Driving to the French Alps

From Calais, popular French resorts including Morzine, Les Gets, La Clusaz and Chamonix are reachable in around eight hours.

The Three Valleys is just a little further on, then its Tignes and Val d’Isere.

Resorts in the western Swiss Alps such as Verbier and Crans-Montana are also well within range with a scenic drive over the Jura mountains.

PlanetSKI is now heading to Tignes, with an overnight stop to break and enjoy the journey.

We’re currently tucking into a rather nice meal in the Hotel de France in Bourg-en-Bresse, and hour or so from Geneva and six hours from Calais, as we head to Tignes.

Slightly nicer than airline food.

We’ll  be updating on the full journey later, once we arrive in the Alps.

It’s a 35-minute crossing from Folkestone to Calais.

There is the added expense of the peage, but it is the simplest way to do it (we’ll post a full breakdown on costs when we finish the journey).

“With ski season in full swing, many travellers are weighing up how to get to the Alps with the least stress, cost and compromise,” said LeShuttle.

“For those travelling with families, friends, or a boot room’s worth of kit, Le Shuttle remains one of the most practical ways to start a ski holiday.”

• 35 minutes across the Channel, straight from Folkestone to Calais, then you’re on the road and in control of your journey
• No baggage limits or added charges. Skis, boots, helmets, food, wine, dogs. If it fits in the car, it comes with you
• Vehicle-based pricing, not per person. One fare covers up to nine passengers, making it one of the most cost-effective options for families and groups
• Door-to-resort flexibility. No fixed timetables, no platform changes, no hauling ski bags through stations or airports
• Comfort and familiarity. Your own space, playlists, snacks, child seats, and zero luggage juggling
• No airport transfers. Airport transfers to hotels or resorts can involve waiting on other passengers, baggage issues and other delays, and can involve quite a long trip on a coach.

No baggage limitation is one of the major bonuses for PlanetSKI as you can squeeze in as much kit as you like.

It allows us to take as many skis as we want.

Tickets include your vehicle and up to nine passengers making LeShuttle a cost-effective way to travel with your friends, family and even pets.

There is no question that it is a long drive to the Alps, but the miles tend to slip by once you get in the rhythm.

A decent playlist and good collection of podcasts is a must.

Many travellers choose to break the journey with an overnight stop en route, turning travel day into part of the holiday rather than something to endure.

I reported in detail on the journey a few years back when I stopped off en route in Poligny in the Jura mountains and made the journey part of the holiday.

• Driving to the Alps for skiing and snowboarding

Heading ‘off piste’ is now my preferred way to do it with an overnight stop in one of France’s many historic towns en route.

For skiers who value flexibility, space, and a calmer start and finish to their holiday, driving to the Alps still delivers where other options perhaps fall short.

The cost and hassle at airports, plus the expense and limited routes of trains are fueling the rise in interest.

This year there is an early Easter, good snow conditions and the legacy of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics that has boosted interest in snowsports.

• It’s looking good for late-season skiing in the Alps

And apparently there’s growing interest in driving to the Alps to take advantage of the late-season conditions in 2026.

Check out some comments from PlanetSKI readers that were posted after the earlier article about driving to the Alps.

They were made a few years back, but still apply.

The views of our readers also contain some useful hints and tips.

There also criticisms about peak periods, prices and the time it takes.

Martina Diez-Routh – We always drive, like six times per year to Aosta. We can do it in one day, but we stop in Chaumont at the Ibis Styles Chaumont Centre Gare with amazing beds and great breakfast and then coming back in Troyes.

We went through Grand St Bernard some times, in summer bc the Mont Blanc Tunnel queues were awful, and in the fall, bc the Mont Blanc Tunnel was closed, so through Poligny that is lovely.

Steve Bloxham – Drive to airport and pay a thousand pounds to park. Herded like sheep at the airport at stupid o clock in the morning, crammed like cattle (actually cattle are given more space) onto a crappy airplane with a luggage allowance equivalent to a small wash bag to arrive at stupid o clock at a horrible airport, disembark for more herding and then find you wash bag size luggage is in Bangkok, then it’s back to the sheep herding onto a coach to sit for hours waiting for the late flight, drive for hours and then stop at every hotel in the resort. Luggage arrives with 3 hours of your holiday left.

Then repeat the process in reverse.

Think I’ll drive!

