Turin to Tignes

Time to think outside the box? Have you signed up for accommodation yet?

Yup. La Vanoise in Tignes.

I don't mind that long a journey, anything up to 3 hours is bearable.

Smokey Barr wrote:Sorry, I'm probably being a bit stupid here, but what's a pass?

I've looked at both routes, and the roads from Chambery, seem very similar to those from Turin. Why would they be shut?

Bandit - The route I was looking at was Turino-Avigliana-Susa-Novalesa....

I'm beginning to think this could be a bloody nightmare. And I didn't take out insurance on changing tickets... doh!

Hi Smokey. A pass, is simply put a shortened version of a mountain pass. All this means, is a route where you can go through a mountain range from one side to another. Sometimes these are large valleys, but on others they are narrow openings at altitude between peaks.

Unless it is a very busy crossing, and on a well made road, these high passes are often left to nature during the winter and are closed due to them being snow bound, or because the roads to get to them become too dangerous with ice.

Sadly, the route you suggested above would go through the Iseran pass after Novalesa (not sure which passes would be needed to get to Novalessa to start with) which is the highest paved mountain pass in the Alps at 2770m and I have never seen it open in the ski season.

I don't know if there is a shorter route, but I would be looking at the following, especially if you cannot cross at La Thuile. Google Map Via Mont Blanc or Google Map via Bardonecchia

:D

Equally, it looks like it is just 20 minutes in a Helicopter.

Have you contemplated contacting these guys just to see how expensive it really is http://www.saf-helicopters.com/en/saf_helicopteres/transport_passagers/vols_liaisons_stations_alpes_helicopteres.php#

I think it'll be slightly more than the £109 car hire.

I'm such a plum. I just assumed it'd be straight forward to get there from Turin.

Look on the bright side, the scenery is fantastic whichever route you take.... assuming you arrive in daylight hours :P

17:30... will hopefully see the sun setting behind the mountains. There are certainly worse places to have a long drive...

...Hang on a minuet, the sun sets in the west doesn't it. Bugger.