peterjl Posted December 3, 2006 Share Posted December 3, 2006 Hi We are looking to go to Alps in Jan/feb, perhaps chamonix having read some of earlier threads, and are looking for some tips from those of you with experience. I have been reading back on previous threads but have some unanswered questions:- 1)I think we will go for camp sites for our first trip but do these need booking ahead or can you arrive and just book in as we do in spring & autumn - in other words if we avoid 1/2 term are we ok & 2) what about taking a dog? we have a labrador and would like to take her as my wife has hurt her knee and been told not to ski so i will limit any skiing but would like to de some walking - with the dog if possible - are there any big problems in taking a dog this time of year? I am thinking about part booking but would like to leave options for moving on and seeing other parts of alps. Also - i seem to remeber reading that you should move power cable every day to stop it freezing - true or false? We have a new small Hobby this year with internal fresh water and an external gray water tank with a heater - it all looks doable just feeling a little aprehensive (lots of experience in other times of year inc longish trips round New Zealand & OZ) I've download and printed many of the back threads from this site including "observations on winter skiing trips" by david jobson. Many thanks Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peejay Posted December 4, 2006 Share Posted December 4, 2006 Hi Peter, 1. If you avoid half term I think you will be fine on sites, outside peak seasons sites are rarely full, but even if they are they will usually be able to squeeze you in somewhere, you could always park up in an aire if its really busy but probably won't be able to hook up to mains. 2. We haven't got one but can't see any problems taking a dog, as long as he/she likes the snow! 3. I have never felt the need to book at any time of year, as said previously, they'll always fit you in somewhere but are rarely full at this time of year. 4. lifting the leccy cable each day is good practice, stops the cable freezing to the ground. 5. With your Hobby you will have no probs, just make sure you have a healthy supply of propane gas as you will need to keep the heating running most of the time to keep everything warm and in particular to keep the underslung waste tank from freezing. If you don't have a constant heat supply to the waste tank then no worries, open the waste valve and let it drain through to a bucket and empty it regularly. We normally keep the heating on low throughout the day, turn it up for the evenings and then turn it down low overnight to cut down on gas. If you have a truma combi boiler then its essential to keep the area around around the boiler to above 4c or it will automatically dump its contents to prevent frost damage to the unit, sounds drastic but shouldn't be a problem if you keep the heating on low. Snowchains are an essential to carry in alpine conditions (only req'd on the driving axle) and also buy a good (wide one, narrow ones are useless in the snow) snow shovel just in case, to dig out of heavy snowfall. Make sure you have a practice fit of the chains on the drive before you go, it ain't good fun trying to fit chains in 6 inches of snow if you've never done it before! External silverscreens are desirable but not essential to cut own on cab window condensation, also use corks (after drinking the contents) to raise the wipers away from the windscreen to prevent them freezing to the screen. Open all your cupboards overnight to let the warm air in and prevent condensation. Consider taking a soft broom if you have the room to brush overnight snow off the roof, etc. Above all, get down there and have lots of fun. Motorhoming in the snow is brilliant!! pete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted December 4, 2006 Share Posted December 4, 2006 Just one observation, based on experience. Do make sure you can get onto your roof to clear all accumulated snow before driving off. Don't do what I did and just push away as much as you can see/reach from the ground. It leaves too much behind! If not completely cleared, the accumulated snow is inclined to thaw during the day and freeze again at night, so developing a hard crust. Then, when you drive away, the slipstream gets under the crust and lumps of ice fly off onto the road, or whoever is following you! Alternatively, which is what happened to us, you brake for traffic lights and the whole lot cascades forward down the screen and lands on the road just in front of you. We then skidded halfway across the junction on our own avalanche, much to the amusement of the savvy Germans watching! And I thought I'd done a fair job in clearing the roof! Sorry if it seems a bit obvious, but I think you can cop a fine if your flying ice/snow attracts attention from the police, so ferewarned is forearmed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterjl Posted December 4, 2006 Author Share Posted December 4, 2006 Hi Many thanks for the tips - especially clearing snow from roof - i hadn't about that or read about it anywhere. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 Hi Peter I will be going late December for just over two weeks to the French Alps. You have already got some excellent advice on the motor home side of things (I have no previous experience there) but you mention walking. Dependent on conditions and depth of snow, the dog may have some difficulties due to sinking in the deeper stuff if you go off the beaten track. Additionally if you intend to do this yourselves without the dog (definitely worthwhile) you can follow routes that can be obtained locally but a pair of snowshoes (and ski sticks) each is a must. These can be hired in situ but you may decide that it is worth buying some, can even source them on EBay. You may also want to look at gentle langlaufing since most places will have ready made tracks providing conditions are not poor. This is often better for dogs since it is quite often hard packed around the tracks. I will be back mid January, if I have anything that may help I will let you know. Cheers Frank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 please sir, what is langfauling!!! ta regards Henry :$ :$ :$ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 henry - 2006-12-05 2:54 PM please sir, what is langfauling!!! ta regards Henry :$ :$ :$ Good point! It is a form of cross country skiing of which there are different types. Langlauf, a German term, is usually but not always, done using ready made tracks in the snow. The tracks can vary in difficulty and terrain and are often marked as such on local maps. It is a great form of exercise that can be done by the very young to the very old. Cheers Frank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterjl Posted December 5, 2006 Author Share Posted December 5, 2006 Hi Frank Thanks for the info. We had originaly hoped to ski (we last skied on 1976) but the problem with Maggies knee has knocked that on the head. That being said some cross country skiing sounds fun. I wanted to give that a try anyway - completed the New York Marathon 4 weeks ago so i reckon i'm fit enough (although probably not the right muscle groups!). Do you have any pointers as to areas/resorts where this would be available? On a more general point I am trying to research sites - it seems a slow business as no one site or book appears to cover many, if any, sites. Do you have any recommendations as to sites or sources of info. Finally, reading all the advice i just want to get out there - may be i'll bring the date forward a tad! Regards Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 thankyou! regards Henry :$ :$ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 Hi Peter I am sure that you will be fit enough; it can be done by people of any fitness level, like running, you do what you feel capable of and build up gradually. I have to say though with the beautiful scenery it is a fantastic way of getting fit! As for where to do cross country skiing; all over the Alps. It is possibly more popular in Austria and Germany than in other countries in that region, it is very popular in places like Norway and Finland. I spent ten years living in Germany and skied cross country extensively especially in Bavaria, also skied in Austria and Norway. But wherever you intend to go this type of skiing is reliant on having good snow conditions since many of the easier (flatter) tracks are put in around the villages and low lying forests, so the higher the village the better chance of good conditions. There are plenty of places in France and although I have not done any cross country skiing in Chamonix I know that there are tracks there and you should be able to get trail maps from local sources anywhere you stay. What type of sites do you mean, camp sites? Cheers Frank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ned Posted December 7, 2006 Share Posted December 7, 2006 :-D :-D :-D Don't start me off on skiing! It is fantastic. A good place to start again with both the skiing and the walking and the other with dog or without is Grand Bornand near La Clusaz in the french Avarais. The campsite is called Camping L'Escale and is in the caravan club european book. It is also on the webb. Excellent site with indoor swimming pool. They will organise bus passes and you can be on the slopes in 15mins. Not a glamourous, expensive town and not like purpose built ski centres. The bus leaves every 30mins for the more upmarket glitzy slopes of La Clusaz 10 mins away. I would recommend this place without hesitatation. Do not. repeat,do not go over Christmas or during Feb when the french descend in droves. Jan, march and even april are ok. We are going for the whole of march and we are planning to visit Chamonix (35kilometers) and Le trios valleys for one or two day trips to stay on the motorhome sites. Tip- take an Ik oil heater if you are on site as this will save gas but will keep you Hobby toasty warm on a fuel that you will be paying for anyway. Also, if you have an awning ( Fiamma or Omnistor) Buy one of those small lighweight awnings from Towsure (£65 0r £90) they fit into the 5mm groove on the front of the awning. They are quick to erect and will give you a good area to store bits of kit and get your winter clothes on outside the van. It also packs up very small. Oh by they way Camping L'Escale have special rooms for drying ski clothes, ski boots and storage for your skis at no extra cost. The indoor pool is great and they have a good cheap restaurant and 50 yards up the road you can go skating. AS you seem a bit of a daredevil, you can also go paragliding which lands just outside the campsite. Maybe see you there Ned Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted December 7, 2006 Share Posted December 7, 2006 There is a walkable circuit apparently designated for snowshoe ("raquettes" in french) or cross country skiing. Centered on Cordon, near Combloux and Megeve. Info from Office de Tourisme Combloux. Access via Cluses and Sallanches. Nearby campsites at Praz-sur Arly: Camping de Chantalouette 84 Route du Val d'Arly 74120 Praz-sur-Arly (motorhome pitch 12.4 Euros/night for 2 persons, electricity $.4 Euro for 6A) or Camping des Pres d'Arly (motorhome pitch 3.5 Euro + 3.5 Euro person, electricity 3-7 Euros for 3, 6 or 10A). Neither appear to have websites.Info from French mag suppelemnt. You'll have to research the electricity supplies. Even some of the "caravanneige" sites only offer 2A! