|
|
Self-drive ski holidays to France |  | | | 28 August 2008 | There are few more exciting holiday options on offer to winter sports enthusiasts than ski breaks in France, with numerous resorts to be found in the south of the country nestled within one of the world's greatest mountain ranges – the Alps.
British holidaymakers looking to add an extra element of adventure to their trip may be interested in the idea of driving through France to reach their Alpine retreat, an option that is easily achievable these days thanks to the number of ferry crossings between the UK and the continent.
Once of the most exciting parts of a skiing holiday for travellers is planning what they are going to do when they reach their resort. France's Alpine region is home to dozens of ski resorts, including such famous locations as Val d'Isere, Courchevel and Tignes. Skiing areas such as Val d'Isere's Espace Killy provide opportunities for excitement and adventure for visitors of all ages and capabilities, with some 300km of beginner to expert runs. Even people who aren't interested in winter sports will be spoilt for choice on holidays in the region, with resorts such as Chamonix incorporating hundreds of kilometres of hiking trails, adventure parks for children and opportunities to try rafting, paragliding and other thrilling pursuits.
The first step of a self-drive ski holiday to France is crossing the English Channel, with regular services available from ports including Dover, Newhaven, Portsmouth and Poole. Among the leading services for people looking to follow the roads into the Alpine resorts of south-east France are those between Dover and Calais – operated by P&O Ferries and SeaFrance. Transmanche Ferries sails from Newhaven to Dieppe, while LD Lines offers crossings from Newhaven, Portsmouth and Rosslare to Le Havre. Motorists also have the option of taking the Eurotunnel from Folkestone to Calais.
Once on the Gallic side of the Channel, reaching the Alps by road is pretty simple, with main routes connecting the French ports in the north of the country to the south-east, the region that is home to some of the country's leading ski resorts.
With modern travel facilities and infrastructure, driving to the Alps has been made a realistic and achievable prospect. However, motorists planning a road trip to a skiing resort in the region should ensure that they have carried out certain checks and equipped themselves with particular items to guarantee their own safety. Cars should be given a full service to ensure that they will be able to function in low temperatures and vital components such as the battery and fan belt should be checked. Travellers should also ensure they take windscreen scrapers and cans of de-icer to avoid any vision problems, while matches or lighters can come in handy for thawing frozen locks. It is also advisable to fit snow tyres and drivers in France's mountain areas are legally required to carry snow chains, a fluorescent jacket and a warning triangle in their car.
Another important consideration is insurance. Recent research by moneysupermarket.com found that more than a third of British drivers are unaware that their car insurance may be downgraded from fully comprehensive to third party when driving on the continent. It is therefore important to take out an insurance policy to cover all eventualities when driving abroad, including breakdowns.
So why not start arranging your holiday in the Alps today and give yourself a winter trip to look forward to as the nights begin to draw in and the temperature heads south. Rather than enduring the stress of travelling through airports with bundles of ski gear, do things your own way and try a self-drive holiday to France. You might just find that it adds an extra element of adventure to an already thrilling trip. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Ferries to France - Special Offers |
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
