Driving to La Tania
Information and directions on driving here
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I used to often drive through the night (not missing work or a day's skiing) to get to the Alps but with the advent of cheap flights and ease of hiring a car or getting a transfer it's often not worth it. However if you're in a group, with kids, want to ski other resorts, bring booze back or see some more of France on the way there or back then it's a great way of getting here. Note that prices are always changing - this is just a guide...
Calais to La Tania Route Map | Local Area Map | Resort and Piste Maps
Routes and Tolls
Simply follow the signs from Calais to Reims, Troyes, Dijon, Lyon, Chambery, Albertville, Moûtiers, La Tania. Alternatively head towards Geneva and turn of the motorway at the first Annecy sign and then head for Albertville. This avoids some tolls and is 575 miles - it can take longer or slower depending on traffic or weather. Motorway tolls from Calais to La Tania maximising the use of the autoroutes is approximately £104 return.
Full Calais to La Tania driving directions are shown below plus follow the links for the full Route Map, the Local Area Map and then the local Resort Maps.
The final detailed part of the route is described in the Directions from Geneva and Directions from Lyon on the La Tania Transfers Page.
Ferry or Tunnel
The Tunnel is the quickest way, though not the cheapest - always book in advance and look for a deal. Prices can be as low as £99 for an off-peak return of up to 5 days. If you just turn up and drive on, a return fare of over 5 days is well over £200.
From Dover to Calais Sea France often guarantee the cheapest prices - can be from £90 return off peak but check for special offers and deals.
From Dover to Boulogne there are some great deals with SpeedFerries with fares from £25 each-way on all sailings for a car and up to 6 passengers.
Portsmouth - Le Havre was another good option especially if you live nearby. The 10:30pm sailing gets in around 7am French time - you could be in resort for 2pm if you got a move on. This service has now been withdrawn but there's a similar Southampton - Caen service.
Norfolkline were offering crossings from Dover one way for £19 per car, September to December 2005. They arrive in Dunkirk which is only 10mins longer to the A26.
Note that using special day return deals for £1 or similar have now been cracked down on. This used to be a good little scam and similar deals could be bought in Calais for the way back - only using half the ticket and not turning up for the return. Now all the small print says your credit card will be charged the full standard, un-discounted return fare if you dare not turn up for the return journey. Not sure how enforced this is though - we'd be interested to know of people who've been busted!
Overnight Stops
If you don't want to drive it in one go there are lots of cheap motel type places to stay right across France from around £20 for a triple room - click on for Ibis, Sofitel, Mercure, Novotel, Formule1, Etap, Red Roof and Motel6 hotels. Another option is Mister Bed and Villages Hotels (The Villages Hotel in Troyes is near the Motorway, has it's own fairly secure parking and is near a Macdonald's - often books up quick though).
Speed Limits
The speed limit on French Autoroutes is 130 km/h (81mph) and is reduced to 110km (68mph) in wet weather. Police have been known to catch speeders using the times on the tickets between Autoroute toll points. There are also new speed cameras between Chambery and Moûtiers plus some on the route from Geneva - you've been warned! Check the La Tania Speed Camera Page
In built-up areas the limit is 50km/h (31mph). Outside built-up areas the limit is 90km/h (55mph) and on dual carriageways 110km/h (68mph), these are reduced to 80km/h (49mph) and 100km/h (62mph) in wet weather.
Other Stuff
Of course there's the hassle of ski racks and whether to take snow chains, spare bulbs, warning triangle, fire extinguisher, GB sticker etc. Though I know plenty of people who carry none of them - ever. Then there's insurance, rescue cover, fuel, tolls, channel crossing hassles etc
BUT, remember you can just jump in the car and ski anywhere, anytime. No luggage restrictions, airport parking and waiting around, chance to bring loads of booze back, stopping on the way over or back to see some of the "real" France and travel when you want to. Once you've sorted a trip the first time, the second trip is just like nipping down the road.....
Useful Links
for Ibis, Sofitel, Mercure, Novotel, Formule1, Etap, Red Roof & Motel6
Cheap 4 Ferries - Low cost ferry deals on all routes
- P&O Ferries from Dover
- book the train direct to Moûtiers
seafrance.com - check for special offers
norfolkline.com - Dover to Dunkirk
eurotunnel.com - now has on line bookings
speedferries.com fares from £25 each-way from Dover to Boulogne
theaa.com - Lots of information about driving abroad from the AA
rac.co.uk - And similar from the RAC
AA Motor Insurance - Make sure you're covered abroad too
misterbed.fr - Cheap motels
villages-hotel.com - Another cheap motel option
autoroutes.fr - French Motorways site, useful info, route planner and toll details
radarsfixes.com - Speed Cameras in France. Complete listing
La Tania Speed Camera Page - all the nearby Speed Cameras around La Tania
easyCar - Cheap car hire from Lyon, Geneva etc. They search for the best deal.
Driving Instructions - Calais to La Tania
Also check the directions from Geneva or Lyon, the location map and the route map
Summary: 594.3 miles (7 hours, 21 minutes)
This is cracking on at a fair pace - keeping at least 90 mph on the Autoroute.
