 Poster: A snowHead
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Also, does anyone know why the Ski Pass offer seems to have changed. Last week it 1550 euros for the Essential for 2 adults, 4 children and now its 1750 euros.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@wyattjnr, I think they used the term "subject to availability" in the promotion.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@wyattjnr, The cheapest ones do sell out quickly. We bought ours in the pre-season 40% off sale and got them with the full discount. My SIL waited a week, and ended up paying more than we did.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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You snooze, you lose.
Dynamic pricing.
Not everyone is a fan.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Any other parents on here, starting to prepare for the long drive in just over a weeks time? I've decided to leave London on the Thursday evening to avoid the awful half term traffic.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Yes, I’m driving for the first time this year after Wizz Air moved our flights, by which point other flights were super expensive. Heading to Les Arcs, Sunday-Sunday to try and soften the half term mayhem. Leaving UK Saturday morning and stopping over east of Lyon, before departing early on Sunday for the final few hours to Les Arcs.
Also have the fun challenge of driving an electric car, although charging infrastructure looks pretty good in France.
Surely 750 miles with two young kids can’t be that bad, right?  Any tips??
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| AH473 wrote: |
Yes, I’m driving for the first time this year after Wizz Air moved our flights, by which point other flights were super expensive. Heading to Les Arcs, Sunday-Sunday to try and soften the half term mayhem. Leaving UK Saturday morning and stopping over east of Lyon, before departing early on Sunday for the final few hours to Les Arcs.
Also have the fun challenge of driving an electric car, although charging infrastructure looks pretty good in France.
Surely 750 miles with two young kids can’t be that bad, right? Any tips?? |
How young? Mine are 14 and 12, now and are great travellers. What works for us is:
Unlimited screen time. Audio books. Music. When they were younger, we had the Harry Potter audiobooks on in the car, so we'd all listen. Now they have their own phones, they have Audible and Amazon Music installed, so they can choose their own. Headphones if they've got their own devices. Despite our unlimited screens, Lad1 rarely uses a screen on long journeys, he prefers Music or a book. That said, on the 3 hour drive from Barcelona to Andorra at Christmas, he started watching Stranger Things, and was hooked. Lad2 bounces between his Switch and ipad.
Snacks in the car. More than you ever think you'll need. We used to make them up a lunchbox each with croissants, breakfast bars etc, maybe some fruit, but not much as we found it was ignored and didn't travel well. Now we stick it all in a bag for life and let them help themselves. A thermos with pasta on is still well received even now. Pack a roll of kitchen roll for mucky hands in the car. Dirty cutlery can also be wrapped in kitchen roll.
Shouting out for wee stops every few services. And insisting on them every couple of hours.
We've only driven to the Alps once, though have driven to France many times in the summer. We did an overnight stop and found a bowling alley locally. They loved doing that and talked about it all week whilst we were skiing, so we stopped there again on the way back. So do something fun on the Saturday night.
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We used to drive overnight and when our son was young he'd sleep door to door. Even now as an adult he'd sleep the whole way only being nudged to wake to pick up a toll ticket or pay. I use talking books while driving and sleep when not. I have to use ear plugs as neither my wife or son like any sound in the car while sleeping, though I have obeserved my wife reading her kindle at times.
@AH473, The charging infra structure does indeed look good, but often we have seen large queues of eletric vehicles waiting for chargers to become free at motorway service stations. On some occaisions so large they block the entrance to the air totally.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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For those driving, the long range forecasts are beginning to suggest that the second half of next week might be very snowy. This might have implications for the traffic on Saturday 14th. If it's snowing heavily on that day, the volume of traffic in the first of the half-term weeks could well lead to chaos on the roads along the Tarentaise and the approach roads to the resorts. If possible, avoiding the peak arrival time on the Saturday would be a good option, and at the very least ensure your car has proper winter equipment and you have necessary supplies in the car for possible lengthy delays.