Tracey Hill – Always drive, our village is 8hrs from Calais so early ferry, breakfast on board to start the journey and can be in our apartment in the northern Alps by 6pm…then off to the local for a tarteflette and a beer.

Suzy Broadhead – Plus you can take the dog if you drive.

Helen Jane Lees – We have done this a number of times . It’s not easy easy but I now prefer it to flying with four kids…we have a bip and go and these are a game changer.

Tunnel rather than ferry and a cheap overnight stop in a Novotel outside Reims (7pm tunnel crossing) made the journey really manageable . We got into Morzine at 4pm the next day. Yes it’s a long journey but also having our car in resort was a bit of a bonus too.

Chris Hutchison – Been driving for 13 years my Landcruiser knows the way by itself

Jonathan Miller-Cole – Will stick to a 1hr 50 flight to Innsbruck from Newcastle. The ferry to Holland from here alone is over £400 with a car, then fuel, motorway fee’s etc..

Ian Henson – Have always driven. One trip, it was so foggy that we were reliant on the nag nav to precisely tell us where the motorway junctions started! That was a long night! Normally, we would catch a midnight Eurotunnel, brim the tank at a truck stop on the outskirts of Calais, get the kids bedded down and drive, drive, drive. Breakfast in Albertville, skiing by lunchtime

Gareth Mainwaring – Clearly was not travelling Eurotunnel at a peak time. We’ve had to many bad experiences of cancelled & broke down trains (including in the tunnel once). we either take the   over & stay in a hotel in Calais on the Friday night or if booked well advance Portsmouth – Caen / Le Havre overnight, then we are not rushing to get the kids/ wife from school and don’t have to brave the M25 (we are coming from Bristol).

Sue Dowden – Driving can be a great option with the amount of flexibility you get, the chance to enjoy a pleasant overnight stop en route and as much luggage as you can fit in the car. It’s well worth it for longer trips. We prefer Le Shuttle to the ferries. It’s always worked well for us, but sadly no longer cheap.
Flying is my least favourite option.

Neil Ferguson – First time doing so from West coast of Scotland.
With inflated prices for rental cars now in Switzerland   and all the associated costs of airport car parking, flights etc.

Yes you have overnight accommodation but you can stop off in lovely places like Dijon en route to the 4 Valleys and drive through the Juras. On the whole cheaper and a lot more interesting if of course you have some time.

Peter Lock – We drive to Austria every year. It works for us as we are able to stay longer than just one week but it’s a long way and an overnight is essential for us. Oh and it helps to have a nice car!

David Bateman – No brainer. Haven’t flown to Europe for years now.

Charlotte Reeves – We more often than not drive – have done to to Andorra   Austria   France  and also done various trains to France

Prefer it to be honest (can load car up without weight allowance concerns! It’s long but good to have the car too.

Richard Shead – If you fly for work then the drive across is a welcome change. That does of course depend on where you live in the UK. I have shockers with flights, ferries and trains but mostly flights. Including the one with the 12 hour transfer from Geneva to La Plagne !

Mark Coomber – I have flown, taken trains, and driven to the French Alps on many occasions. And flying is my least favourite….well, not the flying bit but all of the faff at airports…only then still to be faced with a 4 hour coach transfer!

The train to Bourg St Maurice or Moutiers is great – I just wished they’d re-introduce the Friday night couchette trains.

My second favourite route is Euro-tunnel driving to outskirts of Lyon on the Saturday. Then up early to call at supermarche in Albertville for groceries, and onto the resort (3 valleys / Les Arcs / Val d’Isere ) arriving Sunday lunchtime.

Change in the car park, collect lift passes (and skis) when there’s no queues, and ski the afternoon. Check-in to apartment in the evening.

Return journey on the following Saturday: check-out of apartment, load up car, ski all day. Finish at 4pm, drive to Lyon, stay overnight, complete journey home on the Sunday.

This was we get 6.5 days skiing, no queues for skis/lift passes, and avoid the queues of traffic in/out of the resort on the Saturday evening and the following Saturday morning. All while still only taking 5 days off work.

If you have a view on diving to the Alps then feel free to add your comment on the PlanetSKI Facebook page.

As I said, we will be updating this article once we arrive in the Alps and reflect on the journey.

Right, time for the cheeseboard in the Hotel de France as we prepare to arrive in the Alps.

Prices start from £59 one way – see here for more details about LeShuttle.com.

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