Planes, trains automobiles….different ways to get to the French Alps

How you’ll get to the French Alps depends very much on where you’re coming from. The great news is that despite the tricky terrain, the French Alps are actually incredibly well connected to the rest of Europe by road and rail, and beyond by well-serviced airports.

Travelling by road

Whether you’re travelling with children and want the option to take breaks or you struggle to pack light and like the option to bring the kitchen sink, driving to the French Alps is a great option. France in general has an excellent motorway network, although you do need to be prepared for toll roads. The Alps are serviced by very well maintained roads and all of the major resorts have relatively easy access that even nervous drivers should feel safe tackling.

Travelling by train

The mountainous terrain of the Alps means that train stations are slightly more scattered - but never fear, there are lots of excellent options. The stations of Chambéry, Albertville, Moûtiers-Salins-Brides-Les-Bains, Aime-la-Plagne and Bourg-Saint-Maurice are all accessible via Lille, and you can catch a coach from Bourg-Saint-Maurice to a host of ski resorts including Val Thorens, Val d’Isère, Courchevel, La Tania, Tignes, Meribel and Les Menuires. If you’re travelling from London, you can even book your travel in one fell swoop using Eurostar’s excellent Ski Train service, which departs every Saturday in the winter months and has extra luggage storage for those travelling with skis.

Travelling by air

If you fly into the French Alps, you’ll probably need to book a transfer or hire a car at the other end - the nature of ski resorts means that it’s tricky to build a runway nearby! It is, however, usually the speediest way to get from A to B, with Geneva, Lyon and Grenoble all offering reasonable transfer times to the French Alps. What’s most convenient for you might depend on connections with your local airports too, but it’s easy to check this using tools like SkyScanner.

If you’re considering investing in property in the Alps, connections are vital. Not only do you want good transport links for your guests, but it’s also sensible to make sure your local airport is well connected to your destination of choice for those last minute breaks. For more advice on this and all aspects of investing in property in the Alps, you can get in touch with us.