tfl_golf
Member Since: 23 Jan 2007
Location: Herefordshire
Posts: 24
  
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If all goes to plan I hope to escape to the French Alps next week. Has anyone got a any tip’s / advise on the journey down ( + Will the anti-freeze level be ok in a UK supplied D3 for the Alps)
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 13th Feb 2007 9:58 pm |
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AndrewS
Tarquin of the Desert
Member Since: 06 May 2005
Location: Y...... because I can
Posts: 10438
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Everything will be OK, make sure you fill up with washer fluid that can handle -20 before you get there. What part are you going to  Oh make sure you select Motorways and Toll Roads on your sat nav, well thats what works for me  In the Beginning there was nothing, which exploded.
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| 13th Feb 2007 10:06 pm |
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mick
Member Since: 21 Jan 2007
Location: Yorkshire
Posts: 2049
 
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where abouts are you going we go on fri 7am train down to venosc in France.Have a good trip.
Mick 
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| 13th Feb 2007 10:13 pm |
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SPOTTER
Member Since: 06 Dec 2006
Location: Adrift........
Posts: 3095
 
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As AS says, make sure your windscreen washer is upto it....plus all other fluids, my D3 is very fussy about coolant levels etc.
Remeber to turn off auto wipers when you leave teh car overnight.....or learn where the fuse is.
Remeber the gendarmes are a bit keener these days and there are a few fixed cameras about, the majority around Paris. Carry your cars paperwork (Reg cert and Insurance cert), mind priority a droite in towns and villages...if you hesitate you are lost 
Enjoy the heaper diesel (not all is low sulphur though)
other than that it is a nice run down in your D3 
have fun
PS carry a passenger it makes toll booths much much easier!!  end of an era ....... maybe a Defender when it appears.......
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| 13th Feb 2007 10:18 pm |
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NoDo$h
Member Since: 02 May 2006
Location: Finding new and exciting ways to milk badgers.
Posts: 19689
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The French now require that you have a hi-viz tabbard for each person in the car. You can get them for 2.47 inc vat from http://www.bestinthecountry.co.uk/acatalog...g_27.html. If they are given an excuse to pull you and want to make a point they'll ticket you if you don't have any.
There are now at least a couple of speed cameras between Geneva and Chamonix if you are going that way. They are usually facing the driver and look like an abandoned tele at the side of the road with some yellow and black tape around the edge! They tend to put them on stretches of motorway with a reduced speed limit. If I'm honest, it's not worth going much above the speed limit in Franch now, especially as the limit in the dry is already 82mph. I'll be setting the cruise control to 85 and leaving it there unless in lower limit stretches.
I'm heading down there on Friday.  I know it's not considered "kind" to say no these days, but no. Just no, ok? And if it's not ok, still no.
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| 13th Feb 2007 11:44 pm |
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SPOTTER
Member Since: 06 Dec 2006
Location: Adrift........
Posts: 3095
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NoDo$h wrote:The French now require that you have a hi-viz tabbard for each person in the car.
oh, I only carry one..+ the spare bulbs, triangle etc....not sure how you would explain to a "Brit hating Gendarme" that you can't carry spare xenon's.....luckily haven't had to yet.
But yes it isn't really worth speeding although in France they are very good about putting up the camera warning signs and they all have a camera within a few hundred metres, some fwd, some aft facing, I don't think tehy are allowed to just put up teh signs liek tehy do in the UK, anyway most of teh french car magazines publish full lists of all cameras.
at this rate it is almost worth applying o the Paris-Rhine-Rhone Autoroute peole for a dedicated Disco3.co.uk lane 
PS The gendarmes all seem to be using imprezzas on the A6 now end of an era ....... maybe a Defender when it appears.......
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| 14th Feb 2007 8:31 am |
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henkreyn
Member Since: 13 Nov 2006
Location: Helvoirt
Posts: 58
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I would not worry too much about the speedcamara's. They are there and are working, and I have been caught on several occasions, but I have never received a ticket. No, I would worry about the gendarmes with laser guns. The last four times I drove to the Pyrenees, I've been stopped by gendarmes with laser guns three times. You'll have to pay in cash, before they let you go again. The fines are very reasonable €45 below 27km/h to much, and €90 if more than 27 km/h, and the gendarmes were surprisingly polite, but it does take a lot of time. My advice would be to just stick to the speed limit TDV6 HSE Stornaway Grey, black interior
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| 14th Feb 2007 8:51 am |
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SPOTTER
Member Since: 06 Dec 2006
Location: Adrift........
Posts: 3095
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can a TDV6 go more than 27 km/hr over when laden?? end of an era ....... maybe a Defender when it appears.......
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| 14th Feb 2007 8:58 am |
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Andy4467
Member Since: 25 Nov 2005
Location: Kent - England
Posts: 203
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Chains - only required in extreme conditions - check http://www.meteofrance.com/FR/montagne/pre...SKI0773018
for the latest weather reports and whether chains may be needed.
High concentrate washer fluid and I would recommend parking indoors for 2 reasons: 1 your car wont freeze up - flat battery, frozen door seals etc. 2 you wont have to worry about the wannabe ice racer leaving his mark! Some say the glass is half full. Others that it is half empty. I say 'Are you drinking that?"
Cairns Blue, Ebony Leather, SE
BMW 320d M sport
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| 14th Feb 2007 10:55 am |
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AndrewS
Tarquin of the Desert
Member Since: 06 May 2005
Location: Y...... because I can
Posts: 10438
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We go down to the Alps Via Reims, Dijon, Lyon and go from there. We have found this route to be cheaper and have less Peage or Toll stops. In the past I have been flashed a few times by cameras but have never had any fines turn up. As mentioned its the local police that will catch you with their laser guns and fine you accordingly, usually with a smug but polite smile. The good thing is you wont get any points TBH the speed limit is 130kph in the dry, thats fast enough for me with a loaded D3. The police hang out on the North bound carriage way of the A26 from Saint-Quentin to Calais. I suspect the main reason for this is the fact that you will see Brits clearly speeding on this stretch of road to catch their Ferries. In the Beginning there was nothing, which exploded.
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| 14th Feb 2007 10:57 am |
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nickgriff
Member Since: 06 Nov 2006
Location: Switzerland/France
Posts: 58
 
