Driving in the French Alps - is 4WD necessary?

[0000]

The initial message was deleted from this topic on 26 June 2021 at 18:14

[Desiato]

We took the family Fiesta diesel to Morzine at the end of January. Winter tyres were superb and necessary but otherwise no problems just being 2WD

[Codswallop]

Winter tyres will be more than adequate on a 2wd. It's what most of the locals seem to use too, and we had no problems on skiing trips to France, Austria etc with just fwd.

[sjg]

The locals are all in regular FWD hatchbacks with winter tyres and get on fine. The roads to the ski resorts are kept well ploughed and gritted - the only time you need to break out the snow chains is if it's dumping snow as you're attempting to drive up there.

[cptsideways]

90% of the time 2wd & winters will get you most places, the only time you need 4x4 is when it a foot deep or more & still dumping.

[veevee]

Depends entirely which resort you're going to, conditions and how much driving you'll be doing. I've seen a whole queue of cars going backwards at about 5 mph on a not particularly steep incline in about 5cm of snow.

To, from, and around Morzine is pretty flat, so probably not essential, but if it's not much more I'd have one anyway.

Ignore what people say about 'the locals', it's standard to see them overtaking five chelsea tractors in a Renault Express van, at 80kph, round a blind corner, in the dark, on a windy mountain descent which makes the worst country lanes you've seen look like they've just been surfaced.

[fandango_c]

The snow tyres in your French hire car will mean that you won't get stuck.

[Baryonyx]

Not necessary, but very worthwhile if you're looking to make maximum progress. Which I assume you won't be, since you're a tourist on a trip.

[J4CKO]

Saw a French Clio drive round a British X5 going up a slope, purely down to tyres.

[S10GTA]

No, not needed. Having lived there, I can confirm the roads are kept exceptionally clear at all times. The only time you would have issues is if it dumped during the night, and you were the first out, even before the snow ploughs had ventured out, which is very unlikely.

I used to drive round in a Renault traffic, and never got stuck.

[rsv gone!]

0000 said:

More specifically; hiring a car from Geneva airport in Dec/Jan (which I'm assuming will come with winter tyres and snow chains) and heading to Morzine for a week or two, perhaps with the odd trip to a ski resort.

So, is it madness to not have 4x4 or are winter tyres all they're cracked up to be?

Make sure you hire from the Swiss side of the airport. You won't have to pay extra for the snow chains. That was certainly the case when I hired in 2010.

I just had a tiny 2wd hatchback. Admittedly the roads were all kept clear, though.

[GravelBen]

J4CKO said:

Saw a French Clio drive round a British X5 going up a slope, purely down to tyres.

Not to mention the driver.