Tips to prepare for Winter in French Alps?

T

timjones95

Member
Hi Everyone,

We're planning on visiting friends in the French Alps this Christmas. We're going to take the Caravelle (T6.1 Non 4WD). Has anyone on this forum done a trips to the Alps before in their non 4WD van? I'd really appreciate feedback on the experience? Also any recommendations for snow tyres, chains and essentials.

Thanks in advanced. Tim :)
 
I live in France and spend plenty of time in the Alps skiing through the winter. I have a 4Motion 6.1 but we also have 2wd work vans fitted with full winter tyres, I've never required the use of chains on the 2wd van with snow tyres. Having struggled with summer tyres and chains in the past snow tyres are the way to go for me.

We use Nokian tyres on our work vans, medium price, wear well and personally I've never had any issues with them. Mine will go one in November and come off mid May.

The French are also imposing some new regulations from the 01/11 regarding winter tyres and snow chains in mountainous areas:-

trans.info

New winter tyre regulations in force in France from this November

Last winter, the French Ministry of the Interior has published changes to regulations on the use of winter tyres in the country’s mountainous regions...
trans.info

Enjoy the Alps they are amazing in the winter :)
 
AK06FR said:
I live in France and spend plenty of time in the Alps skiing through the winter. I have a 4Motion 6.1 but we also have 2wd work vans fitted with full winter tyres, I've never required the use of chains on the 2wd van with snow tyres. Having struggled with summer tyres and chains in the past snow tyres are the way to go for me.

We use Nokian tyres on our work vans, medium price, wear well and personally I've never had any issues with them. Mine will go one in November and come off mid May.

The French are also imposing some new regulations from the 01/11 regarding winter tyres and snow chains in mountainous areas:-

trans.info

New winter tyre regulations in force in France from this November

Last winter, the French Ministry of the Interior has published changes to regulations on the use of winter tyres in the country’s mountainous regions...
trans.info

Enjoy the Alps they are amazing in the winter :)
Click to expand...
Thats great. Thanks AK06FR. I had been looking at the Nokian range. Considering the WR SUV 4 tyres here

www.mytyres.co.uk

Nokian WR SUV 4. Only £ 167.16

Winter tyres Nokian WR SUV 4, 235/50 R20 104V XL Aramid Sidewalls, Load rating: 104, Speed index: V: up to 149 mph.
www.mytyres.co.uk www.mytyres.co.uk

They seem to closely match the spec of the existing tires.

I can't wait for it.
 
timjones95 said:
Thats great. Thanks AK06FR. I had been looking at the Nokian range. Considering the WR SUV 4 tyres here

www.mytyres.co.uk

Nokian WR SUV 4. Only £ 167.16

Winter tyres Nokian WR SUV 4, 235/50 R20 104V XL Aramid Sidewalls, Load rating: 104, Speed index: V: up to 149 mph.
www.mytyres.co.uk www.mytyres.co.uk

They seem to closely match the spec of the existing tires.

I can't wait for it.
Click to expand...
Thats the same type that we use on the 2wd work vans, great tyre. I was about to say they are super expensive on that link, until I noted its for x4 tyres!! They aren't too bad in the summer and that's in South of France with +30DegC temps !!

I have 19" alloys on my 6.1 with the Nokain Snowproof 255/45/19 104XL
 
I’ve used snow socks on a hire van once that was slipping all over the place, easy to put on and very effective
 
AK06FR said:
Thats the same type that we use on the 2wd work vans, great tyre. I was about to say they are super expensive on that link, until I noted its for x4 tyres!! They aren't too bad in the summer and that's in South of France with +30DegC temps !!

I have 19" alloys on my 6.1 with the Nokain Snowproof 255/45/19 104XL
Click to expand...
No, you are correct. That’s the price per tyre. :eek:
I’m hoping to find them locally cheaper.
 
Tyres are obviously important along with all the legal requirements for the country you are planning to visit and any possibly changes to the itinerary.
As for running a lowered van, splitters and reduced clearance on wheel arches it may not end well. Ultimately no matter how well you prepare the van / driver there will be limitations. The same goes for the cocaine / booze fuelled drivers coming in the opposite direction, fairly clear in some alpine areas I’ve visited that the local rich kids have a get out of jail card, more so in Italy than France.
 
timjones95 said:
No, you are correct. That’s the price per tyre. :eek:
I’m hoping to find them locally cheaper.
Click to expand...
I’ve run WR A4’s for a while now. Superb tyre. I believe they are being phased out in favour of the significantly less competent snowproof, which is why these, and weatherproofs (phased out for seasonproofs; again, an inferior replacement) are so expensive.
 
