Does anyone do ice driving in Switzerland?

[Bruce Fielding]

I went and played on a Swedish lake for a few days earlier this year and it was a hoot. Rear wheel drive with no traction control was amazing - like dancing very slowly...

Is there anything similar in Switzerland where you can drive cars around a specially prepared circuit on ice?

[AndrewD]

Let us know if you find anything.

Nearest I've been is the ice circuit at Livigno

[CraigW]

there are both lambo and porsche ice experiences but i think they may be finland rather than sweden.

Im pretty sure 6th gear experiance ran one with the LP640 in Sweden last year though so may be worth emailing simonspider or checking 6th gear website

[CraigW]

misread, switzerland for sweden, ignore the above!

[RainerM]

Hallo

This company might to be of some help to you:

http://www.wirzmotorsport.ch/

Surely they speak some English.

Rainer

[Whitean3]

You can certainly do it in Austria- near Zell-Am-See (which is a bit of a trek from Switzerland, admittedly...)

But it looks like a hell of a lot of fun! The alternative is to find a nice big empty car park in the winter (e.g. at a ski resort) and try to avoid the lampposts!

[dcr]

You can do it at Flaine in Haute Savoie www.circuitglace.com/ I keep trying but I haven't managed to get there when we are out there , big empty car park covered in 8" of snow was as near as I got!

[doppioexpresso]

When I was younger we used to put spikes on our Subarus and Evos and then go for all the passes in Engadin. We usually didn't drink in the night clubs and left at about 4 AM ;-)

I have the best memory of these days...

[snowmuncher]

Whitean3 said:

The alternative is to find a nice big empty car park in the winter (e.g. at a ski resort) and try to avoid the lampposts!

That's what I do

I can highly recommend the car park of the Glacier 3000 cablecar at the Col Du Pillon, Les Diablerets

No lampposts either

Edited by snowmuncher on Wednesday 1st September 12:05

[cake eater]

dcr said:

You can do it at Flaine in Haute Savoie www.circuitglace.com/ I keep trying but I haven't managed to get there when we are out there , big empty car park covered in 8" of snow was as near as I got!

I've been to this circuit. You can hire cars or you can drive your own. Most evenings, once the snow has come they do a 2 hour open session. I can can tell you that a snowy car park is not the same as the ice circuit!
My WRX with snow tyres I would normally consider as a great, confidence inspiring car in the snow but on the ice circuit it was one of the most scary but amazing driving experiences I have had. Plus the locals in the 325ix, sti and evo with studded tyres go so much faster! Most difficult thing was to get the car to turn in then convincing myself to use the throttle to get out of trouble when your brain is telling you to brake!

[Bruce Fielding]

The thing I found most useful was that when I went my first time and cried in desperation, "there's no xxxxxxx traction!" the reply was, "Yes there is, otherwise we wouldn't be moving. There's just a lot less of it, so you need to understand how to make the most of it."

If you're ever frustrated at the seeming lack of movement in any arena, it's a life lesson, as well as a driving one

[snowmuncher]

cake eater said:

dcr said:

You can do it at Flaine in Haute Savoie www.circuitglace.com/ I keep trying but I haven't managed to get there when we are out there , big empty car park covered in 8" of snow was as near as I got!

I've been to this circuit. You can hire cars or you can drive your own. Most evenings, once the snow has come they do a 2 hour open session. I can can tell you that a snowy car park is not the same as the ice circuit!
My WRX with snow tyres I would normally consider as a great, confidence inspiring car in the snow but on the ice circuit it was one of the most scary but amazing driving experiences I have had. Plus the locals in the 325ix, sti and evo with studded tyres go so much faster! Most difficult thing was to get the car to turn in then convincing myself to use the throttle to get out of trouble when your brain is telling you to brake!

cake eater, do you know if the Conduite sur Glace folks speak any English ? (my French is about 0.1%)
If not, will this be a major problem ?

[cake eater]

snowmuncher said:

cake eater said:

dcr said:

You can do it at Flaine in Haute Savoie www.circuitglace.com/ I keep trying but I haven't managed to get there when we are out there , big empty car park covered in 8" of snow was as near as I got!

I've been to this circuit. You can hire cars or you can drive your own. Most evenings, once the snow has come they do a 2 hour open session. I can can tell you that a snowy car park is not the same as the ice circuit!
My WRX with snow tyres I would normally consider as a great, confidence inspiring car in the snow but on the ice circuit it was one of the most scary but amazing driving experiences I have had. Plus the locals in the 325ix, sti and evo with studded tyres go so much faster! Most difficult thing was to get the car to turn in then convincing myself to use the throttle to get out of trouble when your brain is telling you to brake!

cake eater, do you know if the Conduite sur Glace folks speak any English ? (my French is about 0.1%)
If not, will this be a major problem ?

Hi Snowmuncher,

They speak English quite well, however as with most of the locals they will not offer English first. I find the best solution is to speak French in the most awful way. The locals tend to be so horrified at you murdering their beautiful language that they immediately speak English quite well!

[snowmuncher]

Thanks for the info

Think my french will horrify them quite quickly