Please note general advice on driving is on our dedicated Driving page (snow chains, stopovers from the UK, access etc. Winter Access and Parking page here.
Our address is 226 Chemin des Lots. It is a no through road and very small, so may not be on satnav systems. If you don’t see it, enter Chamonix, and follow directions below from there. Satnav and GPS are often unreliable in the mountains and we are quite tucked away, so please do take these directions.
Generally the easiest is just to put the address into the satnav and check the directions for the very last section. However here are some recommendations that are worth reading for the different access routes to Chamonix:
Directions are here for various routes:
1. From Chamonix – the most usual access
2. Alternative route from Chamonix for vehicles over 2.4 m high
3. From Geneva Airport
4. From the UK
5. From Italy via Mont Blanc Tunnel
6. From the North-east via Col de Forclaz
1. From Chamonix
Following signs to Chamonix Centre, cross the railway at a level crossing and you will see a roundabout planted with silver birch trees. Turn right here, past Sanglard Sports, signed to Martigny (Suisse) and Argentiere. Keep going, past the MBC (Canadian microbrewery) on your right – this is a good bar by the way! Over a bridge across the river – you’ll glimpse the Arveyron hotel on your right. Don’t turn off here.
Pass the “Les Praz de Chamonix” and “Les Vardesses” signs, you’ll see a small right-hand turn, signed “Mer de Glace Camping”. Turn right here onto Chemin de la Bagna. You’ll see a low railway bridge (2.4m high). Go under this bridge and turn immediately right onto Chemin des Lots. We are about 70m down this road, on the left. Look for the post and rail fence and big silver birches. We are the second (and last) chalet on the road. If you come to a big stone in the road, or to the river, turn back – you have just missed us!
2. If you are driving a vehicle over 2.4m high
Don’t take the first Mer de Glace turning. 300m on, you’ll see a roundabout and the Hotel Eden. Turn right, in front off the Eden, over the railway. After 50m, turn right again, following signs for Mer de Glace camping. Pass the campsite on your left, and you’ll see a low bridge ahead. Turn left immediately before it onto Chemin des Lots. We are about 70m down this road, on the left – the second (and last) chalet on the road. Look for the big silver birches. If you come to a stone in the road, or the river, turn back 20 m. Map viewable here.
3. From Geneva Airport
From the airport, follow signs for France, and then for Chamonix Mont-Blanc. It’s very well signed. Keep your passports handy for Swiss border control (rarely needed but you never know), and cards for the tolls (remember the toll booths assume left-hand drive). NB – we recommend hiring a car from the Swiss side of the airport. If you have hired from the French side, the route is more complex and your car hire company should advise you.
4. From Calais
It should take around 8 hours to drive the 518 miles (833 km) to Chamonix from Calais. It’s a good idea to allow extra at peak times like Saturdays during school holidays – or ideally an extra day. Almost the entire distance is on the motorway – the roads are very good and well signed. The most usual route is Calais > Reims > Dijon > Geneva > Chamonix – then follow directions above. On the way back, it’s simplest to follow signs to Paris, and then to Lille before heading for Calais.
5. From Italy via the Mont Blanc Tunnel
Tunnel information, prices, traffic forecast and live, webcams and news: https://www.tunnelmb.net
Transit time is around 20 minutes, and we’re around 15 minutes from the tunnel.
Scheduled closures: Please do check carefully as it closes on a fairly regular basis for maintenance. Usually these are overnight but not always. They can start at 7 pm so if you have a long journey to get to the tunnel do allow for weather, traffic etc.
Delays: Although in general the tunnel is straightforward, delays can happen at any time. Weekends in holiday periods can be very busy – delays of two hours or even more are not uncommon at these times. It can also be very busy around 9-11 am and 5-7 pm in ski season, as Chamonix and Courmayeur are on the same pass.
If you need to travel on a busy day:
– Work out your approximate crossing time
– Check the traffic forecast on their website
– Check their webcams and news as the time approaches
– For a ski day in Courmayeur I would always try to leave as early as possible. The coffee is far better on that side anyway!
– If timing is vital (EG a flight) prepare well and consider allowing several hours (or a full day) extra.
– If timing is not vital, it can be worth just leaving and coming back later if it’s bad. A pizza in Courmayeur is always a good option and much more pleasant than sitting in the car, and you can keep an eye on the traffic via their site.
– If it’s really likely to be bad traffic, plan in advance to either have supper in Courmayeur. Or a really nice option is to pack swimming things and go to the spa at Pre St Dider after a ski day in Courmayeur, returning to Chamonix much later when it’s quiet. Reservation needed for the spa but you can do it online or by phone during the day.
– Another good option is to stop and do a supermarket shop in Italy. Prices are lower and quality higher, it is very well worth doing this.
Snow: As on the French side, you must have snow tyres or carry socks or chains from November to April, though you are unlikely to need them as the road is very regularly ploughed. Nevertheless it does have something of a gradient on both sides so caution is advised.
From the tunnel, head to Chamonix town centre and follow the map.
6. From the North-east via Col de Forclaz
This is a dramatic and beautiful drive but the col can close in bad weather, and it is very steep with difficult bends over big dropoffs. It is definitely to be avoided in snow or ice. If you need to come this way keep an eye on the road conditions as it may be necessary to drive around and access Chamonix from the direction of Geneva. If you are not a confident driver I would also be sure to arrive in daylight.
