Driving to the Alps

[BlasterBates]

Do many people drive to the Alps instead of plane, train, coach?

Fights seem to be in short supply for certain weekends and expensive! Plus you could have a 3 hour transfer to the resort.

I'm thinking of just getting a set of snow chains and going for it.

From South-East England its about a 15 hour drive, go for it.



France might be a better bet, coz there are no traffic jams, If you go a hundred + then you could do it in 10. Normally calculate 100km per hour.

[Lockhouse]

I've driven to the Alps several times - I always leave on Friday afternoon, go through the tunnel and stop in a hotel around Dijon, have a decent meal and bottle of wine to start my holiday off early. I always use the autoroutes so I can average 100+mph with no worries. If there's been a big dump of snow then they'll be plenty of opportunity to fit your snow chains (essential) on the side of the road as you climb into the mountains - everyone else will be doing it as well. I've driven all sorts of cars on that route from a modified 4x4 Cosworth to the wife's Ford Focus. Never had any bother. I've not done it because it's saved me any money - it hasn't, I just like driving in France and extending my holiday by a day or so without losing any invoicing time. On the way home, I always do the drive in one hit - plenty of overtaking practice.

[~Craig~]

Easter school holidays what did you expect???

I know wasn't my idea!, I wanted to go earlier but she couldn't get the time off.

[~Craig~]

yeah maybe thats the way to go then. There must be loads of chartered flights going out there each week.

It's just having the balls to wait until the week before. I can just imagine the Mrs' face if we can't get anything

[boredsenseless]

Well there are only two of us going but flights on Easy Jet are coming out at £400 each and that's for the 1st week of April.

Might just wait for a late deal if I can't sort anything else out.

Easter school holidays what did you expect???

[gingerjedi]

Well there are only two of us going but flights on Easy Jet are coming out at £400 each and that's for the 1st week of April.

Might just wait for a late deal if I can't sort anything else out.

Are you limiting yourself to london airports? I always just get a late deal and have never paid more than £400 for flight and accomadation plus you get to choose when the weather is perfect, one year we got a catered chalet in Courchevel 1650 in february for £299 all in, fresh powder every night and sun every day fantastic!

[Paddy]

You can hire snow chains and winter tyres in the Alps. . If you are only going for a week or two a car journey works out expensive. You can hire a fully equipped car in the local resort and if you get CLD insurance you can use it a as a toboggan.

[monkeyboy]

Flew easyjet to grenoble then hired a car ( piece of s**t Fiat Punto) for 1.5 hour drive to Alpe D'huez. Used Tom Tom so no problems.

Snow a couple of days old so the road up was clear with no ice. 22 hairpins so wouldn't want to do it in bad conditions in that car. God knows how the tour de France guys cycle up . As the wife said with a wistful smile on her face "thighs of steel"

Didn't even need the snow chains, but better safe than sorry.

The point is you can drive there fine but don't try going up the mountain if its snowing hard unless you drive something designed for those conditions but as most of the workers do not live in the resort they make sure the road up is kept as clear as possible..

[DimPrawn]

Well there are only two of us going but flights on Easy Jet are coming out at £400 each and that's for the 1st week of April.

Might just wait for a late deal if I can't sort anything else out.

Think of the Carbon! The Carbon!

[The Lone Gunman]

Depends where you are going.

Can't comment on France, but Austria and Italy are generaly quite easy driving.
Unless there has been a ridiculous amount of snow the roads are kept in good driving conditions.

What are snow conditions like this year? If the resort you are going to is dodgy then having your own transport could be a boo.

Share the driving go Euro Tunnel. Peage across France. Easy peasy.

You will have to have snow chains. I would recomend winter tyrees. You also need to carry a warning triangle and spare bulbs. Sort your headlights out too. Don't forget the vignets for motorways (if required).

[~Craig~]

Well there are only two of us going but flights on Easy Jet are coming out at £400 each and that's for the 1st week of April.

Might just wait for a late deal if I can't sort anything else out.

[gingerjedi]

What do you call expensive and how many are going? The only Brits I ever see driving to the Alps are whole families in a VW Tourag or a Discovery, I don’t think I'd risk it in a FWD hatchback plus skiing is knackering enough without a 10 hour drive either end of the holiday!

The snow train isn't exactly cheap and even though you potentially get an extra day on the slopes you lose the weekend either end.

Dam, you got me thinking about it again now, the wife isn't bothered this year but I may try and talk her round.

[~Craig~]

Do many people drive to the Alps instead of plane, train, coach?

Fights seem to be in short supply for certain weekends and expensive! Plus you could have a 3 hour transfer to the resort.

I'm thinking of just getting a set of snow chains and going for it.