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snow chains


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Hi Lizs,

You should be ok at the moment and not need chains.

The main roads are always kept clear by snow ploughs, so access to the town is not usualy a problem.

If you are driving up to Cambasque or Pont d'Espagne then occasionally you need them after particularly heavy falls, or during lunch time when the ploughs don't operate.

This year there isn't much snow yet although this morning has seen a skittering at 1000m and more is forcast for today and tomorrow at and above 1700m.

check out the website www.cauterets.com  click on "La Neige" then bulletin meteo for the latest updates on conditions with a webcam of the pistes.

enjoy your ski-ing

regards.

JP

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I have got to admit that I haven't compared prices recently, but when I did, chains were much much cheaper in the French supermarkets than the English car accessory shops. The trunk routes to the mountains should be OK without chains (if not then I suggest you stop until they are.... it's a long way at 20 mph!). As for whether you need them when you get there... I understand that if you don't have any in the car and you are in a Snow Chain Zone, you can fined, even if the roads are clear. The thinking on this is that it might be clear going up to the car park, but if it snows while you are skiing you may need them on the way back down.

A final point, yes, chains do damage your tyres, but replacing tyres a few thousand miles early is probably a better alternative than getting your car fixed (here speaks a man who had chains in his fairly new car, was about to put them on when a passenger said, "You don't need them" and stupid like I listened, going down hill at 10 miles an hour I had to stop, but couldn't... missed the car in front by about an inch - OK, may not have caused a lot of damage at that speed, but I didn't want any).

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

This may be too late for Liz, but hopefully useful for others. We planned to spend a couple of nights in Andorra last week, but were marooned in our hotel in Pas de la Casa during blizzard conditions - quite frightening. We could not have got down the mountain wihout the chains. For the sake of 60 Euros or less, it's really not worth the risk. It's worth practising fitting them before you set off.

Incidentally, if anyone in the Sarlat area knows Les's family who were also marooned with us, please give them our e-mail address. (Hotel Pic Maia).

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We travelled up to La Mongie to ski on Boxing day and everyone was stopping to fit snow chains.  After a while we reached an area where the sign said 'chaines obligitoire' and cars were being pulled over to fit them.  This was only our second trip up the mountain in the winter and luckily, as we have a land rover, were not stopped.  However it opened our eyes to the need to carry them always in the car and will be buying them on our next trip up tomorrow.  (Everyone seems to sell them).  One thing tho', the 'manual' says fit only land rover chains - they would I guess.  But presumably it's ok to fit any chains designed for 4 by 4 use.  Any one know?

Fran

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I guess it depends on the type of LR, it's tyre fit  and your driving skills, but it is very rare that you would  need (or be obliged) to fit chains to a 4x4. In my experience most roads in france are closed to all road vehicles before you need to fit chains to a LR.

regs

Richard

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Thanks Richard - well worth knowing.  It's a discovery and as to the tyre fit - well, it's got four of them, one at each corner.  Does that help?  Thankfully my driving skills are considerably better than my knowledge of the things.  I regularly back the horse trailer into tight spaces and completed the land rover 'off-road' training thingy that's 'free' to all owners.  Ha!  Free!  Not worked into the price of the car then??  Sadly, it's not me that drives up the mountains.  My husband can't stand sitting next to me in the passenger seat. Does that tell you anything?

Fran

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The signs saying "fit snow chains now" also usually say special tyres are excepted and I take this to mean the all terrain tyres we have on our 4x4, plus studded ones I assume.

In any event, we have never been stopped or had comments made and other 4X4s with these tyres never seem to have chains fitted.

 

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Hello All

just returned from a fantastic week in Cauterets. Thanks Paul for all your advice. Chains aren't necessary for Cauterets but obviously the higher roads would need them durng snow falls.

We used the shuttle bus to pont d'espargne, very beautiful for ski de fond, and walking. Our youngsters used the cable car for their snow boarding. Superb town with lots of charm. There had been lots of snow, we benefitted from 6 sunny days.

Liz
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We stayed in Cauterets for a few days during Christmas week when they had had quite a heavy snowfall. All the cars had snow chains on in town but the lower roads towards Lourdes were kept as clear as possible with a snowplough. We had the luxury of going in son in law's Landcruiser so chains weren't necessary.

Fab week, really enjoyed it and had great fun. No good at skiing though! Quite surprised that there weren't many Brits about but lots of French families enjoying the holidays and tiny tots tearing down the slopes.

Did you use the restaurant/canteen up by the nursery slopes Liz? We were in there every day for lunch - really well run and excellent nourishing food at very good prices.

Can recommend excellent B&B 10 mins from Cauterets if anyone is interested. Must visit during the summer - the scenery must be stunning.

regards.......helen

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I have an Audi Quattro with regular low profile tyres. For the last couple of seasons I've fitted snow chains as and when required in the Pyrenees. A couple of tips - for 4x4's you must put the chains on the front tyres and turn off any traction control.

Next season I'm going to do without snow chains and just fit Dunlop snow tyres from Dec to March. They're OK for normal road use and much more convenient and effective than chains. I've just come back from Austria and was amazed that almost every car has them and drive so easily over the most atrocious ice and snow, like a train on rails.

Honest.

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  • 2 weeks later...
We went up Mont D'Olmes, in the Ariege, on boxing day, the weather was about as bad as it gets and our 4 wheel drive showed no sign of needing snow chains.....so if its any help i think I would agree with the person who said that 4 wheel drive vehicles are unlikely to need them......other times i've driven up the roads have been clear anyway.....
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