Winter Traffic Issues when accessing or departing from the Tarentaise Valley ski resorts

1. Traffic direction: from airports to the Tarentaise Valley ski resorts.

Traffic congestion can affect access to the Tarentaise Valley, home to many of the most popular French Alps ski resorts, from the end of December to the end of March, particularly on Saturdays.

During the winter season, the main access route to the Tarentaise Valley from the surrounding airports — Geneva, Chambéry, Lyon, Grenoble, Turin and Milan - is via Albertville and National Road N90. Please note that smaller roads running parallel to the N90, such as D990, D66 and D213, are generally restricted to local traffic and are not available as alternative routes for through traffic. There is no practical alternative route that allows traffic to bypass the N90.

On Saturdays, significant traffic congestion on the N90 usually occurs between approximately 16:00 and 21:00.

During periods of heavy traffic, temporary traffic lights are activated on the N90 to manage traffic flow (yellow arrow). Depending on traffic conditions, this can increase travel time by approximately 30 minutes to 2.5 hours.

Google Maps image: traffic direction from airports to ski resorts, yellow arrow. Reverse direction - blue arrow.

Affects transfers to all ski resorts, traffic direction to the Tarentaise Valley: Saint Martin de Belleville, Les Menuires, Reberty, Val Thorens, Brides Les Bains, La Tania, Courchevel, Meribel, Meribel Mottaret, Champagny la Vanoise, Pralognan la Vanoise, La Plagne, Belle Plagne, Les Coches, Peisey, Les Arcs, La Rosière, Bourg Saint Maurice, Sainte Foy Tarentaise, Tignes, Val d'Isère.

Our Recommendation

If you are travelling to the Tarentaise Valley on a Saturday during the winter season, we recommend choosing an early flight and arranging an early airport transfer. This can significantly reduce the price and risks of being caught in the afternoon and evening traffic congestion.

2. Traffic direction (Reverse): from the Tarentaise Valley ski resorts to airports.

Return transfer traffic is also affected from the end of December to the end of March, particularly on Saturdays.

Resorts not affected:
3 Valley/Three Valleys area ski resorts (Saint Martin de Belleville, Les Menuires, Reberty, Val Thorens, Brides Les Bains, La Tania, Courchevel, Meribel, Meribel Mottaret, Champagny la Vanoise, Pralognan la Vanoise) are not affected by temporary traffic lights on N90, between Aime and Bourg Saint Maurice (blue arrow in the image above).

Resorts affected:
All other Tarentaise Valley ski resorts are affected: La Plagne, Belle Plagne, Les Coches, Peisey, Les Arcs, La Rosière, Bourg Saint Maurice, Sainte Foy Tarentaise, Tignes, Val d'Isère.

Traffic issues usually occur between approximately 07:00 and 14:00. This can increase travel time by approximately 30 minutes to 2.5 hours.

Our Recommendation
If you are travelling from the Tarentaise Valley on a Saturday during the winter season, we recommend choosing early pickup (before 07:00 am or afternoon pickup at 14:00 or later). This can reduce the price and the risk of being caught in the morning peak-time traffic congestion.