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| AH473 wrote: |
| Heading to Les Arcs, Sunday-Sunday to try and soften the half term mayhem. |
That will help massively. Only issue maybe is finding a parking slot.
| AH473 wrote: |
| Surely 750 miles with two young kids can’t be that bad, right? Any tips?? |
Depends on the ages/kids to some extent. But ours were generally OK.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Owlette, this is really helpful, thank you! Love the idea of doing something fun on the Saturday evening. Mine are 7 and 4, but they do enjoy audiobooks so perhaps equipping them with their own headphones so they can choose what they want to listen to is a good plan. There’s only so many times it’s possible to listen to K-pop demon hunters on repeat!
@johnE, I’ve mainly got my eye on the various Tesla superchargers that let other cars charge, ideally avoiding Aires where possible. Some of them seem to have 30+ points, so hoping that avoids too much queuing!
Will definitely ensure we are kitted out for delays, in case the current forecast holds true…
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Trying to get a feel for how it is driving up to Les Arcs 1600 in heavy snow... we will be there Thursday next week and its our first time. If the weather forecast holds true there could be 50-60cm Wednesday-Thursday or more. How reliable is the road? We have snow rated winter tyres. Do they use the B26 "Chains Mandatory" rule ever?
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Yes, in heavy snow they will often have Police at the bottom of the mountain road stopping cars to make them put chains on.
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You know it makes sense.
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| AH473 wrote: |
| I’ve mainly got my eye on the various Tesla superchargers that let other cars charge, ideally avoiding Aires where possible. Some of them seem to have 30+ points, so hoping that avoids too much queuing! |
I only use Tesla Superchargers for the drive to Les Arcs. In about 40 Supercharger sessions over the last three years I’ve had to queue just once, for less than 10 minutes, at a Supercharger in Reims which only has 12 charging stalls. Every other occasion there has been many free chargers. The last time I used the 56-charger at Magnant I was the only car there.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Re driving to Les Arcs/French Alps - we normally drive - screens, headphones, pillows all make for a peaceful journey, but en route I don't think I've ever had a single complaint - everyone knows how lucky they are to be going where they're going! If you pass Reims on the way home, I suggest stopping off at the enormous LeClerc. I don't have much experience with snowy roads except last week (Les Deux Alpes). In a Mazda 6 with non-winter tyres I went equipped with Michelin extreme-grip chains, but didn't fancy the prospect of taking them on and off for snow/tarmac, so in Grenoble I bought a pair of Michelin easy-grip (kind of plastic rope/netting with elasticated/clip fitting). I was very impressed with these, needed to get up a couple of steep ramps out of a garage and out of the village onto the main (gritted) road. But I was really impressed, they were very easy to apply and remove, and the car felt very secure on snow. They won't last like chains, but for the short/light use I needed they were great. I think they're a bit cheaper in France, but it's worth sorting this before you go - I had to visit two Halfords style shops in Grenoble and was lucky in getting the last set for my tyre size. Also, at L2A I was impressed with the attention paid to the road up to the resort (ploughing/gritting). I drive very slowly, very carefully on hairpin roads (and I try not to look out into the void)! I wish I could rewind a couple of weeks and do it all again...
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Poster: A snowHead
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Oh yes, headphones are a must. Actually, on what Arpette said, pillows and blankets. Get them to grab their pillow from their bed. And whilst you're at it, grab yours. You're in the car, with the luxury of space. Might as well enjoy your own pillow from home.
Blankets don't need to be anything fancy or huge. One of the fleece ones you can pick up in homeware departments will be fine. Just makes it cosier back there.
Unless your accommodation doesn't come with linen. In which case, chuck the duvets in!!!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Owlette wrote: |
Oh yes, headphones are a must. Actually, on what Arpette said, pillows and blankets. Get them to grab their pillow from their bed. And whilst you're at it, grab yours. You're in the car, with the luxury of space. Might as well enjoy your own pillow from home.
Blankets don't need to be anything fancy or huge. One of the fleece ones you can pick up in homeware departments will be fine (one each). Just makes it cosier back there.
Unless your accommodation doesn't come with linen. In which case, chuck the duvets in!!! |
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Anyone happen to know if the extra boarder requirements have been introduced at Dover yet?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@wills_h, coach, freight and foot passengers were introduced in October - the rest, not yet.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@Layne, very glad to hear that, want to get over to France as quickly as possible next Thursday evening!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| rob@rar wrote: |
| For those driving, the long range forecasts are beginning to suggest that the second half of next week might be very snowy. This might have implications for the traffic on Saturday 14th. If it's snowing heavily on that day, the volume of traffic in the first of the half-term weeks could well lead to chaos on the roads along the Tarentaise and the approach roads to the resorts. If possible, avoiding the peak arrival time on the Saturday would be a good option, and at the very least ensure your car has proper winter equipment and you have necessary supplies in the car for possible lengthy delays. |
Driving in from LYS tomorrow mid afternoon. The way back does concern me as the mid range forecast is looking quite heavy for mid and end of week.
I've got a Renault Austral or similar with winter tyres from Avis. I don't know if that will come with chains too, I often have been lucky with that, but increasingly get asked to pay more.
Do the police mandate snow chains as well as winter tyres or do winter tyres only pass the checks in heavy snow, and more importantly be sufficient for descent?
We will be getting 14:20 flight back 14-Feb and don't mind being early so planning to leave 8am and hopefully miss a lot of inbound traffic.
Finally how busy is it 07-14 feb? Paris and UK are not off yet, but some regions in FR are. I normally ski Jan and March/April.
If anyone wants to ski with me during the week let me know. Particularly in the am when kids in lessons 
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@Lost in the trees, the police will sometimes mandate chains. Happened to me once leaving Tignes Val Claret.
Keep a close watch of the forecast. If there is a big storm coming and you have no chains leave Friday. All unlikely though.
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| Quote: |
Finally how busy is it 07-14 feb? Paris and UK are not off yet, but some regions in FR are. I normally ski Jan and March/April.
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It will be a bit busy since the French regions on holiday are the ones close to the northern Alps. But not the busiest thanks to what you mention + no Belgian or Dutch holidays either.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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The most recent bulletin from Meteo Tarentaise is worth taking note of for anyone travelling to this part of the world in the next week or two:
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The situation has moved little on the models and the situation will deteriorate significantly from Tuesday for several days, with little break, we would start on at least 7 to 10 days of very disturbed weather!
The situation will have to be monitored very closely in the valley, with the heavy rains associated with the yoyos of the snowline between low and medium elevations, the combination of heavy rain and melting will need be to be observed closely.
At altitude, the situation will also be monitored very closely, with heavy snow accumulations expected, and especially an avalanche risk that will become extreme! We'll be in the middle of the holidays, and it won't take very little time to flip tragic scenarios. Well, of course, the situation on the roads could also be a pretty mess next weekend.
All these scenarios require confirmation but the forecast seems to be taking its direction for many days!
When would the episode start?
The first part of the episode will appear to start on Tuesday, at a first time of quite normal intensity, this could increase significantly Tuesday night into Wednesday, and especially from Wednesday!
Until when?
Question still very undecided but the charts remain unsettled see very unsettled until 21/22 February, it's still too early to pronounce formally.
What rain/snow accumulations are being considered?
There still too early to draw plans but scenario averages allow to consider averages that would be around 150/200mm on this long turbulent period, other scenarios consider more consequent accumulations.
How high will the snow fall?
It all depends on the days, and hot or cold fronts. But anything could fall as snow above 1700/1800m, with big accumulations at the key. However, a higher snow line is observed on Tuesday/Wednesday than on Thursday/Friday. For the next weekend, even though it's very far away, we observe a net lowering of the snow rain limit, some scenarios even interview it to the valley, the scenarios require confirmation, a week in weather remains a world in reliability!
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In the accompanying forecast chart on Meteo Tarentaise's Facebook page there's a suggestion of more than 3m of snow for the Tarentaise and Vanoise. Not quite sure over what timescale that forecast is based, but the key message this far out is for a very large amount of snow over the next week or two.
I'm not travelling next Saturday, but if I were I'd be looking to see if there is a hotel option for that night that I could book within the region, perhaps in Albertville, that would allow a late cancellation. Might be a bit hopeful at this late stage to find a cancellable room, but it's something I've done previously when I was due to arrive on a potentially very snowy day, booking a hotel in Albertville which allowed cancellation up to 6pm on the day.
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Sat 7-02-26 19:08; edited 1 time in total
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WOW, I'm seriously hoping the set of wheels with winter tyres I ordered for my new car arrive on time now!
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FAQ
