When Will French Alps Village Have a Road Again
As winter approaches it'south time to call back nearly driving to the Alps again, an annual ritual which is a fact of life for skiers, particularly those who value the independence and economic advantages of self-catering accommodation, forth with some pretty tempting cross-Channel deals. Which begs the obvious question: surely at that place must exist a way of turning the dreaded long slog into an birthday more pleasurable feel? To assist find the reply we decided to find out for ourselves what might exist doable with the benefit of a picayune lateral thinking.
On the road again
The French road network makes driving simple and efficient, but the distances involved remain pregnant. Clearly, with ii drivers it's perfectly possible to simply press on and go for it, but in that location are compelling arguments against this, not least breaking the journey with an overnight stop forth the way to take the pressure level off. Another is that past not driving at or almost the speed limit y'all'll achieve pregnant savings in fuel costs, which can and then offset the cost of en-route accommodation – nevertheless bachelor at keen prices using better upkeep hotel chains in convenient locations close to major routes and large towns.
Book an overnight stop
Try to ready yourself a target, ideally on the outskirts of a graphic symbol town like Auxerre, Beaune or Mâcon. Then, if you reserve a room by booking ahead online those late nights in lonely service areas will be a affair of the past. Virtually chain hotels allow you to check in at any fourth dimension of the night but brand sure you have your booking details with you and the bank card with which yous made your reservation. Many are located nearly key autoroute intersections, and shut to affordable restaurants.
Via Geneva – or Lyon, Chambéry and across?
Ferry services to Calais, Boulogne, Le Havre or Dieppe allow you to slot neatly onto the French autoroute network. The onward route south is the same, regardless of your destination, until just before Mâcon.
If you're heading for the northernmost ski areas like the Portes du Soleil (Avoriaz, Morzine, Les Gets, Châtel), the Grand Massif (Flaine, Samoëns, Les Carroz, etc. ), the Massif des Aravis (La Clusaz, Le Grand Bornand) or Chamonix-Mont Blanc (including Les Houches, Saint Gervais, Les Contamines and Megève), Courmayeur (via Mont-Blanc Tunnel) or the Espace Diamant (Les Saisies, Notre-Dame de Bellecombe, Crest-Voland, etc.) you'll peel-off past Bourg-en-Bresse towards Geneva.
The aforementioned applies to Swiss resorts of Verbier, Crans Montana, Zermatt and Saas Fee. If you're skiing in France, stay on French territory; should you venture onto the Swiss autoroute organization customs officials will demand twoscore€ for a one-twelvemonth vignette. If you demand one, however, you can save time queueing at the border by ordering it online: www.tolltickets.com.
If you accept your sights set on places like the Tarentaise (Les Arcs, La Plagne, Val d'Isère, La Rosière, Tignes etc.), the Trois-Vallées (Courchevel, Méribel etc.) or the Maurienne (Valloire & Valmeinier, Val Cenis Vanoise, etc., plus lift access to Val Thorens and the 3V from Orelle), continue southward around Lyon so follow signs to Chambéry.
Heading for the Southern French Alps?
Surprisingly, the drive-times from the Eastern Aqueduct ports to Grenoble are just 45min more than to Albertville, the relevant autoroute get out point existence midway between Lyon and Chambéry. Grenoble opens upward a wide range of ski area options, with Chamrousse right on your doorstep and Alpe d'Huez, Vaujany, Oz-en-Oisans, les Deux-Alpes and Les Sybelles all within an hour or so's drive.
Although it isn't much further, La Grave is currently innaccessible by route from Grenoble, due to the closure of the nearby Grand tunnel du Chambon later on landslides. All the same, you can however achieve information technology via the Col du Lauteret from Serre-Chevalier and Briançon. Y'all can bulldoze to Briançon via Chambéry on the A43 autoroute and the Tunnel du Fréjus (which has a preferentiel tarif during these enforced diversions). Afterward the tunnel on the Italian side leave the autoroute at Oulx, following signs to Cesana and the Col du Montgenèvre. Briançon is just beyond the col, so you tin continue to access the destinations above.
Alternatively, in that location'due south cantankerous-border skiing in the Via Lattea (Montgenèvre, Clavière, Sansicario, Sestrière, etc.) is close at hand, as is the scenic family station Puy Saint Vincent, or you could continue down to the Forêt-Blanche (Vars & Risoul 1850). If the Col du Lauteret looks besides risky, there are other options: Briançon is readily attainable from the Vallée de la Maurienne (see to a higher place) via the Fréjus Tunnel, although tolls are pricey at forty.ninety€ (51€ for a 7-day render). Alternatively, caput south from Grenoble and support again across Gap, itself a gateway to lots more fine skiing in places like Orcières 1850, Les Orres, le Dévoluy, Pra-Loup and Val d'Allos.
Back to The Routes…
French National Routes (prefixed by an 'Due north' on a dark-green groundwork) are long-distance routes within French republic, and can offer a way of seeing more of the real France. Inevitably, they are more often than not slower than autoroutes every bit they pass through towns and take local traffic, but offer an interesting culling if y'all're in no hurry and wish to avert tolls.
French Autoroutes
Non every autoroute charges tolls – sections are oft free effectually cities and where no alternatives exist. Tolls (péage) are calculated by altitude travelled. Take a ticket on entry and pay by greenbacks or bill of fare when you exit a péage department. Lanes marked CB have near major credit and debit cards. Avoid lanes marked but by an orangish 't' as these are reserved exclusively for vehicles equipped for automatic payments. If you are driving solo in a right-manus drive car run across Sanef Tolling or cheque out Bip and Get, where for a pocket-size fee you tin get an electronic tag and then y'all tin employ the télépéage lanes. It avoids having to scrabble effectually for change or a bank card and will assistance avoid queues at major tolls every bit you will often observe 30kmph "bulldoze-through" lanes are fairly articulate. You lot only pay for the months you apply the tag and at that place'southward no contract.
Source: https://www.mountainpassions.com/winter/ski-features/travel/driving-to-the-alps/
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