 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi,
Would I be correct in saying this will take around 8-9 hours travelling through the day cruising around 70 miles an hour? Probably picking our friends up from the airport and just trying to work out times. Probably thought we'd get the tunnel around lunchtime. We'd be coming from Scotland leaving very early doors on the Friday.
Not sure it would be doable in one go, although would be stopping overnight once we picked them up. Two drivers, but I can't sleep and have a rest in car, so not really a help.
Would have been ideal to get them, stop overnight then get to resort early on Sat morn (main reason just to avoid Sat traffic, not desperate to ski sat) Don't know which resort yet waiting till nearer time.
If this would be too much, an option could, be we stop a bit earlier, they stop overnight in Geneva and we then pick them up Sat, but that would mean either hitting resort when all the transfers are or waiting till later in day.
Nothing set in stone yet, they haven't booked flights either yet. They could book a Sat flight. Just trying for best option getting to resort as soon as from Friday onwards. On way back we are taking a few days to travel back as know we will be tired after the holiday.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Gilly28, takes about 7 hrs for us Calais to outskirts Geneva if just stop for quick breaks. We live less than 2 hrs from tunnel though so haven't got that long bit to worry about. If you only effectively have one driver I think a stopover is a good idea. See what you mean though about trying to get to resort early though.
Do you have to pick them up? 
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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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Done it lots, 8 hrs plus stops. I have done it in one from the midlands, Scotland would be a very tough drive. There's plenty to choose from 1-1.5 hrs from Geneva.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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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marmotte16, No we don't have to, just thought it would be good and would make sense, save them a lot of money on transfers, which they are not bothered about paying, (they can always pay us  rather us than someone else if they insist!!) LOL
Maybe an idea would be I did the UK leg while OH slept but don't think he'd sleep too readily when we're all geared up with the excitement of hitting the road.
We prob wouldn't take too many stops just quick ones to refuel/ coffee.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Gilly28, we fight for first drive
Are you going half term?
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marmotte16, Sorry meant to mention, it would be Good Friday or thereabouts. Just started a new job and was lucky to get the Easter off, otherwise we'd prob have taken my son out of school at lunchtime Thursday and driven to Folkstone, stayed over and got an early tunnel on the Friday, working for s living has mucked up all our plans! 
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We have done Cairnryan to Geneva in 15 hours. 8 to Calais and a further 7 to Geneva. Two drivers and we can both sleep well as a passenger though, so barring pee breaks, we didn't stop. Swapped every two hours. We were both awake and alert to dive, but we were knackered the next day.
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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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marmotte16, Calais to Geneva is the easy bit. Getting to Dover is the hard bit.
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What about doing Hull-Rotterdam/Zeebrugge? Shorter drive on the Friday evening, arrive saturday morning fresh after a good night's kip and a few shandies in the bar, and have a similar distance to drive the other side.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Or the Newcastle ferry?
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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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| andrew e wrote: |
| Or the Newcastle ferry? |
Newcastle goes to Amsterdam doesn't it? That'll add another 90 minutes onto the drive. Better to ruin your Friday night than extend the drive on the Saturday morning I say.
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Hull to Zeebrugge - ticket includes a cabin and then 7-8 hrs to Geneva. Highly recommended. Initially it looks a bit expensive but saves 250 miles off hassle petrol and wear and tear - also no need for a hotel - overall much better.
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You know it makes sense.
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| feef wrote: |
| What about doing Hull-Rotterdam/Zeebrugge? Shorter drive on the Friday evening, arrive saturday morning fresh after a good night's kip and a few shandies in the bar, and have a similar distance to drive the other side. |
| chocksaway wrote: |
| Hull to Zeebrugge - ticket includes a cabin and then 7-8 hrs to Geneva. Highly recommended. Initially it looks a bit expensive but saves 250 miles off hassle petrol and wear and tear - also no need for a hotel - overall much better. |
Much better idea for anyone from the north, especially Scotland. Sleep on the ferry.
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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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Yes we did originally consider the ferry, as although extra cost it was offset as u say bu extra petrol and hitel costs,but someone pointed out its fine as long as not rough weather. If rough u don't get much of a rest anyway.
