Latest posts for the topic "Roadtripping"

Roadtripping

Thu, 8 Apr 2010 20:08:27 GMT

So, I did my first roadtrip for a ski holiday, albeit only for 3 days skiing over Easter, and thoroughly enjoyed many of the benefits.

Ok, so at 9 hours from Calais to Serre Chevalier, its hardly a short hop, but when you compare the time taken to drive to the airport, park the car, check in, eat and drink, fly, wait for bags (if they turn up), take the transfer bus, and drop every other f***er off first, it compared pretty well.

But on the up side, you have your own space for the duration of the trip, you can eat what you want when you want, there is no queueing (apart from half an hour around Grenoble at late afternoon ruch hour), you can take anything you want, and if you are sharing costs it works out favourably too.

Luckily for me, my mate drove his car and has it fully expensed by his company, so fuel was not an issue. The eurotunnel was only about GBP90 return, and we chose to go there in a day so used the toll roads, which worked out to around GBP70 each way, but we hardly had a hold up anywhere, even in the road works where it went down to 1 lane.

I have driven abroad a lot before, and French motorways are so light with traffic generally speaking, its a breeze. We shared driving, doing roughly 2.5 hours each before changing over. I did the last stretch from Grenoble over the Col du Lautaret, which I found thrilling to drive (although Stewart D might tell you differently, as I am sure he had a shewee plumbed in somewhere....).

We averaged 43mpg in his 1.9tdi Skoda Octavia estate, and took food for 4 nights with us, 2 quilts and 4 pillows, 4 pairs of skis and poles, 4 pairs of boots, clothes for skiing and non skiing, and the car was not far from being completely full. We probably all took too many clothes, as usual, but with 4 of you going together, an average estate car is spot on for a week IMO.

It was my first ski-drive holiday, and something I will most definitely do again, especially now that I have recently bought a Seat Alhambra with plenty of room inside! Wickers - you were right, its great freedom, and actually quite enjoyable and exciting. For some, I can imagine it being too far and not their idea of fun, but for me it was a great adventure and one I enjoyed. And as for the weather in Serre Che over Easter.....well, thats another thread coming on........ 8)

Re:Roadtripping

Thu, 8 Apr 2010 20:40:57 GMT

I'm glad your trip worked out so well, Tony :D

So, it cost you GBP230 for the tunnel plus the tolls, which divided by 4 is just under GBP60 each. But I suppose if you'd had to pay for petrol it would have cost quite a bit more - but still much cheaper than flying once you add in the cost of transfers and the charge for carrying skis.

Ally

Re:Roadtripping

Thu, 8 Apr 2010 20:57:51 GMT

AllyG wrote:I'm glad your trip worked out so well, Tony :D

So, it cost you GBP230 for the tunnel plus the tolls, which divided by 4 is just under GBP60 each. But I suppose if you'd had to pay for petrol it would have cost quite a bit more - but still much cheaper than flying once you add in the cost of transfers and the charge for carrying skis.

Ally

We filled up 3 times, which got us from Canterbury to Briancon and back to Maidstone, costing roughly GBP150, so still only GBP100 approx.

Re:Roadtripping

Thu, 8 Apr 2010 21:16:23 GMT

Tony,
I suppose, to be accurate, you'd have to add on the cost of insurance and car recovery. We were coming back on the train once and there was a family who's car had broken down in the Alps and fortunately they'd paid extra to get car recovery from France included on their insurance. But I don't know how much it cost them.

Plus, I suppose, the cost of winter tyres and/or chains, although you wouldn't have to pay for this each holiday so you could split it over several holidays.

Ally

Re:Roadtripping

Thu, 8 Apr 2010 22:25:48 GMT

AllyG wrote:Tony,
I suppose, to be accurate, you'd have to add on the cost of insurance and car recovery. We were coming back on the train once and there was a family who's car had broken down in the Alps and fortunately they'd paid extra to get car recovery from France included on their insurance. But I don't know how much it cost them.

Plus, I suppose, the cost of winter tyres and/or chains, although you wouldn't have to pay for this each holiday so you could split it over several holidays.

Ally

I think you should stick to the train, pet.

Re:Roadtripping

Fri, 9 Apr 2010 06:23:52 GMT

Ally, our household has been driving to ski in Europe every winter since 1992, we've never owned winter tyres, and we've only needed to use snow chains a handful of times. Otherwise wot he ^ says..

