pyrenees mountains (1 Viewer)

[tomo]

hi can any one help i will be going to lourdes in march then i will be going to spain what will be the best and safest way through the pyrenees i have a big motor home

 

[Loujess]

Woo hoo Tomo! I can only suggest you follow the Marjal thread since a few of us will be going that way. Personally, we will be crossing the border around 2 March and I know we want to go to Millau and that's all I know, but good luck.

Ivy

 

[pappajohn]

not sure but i wouldn't want to plan a definite route through the pyrenees in march.....

lots of snow and probably many road closures...even if temporary.

last time we went we did the N20/N22 > CG1/CG2 route through Andorra la ville and the pas de la casa mountain road rather than the boring tunnel.

fantastic views in summer but i wouldn't do it in winter oh:

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[yodeli]

not sure but i wouldn't want to plan a definite route through the pyrenees in march.....

lots of snow and probably many road closures...even if temporary.

last time we went we did the N20/N22 > CG1/CG2 route through Andorra la ville and the pas de la casa mountain road rather than the boring tunnel.

fantastic views in summer but i wouldn't do it in winter oh:

Very true John! I used to do this route once a month ... but never in winter , loads of snow!!!

Here is a link to Andorra traffic conditions:

http://circulation-routiere-andorre.andorre.net/

Scroll down untill you find the green logo of the departement "ARIEGE" . Click on it , you'll have a map , then click on "andorre espagne" on the map . If you can read on the right side"equipements speciaux obligatoires" then you are meant to put the chains on . If you don't have them , you will be stopped but not fined. You will be asked to turn round ; If you have gone on , without chains on , and found obliged to stop , stopping the other vehicules from moving , THEN you will be fined , cause you were warned and put the mess on the road . Hope this is clear.



So Tomo, i would use the motorway through Perpignan , and Le Perthus to go to Spain . Safer even if it snows as they will salt the motorway first . If you don't want to be stopped , do think then to carry chains with you. You won't be fined if you are on the motorway and you don't carry them with you, you will just be told to park on the nearest Aire if it is possible , or stay on the side of the motorway until snow has gone. Chose what you think is best for you.

In both cases .... Safe travels ... and be aware that .......... frogss are everywhere in France


Amicalement

Frankie

 

[Loujess]

So Frankie, are you saying we should not go the Millau way? I have this nasty feeling that we will just head south and hope for the best. :hug::hug:

Ivy

 

[yodeli]

Well Ivy this is a very difficult question! At the moment forecast is very bad and if you had to go to Millau in the next 10 days , then i would say, may be it would be wiser to do it when coming back from Marjal . But if you are leaving in a month or so, it might be completly clear ! And Millau is worth the trip ... just ask Roger (Wildman) , he'll tell you! Just as the Pic du Midi (I think Pauline -Hollyberry- talked about it recently) or Rocamadour ... all in Midi Pyrénées... where I live

Just watch .......


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-aIvCEVAZk&feature=related[/ame]


Amicalement

Frankie

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[pappajohn]

So Frankie, are you saying we should not go the Millau way? I have this nasty feeling that we will just head south and hope for the best. :hug::hug:

Ivy

A75 millau should be well maintained in winter......major route south and nowhere near the pyrenees until you hit the coastal area :thumb:

 

[yodeli]

Well .... not that sure Papa!! French are very bad at keeping the roads clear . Even if they get better with the years.... but still main routes in France are motorways or "Périphériques" ... even in Toulouse which is a big town ... it is regularly the mess everywhere when it comes to clearing the roads after a snowing episod



Amicalement

Frankie:Blush:

 

[pappajohn]

I'm surprised Frankie.....would have thought the major autoroutes would be kept clear

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[yodeli]

Every single year , we (french) think the public services have learnt the lesson .... tsssss yeah right ! They tell us all is ready , we'll be able to salt if any snow ... and every year same stuff.... they never thought they would need so much salt , they did their best but not used to snow ... blablabla blablabla !:Angry: So i guess there are more roads which are cleared but not half of what should be done indeed!Last year when i had to go to Paris (Toulouse / Paris motorway or 4 lanes all the time!!!) It took me 2hours and an half to drive 20 kms !!!! The machines had salted only one lane and only one way (up to 8 oc'clock or just about when a second machine came ) on the motorway and had done it hours after it had fallen !! while it was forecasted at least 24 hours before! I thought i would never get to Paris , one of the worst travel i HAD to make and lonely driver as my daughter didn't have her licence (still don't have it !).
May be now Millau is one of the region which is quickly cleared ... i don't know but , just i wouldn't try with a car so even less with a motorhome; May be the funsters who are living in the snowy parts can tell us whether it has been cleared yesterday or today,... or not.