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peejay Posted December 7, 2006 Share Posted December 7, 2006 Not the Alps, but a lot closer to the ferries; Its worth considering the Vosges region of France. Snow is never 100% guaranteed here but last year there was loads! There is a good area for 'ski de fond' and 'racquet de neige' at the 'col de la schlucht' midway between Gerardmer and Colmar on the D417. The back road (D61) from here to Lac Blanc is closed off in the winter and converted into a cross country ski route, it only costs a few € for the day, great fun. There are also loads of free areas where you can snowshoe to your hearts content and theres a downhill area just across the road with a skilift. In addition, in the hills above Gerardmer at 'La Mauselaine' is another good spot along with a few other good spots for downhill and ski de fond around La Bresse. There are 2 free aires in Gerardmer itself or you can wildcamp safely on the col de la schlucht. If you prefer campsites, there are quite a few caravaneige to choose from as well. As I said, snow is not guaranteed but you could always build it into your route and if the snow isn't great then just carry on down to the Alps. It's also worth keeping an eye on snow levels with the many winter webcams around Europe, try.. http://www.snoweye.com pete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted December 7, 2006 Share Posted December 7, 2006 Frank - 2006-12-05 11:27 AM Hi Peter I will be going late December for just over two weeks to the French Alps. You have already got some excellent advice on the motor home side of things (I have no previous experience there) but you mention walking. Dependent on conditions and depth of snow, the dog may have some difficulties due to sinking in the deeper stuff if you go off the beaten track. Additionally if you intend to do this yourselves without the dog (definitely worthwhile) you can follow routes that can be obtained locally but a pair of snowshoes (and ski sticks) each is a must. These can be hired in situ but you may decide that it is worth buying some, can even source them on EBay. You may also want to look at gentle langlaufing since most places will have ready made tracks providing conditions are not poor. This is often better for dogs since it is quite often hard packed around the tracks. I will be back mid January, if I have anything that may help I will let you know. Cheers Frank We have this evening just returned from Innsbruck, in Austria. I don't want to put any dampeners on all those going Sking this winter, but conditions at the moment are dreadful. Currently there is only a dusting of snow on the peaks. Temperature at Innsbruck Airport midday today was 14degC. They are expecting temperatures to drop over this weekend but are still forecast to be above freezing. The problem will be that the ground is still warm (relatively) and for any snowfall to stick and last the ground needs to be frozen. This usually occurs between mid October/early November. The valleys are all green and as the ground is fairly dry it will freeze only slowly. For those who intend to go langlaufing, I would definately wait until you know what resort conditions are like. Austrian TV said, that it is the warmest start to December for 1300 years. Yes, that is one thousand three hundred years. Flying over Austria, Switzerland and the northen French Alps all appear to be similar. Hopefully conditions will improve quickly, but we will wait to see what they are like in January, before deciding where/when to go. Still we have skied with slush and water coming over the top of our ski boots in the past and still had a lot of fun & laughs, so we will have to consider this may be another season like them. Anyone going to Canada/America with room for me in their suitcase. PLEASE ? Try www.tiscover.at for resort cams in Austria. Flicka Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Posted December 8, 2006 Share Posted December 8, 2006 You won’t put the dampeners on it for me or anybody else that understands alpine weather. There is rarely any significant snowfall in the Alps before mid December; it generally gets heavier toward the end of December and very early January which also coincides with lowering temperatures. However, if there are poor conditions then so be it, we all have to find other things to occupy ourselves. Cheers Frank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted December 8, 2006 Share Posted December 8, 2006 Glad to hear it won't put the dampeners on it for you Frank. Like yourself there are a lot of people who have long experiences of the Alps in winter and can cope with less than perfect conditions. Experience also helps in selecting resorts that have good snow records, during poor seasons. We will all have our favorites. On the other hand there are countless others, who do not have that knowledge/experience. My point is that with the temperatures being significantly higher than normal this year, it will have an affect on any snowfall, in respect of it creating a good ski base and lasting. These are the highest temperatures I have experienced during the last 25+ years for this week. For first timers it can be very dissappointing and additional hard work. I would prefer to inform them, before they commit loads of money and regret it later. I still think this is going to be a "Wait & see" season, as you say things can change dramatically, especially when we get into January. Flicka Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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