What do you drive to the mountains?

[greygirl]

If you drive to the mountains for your skiing holiday, may I enquire as to what sort of car you are driving and whether you fit snow chains and/or winter tyres?
Also how many people (+luggage) you take.
We are wondering whether we can do it in a galaxy, and what adaptations we might need.

(I realise that is compulsory to have snow chains on some roads, but wondered about winter tyres and 4x4 etc).
thank you for your comments.

Hi, we've driven to Switzerland a couple of times in my X5. We've just got snow chains but so far have never had to use them, (we did once in USA and they were easy to put on)

Usually the roads are in good condition, they know how to cope with snow over there.

There are 5 of us and a roofbox ! The great thing about going independantly is that you can fill it up with food and hardly have to spend a penny whilst you are there. The cost of living is very high in Switzerland and we are cheapskates

Portable DVD players are an absolute godsend !

Have done it twice now in Volvo XC90 4x4 - 4 of us + 2 sets of skis.
It has winter mode (stops wheels spinning too much) and we always take:

• folding shovel
• grit bag
• snow chains

This year we had just had new tyres put on th car with good tread, and we were fine.
We only used our snow chains for about 500 yrds down a slope to the chalet (and back up again in the morning)> Things is, they really damage your tyres/underchassis if you leave them on for tarmac/ thin snow (or so DH says)

Would have thought you would be fine - is it 4x4 and or winder mode?

We've done this trip on several occasions, just in a normal family saloon (Mondeo/Vectra) with 4 people. We always take snow chains and have had to use them on 3 or 4 occasions. In France the gendarmes are very strict and will turn you back down the mountain if you are trying to drive up in snowy conditions without them.

I don't think you'd have any problems in a Galaxy - just make sure you have the correct size chains and have practised fitting them; it's not a lot of fun if your first experience is in a howling blizzard. Winter tyres are not necessary provided you have chains. I'd second what Whippet says though - they shouldn't be used on tarmac, so as soon as the conditions improve, you need to stop and remove them.

thank you for your advice. Do you think it is worth the effort to drive? I like the idea (save the planet, less worry about luggage limits, travel when you want) but can't help feeling that it is likely to be a long drive (we live in cheshire) with bored children, 1 of whom we have found out is travel sick (but we can at least stop for her when we want!). Is the money the only reason you drive, or do you feel it is better? this year our flight was delayed by 4 hours and it made for a VERY long day.

oh and the galaxy isn't 4x4, so I wondered if it was mainly 4x4s that did it.

gg - we found driving surprisingly LESS stressful as we were fully in control.
I HATED all the waiting and queuing at airports and the shunting bags around, and waiting and queuing for transfers, and being told when we could stop for a wee etc etc

We did the journey from SE England in about 11 hours door to door. Wr leave at an ungodly hour though and get a shuttle at about 6 a.m

Not sure how you would do it from Cheshire? Could you stop o/n somewhere (but then that takes two days )

It works for us, esp as last time we went self-catering and could take some food etc to start us off.

Don't think 4x4 is essential btw....

You can do it in any car. Don't need a 4x4 but do need a set of snow chains and a shovel. Practice putting them on before you go but the chances are you will not have to use them. We have driven many times over the years in cars ranging from a ford escort to a peugeot bus, with and without kids.

which country are you going to?

In some countries winter tyres are compulsory at certain times of year (not in France as far as I know).

No, you don't need a 4x4. We've done it a few times in a small, moderately knackered hatchback (just 2 of us). You need snow chains, and to know how to use them (fairly simple, just don't lose the instructions!), plus torch/shovel/hi-vis tabard etc for putting them on/getting the car out of snow etc, plus basic stuff like ice scrapers and really good de-icer in the water squirty thing, but you'd probably have most of that for a UK winter.

You need to be fairly confident at driving with bad conditions, aggressive french drivers tailgating you, etc etc, but to be honest I REALLY enjoy it. You get to take as much kit as you want without extra luggage fees, take a duvet/pillow etc in your car for your co-driver to nap (also handy just in case you get stuck for any reason), can use the car to get around the resort if your accommodation is along way from the slopes (particularly handy in spread out places like Chamonix), and can bring back lots of yummy cheese and wine on your return!

