Travel Directions to Flaine, France

As the crow flies, Flaine is just 50km from its nearest airport Geneva, however add some 50+ bends from the main road up to the resort to a snow sure height of 1700m, the journey is increased to just over 70km. Nestled in an enormous powder bowl at the heart of the Grand Massif ski region and with a regular schedule of buses from Geneva directly to the resort, Flaine is a very popular resort for Brits.

Travel from some of the other airports of the French Alps is slightly more complicated, often requiring a few changes and rarely a direct transfer. The journey is certainly possible by train however it’s not easy but definitely possible if you are a hardened train enthusiast. If you don’t mind the drive, having a car in resort can be great, as the resort is in striking distance of all the resorts of the Mont Blanc area as well as resorts further afield such as Verbier in the Swiss Alps.

By Plane

Geneva Airport - 57km / approx 50 mins

If you prefer a private or shared transfer try Ski Lifts, or there is the hire car option as well.

Chambéry Airport -120km / approx 1 hours 20 mins

There’s not much in the way of public transport between Chambéry and Flaine, but the drive isn’t too long so you can hire a car or take a private transfer with Ski Lifts as above

Lyon Airport - 210 km / approx 2 hours 10 mins

Other than hiring a car and driving you can take a private transfer with Ski Lifts as above

Turin Airport - 230 km / approx 2 hours 55 mins

Other than forking out a small fortune for a taxi, your only real option here is hire car, but at 2 hours it is an easily doable drive.

Car Rental

If you require a hire car for your ski holiday, there are a number of fantastic car rental companies based in Europe.

By Train

Taking the train is a possible option, provided you don’t mind a few changes. Your journey will begin in London St Pancras. From here you can take a train to Paris. In Paris you’ll need to change stations from Gare du Nord, across the city over to Gare de Lyon where you can take a one of the domestic TGV services down
to Cluses. From Cluses you can just take a short taxi or bus directly up to the resort. To check ticket prices and train times go to www.rail-europe.com.

Self-Drive

If you don’t mind the time behind the wheel, driving to Flaine is a very attractive option. It is definitely on of the simplest resorts to travel to by car and takes between 7 and 10 hours from Calais depending on traffic and weather conditions. Having a car for your stay means you’d be able to access the tremendous Mont Blanc Ski Area as well as other nearby resorts such as Megeve and Les Houches.

A few things to note before taking off. A set of snow chains is a must, especially if you’re going during the height of winter, the drive up to Flaine is particularly windy, and the Gendarmerie have been known to pull over cars without chains or snow tires when the conditions are bad. It may also be worth topping up your coolant with a heavier mix of anti-freeze to combat the low temperatures day-to-day. In terms of what route you take, we suggest that you avoid Paris and take the route via Reims instead. For more directions and estimations on your toll and fuel costs go to www.viamichelin.com.

There are plenty spaces to park a car in the town (over 3800), but in high season competition is fierce so if you’re there in peak season finding a space may take longer than you’d hope. If you want to find somewhere to park you car under cover, there are a couple of options: Parking St Michel on Allée de Recteur Payot, Parking Place du Mont Blanc on Ave du Mont Blanc and Parking Entreves in Chamonix Sud. All cost in the region of €40 for the week.