 Poster: A snowHead
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Planning holiday to France at Easter - Tignes / La Plagne / 3V probably. Looking at price of flights & transfers I'm seriously considering self drive but not sure about snow chains etc. so here are some questions... 
1. Do I really need them at this time of year?
2. Do they damage alloy wheels?
3. Would "Snowsocks" be an option at all?
4. Do I need winter tyres?
No point me saving a few £100 to find I need to buy a new set of alloys!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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1. How lucky do you feel?
2. I could only imagine if you have a combination of ultra low profile tyres and very fat alloys that would kerb easily, but no otherwise.
3. The autosock site looks very encouraging and they have some major advantages over chains.
4. I've just had mine fitted and the car now feels incredibly stable and secure. Remember, below 7 degrees C a winter tyre will function significantly better than a summer tyre. I chose a smaller, more generic tyre size (205/55/16) than my low-profile ones (225/45/17) so that they could be used on future vehicles or more easily sold. Other vehicles in the same range have these smaller tyres so there were no fitting problems apart from the electronics spotting the size change and needing to be reset.
If in Yorkshire, you should consider the Hull-Zeebrugge ferry - we use it every year and the crossing is very comfortable.
Cheers
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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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Sack, I know you're new an'all but this is probably the most discussed topic around here. It might be helpful to find the search button.
So the consensus answer to your specifics is: you're must unlikely to need them... but you might. And then what ya gonna do?
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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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Sack,
1) Yes you need to carry them. Will you need to use them? depends on weather/road conditions and 4)
2) No, not if fitted properly
3) yes it would be an option, but not a good one and not a legal alternative to chains in some countries
4) Yes. and if you fit them you will NOT need to fit chains anything like as often, possibly not at all.
If you are worried about your alloys buy a set of steel rims and stick winter tyres on them - keep your summer tyres on your alloys in your garage and swap them over every year.
I drove a Grand Voyager into the alps two or three times a year for several years with M&S rated tyres. I had to use chains just twice and never once got stuck. I used to pass (GB plated) motorists on the autoroute pulling in to fit chains as soon as the slightest snow flurry started, while the locals (and I) continued driving steadily in the snow without any trouble.
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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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Sack, the majority of Brits who drive to the Alps don't have snow tyres (well, I don't know that, actually, but it's a fair supposition).
If you don't, you WILL need chains if conditions are snowy, and if they're very snowy you are quite likely to be stopped by the police without them. When they are in that mood you will have to put them on whether or not you have snow tyres.
Sometimes, even when main roads are OK, you will find you can't get up the last few hundred yards to your accommodation without chains. And that when you get stuck, blocking the road, you'll get scant sympathy. 
It's worth practising with chains - so that you get them on, if you need to, before your hands freeze up completely and without making a complete dick of yourself. Then a big black bag to stow them in, when you take them off, and some wet-wipes for the hands.
Think about where you will dump the car when you get there. Paying for under cover parking is worth while.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Snow chains won't damage your alloys IF you get the right size for your wheels and you fit them correctly. But Snow chains WILL damage your wheel arches if you have very low profile wheels and arches or lowered suspension. And by that, I mean a car that is either "specialised" or you're a petrol-head who has lowered the suspension to hang out with the Corsa-Kiddies I used to run a BMW 5 series v8 with the M-sport kit. This meant wide wheels on the back with super low profile wheels and lowered suspension. I couldn't use "normal" chains and instead had to use Spikes-Spiders (a special chain set that grips the wheels). They cost around £250 for the pair.
I've since driven to the Alps in a Honda Accord, which although it has twin exhausts and alloy wheels is not a "specialist" car and therefore normal snowchains worked fine. So if you have a sports-car then normal chains might cause damage, but otherwise you'll be fine.
If I were you, I'd buy the chains at the last minute (to get a cheap deal at the "end of season"), but the chances of there being a sudden dump in March/April is slim (but you'd look damned silly if you didn't have them).
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why not buy socks - easy to keep in the car for use in the uk then rent chains for your specific week away - no need to buy and sell as you change cars or have to spend a fortune.
we always hire chains as my company car changes fairly regularly.
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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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Easter is early this year - this picture was taken in March 2008. If I were you I'd buy a pair of chains - no need to pay a lot - practice fitting them, then forget about it.
I've had to put chains, on top of 4 good snowtyres, after a short sharp flurry of very wet snow in April, too.
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don't believe that "roads are always cleared quickly", either. Main roads usually are, but this is part of the road to my apartment, some days after it snowed. Freeze/thaw cycles had made the road very icy. I got up it OK with snow tyres, but I'd have had no chance without them.
In heavy weather it can take time to get all the roads cleared, especially at night. One of my neighbours, a Frenchman who drives regularly to his apartment and has snow tyres, had to dump his car at the bottom of that road one night last winter and walk up through deep snow, in icy winds, with three very young children, at 1 am. The depth of snow on the road was simply too great, and the first ploughs are generally around about 5.30 am.
These conditions don't happen often, but they happen at any time of the season. It's not that often you need chains, even without snow tyres because the roads are clear the majority of the time, throughout the season. You could take a chance. By the time you leave you will know with reasonable certainty whether there is likely to be any problem with your journey TO the resort (and your accommodation or someone on SHs could advise on state of very local roads). Then keep close eye on forecasts and be prepared to buy (probably expensively) in resort if necessary. I don't recall seeing much in the way of "end of season" cheap deals for chains - they just stick 'em in a cupboard for the following year.
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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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and Asda have snowsocks at £40.00 for 2
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If you are feeling flush get a set from these guys. I have had a set for over 10 years and they are great, go on in seconds and the mounting system means that the is little chance of damaging your alloys.
http://www.spikes-spiders.com/
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You know it makes sense.
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the only time I've been aware of following a car with snowsocks it was doing well, in difficult conditions.
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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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I live in Scotland and have winter tyres on my car (and chains, but I've never used them) but go skiing in france with friends from England who don't. We always drive and have gone at either February half term or Easter as they have kids. We've always carried chains and I reckon we had to use them on about 50% of our trips - usually either to get into or out of the resorts. A couple of years it was also pretty bad at low levels through France, but we got away without the chains fortunately.
For me personaly I'd always have winter tyres as well as chains, but I get a lot of use out of winter tyre here in Scotland and I also had them when I was in Yorkshire, but I can see that wussy southerners might not find as much use for them , but I'd definitely have a set of chains of the correct size, and practice fitting them before you have to do it for real in the dark, wet and cold halfway up an alpine pass.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Posidrive, Well let me just have a looksee at that while I drink my coffe*PFFFFFFFFFTTTTtttTTttt*
Waiter, a new keyboard please.
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FAQ
, even if the lease company would let me.