No child-friendly words of wisdom am afraid, but a couple of top tips are to fill up whenever you're even slightly low on petrol, as stations can be far apart/closed/not accept English cards and easy to get caught out. Don't get done speeding in the Le Mans-style race of English Audis and BMWs piling off the ferries! And have your skiing trousers on top of your luggage so you can pull them on when you get to the snow to save wet trousers unloading car/stopping for dinner etc!

I definitely prefer driving - I just find it a lot less stressful generally. We usually do skiing as economically as we can, so that means self-catering. Having a car means we can budget more easily by thinking of meals in advance and taking more food; it also means you can stock up with wine/beer at the supermarket. I always pack some toys/books for the children to play with in the apartment if they want an afternoon off, and we have a portable DVD player which fits into the car and can be plugged into the TV when we get there.

In the past we've got a Thursday night ferry from Portsmouth (although getting very costly now, so will do tunnel next time), driven to the mountains on the Friday and stopped that night at somewhere like Chambery/Albertville, allowing us to beat the traffic up the mountain in the morning. It's not a difficult journey, and I like the flexibility of being able to stop where/when we want. Certainly France is fairly straghtforward for driving, as are parts of Ialy and possibly Switzerland I guess (though never tried it), but I think Austria would be a bit too far. Where are you planning on going?

Do be aware that winter tyres are mandatory in some places (austria?)

Even where they are not mandatory, if you are involved in any accident, you will get at least 50% of the blame if you weren't wearing winter tyres, even if it totally wasn't your fault.

Knowing the state of the motorways down here in winter (northern alps), you'd be crazy to come down here without winter tyres.
Very crowded motorways (day skiers), icy conditions, everyone driving far too fast and close together. If you must join them, just remember THEYVE ALL GOT WINTER TYRES!!!

there was a massive pileup on the slippery A8 yesterday, circa 150 vehicles said an eyewitness.

Go for it greygirl - we much prefer driving - a lot less stressful as you can pile everything into the car and stop when you feel like it.

You can also squeeze in two extra days ski-ing by getting the resort early on a Saturday morning (stay nearby overnight on the way down, and leave on the Sunday morning coming back).

A portable DVD player for the DC is a must though!

Dh and I share the driving - one drives, the other generally snoozes.

We've done it in ordinary family saloons with a ski roofbox. Snowchains are an absolute must - buy the best ones you can afford and practise fitting them beforehand - it's not much fun putting them on in the freezing cold and dark as dh will testify only too colourfully!

And in France you now have to have a reflective jacket in the "cabin" of your vehicle, not in the boot. This year we saw lots of French drivers with them draped over the back of the driver's seat. If the police stop you and you don't have one to hand, it's an on-the-spot fine.

It's an easy (if long) drive - we usually do this a couple of times a year. We normally leave home after school, catch a late ferry/train and then stay in a cheap hotel that night. Up early next day and get to resort that evening, or if it's one of the more distant resorts (e.g. when we're driving to the Dolomites next week!) stay a second night just before the mountains and drive up first thing next day.
You can do it in any car. But one with a decent amount of space makes for more comfort and cruise control is a real benefit. Roof box enables you to take lots of unnecessary crap luggage. Chains are a necessity (even for a 4x4), but most trips you won't actually need to use them. Make sure your washer bottle is full with fluid suitable for down to -10C minimum, else you will get frozen jets.
Most UK drivers don't bother with winter tyres: they are silly prices in the UK (~£600/set) and there are few conditions where you legally require them: slush/snow mix in Austria is the only one - if you don't have them you'll just have to stop until conditions improve.

Sorry, but I am moved to post again.

You guys just dont seem to have a clue how dangerous frozen motorways are. Chains are irrelevant, nobody is driving on the motorways in chains here. I dont remember the last time I saw somebody with chains (though they are compulsory on some small roads in Austria, I think).

I have driven up the Inn valley in a blizzard where I could hardly see 10 yards ahead of me, snow all over the motorway, unable to see the lanes, and lorries all wanting to go faster than I did.

Almost every day I've been out on the motorway in winter, it's been frozen. You can have bright sunshine and a seemingly dry road, that can STILL have ice on it, that lengthens your braking distance.

