Category: Driving to the Alps

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Winter tyres laws when driving to the mountains in Europe and North America

Driving to the mountains on route nationale through France- Photo: The-Ski-Guru. Self-drive skiers need to plan now for Brexit.

When driving to the mountains, it is important to know the laws about carrying winter tyres and snow chains. Not all countries and states or provinces oblige you to wear them. I would suggest you to check before you travel. Even if there were no law for using snow tyres, I would at least recommend taking snow chains, because if you are caught in a big snowstorm, you will need them. If you can buy at least second hand winter tyres, do so. It is an investment, more if you are going to drive to the mountains each ski season.

Also, if renting a car, don’t assume the car will come with snow tyres, even if going to countries full of mountains everywhere, remember to request them when booking your car rental, and also reserve snow chains.

Driving to the mountains- check if you need to have snow tyres and snow chains. Photo Jeffrey Wegrzyn- Unsplash. Winter tyres, snow chains. Driving to the mountains
Driving to the mountains- check if you need to have winter tyres and snow chains. Photo Jeffrey Wegrzyn- Unsplash.

Here is a summary of where snow tyres are mandatory – please you need to do your own search, as this is not by any means 100% accurate- we cannot be held responsible for you deciding not to take winter tyres! Do your own homework!

Aperitivo at Dusk with Monte Bianco. Soft pastels art. Register to my Mountain Art Newsletter today.
Aperitivo at Dusk with Monte Bianco. Soft pastels art. Now in exhibition at Isigest Immobiliari in Morgex, Aosta Valley. In my shop for £1300. 

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Planning your ski trip

Heavenly gondola. Photo by: The-Ski-Guru. Heavenly is another of the resorts that will roll out Emma later this season. Emma, the World's First Digital Mountain Assistant, Kicks Off the 2018-19 Winter Season in Beta at Keystone Ski Resort.

When should you start planning your ski trip? For me it should be at least six months in advance to your trip, more if you are planning to travel in school holidays.

If you are travelling in the shoulder season (low season), such as early December – before the 20th), January, March in Europe (not in the US and Canada as they have Spring Break) and April (outside of Easter weekend), you can plan a bit more on top of the time and maybe see how snow conditions are.

Ski Touring Vallée de Saint Bon - Les Trois Vallées.
Ski Touring Vallée de Saint Bon – Les Trois Vallées.

For me, I need to know I have a trip in sight to be able to cope with routine. I always have my winter trip arranged by July (we go skiing with the family in February), and I do reserve the flat we use year-on-year as soon as we leave the place when our week is finished- so I book it one year in advance! That is because I have such a great deal, and my kids love going back to the same place, that is a no-brainer.

So where to start for planning your ski trip?

Well, you can try to start thinking where you want to go. Talking of the Northern Hemisphere- if you live in the UK as we do – are you going to drive (so that is only Europe and it would be France, Switzerland, Italy and maybe the Pyrenees’ or Austria, or fly, where you can add also the US, Canada or Japan. You can see the different websites with information on resorts and try to sort what resort is for the type of skier/boarder you are, or which one caters a diverse group.

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Planning your summer holiday in the mountains and beach – our next trip

The view from the top of the Skyway Monte Bianco - Punta Hellbronner- Amazing rotating gondola that takes you up to the highest point in Italy to see the Mont Blanc and all the surrounding mountains. Photo: The-Ski-Guru.

The summer holidays are coming upon us and I am counting the days to leave this hot city and have some days off. I have been planning this summer holiday for at least half an year and cannot believe it is finally coming! We will be going to the mountains and the beach in one trip, to please all the members of the family.  Even though I will be having a couple of meetings here and there, it is still time to spend with the family and enjoy being and playing outside.

I love planning where we are going to go each year. For winter we always go to the Alps driving, and we have done already 5 years of going to Pila, just up from Aosta, one going to Madonna di Campiglio and one adding Courmayeur to the end of our stay in Aosta/Pila. We always travel by car, as we take all our equipment with us, and we are well positioned in SE London to get to Folkestone for the Eurotunnel station.

Start of the trip at the Eurotunnel - can't wait! Photo by The-Ski-Guru.
Start of the trip at the Eurotunnel – can’t wait! Photo by The-Ski-Guru.

Summer is not different. I find that purchasing flights for the family during the kids’ school holidays is very expensive, plus I do love our road trips. So off we’ll be going soon to Folkestone to board the Eurotunnel and get into another adventure.


One thing to remember is to get the car lights stickers that are obligatory for UK cars driving in the Continent, so you do not blind the cars coming the other way, the yellow vests per each person in the car, a triangle and I am not sure if the breathalysers are still requested in France. It was the case, then I’ve read that it was not the case anymore – just check online before travelling just in case! Have all these things inside the car, reachable if you are stopped by the police, not in your car boot, as you could be fined if you need to get out to get them!

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THREE HURT: Cars swept away by Swiss alpine pass avalanche

An avalanche has swept two cars while crossing the Klausen Pass in Switzerland. THREE HURT: Cars swept away by Swiss alpine pass avalanche. Photo of an avalanche by Caspar Rubin - Unsplash.

Three hurt: Cars swept away by Swiss alpine pass avalanche.  “Three people have been hurt after an avalanche swept away two cars attempting to cross an alpine pass in Switzerland on Sunday. All three were taken to hospital where their condition is described as non-life threatening.
The incident took place at around 2pm on the Klausen Pass that connects cantons Uri and Glarus in central Switzerland. At nearly 2,000 meters high, the mountain pass is still affected by snow and had only opened for road traffic earlier in the week”, reports Swissinfo.ch.



