[Closed] drive to val d'isere for snowboard trip?

Driven to the Alps a few times. Can't see a reason not to.
Rather than a "long" drive, it's an EPIC one. France is great to drive through... and when you first see the proper mountains appear...

Get some snow chains though just in case. (Lidl will have em cheap soon!)

Do it, I've driven to Val and it wasn't half as bad as I expected, just make sure you share the driving and make good use of the super strong coffee at the service stations. We left London at approx. 7pm and got to Val early afternoon. I remember taking chains but didn't use them, not sure if it was a legal requirement or not.
Good fun as a road trip, bit less fun coming back.

I generally drive to the Alps, you need to be prepared for bad weather and have chains this is a legal requirement or proper snow tyres, not sure what yous are (I know quite a few French who carry just socks but I don't know if they are strictly legal). Also warning traingle, yellow vest etc. We are driving to Ste Foy just down the valley in 10 days 🙂 . That said Val D'Isere is a longer drive than most and being at the end of the valley you have the most risk of traffic jams around Albertville, Moutier etc. You want to have a think about what days of the week etc, let me know your dates and I will check with the gf (French) who will have an idea of the worst traffic days.

I've done devon - chamonix.

late afternoon ferry from Poole, gets you in about midnight from memory. drive through the night, arrive in time for breakfast and first lifts.

that was the plan anyway. a nuked head gasket, replacement hire car, getting lost around paris, driving through a blizzard for 6 hours and getting to resort 24hrs later than planned with all lifts closed while they blasted the 6ft overnight dump.

I'd do it again in a flash if it meant getting some snow time.

Good fun as a road trip, bit less fun coming back.

Yep. Return journey is always a bit grim

Drove last year for the 4th time... its cheaper, but its a long day (Or night as we do) And don't ever go via Paris, no matter what your sat nav might try to say...

at the end of the valley you have the most risk of traffic jams around Albertville, Moutier etc

We drove from the airport on a half term weekend (I think ?) and to control the volume of cars, the Police close off all the side routes then stop/go all the traffic heading up the valley. It turns a 40 minute journey from Albertville into hours and hours.

Given that half term and Christmas are the busiest time of the year, I suspect that the weekends of 22nd and 29th December will be pretty hectic.

I'd do it again in a flash if it meant getting some snow time

We used to set off on Friday afternoon and get as far south as possible (Lyon) and stay overnite. Get up at your leisure and be up in the resort before lunch time thus avoiding the afternoon traffic. Get your lift pass sorted and get out on the empty slopes. On the way back set off early (7am) again avoiding the traffic.

Do it!

Travelling should be an adventure.

I drove there once for a long weekend as it seemed like a good idea at the time. It was a very long and very tedious drive - especially the return journey. That's a good reason not to really.

david47 - Member
And don't ever go via Paris, no matter what your sat nav might try to say...

Made that mistake last year for bike trip. Printed out the Michelin route which was right, set the sat nav and it came up with the same duration so assumed it was the same. Hmm, why are we heading into some big built up place, what's with all these traffic jams? WTF, this is Paris! 😆

Anyway, if you're okay with a long journey, consider the ski train. It's not going to be cheaper, but overnight trains Fri evening and following Sat evening gets you two extra days on the slope and if you're lucky a night's rest (outbound train is usually in full party mood though).

Traffic can be a nightmare on Saturdays during winter season.
I remember a cold night sleeping in my Vauxhall Nova GSI on outskirts of Albertville once! Fortunately lots of Mary Jane helped send me to sleep 😆

thanks for all the advice, going to do it!
Ferry arrives in calais at 6.30am, that gives most possible day light to get down there, would be nice to see the mountains!

Not sure on the legality of it, but if its snowing when you get to the mountains, the police will often be forcing all drivers to pull into the 'put-your-snow-chains-on' area and not let you proceed any further if you don't have any. After a long drive, that would mega suck.

