busy.
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You know it makes sense.
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One good thing, though, is that the French holidays don't start till the following Saturday - which will help quite a lot
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Sorry - that information was wrong - they do start that week, which makes strategies to avoid the traffic even more important.
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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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Is there a good make of snow chain or are they all fairly similar
rather pay for quality!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Leaving after school on Friday thanks to your advice
£75 each way for tolls (bargain)
Fuel Cost each way, those with experience!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I allow in our 4x4 all in inc ferry about £450 return from London area to Val d'isere - that is driving conservatively but not stopping overnight en route. That includes tolls etc etc etc. But chains before you leave the UK and practice or get some cheaper ones in Bourg St Maurice - about £30-£40 you can get them from there! Sometimes Btw even cars with snow tyres etc are forced to put chains on aswell so you should always have them - just in case!
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FAQ
