Driving to La Plagne

The most cost-effective way of getting to resort for families (or groups that can fill a vehicle).
Guests often leave the UK on a Friday, stop over en-route in France, and arrive at a reasonable time in resort on Sat to get kitted out. If early enough, there may even be an opportunity to get a ski in on quiet slopes.
600 miles from the coast to Belle Plagne - 10 hours of driving after reaching French soil, plus stops.
Plan route: see RAC.co.uk
Sat Nav – be careful route doesn’t take you through passes closed in the winter – you should plan to travel via Macot La Plagne. Check details on a map.

Snow Tyres/ Chains/ Socks

Following New Laws in 2021, during the period 1-Nov to 31-Mar snow equipment is required in the Savoie Department/ La Plagne commune and the surrounding areas.
Equipment to be snow tyres or snow chains/ socks if normal tyres are fitted (that includes all season tyres - unless they have the snowflake symbol).
Further details, and a list of all the areas affected can be found here (in French):

France: Areas where Winter Equipment for Cars is Compulsory

For La Plagne, if there is significant snow on the roads on a changeover day, the police will be at the bottom of the mountain checking vehicles.

If you have snow-tyres you should be able to proceed.

If you do not have snow tyres you will be asked to put on chains, or socks.

If you have no equipment, you will not be allowed to proceed, and may be subject to a fine.

If there is a significant depth of snow on the road, snow-tyres may also require chains to be fitted.

However, the roads are normally kept clear by machines, and little snow accumulates.

In 25 seasons of having a vehicle in La Plagne, winter tyres have normally been sufficent. Chains have only been required - in addition to winter tyres - on 2 or 3 occassions.

Winter Driving to/ from La Plagne

Machines start to work on the roads as soon as snow falls, so you should be able to drive from the valley if you have the right equipment. However, there may be other factors that affect progress, or impact on the amount of traffic, including: school holiday periods, time of day travelling, the amount of snow falling etc. Please make yourself aware of the road & weather conditions leading up to your departure. If requested, we are happy to contact with an update of road conditions in the village.

Hire Cars from the airport

If you hire cars on the Swiss side of Geneva airport, they are normally supplied with snow tyres - so no 'snowpack' supplement is required.
If hired from the French side of Geneva airport, they may not be supplied as standard, and if required, will be charged for separately.
If you do not have a 'snowpack' and the weather then demands chains, then they can be purchased (for most family cars) from supermarkets en-route or - if required on the return - in La Plagne. These are usually approx £50 which may be about the same as the supplement for a 'snowpack' on a Hire Car.
If you have any concerns, please contact the Car Hire company to confirm what is supplied.

Parking

There are 2x options for parking:

Underground, by the accommodation (covered) - €10 - €25 pd/ €70 - €175 pw depending on Accommodation. Vehicles need to be under 1.9 - 2.0m high, depending on parking location. If you have a large vehicle with a topbox, then this could be emptied in to the vehicle, taken off and re-mounted underground.
Outside, Belle Plagne – €10pd/ €60pw, pay locally in resort at machine - or Tourist Information.

For 1. this can be booked in advance through your online booking. For 2. & 3. you can drop off luggage by the accommodation, then park.

Ferries

There are a number of options in terms of crossing the channel:

Route	Duration	Frequency
Dover Calais	01 hr 30 min	31 pd
Dover Dunkirk	02 hr 00 min	9 pd
Folkestone Calais (Eurotunnel)	35 min	41 pd

There are other Routes that are of a longer duration and less frequent, but may be of interest if travelling from further South-West, or an overnight cabin is desirable ie from Newhaven/ Portsmouth/ Poole/ Plymouth.

Ferry Route Map, Further information and Booking:

Ferry Go Go : Route Maps and Booking

A Ferry : Comparison and Booking site, including EuroTunnel

Reviewed: Oct-24