We used to drive every year to the alps from Morecambe. Once you get past London it's easy! I think the quickest we did it was 18 hours door to door from Geneva. We never had any problems with snow on the access roads to the resorts when we stayed in them but often stayed down in the valleys to give us a choice of where to ski and also the hotels were a lot cheaper (and often a bit nicer that the concrete monstrosities in some of the purpose built resorts).

Snow chains used to be a legal requirement. Not sure on winter tyres. The AA used to have all the info on their website. They also used to do good breakdown cover for driving in Europe (they towed us back from Macon once!).

We used to go to the east of Paris (A1 I think). Some friends detour thorugh Luxembourg to save on tolls I think - might be worth a look.

Treat the drive as part of the holiday, whats the worst that could happen!

Who needs the Alps when you've got Morecambe???

Chains are only required if the road has a sign like this on it. You don't have to put them on unless the police are stopping & making people do so. You must carry them though if yer on a road like this. Unless yer on a motorbike. Which made things interesting.
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Oh and the French have a list of "approved devices". Some snow socks and bar type chains do not comply with their Frenchness.

hot_fiat you are nuts !

OP most resorts have such a sign and Val D'Isere certainly does. The road up to La Fornet has an avalanche barrier and is closed when the risk is high (rare but does happen). If its snowing and the road hasn't been ploughed you'd be well advised to stop and put your chains on. Practice in the dry and warm somewhere and have a torch as doing at night for the first time in the dark is not what you want.

FYI we are driving Paris Ste Foy on Saturday - should be about 7 hours with a rest/fuel stop. I don't think we are going to have an issue with snowbound roads 🙁

My top top is get the car organised and only stop for fuel / change drivers / buy drinks and sandwiches. A few little 10 min "pit" stops turn into 30 and extend the drive time. You can use your bank card to pay the tolls. Make sure you have your yellow reflective safety jacket inside the car, it must be readily accessible.

Yes, thank you. That's been said before.

Get some good gloves (not leather, lined nitrile ones that you can feel what you're doing through & won't get wet), a decent sized carpet to lie on and a hat. Otherwise you'll end up with wet knees, blue fingers, go hypothermic & choose to eat the chains rather than put them on the car:
[img] [/img]
Oh and don't attempt it with a broken wrist. That would be mental.

Chains are available in Moutiers / Albertville / bourg in the supermarkets, and far cheaper than you can get them over here.
Good idea to have practiced in the dry and daylight with them first though.
The first time you end up doing it for real , is normally in a blizzard, late at night on the side of a mountain road.... 😯

I used to be able to do Meribel from Calais in 8 hours, solo in my van.
Val-D is about another hour further up the road.
There and back was 3 tanks of fuel, with maybe an intermediate comfort and coffee stop between them.
Its a nice trip.

You will need Hi Viz for every passenger in the car, Warning triangle, spare bulbs etc, all easily accessible.

You also need to be very careful about Speed camera alerts on Sat navs too.
There is a big fine if you are caught using any kind of detection device.

I would avoid being on the road on changeover day (Saturday) if you can, as traffic is always horrendous.
Val is worse as you are effectively at the end of the valley too.

I`m very jealous, I really miss being in the mountains.
Always loved seeing them coming in to view around Chamberey / Albertville on the way down.

[i] a decent sized carpet to lie on [/i]

Lie on! Is that for rest in between wheels? 😆

You will need Hi Viz for every passenger in the car, Warning triangle, spare bulbs etc, all easily accessible.

OP don't forget your driving licence, insurance and registration documents compulsory to carry them

We have driven to Courchevel for last two years with the children. On the way down we stop overnight at Dijon, then a much easier drive to the resort in the morning. Snow chains yes. Practice putting them on yes. Have we used them? No. This year winter tyres but last two years normal. We self cater so its good being able to take food and everything else (mountains of stuff). I think its fun, much better than airports with children. Well, fun in an adventure sense anyway.

Probably not advisable to put the steel chains in your mouth at sub zero if you want to fit them too the car!!!!

Snowyfrenchymountainy bit about 10mins in.