 Poster: A snowHead
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I am heading out to Chamonix this Thurs and see Chamonix.com is forecasting 20cm on both thurs and fri. Havent booked any snow chains with the car as I didnt think i would need them given the altitude of the resort. Thinking maybe i should get them as I remember a hairy trip up to tignes a few years ago - would never have got up the mountain without them!
Is there much snow in the town ? I assume the road conditions are clear at the minute? Does anyone know what the road conditions generally get like ?
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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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10196986, gendarmes are within their rights to not let you up the road without chains, hire them, learn how to put them on BEFORE you need them and voila - safe driving 
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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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Having got stuck on the Viaduct road up to Chamonix a few years ago and seen lots of cars falling off the roads along the Cham Valley in recent years I would say yes you do need them,.
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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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10196986, Roads currently mostly clear but some snow forecast Thursday and Friday - given that it took 4 hours and 2 sets of chains to get one of our ciients cars up our hill, probably best have them.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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http://www.chamonix.com/road-conditions,10,en.html
This link is updated regularly.
On the road/motorway as far as the tunnel, and the main town chains are rarely neede,howeveer if your accomodation is up a hill like under a new name, then you may well need some. From Chamonix as far as Le praz it's cleared quickly after any snow, from Le praz to Argentiere it gets steeper and it can take a while after snow for it to be passable without snow tyres or chains. The road beyond argentiere is difficult often for quite a while after bad weather. The recent snow caused lots of difficulities.
Presumably you are getting a car to make travelling around when you are there easier, so given its likely both GM and Le tour will be tricky, get the chains and top up the insurance as there are lots and lots of minor and not so minor prangs along the road.
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pam w, To an extent, cheap and nasty from eBay chains at least for the first pair, 2nd pair were more substantial, as found in Carrefour or Total locally, albeit 9mm not 15mm. Plus particularly slippy snow and a steepish hill.
That said, a number of locals with 2wd and snow tyres were struggling.
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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 said, a number of locals with 2wd and snow tyres were struggling
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Yep, I've come close to needing chains a few times, in these snowy days. I've had to rock the car back and forth, or drop back a few yards to get some traction, more than once. When people say they've had snow tyres and never had to put on chains for X years I wonder sometimes whether they've been lucky or I've been unlucky, or they just drive on main roads. When there's only one ploughed track up a road and a bus comes towards you, downhill, in the middle of it, there's sometimes no choice but to take to the deep stuff and hold the breath.
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pam w, exactly right - we have snow tyres and have not put chains on for years but we had to the other day - very slippy snow, car loaded with skis for lots of people who were meeting up later and a full tank of diesel.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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oh what a charmed life some have.
If only, if only , the biggest problem I had right now was whether I should have booked snow chains for Chamonix because they have had, are having, will have so much snow!
Go on - rub it in....
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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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[quote="pam w"]
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When people say they've had snow tyres and never had to put on chains for X years I wonder sometimes whether they've been lucky or I've been unlucky, |
I haven't put chains on since 2006  but I do have a set in the boot, you never know when you might need them. I wouldn't drive up to Chamonix on Th. or Fr. without them in the car though.
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1st visit to chamonix so cheers for all the info. Think I will be getting them given the forecast . Hopefully car hire place has them in stock!
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You know it makes sense.
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I was in Chamonix today and all the access roads were clear, but I noticed that some of the side roads up by Brevent were still snow covered, but passable. Personally I'd err on the safe side and rent some if fresh snow is forecast.
Although the access roads were clear, a white van managed to slide through 90 degrees, I'm guessing because he wasn't paying attention and mounted the snow covered edge of the road.
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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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ed123, eh? 
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Poster: A snowHead
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10196986, rain/snow limit for the snow later this week is set to be low (400/500m) on the forecast I have seen so probs makes sense to have chains...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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10196986, where are you renting the car from?
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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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Carhire 3000. Have used them before and they were good. Hopefully they will have chains available.
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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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Car hire place have told me that they have no chains . Does anyone know if you can buy chains anywhere conveniently in the way to chamonix ?
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Cheers pam w!
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10196986, If not Carrefour, there is, I think, a Feu Vert in Sallanches or definitely a Roady in Domancy. PS get 15mm version if you can...
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Special winter equipment required to access all ski resorts in the Savoie / Haute Savoie / Isere / Hautes Alpes
AIN / HAUTE-SAVOIE: les conditions de conduite sont difficiles sur l'A40 (sur 22 km) entre les départements de l'Ain et de la Haute-Savoie, entre les communes de Neyrolles (Les) et de Éloise. Circulation délicate sur une voie, prudence...
HAUTE-SAVOIE: impossible d'accéder à la D1506, dans les deux sens, à hauteur de Vallorcine. La route est coupée dans les deux sens; le col des Montets est fermé pour tous les véhicules.
Stockage de véhicules, applicable aux poids lourds de plus de 7,5 tonnes sur la N205, à hauteur de Chamonix-Mont-Blanc. La route est coupée dans les deux sens. Chutes de neige en cours
Circulation délicate également sur l’A51, entre Le Crozet et le col du Fau, sur l’A430, entre Chamousset et Albertville, ainsi que sur l’A41 Nord, entre St-Martin-Bellevue et St-Julien en Genevois, déneigement en cours.
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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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Saw lots of crashed cars today - watched the car in front of me drive straight into an oncoming car - nothing more than cracked number plates though - most of these were people creeping along at 10kph with snow tires on and some even with chains as well. It's very slippery out there beware.
It's all going to turn to mush tomorrow, then freeze over and snow again in the next few days 
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Idris, The only issues I saw today, and there were many, involved a not so subtle mix of summer tyres and outright stupidity.
The latter directed specifically at the idiot who couldn't get up our hill but had to make a delivery and simply parked in the middle of the road at the bottom of the hill while walked up and prevented anyone else getting up or down.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Monstrous snow fall overnight. Come prepared.
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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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Main problem over the next 12 hours is he avalanche risk as the thaw causes a number of natural purges which could hit or at least threaten roads. Mt Blanc tunnel is closed until tomorrow. Les Arcs was closed this morning but is now open. La Clusaz road is blocked.
Chains still mandatory to access ski resorts.
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You know it makes sense.
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pam w, There are 3.5 routes to our house. The police had blocked 1.5 due to an unfortunate conjunction of 3 cars with a snowplough. Cunningly, they had all arrived from different directions. No chains, no snow tyres.
The lady's front bottom with the van had blocked one. A queue of cars behind trying to get down.
Leaving one uber steep, narrow, angled path, little known but thankfully passable.
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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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davidof, Road fron the Vagabond to the Vert closed due avalanche risk. Disturbingly close to town.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Got up to les houches no problem. Done nothing but snow since! Great day skiing yesterday. Today good but visibility poor even in les houches . Traffic in the town is a nightmare. I'm sure there has been 40-50 cm at 1000m . Rain on now though
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