We found this article on travel by train to French ski resorts on the France Montagnes website really useful.
Did you know that 57% of greenhouse gas emissions from ski holidays come from your journey to resort?
Travelling by train is the single most effective way to reduce your emissions when you take a ski holiday and take the first steps towards more responsible holidays.
(c) Snowcarbon.co.uk
French Ski Resorts accessible by train
From Paris, plenty of resorts are easily accessible by train. Each French mountain region can be accessed by train from their local hub, including Grenoble, Bourg-Saint-Maurice, Clermont Ferrand, Remiremont and Tarbes.
Pyrénées
Access to Font Romeu by the rail station of the same name, located 3km from the centre of the village or alternatively access the Grand Tourmalet ski area via Tarbes (approximately 1 hour 25 minutes by bus).
Jura
You can access the Bellegarde en Valserine area via Monts Jura (40 minutes by shuttle)
Massif Central
You can get direct access to the slopes of Lioran ski resort from the station of the same name. Watch out for special offers of a 50% discount on your trip.
Southern Alps
Serre Chevalier can be reached from Oulx in Italy if coming from the north, or Briançon from Aix-Marseille in the south. Auron and Isola 2000 are both close to Nice with a direct shuttle service in operation during winter.
Savoie
The huge Les 3 Vallées ski area (Courchevel, Méribel, Les Menuires, Val Thorens) can be reached from Moutiers station [read our station guide here], while La Rosière, Tignes, Val d’Isère and Les Arcs are accessible from Bourg Saint Maurice [read our station guide here]. La Norma is easily reached from Modane.
Isère
Access to Les 7 Laux or Chamrousse ski resorts is possible from Grenoble. This is also the best station for Alpe d’Huez and Les 2 Alpes.
Haute-Savoie
Evian is best for Les Gets, Morzine and the Portes du Soleil resorts, and you should choose Annecy for La Clusaz and Grand Bornand.
The resorts in the Arves valley such as Les Contamines, Chamonix and Megeve can all be reached easily with TGV services to Sallanches and Saint Gervais.
Cheap train travel in France this winter
Watch out for the new Ouigo service, which will operate from 17 December 2020 to 29 March 2021 from the Paris area to Bourg-Saint-Maurice. You can find out more about this service here.
Shuttles to ski resorts
For connections on to resorts, Altibus offers shuttles to connect these hubs to the ski areas of the Alps and the Pyrenees.
Peyragudes, Val d’Isère, Saint François Longchamp and La Clusaz are all among the 85 stations offered by Altibus.
Transaltitude, in Isère, will transfer you to 14 resorts from Grenoble station, while in the Southern Alps, Zou Lines is the company to contact.
moutiers gare routiere
Take it easy…
Not only will you be doing the planet a favour, but when you travel by train you…
– avoid airports and crowded planes
– forget about worrying about delays due to bad weather
– cut out long driving hours
– reduce and avoid traffic jams during school holidays
– can read, watch a movie or have a sleep
Try travelling by train and Ski Flight Free this winter…
