French / Swish Alps - to prepare or not to prepare?
Discussion
I'm heading down to the French / Swiss Alps for a few days skiing at the end of the year and I can't think of any better way of getting there than in the Porker (apart from a helicopter which I can't afford).
Now I could buy some winter tyres to use instead of the practical Pzero Rosso's I have, or I could buy some snow chains, but on the few occassions I have done similar trips, admittedly to Austrian (lower) ranges that are are not prone to snow in early season, my regular tyres have been just fine.
So what do you guys think for a trip to the French / Swiss Alps - chance it with regular tyres, or am I definately going to find snowy roads and need to spend the dosh and go prepared to avoid expensive slides?
Now I could buy some winter tyres to use instead of the practical Pzero Rosso's I have, or I could buy some snow chains, but on the few occassions I have done similar trips, admittedly to Austrian (lower) ranges that are are not prone to snow in early season, my regular tyres have been just fine.
So what do you guys think for a trip to the French / Swiss Alps - chance it with regular tyres, or am I definately going to find snowy roads and need to spend the dosh and go prepared to avoid expensive slides?
Honestly depends on where you're going.
Places like Les Gets/Morzine in the French Alps are fine so long as you only go in the main town. If you need to go even slightly off the biggest of roads, however, you may well have an issue with snow, as much with clearance issues as with slippiness. I'd check exactly where your accomodation is.
Obviously, all bets are off if the snow starts to descend seriously - last year people couldn't get into Les Gets even with 4wd AND chains for a couple of days in February.
Edited to say - of course, legally, you must carry chains with you, but you knew that anyway, didn't you? FWIW, driving there in a 911 is daft, as the driving pleasure to be found in the Alps in winter is almost nil and the risk of damage relatively high. EasyJet and a hire car are the best way there, or a dull diesel MPV/4WD.
Places like Les Gets/Morzine in the French Alps are fine so long as you only go in the main town. If you need to go even slightly off the biggest of roads, however, you may well have an issue with snow, as much with clearance issues as with slippiness. I'd check exactly where your accomodation is.
Obviously, all bets are off if the snow starts to descend seriously - last year people couldn't get into Les Gets even with 4wd AND chains for a couple of days in February.
Edited to say - of course, legally, you must carry chains with you, but you knew that anyway, didn't you? FWIW, driving there in a 911 is daft, as the driving pleasure to be found in the Alps in winter is almost nil and the risk of damage relatively high. EasyJet and a hire car are the best way there, or a dull diesel MPV/4WD.
Edited by nickf on Monday 30th October 09:26
If your travel dates are flexible and you can change your travel plans to accomodate the weather than you can chance it with summer tyres.
Otherwise you're taking a risk, quite a big one IMHO. Chains may give you forward traction in packed snow and ice but you can't use them on motorway slush and light snow. Typically you have to restrict your speed to 30 mph or so; that'll make any distance with chains sheer agony. Plus will they even fit in the wheelarches? And the front tyres will still have absolutely sh*te grip so steering and braking will be severely handicapped.
Otherwise you're taking a risk, quite a big one IMHO. Chains may give you forward traction in packed snow and ice but you can't use them on motorway slush and light snow. Typically you have to restrict your speed to 30 mph or so; that'll make any distance with chains sheer agony. Plus will they even fit in the wheelarches? And the front tyres will still have absolutely sh*te grip so steering and braking will be severely handicapped.
Really depends.
I went lastyear in a Defender 90 on winter tyres.
Most of the I would of been fine in any car. Then as we entered Austria got caught up in some big snow showers.
Police were stopping anyone on Summer Tyres, and I saw an E46 M3 going sideways into a ditch.
I have also taken out a Subaru Impreza STi, on summer tyres, caught in VERY HEAVY snow arounf Nurburgring, at it was fine, never slipped once. I did the same agin the following year, in a CSL on road summer tyres, and it was impossible. My back end was everywhere.
Also this year a German law was past making winter tyres compulsery, however not sure if that applies to non german cars.
I assume your car is RWD, myself as it's RWD I would put winter tyres on, or keep to the low areas. Don't bother with chains. You can get snow socks and things at petrol stations if your really stuck but never needed them myself. In some areas chains are compulsery, but I would not like to put chains on anything other than old bangers and landrovers lol.
Hope that helps!
I went lastyear in a Defender 90 on winter tyres.
Most of the I would of been fine in any car. Then as we entered Austria got caught up in some big snow showers.
Police were stopping anyone on Summer Tyres, and I saw an E46 M3 going sideways into a ditch.
I have also taken out a Subaru Impreza STi, on summer tyres, caught in VERY HEAVY snow arounf Nurburgring, at it was fine, never slipped once. I did the same agin the following year, in a CSL on road summer tyres, and it was impossible. My back end was everywhere.
Also this year a German law was past making winter tyres compulsery, however not sure if that applies to non german cars.
I assume your car is RWD, myself as it's RWD I would put winter tyres on, or keep to the low areas. Don't bother with chains. You can get snow socks and things at petrol stations if your really stuck but never needed them myself. In some areas chains are compulsery, but I would not like to put chains on anything other than old bangers and landrovers lol.
Hope that helps!
I've done this journey many a time summer and winter and i'm going to just above evian this new year to see some friends,however not in the boxster(skis to take).The police can stop you when the snows heavy,grip is one thing but its the stopping that is the real problem with normal tyres.Even 4 wheel drives with summer tyres are crap,so my advice is if you are taking the porker take all the normal precautions for a long journey and buy some snow shoes, these are like caps that fit round you tyres a doddle to fit but a grey area with the boys in blue.The other way is to drive as normal but if you do get stuck with snow leave the car lower down in a safe place and get a taxi,much safer.
cheers
Paul
cheers
Paul
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