Alpine snow-chain legality (paging Ace?)

My parents are driving down to Italy for Xmas. The routes are "A43/E70
Modane FR via Frejus tnl to A32/E70 ITALY. Return route A22/E45 ITALY
to A13/E45 Brenner pass AUSTRIA".

Question is, do they legally have to have snow chains on any of those

roads?

Don't they foul the swingarm?

Not unless you already have the ice-racing spiked tyre on.

I found this on a quick web-search:

Wheel chains: Important for any winter motoring. In the area of Val
D'Aosta, vehicles must be equipped with winter tyres or snow chains from
1 October until 15 April.

Krusty senior isn't going that way, but I did on the nordie in late
October ten years ago. There were four inches of snow on the approaches
to the Mont Blanc tunnel.

Presumably motorcycles are exempt by virtue of a 'pazzo come aerostato
per provarlo' status anyway.

Could be on the Italian side I think. I always have a set with me.
Best to web-search a bit. Skiiing and climbing forum sites may have info.
TBH I wouldn't risk it where I go to without anyway.
Autosock snow socks are an easier alternative by all accounts but may
not be 'legal' and don't ultimately work as well.

They could hire them from the RAC or AA I guess.

Buy 'em en route would possibly be easiest; they're certainly not
expensive[0].

Agreed, the hire co want 35 euros in March, but had non in stock, so I
bought some for 15 euros from a shop and left them in the car afterwards
(used twice, with blood on them)

Blood? Yours or roadkill?

[0] TOG was most dis-chuffed when I managed to find a cheaper set than
he did, a couple of years ago.

Sorry, I really don't know how you'd be able to find out about any
particular stretch of road without going there and looking for signs.

I have driven as far as the Frejus tunnel from the French side and
there's no way you'd be required to have chains there - it's neither
high enough nor steep and windy enough to even think about warranting
that.

The Brenner Pass I've never been over, so I can't say for sure, but
I'd say it's very unlikely indeed that chains would be a requirement
on any Autoroute, even high ones such as this.

In any event, IME the only time these sort of rules are ever applied
are when the conditions are bad enough to need them fitted, and what
tends to happen is that the police just stop everyone and make them
fit their chain, turning back anyone not suitably equipped.

So I think your question would be better phrased as "Are they likely
to need chains fitted?" and the answer is no, it's not very likely at
all.

Thanks, I shall pass that on.