Going skiing in the van...
Discussion
Anyone got any hints, tips or recommendations?
We have a 6 berth Transit based MH on Michelin camper tyres. It has a large garage under the rear double and we'll take a dehumidifier. Three youngish kids will be learning, and the two of us are rusty.
SWMBO has found a site in Austria with "ensuite" facilities which is tempting.
The main stumbling block can see is the waste water tanks are outside the envelope so we'll need loose tanks or piping so no water pools in them.
We have a 6 berth Transit based MH on Michelin camper tyres. It has a large garage under the rear double and we'll take a dehumidifier. Three youngish kids will be learning, and the two of us are rusty.
SWMBO has found a site in Austria with "ensuite" facilities which is tempting.
The main stumbling block can see is the waste water tanks are outside the envelope so we'll need loose tanks or piping so no water pools in them.
We took our Laika across to Austria just before Christmas 2001.
Temperatures dropped to -24 at night, everything froze.
We had inboard tanks with heaters but couldn't use them. We had a marine toilet with holding tank which we used at night but the rest of the time we used site facilities. A cassette toilet might be ok, but the pump kept freezing.
I took a small electric heater and several spare gas bottles, but the site we used had plumbed gas, but we didn't have a suitable adapter ( bought one when we got back just in case) and it wouldn't work with the UK fittings. Things may be different now and you may be lucky with the temperatures. I also had to check the antifreeze while we were out there because it wasn't suitable for the temperatures we had.
We struggled with the electric step, it kept blowing fuses so in the end we stopped using it. I did read somewhere when we got back that people normally take a step/ crate etc because it's a common problem.
We also had to put chains on to get into the campsite, but the roads were fine.
Temperatures dropped to -24 at night, everything froze.
We had inboard tanks with heaters but couldn't use them. We had a marine toilet with holding tank which we used at night but the rest of the time we used site facilities. A cassette toilet might be ok, but the pump kept freezing.
I took a small electric heater and several spare gas bottles, but the site we used had plumbed gas, but we didn't have a suitable adapter ( bought one when we got back just in case) and it wouldn't work with the UK fittings. Things may be different now and you may be lucky with the temperatures. I also had to check the antifreeze while we were out there because it wasn't suitable for the temperatures we had.
We struggled with the electric step, it kept blowing fuses so in the end we stopped using it. I did read somewhere when we got back that people normally take a step/ crate etc because it's a common problem.
We also had to put chains on to get into the campsite, but the roads were fine.
I think you will just need to leave the tap on the waste tank open and flow into a bucket to stop problems.
You will likely also need to get winter tyres, snowflake marked. I have Toyo H09 on mine which are well regarded on the motorhome forums. We had no worries on snow lastyear with these tyres.
You will likely also need to get winter tyres, snowflake marked. I have Toyo H09 on mine which are well regarded on the motorhome forums. We had no worries on snow lastyear with these tyres.
Winter Ski feature on the practicalmotorhome website
http://www.practicalmotorhome.com/blog/34459-top-t...
Ben
http://www.practicalmotorhome.com/blog/34459-top-t...
Ben
ked. And we only got away for a couple of hours while the kids had a lesson. 
So...
10 days away, 1500 miles and 7 days skiing.
We stopped both ways in an aire in Mesnil-Saint-Pere that was about 4hrs from Calais and 5hrs from the Alps.
The campsite (Camping Le Giffre, Samoens) was a bit tired but facilities were spotlessly clean and well heated. It's beside a public park with lakes, cycle tracks and a playground as well as sports facilities. It's 3/4 of a mile from the centre of town but the lift is 200m away and there's a boulangerie and pizza place even closer. The village is at 800m, and the lift takes you up to 1600 in 10 minutes or so.
The snow was fine - a bit slushy and overused on the south facing slopes down into Flaine but otherwise perfectly adequate. Apart from breakfasts, we only ate in once while we were there but should have taken a BBQ as some of the evenings were perfect. And despite a shaky start for one of them they can all ski and get about on blues and easy reds.
It was ace.
The view facing the other way from the picture I posted earlier:
The campsite is at the right hand end of the lakes:
I got a silly helmet off ebay...
10 days away, 1500 miles and 7 days skiing.
We stopped both ways in an aire in Mesnil-Saint-Pere that was about 4hrs from Calais and 5hrs from the Alps.
The campsite (Camping Le Giffre, Samoens) was a bit tired but facilities were spotlessly clean and well heated. It's beside a public park with lakes, cycle tracks and a playground as well as sports facilities. It's 3/4 of a mile from the centre of town but the lift is 200m away and there's a boulangerie and pizza place even closer. The village is at 800m, and the lift takes you up to 1600 in 10 minutes or so.
The snow was fine - a bit slushy and overused on the south facing slopes down into Flaine but otherwise perfectly adequate. Apart from breakfasts, we only ate in once while we were there but should have taken a BBQ as some of the evenings were perfect. And despite a shaky start for one of them they can all ski and get about on blues and easy reds.
It was ace.
The view facing the other way from the picture I posted earlier:
The campsite is at the right hand end of the lakes:
I got a silly helmet off ebay...
Edited by Bill on Monday 4th April 14:19
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