 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi,
I have never driven in the alps but am considering hiring a car from Turin airport to Serre Chevalier. Is it a difficult/dangerous drive?
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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sunnek, it is a reasonably easy drive. The majority of the route is Italian autostrada, and is well signposted (have some change for the toll booths, I think it is around 12€ in total. Once you leave the autoroute you do have to negotiate the Col de Montgenevre, but the uphill section to Claviere was improved for the Winter Olympics 6 years ago, and a new tunnel looked to be about to be opened when we were over there last month. It is cleared quickly in bad weather, but make sure your hire car has snowchains just in case.
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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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| Quote: |
| Once you leave the autoroute you do have to negotiate the Col de Montgenevre |
. We've done the drive from Turin twice:
- First time: Dry weather in January and no problems.
- Second time: Snowy weather in April and snow chains needed for both legs of the col (ie on our outbound and return trips). We were very glad we'd hired the chains - unlike Geneva etc, Italian hire cars seem to have a tendency not to come equipped with snow tyres.... 
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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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Last summer we negotiated the Col de Montgenevre in a 7.5 tonner and it wasn't a difficult drive. However, I've also done it in winter in a car when it's been snowing hard and traffic was sliding about at the top. The road is very exposed up there and can really catch the weather and, perhaps most importantly, there really isn't any other option.
I'd definately take the option on snow tyres and chains.
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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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sunnek, The road is fine, bear in mind though that Italians can't drive.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I was in Clav last year and it dumped the night before we were due to leave. I had the foresight to put the chains on the day before having seen the forecast. I've never put chains on and it was a hire car but I'm so glad I did it when I did as we had to leave before daylight. However about 2 miles down the road it cleared and I had to take the chains off. It was a pain having had to do all that for about 10 mins of driving but we saw people who didn't have chains and they were all over the place...
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Also be aware that most hire cars will be supplied with summer diesel. Buy winter additive or you'll find a cold morning frustrating.
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under a new name, and most of the fuel stations in Turin won't have winter diesel as we found out to our cost in 2005 when we had to fill up our own car there.
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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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Did this drive a couple of years ago on a dark saturday evening at Febraury half term .
The drive was fine but on the way down from Montgenevre to Briancon a couple of deer decided to jump out from a high walled verge and skip across the road before disappearing into the woods.
Made me jump so much I almost crashed!
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And my Italian hire car ( a brand new Fiat something or other) would not start in the morning after a night outside in Chantmerle. Had to wait for the sun to thaw the diesel (about 4pm) and then store the car in a garage that came with the apartment after topping up the fuel with winter diesel in Briancon.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Hey, finally a topic I feel more than qualified to comment on.....eh, Hell Bells. In fact, I am surprised you didn't recommend sunnek to pm me... 
| Hells Bells wrote: |
| sunnek, it is a reasonably easy drive. The majority of the route is Italian autostrada, and is well signposted (have some change for the toll booths, I think it is around 12€ in total. |
I'd be inclined to say "reasonably well signposted. Miss the sign post and enjoy the Frejus Tunnel. Both ways. And have more change ready for that toll too....
| Hells Bells wrote: |
| Once you leave the autoroute you do have to negotiate the Col de Montgenevre, but the uphill section to Claviere was improved for the Winter Olympics 6 years ago, and a new tunnel looked to be about to be opened when we were over there last month. It is cleared quickly in bad weather, but make sure your hire car has snowchains just in case. |
Without diversions ( ) , it's probably 2 hours to 2 hours 20 max at a moderate speed. I managed 1 hour 40 on the return with a petrol stop.
Generally, a very straight forward drive - occasionally the road between Montgenevre and Serre Che can be prone to the odd slide - as witnessed on my return when half the road was blocked. I imagine these things are dealt with pretty quickly as it is a main route.
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