Firstly hello everybody, not been on for a long time, please dont ask but it did not involve anything at Her Majestys Pleasure!!

Going to the Alps from 4th April - 10th and was wondering if i will have to have snow chains with me, if yes is there anybody out there that could rent me a pair for 20" wheels.

Many thanks

Yes, you do need to carry them by law and *might* be asked to show if weather is bad, for example, when going up a mountain. This is regardless of fitting winter tyres AFAIK.

I have the LR ones, only ever used on my driveway to practice fitting and adjusting chain size for 20" wheels. Didn't need to use them in the Alps despite heavy snow last month. Probably not practical to lend you given the location but hopefully someone more local to you will be able to help  Current: Volvo XC90 T8 Inscription Pro PHEV with some optionals on top
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Where abouts are you making the crossing? Hull or down in Kent?
If in Kent, there used to be a firm that you could pick them up from en-route and drop them off on the way back. I'll try and find the name, but I've used them a couple of times, reasonable too  ON THE WAY: BMW F21 M140i
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There are mail order companies that rent out chains too ... RoofBox for instance. Google "snow chain hire". Just make sure you get the ones that allow for little or zero clearance because if you go for the conventional ones and actually need to use them, you risk chains getting caught in brake or suspension components. Thule and Spikes Spider make some zero clearance chains. Current: Volvo XC90 T8 Inscription Pro PHEV with some optionals on top
Gone: MY16 RRS2 3.0 SDV6 Autobiography Dynamic, Carpathian Grey & Santorini Black Sliding Pano/Ebony & Ivory 2 Tone
Gone: MY13 RRS 3.0 SDV6 HSE Black Edition, Orkney Grey/Ivory
Gone: MY09 RRS 2.7 TDV6 HSE, Santorini Black/Almond

Beancounter_74 wrote:

Where abouts are you making the crossing? Hull or down in Kent?
If in Kent, there used to be a firm that you could pick them up from en-route and drop them off on the way back. I'll try and find the name, but I've used them a couple of times, reasonable too

Will try and find the name of the company as wasn't far from the ET
24 hour pick up/drop off too. ON THE WAY: BMW F21 M140i
MERCEDES GL350 - Metallic Navy Blue w/Grey interior

GOING: BMW F31 335D MSport+ xDrive Touring
GONE: Land Rover Discovery 4 HSE - Stornaway Grey w/Black Interior (wish we'd kept it )
GONE: BMW F10 520D MSport - Carbon Black
GONE:MY12 RRS SDV6 HSE Sumatra/Ivory/Grand Black Privacy glass

Why not take /buy snow socks they are circa £50 to buy and are accepted by the French police as substitutes for Snow chains. They are much easier to put on and take off. The Roofbox company sells them as well. Make sure you get the approved ones and not a copy.

Why not take /buy snow socks they are circa £50 to buy and are accepted by the French police as substitutes for Snow chains. They are much easier to put on and take off. The Roofbox company sells them as well. Make sure you get the approved ones and not a copy.

With proper winter tyres most countries do not require you to carry snow chains in the car, however Germany, Switzerland and Austria requires that you have proper winter tyres on Winter roads - snow chains or no snow chains.

You might however not be allowed to travel up a road without chains mounted on the wheels if the conditions are extreme, but then again in April you would be very hard pressed to find any snow covered roads in the Alps at all. 2015 Range Rover Sport HSE TDV6, Corris Grey

Thanks guys, think i will purchase Snow Socks then i have them for next year as i doubt i will need them in April this year< he hopes !!!!

leedsunited,
You might want to first check that snow socks are legal to use in the countries that you will be driving in. Both the AA and RAC websites, and probably many others, show what you need for which country. It doesn't seem to be a black and white list as there are some slight differences between the websites but it gives you a good idea. Implementation of the rules will also be weather dependent.