Probably best answered by Mike H or any body who has done the journey in the last 12 hours.
Using the A75 A71 Clermont-Ferand - Orleans - Chartres - Rouen - Calais on Sunday . Does the preesence of the Atlantic /channel moderate the worst of the snowfall cf with the areas furhter East?
I prefer not to think about P&O / Norfolk Line and Kent. I have bookings on both ferry lines and will pick the most appropriate.
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I'm not far from Dijon, so can't comment first-hand. But Meteo France have a "Vigalance Orange" for the whole of the Massif Central & Centre, which puts Clermont firmly in the "be careful" category. Oh, and freezing fog.
They are also predicting more snow for the North and very cold temperatures (its minus 8 here at 5pm - - expect minus 10 overnight).
There's normally a trafiic /motorway bulletin on TF1 on Saturday nights - failing that, try checking on www.infotrafic.com.
Current status is for particularly bad freezing conditions in Poitou-Charentes & Centre:
"Météo France maintient une vigilance orange pour Neige-Verglas et Grand-Froid sur 50 départements.
Une nouvelle perturbation arrive sur la France par le nord-ouest dans la nuit de samedi à dimanche : une nouvelle couche de neige significative (2 à 7cm) va concerner de nombreux départements.
En plus de la neige, des pluies atteignant un sol très froid verglaceront localement sur les départements littoraux ainsi que sur Poitou-Charentes et sur la région Centre."
FWIW, the A38 into Dijon was OK this afternoon, but someone mentioned that there had been several accidents on the A6. Minor roads are sheet ice. I've been OK in a Legacy with winter tyres. Without winter tyres, I'd be very wary indeed. In fact, I'd not risk venturing out without them.
Might be OK on the Autoroutes if you take care, but I would absolutley check the entire route before setting off and expect pretty rough conditions in the morning.
Sorry can't be more specific
Davros
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Hi,
I'm probably a few hours late with this reply but anyway here goes.
I came through Dover on Saturday (7 and a half hours from top of Dover to the docks).
Calais, the port and exit road, were a nightmare. However, once on the A26 heading south the speed soon picked up as the roads were clear.
I was expecting to lose the snow by Reims at the latest but got to Dijon that night to find the white stuff still laying around.
Left Dijon and am currently near Chamonix where the snow is much deeper :)
Didnt have to put the chains on until I tried parking the car down a side road.
Everything on the car was frozen, including the windscreen washer fluid, which was added neat and should have been ok down to -12.
Last night it was minus 20 here, minus 30 tonight and the white stuff is falling again.
Travelling back up on Sunday so hope the Northern area of France and south of UK will be clear by then
ND
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Only just seen this - been busy with snow, etc. Still only thawing slowly here (central/SW) although it's raining.
>Does the preesence of the Atlantic /channel moderate the worst of the snowfall cf with the areas furhter East?<
No. Apart from the far west coastline (Brittany, Vendee and further south) France has the 'continental' climate - generally colder than the UK in winter. Any snow episodes tend to be more significant.
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Thanks for the replies I am now back.
The easy bit was thro central France on Sunday (starting MPL. Clermont F A75 - Orleans A71 - A10 - N of Paris A1 yesterday). Well cleared roads with the odd bit of falli8ng slush, but all roads perfevctly clear. I chose to avoid my normal route via N154 Chartres - Rouen then A16 since yesterday morning the A16 was closed.
This morning was bad, A1 was potentially a nightmare, CDG was black ice and piles of bent metal by all accounts, but at least I started 20k to the N of that. Plenty of gritters out and most traffic was sensible with heavies keeping to 90kph
Cleared by the time reached Lille and despite warning s of major road works the trip to Dunkirk was easy despite some lying snow for the last 10k. The promised afternoon snow storms did not appear.
Norfolk Line performed well, got on a boat on spec, 28 hrs earlier than booked, half empty , no surcharge and a flat calm crossing that left a little early. (According to TV on board, P&O were complaing about adverse weather causing delays of 60 minutes - what was that about?)
A2 M2 and M25 were bad with foreign heavies doing 70mph + in really bad and potentailly slippery conditions - lanes 2 and 3!
Came to home exit slip off the M25 and have just taken 2 HOURS to do the last 2.5 miles! Black ice / slush and packed snow every where with people just unable to cope.
No sign of any grit even in well known danger spots.
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Just reading this thread gives me the shivers. Apparently this cold weather in France has given eurostar all its problems the train then comes into a nice warm tunnel
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