Re:Roadtripping

Fri, 9 Apr 2010 08:13:03 GMT

Good to see that that you have crossed over from the dark side :lol:

Re:Roadtripping

Fri, 9 Apr 2010 08:56:50 GMT

Ian Wickham wrote:Good to see that that you have crossed over from the dark side :lol:

Oh I will still fly for ski trips, but I can now see the advantages and disadvantages of driving more clearly, and understand why people would want to drive, and also just how easy it is. I used to drive down to Catalonia each summer when the kids were little, overnight stop around Dijon, and take 2 days to do it. Not much has changes on the French roads since then.
Having your own stuff is a major benefit, and if you can share the costs with others, it can be reasonable too.

People in the UK do not use winter tyres, in fact you would get a funny look from a garage owner if you asked him to fit them to your car, and you can buy chains for GBP40 if you need them, but most of the main routes are kept clear because they know how to deal with snow in Europe, unlike the idiots that run the councils and highways over here.

As for insurance, most policies include European cover free anyway for enough time to have a holiday.

Personally I reckon travelling all the way to the Alps by train must be the most uncomfortable, time consuming and expensive way of doing it.

Re:Roadtripping

Fri, 9 Apr 2010 09:04:15 GMT

Toni,
Going by train is much quicker and easier than driving. It's only 6 1/2 hours from St Pancras to Moutiers direct. All you have to do is go through one luggage and i.d. check at St Pancras and get on the train with your luggage. Then get off in Moutiers and get a bus - half an hour transfer depending on which resort you're going to - and you're there.

What could be easier than that?

I agree it's more expensive though, unless you can get one of the limited cheap tickets for GBP150. We had to pay GBP300 each for ours.

Ally

Re:Roadtripping

Fri, 9 Apr 2010 10:14:54 GMT

AllyG wrote:Toni,
Going by train is much quicker and easier than driving. It's only 6 1/2 hours from St Pancras to Moutiers direct. All you have to do is go through one luggage and i.d. check at St Pancras and get on the train with your luggage. Then get off in Moutiers and get a bus - half an hour transfer depending on which resort you're going to - and you're there.

What could be easier than that?

I agree it's more expensive though, unless you can get one of the limited cheap tickets for GBP150. We had to pay GBP300 each for ours.

Ally

A bus !!!!!! ...... lugging around skis, boots a case, I'll stick to driving thanks :wink:

Re:Roadtripping

Fri, 9 Apr 2010 16:08:39 GMT

Ally, how do you get to St Pancras?
How do you get to the bus transfer?
How far from the bus station in resort is your apartment?

Hmmmmmm

Re:Roadtripping

Fri, 9 Apr 2010 23:02:57 GMT

Tony_H wrote:Ally, how do you get to St Pancras?
How do you get to the bus transfer?
How far from the bus station in resort is your apartment?

Hmmmmmm

I get to St Pancras on the train - of course - silly question :wink: It's 4 3/4 hours from here to Paddington on the train and then half an hour or so to St Pancras. Check in time closes 1/2 hour before train leaves, so keep about an hour spare. Train takes 6 1/2 hours.

The bus transfer is about 20 yards from the station exit at Moutiers and Bourg St Maurice. Takes about 3/4 hour to Courchevel.

I pick apartments that are close to the bus station - usually about 100 yards, or possibly 200 yards.

Total time approx 13.5 hours

But it takes about the same amount of time to drive to London from here, about 4 1/2 hours. Or, to drive to Dover or Folkestone from here would be about 6 hours, then wait to catch the chunnel train or ferry (about an hour I suppose), then the crossing (35 mins or 1 hr 1/4 on ferry), then 9 hour drive from Calais to e.g. Courchevel. Total about 17 hours.

The train is still quicker from here than driving, even supposing I could drive for 17 hours. I don't think it would be possible for me to go by train or drive without an overnight stop somewhere. And stopping in London overnight at my parents and then catching the Eurostar works out very well for me. The train goes at 10 a.m. so I don't have to leave their house before about 8-15 a.m.

The quickest way for me to get to the ski slopes is by plane, because I can go from Cardiff or Bristol, even though it means a 3 hour drive or so to get to Bristol. But as I'm sure everyone knows by now I am trying to fly as little as possible.

I suppose it depends on where everyone lives in relation to St Pancras, a regional airport, Victoria coach station, or Dover/Folkestone as to which is the quickest and easiest method to get to the Alps. The train is definitely a lot slower if you try going to Austria, Italy or Switzerland. But it's pretty fast if you can get the direct train to Moutiers or Bourg-St-Maurice.

Ally

Re:Roadtripping

Fri, 9 Apr 2010 23:14:44 GMT

The best thing about driving, is all the gear you can take. Nothing beats a range of boards, skis, and boots. Plus the knowledge that the baggage handlers are going to wreck them, or lose them.

Re:Roadtripping

Fri, 9 Apr 2010 23:14:52 GMT

Ok so based on where you live, driving to the alps is a non starter. I also think taking the train is ridiculously long winded.
So, you should be flying. Remind me, why arent you?

Re:Roadtripping

Fri, 9 Apr 2010 23:20:48 GMT

I'd love to drive and take 4 pairs of skis but it is a good 8 hours to the South for me without stops. Might as well fly. Would probably drive if I lived down that way.

Re:Roadtripping

Sat, 10 Apr 2010 06:49:45 GMT

Pablo Escobar wrote:I'd love to drive and take 4 pairs of skis but it is a good 8 hours to the South for me without stops. Might as well fly. Would probably drive if I lived down that way.

I can understand why people do not drive when they live 8 hours from the ports, but it is a great adventure and as trencher states you can take so much more extra gear
and just bring it back home again unused :lol:

Re:Roadtripping

Sat, 10 Apr 2010 08:02:30 GMT

I'm quite sure European car recovery isn't included on my car insurance, so I had a look at how much European Breakdown Cover cost with the AA. The quote I had for one single trip for my car was very cheap - GBP14-07 - and included this:

Your quote: GBP14.07
Includes: 22.3% discount
A saving of GBP2.89

Your quote includes: Single Trip Cover: Up to GBP2,000 for one trip, including roadside assistance, location and despatch of spare parts, vehicle recovery, alternative transport and accommodation.

Parts and Labour Benefit: Provides up to GBP500 towards the cost of replacement parts and garage labour following a breakdown attended under your AA European Breakdown Cover.

The family I met on the train a few years ago had taken out this AA insurance and it seemed to be working out very well for them. The AA paid for their train tickets and all the expenses to do with their car,including bringing it back to the U.K.

The same thing as multi trip insurance with the AA for a year cost a lot more - GBP170 - so I suppose it would be better taking out several single trip insurances with them, for anyone driving out to their ski resort.

Ally

Re:Roadtripping

Sat, 10 Apr 2010 09:06:27 GMT

AllyG wrote:I'm quite sure European car recovery isn't included on my car insurance, so I had a look at how much European Breakdown Cover cost with the AA. The quote I had for one single trip for my car was very cheap - GBP14-07 - and included this:

Your quote: GBP14.07
Includes: 22.3% discount
A saving of GBP2.89

Your quote includes: Single Trip Cover: Up to GBP2,000 for one trip, including roadside assistance, location and despatch of spare parts, vehicle recovery, alternative transport and accommodation.

Parts and Labour Benefit: Provides up to GBP500 towards the cost of replacement parts and garage labour following a breakdown attended under your AA European Breakdown Cover.

The family I met on the train a few years ago had taken out this AA insurance and it seemed to be working out very well for them. The AA paid for their train tickets and all the expenses to do with their car,including bringing it back to the U.K.

The same thing as multi trip insurance with the AA for a year cost a lot more - GBP170 - so I suppose it would be better taking out several single trip insurances with them, for anyone driving out to their ski resort.

Ally

Look what happened to me this year been driving in Europe for years always paid for five star euro cover but never had to use it ...... it was the best GBP24 I ever spent
repatriation of my vehicle, flights home, hire car in the Uk to get us home from the airport, Excess baggage, taxis in France to hotel and airport, facilitation of three
way conference call with the French police. :thumbup:

Re:Roadtripping

Sat, 10 Apr 2010 10:35:58 GMT

Ian,
Who did you have your insurance with?

Re:Roadtripping

Sat, 10 Apr 2010 10:47:00 GMT

Ally, whilst you are busy telling us that driving is no good and that we should all take the train, I don't understand why you don't fly when you go skiing as it would be cheaper and quicker.
Is there a particular reason why you don't?

Re:Roadtripping

Sat, 10 Apr 2010 10:59:38 GMT

Tony,
I don't think I've ever said that driving is no good and everyone should take the train. I think I said it depends on where one lives in relation to Dover/Folkestone, St Pancras, Victoria (for the Snow Coach), and the regional airports.

I'm quite sure all the regulars on here know that I go by train to try to help slow down Global Warming (which is why I didn't want to mention it and bore everyone by going on about it again). The train generally produces only 1/10th the carbon as the plane.

I did go by plane last October (because the direct train wasn't running due to it being out of the ski season) and I found it a very stressful experience (it's on my Tignes thread). I actually prefer the train. I like being able to walk about during the journey, and get food and hot drinks from the buffet car, and look out of the window at France passing by. I put insulation in the attic in two of our houses to try and 'save' enough carbon to 'pay' for the trip.

Also, I get car sick in a car after about 1 hour and a half unless I'm driving or a front seat passenger. So I can't go by coach.

What about you - do you prefer driving or flying, now that you've tried both ways of getting to the slopes?

Ally

Re:Roadtripping

Sat, 10 Apr 2010 12:00:25 GMT

AllyG wrote:Ian,
Who did you have your insurance with?

It was VEHICLE RESCUE DIRECT who are Axa, they were brilliant I would recommend them highly for the service they gave

Re:Roadtripping

Sat, 10 Apr 2010 13:36:02 GMT

AllyG wrote:

What about you - do you prefer driving or flying, now that you've tried both ways of getting to the slopes?

Ally

Having now done all 3, I can say the following:

I would definitely 100% never go by train again: I found that the most uncomfortable and dull journey of my life. The place stank, people were making noise so you couldn't sleep if you wanted, and you are very limited using the snow trains as to where you go. Fine if you like the French ultra expensive mega resorts full of posh knobs from Surry I guess.

I would happily fly every time. Its a short hop to Geneva, Innsbruck, Turin, etc. I have had a bad experience once with lost bags and diversions, but thats a real one off. If the weather is that bad, its going to affect you however you go. If part of a package, its probably much cheaper.

I enjoyed the drive. It allowed me a lot of freedom, and I would do it again for sure.

Re:Roadtripping

Sat, 10 Apr 2010 19:58:45 GMT

Tony,
I'm sorry you had such a terrible journey on the train. I do agree that the night train where you have to sit up all night is extremely uncomfortable. However, the day train is great.

I would think there must be about 20 resorts within about half an hour of the three direct train stations of Moutiers, Aime La Plagne, and Bourg-St-Maurice. Surely they're not ALL really expensive? We found La Rosiere quite cheap, and that's one of them, and Val Thorens is certainly not posh and all full of people from Surrey.

There's also the 5 Three Valley resorts (Meribel, Courchevel, St Martin de Belleville, Les Menuires, and Val Thorens), Tignes and Val d'Isere, La Plagne, les Arcs, Saint-Foy-Tarentaise and Champagny. And I expect there are several others that I don't know about.

And if you don't mind changing trains in Paris I would think there are a great many more French ski resorts you could get to on the train.

It would be nice to have the use of a car when in a ski resort, for going to see/ski neighbouring resorts, but it's too far for me to drive from here. I suppose, one day, I might hire a car once I get there.

Thanks Ian, I thought someone might like to know which insurer you were with. It sounds like they did an excellent job :D

Ally

Re:Roadtripping

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 10:32:42 GMT

I drove this year to Verchaix, a little village 5 minutes from Morrilon and definitely would do it again...the original Idea was to ski the Grand Massif but in the end we found we were minutes from the above and 15 minutes from Les Gets, Morzine and Pras de Lys...the benefits were immense and I could not see any downside apart from the French tolls ,,,I wish we had had a couple of weeks as we were not far (1hr) from lots of other resorts..

We use the N routes on the way back and found them empty as well

Re:Roadtripping

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 10:56:18 GMT

Been following this with Interest..
I always drive normally for all the reasons stated previously however I must say the worst part of the journey is getting to Dover it really does bring home just how unplesant driving in the UK is and I can see why most people baulk at the thought of a long drive.
I actually find that once in France it becomes part of the Holiday.

I have been lucky enough to have done 6 weeks in 4 trips this year 1 driving and 3 by plane and I can honestly say that everytime the Flying was stressfull and tiring from start to finish.
I wouldnt be sorry if I never had to go on a plane every again.

I would love to try the train one day but unfortunatly as most of my trips are last min it always comes out to expensive.
Last min ferry still no more tha GBP50 return bargain. :)

Re:Roadtripping

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 11:49:54 GMT

Agree with you Jonah about UK roads. We left Samoens (Grand Massif) at 8.50 am yesterday and were at Eurotunnel departure by 5.30.

Our crossing was at 7.20pm- all stress free til then. Hit the M25, clogged and stop/start. And those middle lane hoggers :evil:

Did ok though, back to South West by 10.30pm.

Re:Roadtripping

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 11:53:15 GMT

Hi Dids,
I'm glad you're safely back. Did you have a good time? Are you going to write a report on it?

Edit
I suppose traffic in the U.K. is bound to be a lot more congested than in France, which has a similar population but is over 2.5 times bigger than us.

Ally

Re:Roadtripping

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 19:21:41 GMT

French motorways: blissfully quiet in most places, smooth and quiet surfaces, decent service areas.

UK motorways: packed and busy, full of people driving like morons, outside and middle lane nose to tail, dreadful service area mainly, pot holes everywhere.

One major difference? The French charge for using theirs.