 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Check that your licence allows the driving of a vehicle with more than 9 seats in France. When I last did it I needed a wayleave for my UK licence. Also check that the minibus has a tachometer. Good luck, especially for the passengers.
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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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IF you can find a minibus rental that allows European travel dont forget you will need to buy snowchains for it (you'll need to know the tyre sizes), a big enough bus to take 11 in comfort AND all their luggage.
Dont forget to cost in the Peage tolls, a large minibus costs more than a car.
It must be doable, as we often pass UK minibuses chugging along at 60mph, presumably they are speed limited?
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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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Thanks both.
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Good luck, especially for the passengers
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I think we're hoping to start the party early 
We're looking at 15 or 17 seater, same price, as most of have our own boards or skis.
Any idea how much extra for the peage.
Chugging through the night stopping only to change drivers so we''ll still be there for lunch.
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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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Erm, why not just get someone else to do the driving? http://www.skiweekends.com/ - I can't imagine hiring a bus, insuring it for the trip through France with breakdown cover, finding the snow chains you'll need, fuel for a big heavy lump, tolls, uncomfortable seats, seems like a big hassle method for very little saving. This way the drivers get to have a beer too, and you are on the slopes in the morning.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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robapplegate, Peage is €154.50 from Calais to Albertville for cars. Looking at the charges it depends on axles and seating capacity for minibuses.
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For anything over 9 seats you will need to get involved with the whole taco-graph thing. Beware.
We did it one year - 8 of us, the heater broke. The boys took the wrong turn and we ended up in the Jura, the outdoor toilets were warmer than our van. We had to de-ice the inside of the van as we drove and the "heaters" were blowing out cold air and couldn't be turned off. Those in the front had to wear full ski wear. Harrowing.
We fly now.
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we''ll still be there for lunch
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possibly, but at half term anything can happen..... family members who drove down to my apartment at half term, the last two years, had difficult journeys. first time (minibus with another family) they were held up for 3 hours at Eurotunnel so the planned arrival in France, before midnight, became a 3 am arrival, and the planned early drive up a relatively quiet road to resort became a slow 3 hour crawl.
second time, in their own car, it was so snowy they had chains on all the way from Sallanches....
And if it did all go smoothly according to plan, would you get access to your accommodation at lunch time?
(cheerful lot, aren't we?)
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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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pam w,  Alternatively we leave on the Friday at 5 am and ave a trouble free journey arriving in resort at 6pm. (In a car)
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We did this in Febuary though to Morgins and there were only 7 of us. We're pretty sure even with the hire and peage costs it was good value especially as we had the use of the bus during the week. Also it was fun, no really. Two of us shared the driving and the journey was part of the experience. We had snow chains on board but didn't use them. I think they went back to halfords.
We used a local, Dartford, hire firm having told them our plans.
Sorry I can't give you exact costings as I find thinking about how much skiing costs takes some of the fun out of it.
I also went with skiweekends to Morzine last season and I'm already booked again for the 1st Jan. Can't recommend them enough, great value.
You've already got accommodation but maybe the coach isn't such bad idea, there are a couple of companies offering this e.g:
http://www.snowexpress.co.uk/resort-morzine.php
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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most of the same can (and has/does) happen in a car
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yes, absolutely. That wasn't so much a comment on minibuses, as a comment on your conviction you'd be there by lunchtime. 
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pam w,
We have driven every year since time began and 9 times out of 10 have no problems.
We normally make Austria by mid afternoon and Morzine is considerably closer.
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You know it makes sense.
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Monium, not sure how snowweekends helps as we've already booked accomodation and it only seems to sell package holidays.
Snow Hound, Thanks for the ray of sunshine, as long as no one starts a sing song I'll be ok. Unfortunately snowexpress hasn't got times and prices published and as I said we may opt back to flying a couple of people over in which case the sooner flights are booked the cheaper they are.
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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 did it one year - 8 of us, the heater broke. The boys took the wrong turn and we ended up in the Jura, the outdoor toilets were warmer than our van. We had to de-ice the inside of the van as we drove and the "heaters" were blowing out cold air and couldn't be turned off. Those in the front had to wear full ski wear. Harrowing.
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Sounds like some trips we did by coach. In fact I cannot recall a coach trip where something similar didn't happen. But we still enjoyed it.
As an aside one year we decided to hire a 7 seater car from Geneva. It turned out it was more expensive than 2 4 seaters.
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FAQ
one of the downsides of being a teacher, still it's what means I can afford to go in the first place so musn't grumble too much.
