Jugger Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 Hi all Although fairly new to Motorhoming, we've been invited to travel to Switzerland for New Year. Although the December edition of MMM has lots of helpful advice, is there anything anyone can add? I understand that we should take snow chains. But would Snow Socks do as an alternative? We have an '06 Autocruise Stargazer Thanks P.S. Hi Steve :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterjl Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 Hi Remember not to go through Germany unless you have winter tyres fitted. Ordinary tyres are fine in France. Also I use chains when I go to that part of the world in winter. If the snow is really heavy they are a life saver, just practice fitting them before you go, take a pair of heavy weight gloves and something to kneel on. Not sure what advice you have already read, but....... It's useful to take a snow shovel, a soft broom to sweep snow off the vehicle. I always park with the waste water drain in the direction of the sun, it freezes during the night but usually melts during the day. I leave it open with a bucket/ bowl undert to catch the water ( don't use a covered container cos if it freezes you can't get out the ice block. We usually wash up in camp site facilities so not too much water through the system. Do you have an inboard or outside fresh water tank? If an outside tank you really need a heater in it to stop it freezing and even then it will freeze if it really gets cold ( one year we had minus 17 for a week near the Swiss border - the skiing was great). Hope that helps Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 is your van winterised? we found the nights Ok as had good bedding, but early morning when rising, cold, and that was in October in France!1 PJay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billggski Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 If using the motorways, which are hard to avoid, you need a sticker, 40 Swiss francs, but it is annual, so be careful you don' buy before December 1st, as it will immediately run out. http://www.myswissalps.com/motorwayvignette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jugger Posted November 11, 2016 Author Share Posted November 11, 2016 Thanks Peter, we're staying at a site with facilities so will be travelling 'dry'. Your comments are really useful, thanks. Paul peterjl - 2016-11-10 5:05 PM Hi Remember not to go through Germany unless you have winter tyres fitted. Ordinary tyres are fine in France. Also I use chains when I go to that part of the world in winter. If the snow is really heavy they are a life saver, just practice fitting them before you go, take a pair of heavy weight gloves and something to kneel on. Not sure what advice you have already read, but....... It's useful to take a snow shovel, a soft broom to sweep snow off the vehicle. I always park with the waste water drain in the direction of the sun, it freezes during the night but usually melts during the day. I leave it open with a bucket/ bowl undert to catch the water ( don't use a covered container cos if it freezes you can't get out the ice block. We usually wash up in camp site facilities so not too much water through the system. Do you have an inboard or outside fresh water tank? If an outside tank you really need a heater in it to stop it freezing and even then it will freeze if it really gets cold ( one year we had minus 17 for a week near the Swiss border - the skiing was great). Hope that helps Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jugger Posted November 11, 2016 Author Share Posted November 11, 2016 Hi PJay, no we aren't winterised but will be travelling 'dry' and have hook up and facilities on the site. Paul PJay - 2016-11-10 5:36 PM is your van winterised? we found the nights Ok as had good bedding, but early morning when rising, cold, and that was in October in France!1 PJay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jugger Posted November 11, 2016 Author Share Posted November 11, 2016 Ah, I knew we needed a sticker but not that they were time limited. Thanks. Paul Billggski - 2016-11-10 9:17 PM If using the motorways, which are hard to avoid, you need a sticker, 40 Swiss francs, but it is annual, so be careful you don' buy before December 1st, as it will immediately run out. http://www.myswissalps.com/motorwayvignette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted November 11, 2016 Share Posted November 11, 2016 Jugger - 2016-11-11 5:27 PM Hi PJay, no we aren't winterised but will be travelling 'dry' and have hook up and facilities on the site. Paul PJay - 2016-11-10 5:36 PM is your van winterised? we found the nights Ok as had good bedding, but early morning when rising, cold, and that was in October in France!1 PJay Hi Paul, I would take a fan heater with you, then, as a tin box can get very cold on the inside!! Also a silver screen will help to keep the cab area warmer, as that's where a lot of the heat gets lost Pauline Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will86 Posted November 11, 2016 Share Posted November 11, 2016 In winter the air temperature at ground level may be just above freezing BUT for every hundred feet you climb the temperature drop remarkably ... and ... if you can see snow above you it means at night cold air will descend all around you like freezing water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevina Posted November 11, 2016 Share Posted November 11, 2016 Swiss campsites charge about 70p per KWh so it can get very expensive heating the van with electricity. They will have gas bottles on site, make sure you have a suitable hose or adaptor. If it is very cold you could be using 3kg per day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted November 12, 2016 Share Posted November 12, 2016 kevina - 2016-11-11 9:56 PM Swiss campsites charge about 70p per KWh so it can get very expensive heating the van with electricity. They will have gas bottles on site, make sure you have a suitable hose or adaptor. If it is very cold you could be using 3kg per day. I believe everything is expensive in Switzerland? I would still take a fan heater for emergencies, as the gas will soon get used up! Depends how long they are staying in Switzerland! Think the Op very brave to go in winter in a non winterised van. Think i would rather stay in a hotel, !1 personally I would not want to drive in mountains in winter anyway!