Looking for information or practical advice? Here are some useful contacts for preparing your holiday in Savoie Mont Blanc.
One of France's densest motorway networks
The French Alps are easily accessible via an excellent network of motorways. From the North of France, use the A6 or A39 motorways to head rapidly towards Savoie Mont Blanc. Savoie and Haute Savoie's towns, villages, valleys and ski resorts are easy to get to, whatever the time of year.
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Calais -> Chambéry: 874 km/543 mi |
Paris - > Chambéry: 573 km/356 mi |
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Chambéry -> Lyon: 100 km/62 mi
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Annecy -> Lyon: 139 km/86 mi |
More information:
"Bison Futé" (website in english)
For Savoie Mont Blanc weather forecasts from Great Britain:
BBC wheather forecast (look up Annecy, Chambéry, Grenoble St Geoire, or Lyon Airport).
For a trouble-free journey to your winter holiday resort, listen to the traffic bulletins on:
107.7: every Saturday from mid-February to mid-March, this radio station provides traffic reports in English, giving details of motorway driving conditions and, when necessary, safety information.
French Road Safety law stilupates that all vehicles must carry a reflective safety jacket, a warning triangle and a breathalyzer. Snow chains are a legal requirement if you are driving on moutain roads in winter.
If you go to the ski resorts of the Tarentaise valley, download and follow the information given by RECITA
From UK, Belgium, Netherlands..., you can easily travel to the French Alps, with a simple change in Paris. It takes less than 3 hours to travel from Paris Gare de Lyon to Chambery. A change in Lyon can also be a good alternative.
The TGV stops at the main train stations in Savoie and Haute Savoie: Aix-les-Bains, Albertville, Annecy, Annemasse, Bonneville, Bourg-Saint-Maurice, Chambéry, Cluses, La Chambre, Modane, Moutiers, Saint-Gervais-Les-Bains, Sallanches, Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne, Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne, Thonon-les-Bains.
Information and bookings from the UK: eurostar.com or sncf.com
Visit Snowcarbon website which advices on train options.
Direct trains to the French Alps:
From London St Pancras: (not available for winter 2020 2021 because of the Covid-19)
Less transfer, less queue, less stress, environementally friendly... Have you tried to travel by train to the French Alps? Eurostar or TGV will take you to the bottom of the pists. Click here
From Belgium and Netherlands Click here
This winter 2020/21, for winter holidays and carnival the Thalys Neige connects Brussels Midi and Antwerp with the Alps. Trains from Brussels Midi will run for the Easter holidays.
There is many shuttles bus services from the train stations to the ski resorts.
Regular coach services take you to the ski resorts from the main train stations as well as from Chambéry, Lyon, Geneva and Grenoble airports. Contact Altibus for more information and bookings.
Savoie Mont Blanc is much closer than you think, it boasts direct flights from London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds and many other large cities in the UK.
The four major airports serving Savoie Mont Blanc are Geneva, Lyon, Grenoble, Chambery. The resort location will dictate the best one to choose- see the table below for transfer times which helps decide the best airport to travel too. Charter operators use all of these airports. There are plentiful flights from all major UK cities with both lowcost and scheduled airlines.
Check here for routings: www.skyscanner.fr
Airport-resort coach services:
Altibus provides winter coach services to more than 60 Alpine resorts.
You are strongly advised to reserve your bus ticket at least seven days before you wish to travel. Depending on availability, last-minute tickets can be bought at the Altibus desk at Lyon St Exupéry Airport. The desk is in the central hall on level one.
The tourist offices in the resorts can also book tickets for you.
Contact: Altibus or telephone 0820 320 368, from France, or +33 479 68 32 96, from outside France (the price of an ordinary call from Britain to France).
Airport-resort coach services:
Altibus provides regular bus services to the ski resorts or to the major towns in the valley. All the buses go through Switzerland, so you will need a valid passport.
It is advisable to book your return journey at least 48 hours in advance. It is also cheaper if you buy return tickets.
More information about means of transports to the resorts
If you miss your shuttle-bus, take the train from the airport, and go to the central train station of Geneva (trains every 6mn), where you can catch many trains to the Savoie Mont Blanc railway stations.
Useful information:
Visitors Center: It's a desk located in the arrival level. Do not hesitate to ask them if you have any queries regarding hotels, bus or taxi transfers...
This airport is developing scheduled flights to the many airports in the UK and to Amsterdam and Rotterdam in Netherlands in winter from December to April.
Shuttle bus services to the resorts in Savoie: Contact Altibus
Many flights all year round to come to Savoie Mont Blanc, from UK, Netherlands and also from Warsaw, Stockholm and Tel Aviv in winter.
Official tourist website
of Savoie and Haute-Savoie
Du lundi au vendredi de 9h à 12h30 et de 13h30 à 17h30
