Is it just me?

Hi Tonypants, a lot of that will depend on how many of you are in the vehicle and(I know this sounds obvious) where you are going.

I have driven to Europe for the past 6 or 7 seasons, but I do it primarily because of the freedom it allows with my luggage etc. FYI, a Eurostar Le Shuttle crossing is usually around £120 -£150 return if you go out on one of the earlier times. I think a ferry can be cheaper, but I prefer the train as it is a much quicker crossing and not as liable to bad weather giving you issues. The drive is then between 600 and 800 miles (each way), so you can work out the fuel your car would use.

If you travel through France and use the motorways, you then have to factor in the Peage Tolls, which are about £80 each way to the Alps (if my memory is correct), or you could bypass the Peage and go round through Belguim, Switzerland etc. although that is a longer drive and would incur the cost of a Vignette in Switzerland (about £30 last time I had one), but it usually works out cheaper than the Peage.

Austria is a fairly straight forward trip across Belguim, Germany and into Austria.

Italy can be done either through France, or Switzerland or even Austria.

Finally, you have to factor in the cost of parking the car and suitable winter essentials. Chains are compulsory in many places (to carry) and I would strongly advise having winter tyres on the car. Ensure you drain the windscreen washer and fill with high strength cleaner and make sure the anti-freeze is up to scratch in the engine.

FYI I am driving to Tignes and estimate the car will cost me a total of £500 return. That is Crossing, fuel and tolls. So even 3 people in the car makes it as cheap if not cheaper than flying as you do not have to pay for transfers. If that was a trip to Austria, I would bring that price down to the £400 mark as I would save on the tolls but use a bit more fuel. Equally, I could save a chunk going to Tignes, but I prefer to get there quicker.

The Viamichelin site is quite good, as it will give you a guide to toll and fuel charges for your journey. http://www.viamichelin.com/

Hope that info helps :lol:

I suppose it also depends on how close you live to the channel ports, or the tunnel, as compared with how easy/expensive it is to get to an airport with flights in the right direction. Obviously if you lived in the north of Scotland driving to France would be pretty expensive/take a very long time!

People always seem to forget the cost of getting to the airport in the U.K. but they can mount up to quite a bit, especially if you have to stay overnight in a hotel beforehand and pay for airport parking, or get a long distance taxi. A taxi to the London airports from where I live costs £250 one way!

Thank you FQ and Ally, great info.

So costing it up, for 4 people: £500ish travel, £700ish for apartment for a week plus catering, say £800ish.

Total £ £2000ish

The dilemma is catered chalet package at around £500-600ish each, all in with a bit of cheap wine.

Total £2200 + 50 airport parking

I| live in Leicester so 2.5 hrs to get to Ashford.

Can you see my dilemma or am I missing something ???

Tonypants,
Driving can definittely be cheaper than a package.
Go self catering.
Get a cheap crossing.
We usually use tesco vouchers and go by tunnel.
If you are serious about saving money take your food.
We 've done this several times, even freezing milk and using that as the ice blocks.
Your food will stay frozen all the way down.
We would buy fresh bread and salad, but most other stuff can be taken.

I know it might not seem like holiday to some....but if it's te difference between staying at home or going skiing I know which. i choose..
:D

bandit wrote:Hi tonypants, I hope to be at the Ski Show in London :D

Your Diesel will cost less as it's France, but you have to pay for the Motorway.
Via Michelin is a good site for planning journeys, as it shows fuel/toll costs.

Best find out if you can get the chains to fit your wheels before you go much further with your planning.

Not sure if being above 1800 is worth pursuing, last Dec, you were snowed in at 1000m :lol: I think I'd sleep low, get the motor into an underground car park and concentrate on skiing at altitude IYKWIM. If you sleep low, Chamonix is only 8 hours from Calais and it's Autoroute all the way -)

Thanks bandit, what day are you going to ski show, did cham last year, not sure if want to go again

Ha Ha Dids, I do see your point AND I am trying to save money, love the milk idea :D , however never done a SC ski hol, will be new to me and.....exciting as will be doing something different.

My daughter has just said, " Dad on the way back from Skiing can we go to disneyland"

Its All going wrong -)

tonypants wrote:

My daughter has just said, " Dad on the way back from Skiing can we go to disneyland"

:shock: :shock: :shock:

Dang, it's a long drive to Florida :twisted:

Personally I would do the catered chalet bit and drive there.

If you are happy to drive, it opens up a whole raft of chalets who are doing the chalet part only, and there are a lot who do this and leave all the travel to yourself.