Travelling by car
 
 


 

 
   
 
New motorway links have made driving to the French Alps an attractive proposition over the last few years but, as well as the cost of the ferry or tunnel, you should allow at least £120 in diesel/petrol and £50 in tolls each way to/from Calais.

The journey takes about 10/11 hours from Calais following Reims, Dijon, Bourg-en-Bresse, Lyon, Chambery, Albertville and Bourg St Maurice.

Follow Isère valley and Tarentaise signs from Albertville on the N90 into Moutiers.

Speeding – be careful on the RN90 road into Moutiers from Albertville. It goes from a fast two-lane road to a slightly twistier fast two-lane road and the police are often there with a speed gun and a book of 90 euro fines. The limit is 90kph. You should go slower from 5 km before Moutiers, just past the turn for 'Grand-Coeur'.

In Moutiers, take the outside (lefthand) lane to Bourg St Maurice/Tignes/Val d’Isere.

In Bourg, fork right at first roundabout and follow main road down the hill past the station. Go straight at next four roundabouts following Tignes and local signs to Seez.

At the Intermarche and SuperU roundabout, go straight, still following signs to Tignes. In Seez, fork right on N902 signposted St Foy and Tignes. ( Be very careful at this junction when returning – the ‘give way’ is NOT clearly marked.) Pass through the old village of St Foy-en-Tarentaise and then, a mile further, La Thuile.

As you leave La Thuile, pass a ‘Ski 2000’ billboard (on the right) and then turn LEFT at another billboard (on the left) advertising St Foy Ski Station. (If you pass the La Thuile exit sign, you’ve missed it!)

The ski station road winds upwards through seven hairpin bends. Follow the road to the right, after the St Foy ski station sign, to ‘Bon Conseil’.

Pass large chalet blocks ‘Les Fermes’ on the left, go left round the final hairpin, past a small car park, and then bear left at the next junction (Residences Les Charmettes is on the multi signpost). Our chalet is the second large porch/coverway on the left, with parking outside.