So we decided on tunnel. I would reconsider the ferry, but I think they leave around 7 at night, means we can't make the most of leaving early Friday or Thursday night, and wouldn't be arriving in resort till sat night, perhaps late of we go quite far.
Food for thought though. Friend home from Abu Dhabi this weekend, we can then sort out whether they r flying frid or sat and their thoughts.
We could always leave thurs night and travel so far through England them stop over at a cheap travelodge or something.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| johnE wrote: |
| marmotte16, Calais to Geneva is the easy bit. Getting to Dover is the hard bit. |
Yep I know, which is why I mentioned that a stopover would be a good idea, especially with one driver who doesn't manage to rest when not driving
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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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I think the Hull option is well worth looking at though bear in mind that Rotterdam-Geneva is a couple of hours longer than Calais-Geneva. I hear what you say about rough weather!
It should be about 7 hours driving time Tunnel exit to Geneva airport. If you do crack of dawn from Scotland (depends whereabouts of course!) you might get down to the tunnel in say 7 hours. Cross over and then drive 7 hours on the French side is a long old day especially if it is one driver.
We regularly do Colchester to Chatel and do a pick up after school and an overnight stop. Coming back we tend to do it non-stop and one driver (me). 10 hours Chatel to the tunnel (allowing some stops) across to Folkestone and then 1.5-2 hours Folkestone to Colchester. That last bit is a real killer as it is dark, late and after a long day on the road. I often have to have to have two stops on the last leg as I am so tired.
It is much easier with two drivers. You mention that you find it hard to sleep as a passenger in the car but just having a two hour break from the driving refreshes me enough to carry on. If I can persuade Mrs DJL to do a stint it makes a big difference. Even so I would baulk at doing it Scotland - Geneva in one go.
If you are picking people up from the airport wouldn't it be better to do Scotland to Northern France on Friday, stay overnight then drive down to Geneva for a Saturday pick up then straight to resort?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Quote: |
If you are picking people up from the airport wouldn't it be better to do Scotland to Northern France on Friday, stay overnight then drive down to Geneva for a Saturday pick up then straight to resort?
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yes, I think that sounds a good idea. We were very, very, glad last night to be on the tunnel not a ferry - it was blowing a hoolie. We drove in torrential rain much of the day (or rather, my sister and brother in law did, I was being rescued because of an injury which prevents my driving for the time being). It stopped raining for short times, but the road was wet the whole day. So, 110 kph speed limit and much more tiring driving, with blinding spray past every truck.
I have fairly often driven between the Alps and Emsworth, and in good clear weather that's not a big problem - I stop every two hours, and towards the end of the journey a bit more often (and my speed drops too - I am usually down to about 55 - 60 by the last hour home down the A3, acutely aware of having been on the road a bit too long - it's nearly always dark by then. But I wouldn't do Scotland - Alps in one go. 
But I do think you need to be alert to the need to stop, either because you are very tired, or if the weather gets bad - I've twice stopped for the night because of weather (snow once, fog once) and you shouldn't put yourself in the situation where you have to press on regardless.
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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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| Quote: |
If rough u don't get much of a rest anyway.
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I came out in November in a Force 7 and could barely feel the boat move - stabilisers and all that (but then I could probably sleep inside a tumble drier!)
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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We drove from Glasgow to Liechtenstein in a van for a scotland trip, due to terrible weather and roadworks in the UK and an accident tailback in Germany it took 26 hours and I was the only driver.
I'd definitely recommend sharing the driving and/or stopping overnight somewhere.
There's no point busting a gut to get to resort and then being in no state to do anything.
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| Quote: |
There's no point busting a gut to get to resort and then being in no state to do anything
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well if you get to the resort knackered, that's probably not a bad outcome compared to the alternative. 
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We drive from Edinburgh to French alps about 3 times each winter. Leave Edinburgh about 8am, arrive Dover 15.30 to 16.00, catch ferry (usually an earlier one than we have booked), meal on ferry then drive another couple of hours to about Saint Quentin in a Premier Classe hotel. Next day we can get to alps in about 7 hours from there, allowing a supermarket shop in Annecy or Moutiers before heading up the valley. We have a P & O season ticket which gives 3 return crossings a year for £210. Find that easier and cheaper than any other route. The Hull ferry sounds a good idea but does not really save time or money as it arrives north of Calais. The cost of the cabin and food is much greater than a cheap hotel. We both drive and just keep changing over every 2 - 3 hours. At present in southern Switzerland so did first night just south of Lille, came down through Belgium, Luxembourg (cheap fuel) briefly back into France then into Switzerland. This saved all the french motorway tolls but we did have to buy a Swiss toll card which lasts a year.