May be France has done real improvement ... i would like to see this


Frankie

 

[pappajohn]

no different to the UK then....we never seem to have enough salt and run out very quickly.

our local council highways department must watch the TV weather forecast (never very accurate) as they always salt just as freezing weather is forecast....then it rains instead and wash's it into the gutter. oh:

 

[Loujess]

Every single year , we (french) think the public services have learnt the lesson .... tsssss yeah right ! They tell us all is ready , we'll be able to salt if any snow ... and every year same stuff.... they never thought they would need so much salt , they did their best but not used to snow ... blablabla blablabla !:Angry: So i guess there are more roads which are cleared but not half of what should be done indeed!Last year when i had to go to Paris (Toulouse / Paris motorway or 4 lanes all the time!!!) It took me 2hours and an half to drive 20 kms !!!! The machines had salted only one lane and only one way (up to 8 oc'clock or just about when a second machine came ) on the motorway and had done it hours after it had fallen !! while it was forecasted at least 24 hours before! I thought i would never get to Paris , one of the worst travel i HAD to make and lonely driver as my daughter didn't have her licence (still don't have it !).

May be now Millau is one of the region which is quickly cleared ... i don't know but , just i wouldn't try with a car so even less with a motorhome; May be the funsters who are living in the snowy parts can tell us whether it has been cleared yesterday or today,... or not.

May be France has done real improvement ... i would like to see this


Frankie

I'm absolutely drooling with satisfaction. A certain person, only 5m from me and currently watching footie on the telly, always wants to know why we, the UK, comes to a standstill when there is snow. "It doesn't happen anywhere else in Europe, just us in Britain, always the b----y same. Look at Canada, look at Russia. They get it every year, but they don't come to a blinking(?) standstill like we do" There's me, "but how do you know that? Just because it's not on the news doesn't mean they aren't at a standstill like we are. Anyway, for Canada or Russia, they get it every year. They are prepared for it. How could we know it would be like this?" and on and on and on. See, it even happens in France.

Ivy

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[novawight]

A75 millau should be well maintained in winter......major route south and nowhere near the pyrenees until you hit the coastal area :thumb:

Hi Frankie, thanks for that view of the Pyrenees, but it has put me in a quandry, I am planning to come over to France in May, going down to the Loire, but I am rethink now, decisions, decisions. decisions................Del

 

[Hollyberry]

Hi Frankie, thanks for that view of the Pyrenees, but it has put me in a quandry, I am planning to come over to France in May, going down to the Loire, but I am rethink now, decisions, decisions. decisions................Del

May will be fine--there will still be snow on the mountain peaks of the Pyrenees and the Alps but the Loire should be warm.

 

[vwalan]

hi heres some pics of near santander in march .my mate was coming home early. was a couple of years ago but it can get like it in winter. we see snow on the picos de europa on entering spain in nov and see fresh snow overnight as we leave on the ferry end of april . i would possibly come along the north coast then drop down to madrid . that road is normally kept clear. but in may you should be alright .

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[yodeli]

Hi Frankie, thanks for that view of the Pyrenees, but it has put me in a quandry, I am planning to come over to France in May, going down to the Loire, but I am rethink now, decisions, decisions. decisions................Del

In May , no problem .... as Pauline said , you might see the snow on the montains peaks in the distance but you won't have any problem on the roads! If any problem ... it will be with the heat .....


Amicalement
Frankie

 

[yodeli]

May will be fine--there will still be snow on the mountain peaks of the Pyrenees and the Alps but the Loire should be warm.

Did you have snow Pauline ? And if yes , were the roads quickly cleared if cleared at all?


Frankie

 

[Loujess]

Are we likely to have snow at the beginning of March coming through Millau? Would we need snow chains?

Ivy

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[yodeli]

If seasons were what they used to be Ivy , I would say NO, .... no snow! But now.....I can only say , ask again in 2 or 3 weeks time ... we should have a better idea! 2 years ago , we were outside in shorts most of March , babies had cream on their skin, to prevent sunburns...... Have 2 routes planned , so you can chose at the last moment...; If it is possible for you!


You can as well have a look by yourself every now and then here :


http://france.lachainemeteo.com/meteo-france/ville/previsions-meteo-millau-3379-0.php


It will tell you how things are going on In Millau (department number 12)


See you in Marjal


Amicalement

Frankie:Cool: