Driving in the Alps

Winter Driving Conditions

If you’re taking your car to a ski resort then it’s inevitable that you’ll end up driving on snow at some point. Local municipalities are generally very good at keeping the roads clear and you’ll hear the snow ploughs out long before dawn, ensuring that the roads are snow free for people to get about resort. However, driving on snowy, icy roads is a hazardous affair and requires extra care and attention. Here are some things to consider: Fit snow tyres – if you’re going to be spending some time in the mountains then consider fitting snow tyres to your vehicle. They have a deeper tread than normal tyres and hundreds of tiny slits that grip the snow as the wheel turns. They considerably improve the handling and performance of your car in snowy conditions. Snow chains – it is a legal requirement in France to carry snow chains in your vehicle and police will refuse you access to certain roads if your car is not appropriately equipped. Practice fitting them before you actually need them as you can guarantee that when you do, it will be at night, in a blizzard and in the middle of nowhere!! Keep a pair of old gloves with them as your hands will get very cold, very quickly. Keep topped up with fuel - unexpected road closures due to snow or avalanches can result in lengthy diversions. You don’t want to end up stranded at the side of the road. Slow down! - the first thing you should do on encountering snow on the road is reduce your speed. By keeping you speed low and using your gears to slow down you can hopefully avoid having to brake sharply and cause your car to skid. Use high gears - try to drive in as high a gear as possible to avoid wheel spin. The same principle applies when pulling away from a standstill – try to do so in second gear, accelerating gently. Keep moving - when driving up an incline on snow, do everything you possible can to keep moving forward. Hill starting on a snowy road is difficult and may result in you slithering into other vehicles around you. Always try to keep your momentum going, however slowly, so that you don’t lose traction You can find many more handy tips for driving in snow on the Drivers Domain UK website

last updated 19-Aug-2008

Parking in Resort

In winter, a covered or underground parking spot is the ideal place to leave your vehicle as it will save you all the hassle of digging it out after a snowfall, scraping your windows and trying to start a frozen car. However, parking in ski resorts can be tight and so you’ll more than likely end up leaving your car outside. If this is the case then: 1. Park facing downhill. 2. Leave your car in gear with the handbrake off as it can freeze. 3. Lift the windscreen wipers away from the window so that they don’t stick to the glass and get damaged. If there has been heavy snowfall, clear the snow from your windscreen by hand rather that with your wipers – the weight of the snow can be deceptive and you’ll probably just end up burning out your wiper motor. You certainly don’t want to be without functioning windscreen wipers in winter with all the salt from the roads that sprays over your car. 4. Remember where you parked! – this sounds stupid, but it can be very hard to identify your car under a metre of snow! Always pay attention to signs placed around parking areas in resort that may indicate a market or snow clearing taking place the following day. When there is snow to clear, ploughs show very little respect for things in their way and on more than one occasion have been known to scrape up the sides of errant vehicles causing significant damage. If you don’t move your car it will be towed and left elsewhere in resort (generally on the outskirts of town) but it may take you some time to find it! Traffic wardens or “Police Municipal” are regularly seen patrolling the streets on the look out for illegally parked vehicles. As we mentioned before, parking in ski resorts can be very problematic especially during high season, so it is always worth reserving a parking space in advance wherever possible to ensure you have a suitable spot to leave your car. Foreign plates do not give you diplomatic immunity from parking fines so if you do leave your car in an inappropriate spot then you should expect to be ticketed or even towed away and impounded. Parking fines vary from €11 to €135, with €35 being the norm. If you receive a fine through the post you have 3 options: throw it away (although the French authorities are cracking down on non-payment of penalties by foreign drivers), pay it, or contest it. If you decide to pay it then the sooner the better as the fine is lowered if paid within 15 days. You can do so either by buying a “timbre amende” from a tabac or tax office, attach it to the ticket and send it off; or by credit card on the French Government website. Should you choose to contest it, then you need to complete the form attached to the fine and send it off to the Police Municipal.

last updated 19-Aug-2008