Booking.com


“Canton Uri police report that the avalanche struck 200 metres from the top of the pass, sweeping about 100 metres down the road. The injured car occupants were airlifted to hospital and a fourth passenger escaped from the incident unhurt.

Klaussen pass, where the avalanche struck two cars and pushed them away 200 meters from the top of the pass. THREE HURT: Cars swept away by Swiss alpine pass avalanche
Klaussen pass, where the avalanche struck two cars and pushed them away 200 meters from the top of the pass. THREE HURT: Cars swept away by Swiss alpine pass avalanche. Photo: Worldradio.ch

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Our first part of our family ski trip in Pila- Aosta

Family trip to Pila, Valle d'Aosta - Photo by The-Ski-Guru.

So we made it to Aosta, back in the flat we always rent in Charvensod, at the outskirts of Aosta, and we went for dinner to meet our family friends that are also with us during this week. Dinner in this family restaurant and Pizzeria Millenium is always fun, easy with the kids, and good on the wallet!

The tram to piste 15- Pila- Photo by: The-Ski-Guru.
The tram to piste 15- Pila- Photo by: The-Ski-Guru.

We went to sleep ready for the first day of going skiing – for me it is always a bit of a nightmare to organise the first day of skiing – more if I am carrying my family with me.

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The family road trip ski holiday started – a trip to Italy via France

France was all covered in snow during our trip to the Alps - Photo: The-Ski-Guru

Finally the day for our annual family ski trip started, and we’ve left home at 4 AM in the morning to take a 7 AM Eurotunnel. It was freezing cold and the motorway seemed a bit icy. We made it in great time to the Eurotunnel in Folkestone and we were allowed to board in early – Just a quick coffee and porridge for me, a bacon butty for my husband and some croissants for the boys with some good coffee before boarding on the train.

The Eurotunnel Folkestone roof was decorated with a ski theme. Photo by The-Ski-Guru.
The Eurotunnel Folkestone roof was decorated with a ski theme. Photo by The-Ski-Guru.

We were before 8 AM in Calais -first thing to do is to remember to drive on the right! I dare not drive on the other side of the road, I needed to learn how to drive on the left side in the UK and it confused me a lot. Luckily, my husband is better for doing so.

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I have been away on holidays – will post about it in the next few days

Mum and kid riding the chairlift together- Pila Ski in the Sky, above the city of Aosta - Photo - The-Ski-Guru.

I am back from holidays with backs full of dirty clothes, have done three full loads and I am not ready yet to put all away…. but promise that will make a report of our fantastic trip… when I feel human again!

Going up the gondola, one happy child - Photo by The-Ski-Guru - Pila, Aosta Valley.
Going up the gondola, one happy child – Photo by The-Ski-Guru – Pila, Aosta Valley.

I need a holiday from my holidays! More soon!

The-Ski-Guru

Featured Image: Mum and kid riding the chairlift together- Pila Ski in the Sky, above the city of Aosta – Photo – The-Ski-Guru.

In the meantime, you can keep on reading more ski news at The-Ski-Guru

Follow us through our hashtags #theskiguru and #skinewsatyourfingertips in social media.

Or you can read more on driving to the mountains tips here.

If you want to choose where to go and ski in Europe, you can start by comparing the resorts’ ski passes rates.

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Packing list for your family ski holiday

Skiers Over New Year Prepare for a £450 Wipeout at the Car Hire Rental Desk. Photo by Adrian - Unsplash - taken in Mont Saint Helens, USA.

Going skiing with the family is great, but you need to plan your bag ahead, and be sure that your little ones will not be suffering from the cold, or if not, your holiday might be jeopardised if they are too cold for skiing.

A stop in the way when driving - Photo by Easton Oliver - Unsplash - Estes Park, Colorado
A stop in the way when driving – Photo by Easton Oliver – Unsplash – Estes Park, Colorado

When you are packing, I suggest thinking on your ski clothes first, and doing the normal clothes later. You will not need too many normal clothes if you are self catering, a couple of trousers, shirts or t-shirts and warm jumpers if you are planning to dine outside, unless you are staying in a hotel or chalet and you have to go out for dinner or you have included half or full board, that you might want to look smart every evening.

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Zermatt, Andermatt and Davos affected with massive snowstorms.

The avalanche risk due to massive snowstorms have again prevented the access by road and rail to Zermatt ski resort. SWI – swissinfo.ch informs that Andermatt and Davos are also affected.

The police of Valais has asked everyone not to travel unless necessary in its territory. The Insitute of Investigation of Snow and Avalanches had elevated the danger of avalanches to the maximum level (5 “very high”) in all the north Cordillera of the Swiss Alps. A combination of very heavy precipitations and winds up to 130 km/h in the mountains have created a very insecure scenario for travel.

In the low lands, very big precipitations have considerably increased the risk of flooding and mudslides.

If you need to travel in the mountains, you can check our tips here.

The risk of avalanches (in the picture black and red, is level 5, the maximum) by this morning.

Switzerland Avalanche risk - SRF - SWI
Switzerland Avalanche risk – SRF – SWI

Now is not the time to go skiing off-piste please – you can check another grim article we covered on avalanche deaths in this region in Switzerland here.

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Driving to the Mountains

Snowy landscape - Photo by Khurt Williams - Unsplash. Driving to the mountains.

Driving to the mountains, in this case to the Alps from the UK is a very good option if you are carrying your family and you do not want to break your bank account to go skiing.

Driving to the mountains - Daniel Kainz photography - Unspalsh.com
Driving to the mountains – Daniel Kainz photography – Unspalsh.com

There are two ways to cross the channel – via a ferry or using the Eurotunnel- the Eurotunnel is great as it only takes 35 minutes to get to Calais from Folkestone.

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