Chamonix Trip/ Meet

Trips & Meets
21

I drove to Chamonix last week via the eurotunnel. It took about 9 hours from Calais with a few stops.The drive is easy on the fairly empty French toll motorways. Driving has the big advantages of no CovID risks and being able to bring gear without having to make it fit into aircraft baggage limits. I went via the eurotunnel rather than the ferry because it’s faster (only 35 minutes) and only cost a little bit more.

Lifts are open though you have to wear a mask, just like going into shops. Bars and restaurants are open. Beware of hut restrictions though: I don’t know if all are open, and at least some aren’t providing shared items like blankets so you need to take a sleeping bag.

22

Interesting David- how much do you think you spent on petrol, ferry and tolls?

23
  • £308 eurotunnel return (depends on time of day).
  • ~£130 petrol return.
  • ~£144 tolls return
24

sorry but…

What about rubber, insurance, road tax (I know, there isn’t any), oil, windscreen washer fluid (for the ten thousand insects that land on the windscreen), brake pads, other fluids, depreciation, break down recovery insurance, periodic repairs, blah blah!

I budget twice the fuel cost for that. It’s going to depend a lot on the car you drive @willboxall.
I reckon on £500 for an alps round trip and that’s with no tolls (go via luxembourg) and ferry, £45 each way.

25

Thanks David- much appreciated,

Will

26

@khalidqasrawi Luckily we had a heavy rainstorm one day and that - much to my surprise - removed all the 10,000 flattened insects from my windscreen :-). I did miss out the Green Flag European breakdown cover of £52. Taking my own car also allowed me to deliver English beers, bacon and black pudding to a suffering Rob - no way you’d get those through an airport.

27

Thanks Khalid- think my car may nudge up the fuel cost a bit too

28

Chamonix usually costs us just under £500
£150 tolls
£200 Fuel
£96 Eurotunnel off peak Return with an account (worth splitting with someone if you don’t go over often)
I use a tag too so you can just drive straight through the tolls and then it charges you the following month.

I tried going via Belgium once and it’s Looong but no tolls and super cheap fuel… but wont be doing that again.
I get european breakdown cover included with the bank… which works out cheaper in the long run for me.

29

With regards the huts, they operate pretty normally, but most are operating with reduced capacity so book very early! You must bring your own sleeping liner and a mask. Only Refuge de Plan Glacier has so far requested me to bring a sleeping bag, so call always to ask about the blankets.