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rupert123 Posted November 12, 2016 Share Posted November 12, 2016 Jugger - 2016-11-10 4:27 PM Hi all Although fairly new to Motorhoming, we've been invited to travel to Switzerland for New Year. Although the December edition of MMM has lots of helpful advice, is there anything anyone can add? I understand that we should take snow chains. But would Snow Socks do as an alternative? We have an '06 Autocruise Stargazer Thanks P.S. Hi Steve :-D Snow socks actually work really well but you need to be very careful with them, personally would wait until I approached the alps and buy a set of cheap chains from a supermarket.. You do not say where you are going, the Swiss like the French are very good at clearing their roads so if remaining at valley level you may never need chains, however if you are climbing to a ski resort you almost certainly will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billggski Posted November 12, 2016 Share Posted November 12, 2016 The price of chains goes up with the altitude. Buy them early. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnP Posted November 13, 2016 Share Posted November 13, 2016 If you are parked up on snow or ice lift your hookup cable off the ground once daily. Otherwise over many days it will sink into the ice due to the small amount of heat generated in the cable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted November 13, 2016 Share Posted November 13, 2016 Will86 - 2016-11-11 7:22 PM In winter the air temperature at ground level may be just above freezing BUT for every hundred feet you climb the temperature drop remarkably ... and ... if you can see snow above you it means at night cold air will descend all around you like freezing water. FWIW, the rate of drop in temperature with altitude seems to be between 0.5 and 1 degree Celsius per 100 metres of altitude, depending on atmospheric humidity (one degree for dry air, 0.5 degree for saturated air). Taking account of the height of the Alps, that can amount to quite a big drop compared to valley temperatures! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted November 13, 2016 Share Posted November 13, 2016 Jugger - 2016-11-11 5:27 PM Hi PJay, no we aren't winterised but will be travelling 'dry' and have hook up and facilities on the site. Paul Do you mean you will fill with water on arrival? If so, and the tank is neither lagged nor heated, on the understanding that it is a underslung tank, I'm going to suggest you leave it dry. Weather changes fast in mountain areas, and a relatively warm day can rapidly become a bitterly cold night. You don't want to find yourself the owner of a 100 litre ice cube! Re gas, are you aware that you can't exchange UK cylinders outside the UK? Generally, gas cylinders are not exchangeable across borders. You will need to set off with a full UK cylinder, for warmth while overnighting en route. However, unless your gas locker will take two 13kg cylinders (not so many UK made vans do), you will almost inevitably have to buy a cylinder for your stay. Equally, you will almost inevitably have to buy a connecting hose (pigtail) from the cylinder to the regulator. Generally, it is easier and better to get cylinders before heading into the mountains, unless you know with certainty that they are available at the site or elsewhere at your destination. Having to descend to get gas can involve quite a long drive, and you can't guarantee you'll run out at a time when outlets, and possibly roads, are open. Make sure you have only propane on board, as butane will not gas off at low temperatures. The better alternative, if you have only space for a single 6kg cylinder (or, IMO, even if two), will be to get a refillable fitted, and keep it topped up at every available opportunity - but it definitely won't be the cheapest option! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jugger Posted November 29, 2016 Author Share Posted November 29, 2016 Dear all, sincere thanks for all your replies, which have been very useful. Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starvin marvin Posted November 29, 2016 Share Posted November 29, 2016 It's a lot easier if you go somewhere warm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted November 30, 2016 Share Posted November 30, 2016 PJay - 2016-11-12 8:54 AM I believe everything is expensive in Switzerland? Not everything. Fuel and fags have always been cheaper than UK. Public transport is also relatively cheap by comparison and vastly superior to UK. Everywhere in Switzerland can be accessed via public transport even remote villages have regular bus services. Think the Op very brave to go in winter in a non winterised van. Think i would rather stay in a hotel, !1 personally I would not want to drive in mountains in winter anyway!! I've driven in Switzerland during winters.....but that was in a Swiss registered car i had there which was fitted with winter tyres. Major roads are kept clear. Swiss laugh at the way our roads grind to a halt the first sign of a few snowflakes. Each to their own but you are right, Switzerland in winter is not the place for a non-winterised van. If you shop around a bit on the internet it's easy enough to find reasonable priced accommodation which will be nice and warm. Flights are cheaper than driving there. It's a no brainer really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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