09:00 0.0 Depart Avenue de France, Channel Tunnel A16 / E402 / A26
/ E15 / Calais / Lille / Reims Paris / Bruxelles
09:00 0.2 Bear RIGHT (East) onto A16 [E402] 3.5 mi
09:02 3.8 Bear RIGHT (East) onto Ramp 0.5 mi A26 / E15 / St Omer / Lens / Arras / Lille Par Lens
/ Reims-Paris
09:03 4.3 Continue (South) on A26 [E15] 10.6 mi
09:10 14.8 *Toll road* At A26 Exit 2, stay on A26 [E15] (South-East) 151.9 mi
10:51 166.7 Continue (South) on Ramp 0.9 mi
10:53 167.6 Continue (East) on A4 [E17] 5.8 mi
10:56 173.4 *Toll road* Stay on A4 [E50] (South-East) 15.7 mi
11:07 189.1 Continue (SE) on Ramp 0.7 mi A26 / E17 / St-Gibrien / Châlons S/M-Rive Gauche / Troyes
/ Lyon
11:08 189.8 *Toll road* Continue (South) on A26 [E17] 55.5 mi
11:45 245.3 Stay on A26 [E17] (South) 0.8 mi
11:45 246.1 *Toll road* Stay on A26 [E17] (South) 2.9 mi
11:47 249.1 Continue (South) on Ramp 0.8 mi A5 / E17 / Magnant / Chaumont / Mulhouse / Dijon -
Lyon
11:49 249.9 *Toll road* Bear RIGHT (East) onto A5 [E17] 50.4 mi
12:22 300.3 Stay on A5 [E17] (South) 0.9 mi
12:23 301.2 *Toll road* Stay on A5 [E17] (South-East) 5.3 mi
12:26 306.5 *Toll road* Stay on A5 [E17] (South) 0.5 mi A31 / E17 / Langres-Sud / Besançon / Dijon
/ Lyon
12:27 307.0 *Toll road* Continue (South) on A31 [E17] 70.7 mi
13:14 377.7 *Toll road* Continue (South) on A6 [E15] 79.2 mi
14:07 456.9 Bear RIGHT (S) on Ramp 0.6 mi A46 / Marseille / Neuville S/ Saône / Lyon - Est / Chambéry
/ Grenoble
14:07 457.5 Continue (East) on A46 15.4 mi
14:18 472.8 Stay on A46 (South-East) 0.2 mi A42 / Lyon
14:18 473.1 *Toll road* Stay on A46 [E611] (South) 0.2 mi
14:18 473.3 Stay on A46 (South) 8.8 mi
14:24 482.1 Bear RIGHT (South) onto Échangeur de Saint-Priest-Mi-Plaine 0.3 mi A43 / Porte des
Alpes / Bron / Lyon / Aéroport St Exupery / Chambéry
14:24 482.4 Stay on Échangeur de Saint-Priest-Mi-Plaine (South) 0.5 mi A43 / Aéroport St
Exupery / L'Isle d'Abeau / Chambéry / Grenoble
14:25 482.9 *Toll road* Bear RIGHT (South-East) onto A43 [E70] 20.8 mi
14:39 503.6 *Toll road* Stay on A43 [E70] (East) 29.1 mi A43/E70/La Tour du Pin/Chambéry/ Annecy/Genève/Turin
14:58 532.7 Bear RIGHT (E) on Échangeur de Turin Grenoble Chambéry 0.2 mi E70 / A43 / Chambéry
/ Albertville / Grenoble / Turin
14:59 533.0 Continue (South-East) on Ramp 0.3 mi
14:59 533.3 Continue (E) on Échangeur Motte-Servolex 0.5 mi N201 / E70 / Albertville / Grenoble
/ Turin / Chambéry
15:00 533.7 Continue (South) on E70 [N201] 3.7 mi
15:05 537.4 *Toll road* At E70 Exit 19, bear RIGHT (South) onto A43 [E70] 6.4 mi
15:09 543.8 *Toll road* Stay on A43 [E70] (S) 11.8 mi A43 / E70 / Albertville / Turin Par Tunnel
du Fréjus
15:17 555.6 *Toll road* Continue (E) on A430 9.1 mi A430 / Frontenex / Albertville / Val d'Arly
/ Tarentaise
15:23 564.7 Continue (East) on N90 18.4 mi Moûtiers
15:51 583.1 Continue (South) on Ramp 0.2 mi La Tania / Courchevel
15:52 583.3 Bear RIGHT (South) onto D915 4.9 mi
16:02 588.2 Turn RIGHT (South) onto Local road(s) 3.8 mi
16:14 592.0 Turn RIGHT (West) onto Local road(s) 2.3 mi
16:21 594.3 Arrive La Tania
SUMMARY - ONE WAY
Driving distance: 594.3 miles
Trip duration: 7 hours, 21 minutes
Driving time: 7 hours, 21 minutes