French Alps Questions
Discussion
Has anyone driven to the French Alps during the ski season? Apart from the usual spare bulbs and triangle, is it also compulsory to carry snow chains? Also, I'm told the A26 is now completely riddled with mobile lazer plod.. Is this as bad as I'm led to believe?
If you do need snow chains, does anyone know where I can hire them?
Cheers..
If you do need snow chains, does anyone know where I can hire them?
Cheers..
You're supposed to have snow chains, but unless you plan on actually driving off-piste, then you're fine at the moment. There's no snow on the roads over there at the minute as far as I can tell. If you need to rent them, then the usual car rental outlets should be able to help. Alternatively, they're not actually expensive to buy - 30-50 quid for a set last time I looked in the Halford's style stores, though no doubt several times that amount if you're buying them directly from the likes of Porsche or BMW from their accessories catalogues.
But like I said - you'll probably be fine now unless temperatures plummet and a fresh dump of snow arrives. I drove into the French Alps twice this year and had no bother at all either time.
But like I said - you'll probably be fine now unless temperatures plummet and a fresh dump of snow arrives. I drove into the French Alps twice this year and had no bother at all either time.
Hi
I always take snow chains in the winter but have only very rarely needed them. That, said, getting up into some of the higher resorts (1500m +) can be a bit dicey without either chains or winter tyres. I have a set of winter tyres for the S that I put on before going skiing & I tend to leave them on until about April time. They make the ride a fraction harsher but no other side effects
Don't worry about hiring them, you can buy them for about €40 a pop in every autoroute service station. Just put them on properly and don't go above about 30-40mph with them on - they do horrendous damage if they come off (My brother did about £2k worth of suspension/brakes/bodywork damage to his Discovery when he lost one at about 20 mph....)
I always take snow chains in the winter but have only very rarely needed them. That, said, getting up into some of the higher resorts (1500m +) can be a bit dicey without either chains or winter tyres. I have a set of winter tyres for the S that I put on before going skiing & I tend to leave them on until about April time. They make the ride a fraction harsher but no other side effects
Don't worry about hiring them, you can buy them for about €40 a pop in every autoroute service station. Just put them on properly and don't go above about 30-40mph with them on - they do horrendous damage if they come off (My brother did about £2k worth of suspension/brakes/bodywork damage to his Discovery when he lost one at about 20 mph....)
stealth997 said:
Cheers Loach. Might be making a mad dash for it tomorrow.. Looks like there's going to be a dump on Monday!
Yes - I heard they were forecasting some snow next week. But unless there's a massive and sustained drop in temperature, you won't have a big problem. Get them if you're in doubt (I wouldn't bother), but be aware that they can be a bit tricky to get if you've annything other than VW Golf sized alloys/tyres - so best head out now whilst places are open and get something sorted.
Edit - Have fun, btw.
Edited by loach on Saturday 17th March 15:52
loach said:
stealth997 said:
Cheers Loach. Might be making a mad dash for it tomorrow.. Looks like there's going to be a dump on Monday!
Yes - I heard they were forecasting some snow next week. But unless there's a massive and sustained drop in temperature, you won't have a big problem. Get them if you're in doubt (I wouldn't bother), but be aware that they can be a bit tricky to get if you've annything other than VW Golf sized alloys/tyres - so best head out now whilst places are open and get something sorted.
Edit - Have fun, btw.
Edited by loach on Saturday 17th March 15:52
So.....dry roads, no snow, Quattro drivetrain
yet ze car stil does side ways up them there hills
I drove down to Argentiere over Christmas and NY. Forecasts said no snow, backed up by news of global warming and weakest ski season for living memory so wasn't expecting much. True to form there was no snow in the bottom of the valley and the pistes that were open were jammed... and then all change the day I was due to leave. Heavy fall over night and there I am with no snow chains and regular tyres in a car with the engine in the wrong place for no drama. So I risk it and creep out of the valley - fortunately all gently down hill to Chamonix. No drama bar a couple of slips, but a few stares and one sign of the cross - and a very long queue of French tin behind me no doubt yelling at 'le roast bif'. Whatever. I did note that helpfully 1) Not one shop seemed to sell snow chains, 2) in an Esso station they were selling these 'disposables' which were a sort of material wrap for the wheel - saw a few using them, but I didn't.
Edited by tracer.smart on Saturday 17th March 19:06
wetwipe said:
loach said:
stealth997 said:
Cheers Loach. Might be making a mad dash for it tomorrow.. Looks like there's going to be a dump on Monday!
Yes - I heard they were forecasting some snow next week. But unless there's a massive and sustained drop in temperature, you won't have a big problem. Get them if you're in doubt (I wouldn't bother), but be aware that they can be a bit tricky to get if you've annything other than VW Golf sized alloys/tyres - so best head out now whilst places are open and get something sorted.
Edit - Have fun, btw.
Edited by loach on Saturday 17th March 15:52
So.....dry roads, no snow, Quattro drivetrain
yet ze car stil does side ways up them there hills
It only drifted to the right. I mean - come on. Did you see the size of my passenger?
nervous said:
loach said:
It only drifted to the right. I mean - come on. Did you see the size of my passenger?
*goes off to find purging toothbrush* No no - I meant we were doing that thing where the one guy leans out the side of the boat to help it turn. That's what I meant. We flew up that frickin' hill.
stealth997 said:
Has anyone driven to the French Alps during the ski season? Apart from the usual spare bulbs and triangle, is it also compulsory to carry snow chains? Also, I'm told the A26 is now completely riddled with mobile lazer plod.. Is this as bad as I'm led to believe?
If you do need snow chains, does anyone know where I can hire them?
Cheers..
If you do need snow chains, does anyone know where I can hire them?
Cheers..
Did the run to Les Menuires last month, the only mobile lazer plod I saw were on the way back - about 5ks from the Calais peage. Its a nice, smooth, flat section, I spotted them a fair way off - so was lucky. I managed a steady 100 - 120 click cruise most of the way there and back.
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