Would really recommend a stop somewhere if travelling from Scotland. We once left Edinburgh early morning, called in at Sheffield ski slope (in the old days when it was running) for a competition, left early evening and drove overnight to Tignes with 3 drivers. This was in summer with long evenings but we were all absolutely dead when we got 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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It's 468 miles from dockside Calais to the centre of Geneva on motorways - why is everyone taking 7-8 hours (dire weather aside)?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Or they fly to UK and pick them up from there ! You will be passing Heathrow (isn) anyway. That way you are much more flexible and its easier on way back too.
Or you fly to Geneva and hire a car with them!
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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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7.8 hours at an average 60 mph? speed limit is under 70 mph on a wet day like yesterday. Safety and practical considerations mean you have to stop, you have to slow down for tolls (even the 30 kph ones). What sort of average speed to you think would be reasonable, taking into account those considerations?
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Jake43, would they be passing Heathrow if coming from Scotland? Depends where in Scotland I suppose.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Hells Bells wrote: |
| Jake43, would they be passing Heathrow if coming from Scotland? Depends where in Scotland I suppose. |
Assuming M1 (or even M40) not A1 which you may prefer. May as well it is just about as fast as going the other way round the M25 (not to mention the queues I get at the Blo**y toll every time I consider the dartford crossing). Also would save them some hassle having to side track to Geneva so swings and roundabouts. Maybe you are luckier than I am with the Dartford crossing.
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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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Generally we reckon on 8 hours driving time Calais to Les Gets (and we are about 1.25 hrs from Geneva airport) - so a bit more with fuel stops. Try to strictly do two hours on two hours off. I no longer do the whole trip on my own in one go - and would always have an overnight stop. We have a zapper so don't have too many delays at the tolls.
But on our trip down here before Christmas - around 7th December it took us 12 hours from Calais to Les Gets, we began to lose the will to live.... bad weather caused the delays.
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Poster: A snowHead
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People are saying 7-8 hours because that it what it takes! Real world times.
Anyone can divide 468 by 70 (6h 41m) or 75 (6h 14m) or 80 (5h 51m) but that's just maths.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Jake43, only ever queue at Dartford on the return trip usually around 2.30 on Sunday afternoon, so even then not too bad. . On the outbound we are there about 10.30 in the morning, which seems to be a quiet time.
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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: |
People are saying 7-8 hours because that it what it takes! Real world times.
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yep, and 12 hours or more are also real world times. I have friends who spent hours at 30 mph behind a snow plough, from Calais to south of Reims. They would have been thrilled to get to the Alps in 12 hours!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| DJL wrote: |
If you are picking people up from the airport wouldn't it be better to do Scotland to Northern France on Friday, stay overnight then drive down to Geneva for a Saturday pick up then straight to resort? |
Yes I think we will have to do either this, or drive on Thursday night perhaps to friends in Leicester, then leave early Friday. Trouble with leaving Thursday is that we'd have to wait till I finished work, so starting the drive in Glasgow rush hour, seems a bit pointless really.
| Jake43 wrote: |
Or they fly to UK and pick them up from there ! You will be passing Heathrow (isn) anyway. That way you are much more flexible and its easier on way back too.
Or you fly to Geneva and hire a car with them! |
We did suggest they fly to UK, but they'd prefer to just go straight to Geneva - don't blame them why have a flight plus a long car journey when you can just have the flight. Thought perhaps they would combine it with visiting family, but they're not bothered about that.
I think the option will be leave early Friday morn, get tunnel hopefully around lunchtime and drive till about Troyes, or further if we feel fine, and then stopover. Do the rest on the Sat.
Thanks for all the input. The planning is quite exciting, look forward to seeing friend at weekend, more planning over copious amounts of wine no doubt!
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