German drivers drive very fast and far too close together. They all have winter tyres. If you emulate them without winter tyres, you are just asking for trouble. People can come to a dead stop on the motorway, showing no lights at all, in the middle lane, with both other lanes flowing freely in these conditions. If you can't stop fast enough, you'll hit the back of them.

You can drive from good weather into a heavy snow shower, that turns the motorway into a skating rink within 30 seconds.

There is a certain sort of jelly-like slush that is fairly common here, that I've never seen in the UK, it is lethal.

And I repeat, if you dont have winter tyres, and you are involved in an accident, you WILL get blame, even if it wasn't your fault.

Thank you for all your advice, I am going to start looking into the driving thing - one of our friends drives to hull and gets overnight to zebrugge (but i think this is expensive) so we would prob have to stop en-route somewhere overnight (which is not cheap either).

It really tempts me though, and I think I will get winter tyres - I've driven in europe in summer and (just like everywhere) there are some crazy drivers, I guess bad weather only increases the risks.

Glad it's not just landrovers that can do it!

We have driven a lot in an old peugeot 306 to the French Alps. We have snow chains, but have not used them often. Last week we flew and got a hire car. We didn't have snow chains, (and wouldn't have driven to resorts if it had been snowing, before I get flamed). We were staying in a low place (800m) where it doesn't generally snow.

Nighbynight's post is interesting. I don't know wnough about winter tires to comment. does anyone else have any thoughts?

Locals in Austria, Switzerland and Germany will almost certainly have snow tyres. Visitors from France, Italy, UK, Benelux (etc) generally won't.
Yes snow tyres make it far safer to drive on snowy/slush covered roads, but on the few days that visitors are driving, the chance of actually not being able to get by with chains instead is low - certainly at the tail end of the season. Yes if there is snow on the road you won't be going anywhere near as quick as those with snow tyres, but you'll get there just fine - but accept that you may have to lay up until conditions improve.
I have looked into winter tyres, but the cost in the UK is just exorbitant: cheapest winter tyres are double the cost of decent general tyres.
Of the many many people I know who drive to the Alps every winter, a few have 4x4s, but none have winter tyres. The only people I do know with winter tyres are those who are there for extended periods (like a whole season) and who have to drive whatever the conditions (e.g. to do transfers).

I agree, your chances are relatively low of running into snow so deep that that you can't pass, because they are very good at clearing them.
The real danger is being lulled by the behaviour of local drivers, into thinking that the road is safe for you, when it isn't.
Unfortunately, very few british people actually do go slower. Being british myself, I tend to notice the registration plates on the A8, mostly the rear ones as they disappear into the distance. I just hope they stay well away from me, if they are in summer tyres, thats all.

Dont forget, that winter tyres are not just an outlay, they will lengthen the life of your summer ones too, and also make it safer to drive in January in the UK. I agree, that they are probably not worth it for average SE England winters, but maybe an annual skiing holiday should also be factored in?
I guess it depends how long you expect to have your car, and whether a set of winter tyres will increase the resale price.

This week, spring came to the lower land around the Bavarian alps, and driving on the A8 right now, is OK, not wintery. The mountains are still snowy. I will probably get my summer tyres on in a week or two.

Another keen driver - have done it several times in Galaxy and previous cars of various types, never 4x4. Have only ever needed chains occasionally for the last tiny stretch to the chalet. You can get fool proof ones from snowchains.co.uk - colour-coded. Practice before you go. Like any journey, you ned to check the weather forecast, check the vehicle over before you go - montitor conditions on route and plan stops at sensible intervals. France and Switzerland much better organised for snow clearance than UK, and dasre I say it, drivers there generally seem better disciplined and more considerate.

Half the local mountain folk whizz around in knackered old Peugeot 205s so you definitely don't need a flash 4x4. Don't attempt without chains though, in my many trips (in an old Saab) I've rarely had to use them but when you need them nothing else will do.

Journey itself is not tricky, quite nice to tarvel at your own pace rather than one dictated by airlines - is all dependent on how well your children travel though.

If you aren't tied to school holidays also think about going in March. Less chance of frozen motorways then. We did it in March in 2009 (in a Ford Focus, with snow chains) and had lovely drives both ways. The French motorways are wonderful - so quiet compared to UK ones (as long as you aren't travelling around major holidays).