Tempted to avoid the airport crush and take your car to the Alps instead? Those alpine experts, Powder White, have some great advice and top tips for you.
Driving to the alps is a great way to enjoy the beautiful scenery, reduce your carbon footprint, avoid the busy half term airports, ludicrous prices of flight tickets and get a few boxes of the good stuff… wine. The Alps are easily accessible via an excellent network of motorways and it's by far the most flexible way to travel.
Benefits of Driving
1. No luggage restrictions.
Ski holidays always involves a lot of bulky equipment such as ski boots, coats, salopettes etc which mean you have to decide whether to take less or pay the extra weight costs.
By driving, you can fill the car to the brim and purchase goods to bring home. That could be French wine, Swiss chocolate, new equipment or smelly cheese that the kids always complain about.
2. Save time, that’s right!
In your head, you will always initially think flying only takes the time are up in the air flying. However, it is easy to forget the time it takes to get to an airport, check in, wait due to delays, wait for your luggage and get to the resort at the other end.
If there are two designated drivers you will be able to drive through the night at can get to resort within 12-14 hours (depending on where you come from and where you are going too).
You can check the duration, distance and estimated costs of a medium size petrol car from www.mappy.com . If you have a medium size diesel car you will save an extra 30 euros on fuel.
For example:
Calais to Verbier: duration 8h39, distance 875km, fuel & tolls approx €200
Calais to Val d'Isere: duration 9h26, distance 1002km, fuel & tolls approx €210
Calais to Meribel: duration 8h50, distance 961km, fuel & tolls approx €210
Calais to St Anton: duration 9h52, distance 1035km, fuel & tolls approx €160
3. Save money
Over half term flights can cost a family around £250 per adult (15+) and that is before you have paid for the parking at the airport and costs to get to the airport.
Yes, you can get some get some great deals on flights and save money but key dates such as Half Term or Easter won’t be the time to save money.
Powder White understands how annoying it is for family booking a holiday over Half Term. Prices go up, resorts are busier and you are set to those dates. However, we are offering special Half Term deals to try and get you out in the Alps and enjoying a well-deserved family holiday.
4. Travel at your own pace
When driving you can leave the night before or at 3 am, whatever suits you, it is completely flexible. If you are not in any rush, you can break up the journey and stop off at charming local villages or convenient cities and enjoy a well-deserved rest. Some great stopping off places include Reims, Dijon, Strasbourg (for St Anton).
There are also great inexpensive hotel chains which have locations close to the motorways for easy access. If parking overnight it's a good idea to look for somewhere with secure parking and remove valuables from your car.
Other benefits to driving…
- With your car you can avoid the expensive resort supermarkets by taking your own staples from home and/or shopping in the cheaper supermarkets on the way or at the bottom of the valley.
- Take your own skis and boards without paying airline surcharges.
- And finally, one key point that everyone kept saying was… you can stock up on excellent quality, good value, wine, champagne and French food on the way home.
HOWEVER…
If you are thinking about driving to the Alps there are these key factors you MUST remember…
- Parking – Make sure you have a parking space. If you book with Powder White, we have specific parking spaces in each of our resort.
- French Driving Law – When driving through France you must have:
- Driving licence – yes, we have heard of people forgetting the driving licence after leaving it in their wallet back home.
- Proof of vehicle ownership & Insurance – Print it out as it will speed up your process if you get pulled over.
- Headlamp beam deflector – Remember you are driving on the right side of the road.
- Breathalyzer kit – This is by law! Don’t forget it.
- Hazard warning triangle – This is by law! Don’t forget it.
- Spare set of car keys – because we have that scare when we lose a set of keys.
- High-visibility waistcoats-This is by law! Don’t forget it.
- It is also worth getting snow chains and winter tyres as you never know what the conditions are going to be like.
Check out Powder White extensive list of properties in the top ski resorts of Courchevel, Meribel, St Anton & Val d'Isere!
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