AK06FR said:
I live in France and spend plenty of time in the Alps skiing through the winter. I have a 4Motion 6.1 but we also have 2wd work vans fitted with full winter tyres, I've never required the use of chains on the 2wd van with snow tyres. Having struggled with summer tyres and chains in the past snow tyres are the way to go for me.

We use Nokian tyres on our work vans, medium price, wear well and personally I've never had any issues with them. Mine will go one in November and come off mid May.

The French are also imposing some new regulations from the 01/11 regarding winter tyres and snow chains in mountainous areas:-

trans.info

New winter tyre regulations in force in France from this November

Last winter, the French Ministry of the Interior has published changes to regulations on the use of winter tyres in the country’s mountainous regions...
trans.info

Enjoy the Alps they are amazing in the winter :)
Click to expand...
Is that new guidance any different to before? It seems to allow summer tyres but you must carry snow chains and be prepared to put them on if necessary which I think was always the case when you get high up and pass the blue “obligitaire en cas de niege” signs?

I’m driving down there in Feb and want to make sure that carrying chains as normal is sufficient.
 
Drive to the alps every winter with our 2wd shuttle. Proper snow tyres and you will be fine. Top tip, worth carrying a bag of gravel in case you get stuck on an icy parking space, got us out of trouble a few times..

EEB5F897-6250-4094-B7FD-24C6856AEF0B.jpeg
 
Village said:
I’ve run WR A4’s for a while now. Superb tyre. I believe they are being phased out in favour of the significantly less competent snowproof, which is why these, and weatherproofs (phased out for seasonproofs; again, an inferior replacemen
Broadside said:
Is that new guidance any different to before? It seems to allow summer tyres but you must carry snow chains and be prepared to put them on if necessary which I think was always the case when you get high up and pass the blue “obligitaire en cas de niege” signs?

I’m driving down there in Feb and want to make sure that carrying chains as normal is sufficient.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

I was thinking the same, I always thought as soon as you saw the sign "Equipment Obligiatrie" on the mountains roads it was a requirement to have chains in the car or winter tyres.

But speaking with a French friend it was never a legal requirement to carry the chains / have winter tyres. The Police / Gendarmes could only turn you away if they deemed conditions bad enough. But now you can be fined (€135) for not carrying snow chains / having winter tyres even if there is no snow on the roads. Its down to local department to decide which towns / areas within their departments are affected.

This is a good link, if you cant read French use Chrome to translate it:-

www.dossierfamilial.com

Pneus neige ou chaînes obligatoires le 1er novembre dans 48 départements

A partir du 1er novembre 2021, il sera nécessaire d’équiper son véhicule de pneus neige ou de chaînes pour rouler sur les routes de montagne en France. Mais aucune sanction ne sera prononcée cette saison.
www.dossierfamilial.com www.dossierfamilial.com
 
AK06FR said:
I was thinking the same, I always thought as soon as you saw the sign "Equipment Obligiatrie" on the mountains roads it was a requirement to have chains in the car or winter tyres.

But speaking with a French friend it was never a legal requirement to carry the chains / have winter tyres. The Police / Gendarmes could only turn you away if they deemed conditions bad enough. But now you can be fined (€135) for not carrying snow chains / having winter tyres even if there is no snow on the roads. Its down to local department to decide which towns / areas within their departments are affected.

This is a good link, if you cant read French use Chrome to translate it:-

www.dossierfamilial.com

Pneus neige ou chaînes obligatoires le 1er novembre dans 48 départements

A partir du 1er novembre 2021, il sera nécessaire d’équiper son véhicule de pneus neige ou de chaînes pour rouler sur les routes de montagne en France. Mais aucune sanction ne sera prononcée cette saison.
www.dossierfamilial.com www.dossierfamilial.com
Click to expand...
Thanks for that info. So winter tyres or snow chains if using summer tyres then it looks like it is sorted.
 
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