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The drive is Fantastic. I drive back from Geneva to the UK about twice a year. The only bad part of the trip is arriving back in the UK!!
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| 14th Feb 2007 4:19 pm |
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tfl_golf
Member Since: 23 Jan 2007
Location: Herefordshire
Posts: 24
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We are heading for Courchevel, plan is to leave Thurs 22nd ,returning Tues 27th. Thanks for all the info.
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| 14th Feb 2007 6:14 pm |
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Sib
Member Since: 19 Aug 2006
Location: Bath
Posts: 26
 
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I drive to the Alps once or twice a year and always try and arrive with a fairly empty tank in the resort so that I know to fill up with "local" diesel which has more extreme antifreeze in it than diesel bought "at the bottom of the hill" This only really applies if temperature is to drop below minus 20. Otherwise you have the perfect vehicle for the trip and you won`t need to think about anything different to UK winter..the snow setting on terrain resonse works briliantly but only use it on actual ice and snow otherwise car feels a tad slow and strange..
ps have sent you pm re my chains
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| 14th Feb 2007 7:49 pm |
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10forcash
Member Since: 09 Jun 2005
Location: Ubique
Posts: 16534
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SPOTTER wrote:can a TDV6 go more than 27 km/hr over when laden??
easily... 
The UK radar / laser detectors work well in France too - apparently just don't get caught with one!
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| 14th Feb 2007 7:54 pm |
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SPOTTER
Member Since: 06 Dec 2006
Location: Adrift........
Posts: 3095
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you have cheated though as yours is chipped
Most parisian registered Porsches etc. I have noticed have the radar detectors mounted clearly in their windscreens for any loitering gendarmesa the peages to see.....I assume they are exempt though end of an era ....... maybe a Defender when it appears.......
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| 15th Feb 2007 9:32 am |
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