Bourg-Saint-Maurice
Bourg-Saint-Maurice is 151 km from Geneva Airport, about 2 h 15 by road, and the route crosses the border into France before following the Tarentaise valley upstream. The town sits at the head of the valley, where a funicular climbs straight to the Les Arcs ski area and roads branch off towards Val d'Isère, Tignes and the Little St Bernard pass to Italy. AirportsTransfers.ch drives you to the town or on to your chalet, all in one vehicle.
- Distance from GVA: 151 km by road
- Drive time: about 2 h 15, more on winter Saturdays
- Border crossing: yes, into France
- Best for: skiing at Les Arcs, white-water sports, summer hiking and cycling
- Getting there: via Annecy or Chambéry, Albertville and Moûtiers
The road up the Tarentaise
After crossing into France the route heads south on the A41 and reaches Albertville either along Lake Annecy or via the motorway network near Chambéry. From Albertville a fast dual carriageway climbs the Tarentaise valley to Moûtiers, the junction for the Trois Vallées resorts, and a two-lane road continues up the narrowing valley to Bourg-Saint-Maurice. The scenery changes steadily, from orchards and lakes to forested slopes and finally the high peaks around the upper Isère.
In winter the Tarentaise carries some of the heaviest ski traffic in the Alps, especially on Saturdays when holiday apartments change over. Leaving early, or travelling midweek, makes a real difference. Snow chains or winter tyres are compulsory in the mountain areas of Savoie during the winter season, so a properly equipped vehicle is essential.
The town and its funicular
Unlike the purpose-built resorts above it, Bourg-Saint-Maurice is a real valley town with shops, markets, schools and services open all year, which makes it popular with seasonal workers and with visitors who like a lower-altitude base. Its most useful feature is the funicular that leaves from beside the railway station and climbs in a few minutes to Arc 1600, one of the villages of the Les Arcs ski area. That direct link means you can stay in town and reach the slopes without driving, and it is also the reason many winter visitors arrive by rail.
The old centre around the Grande Rue has traditional Savoyard houses and a church, and the town hosts local events through the year celebrating mountain culture and its farming traditions. The surrounding hamlets on the valley slopes keep stone-roofed chalets and small chapels.
Summer on the Isère and in the mountains
Bourg-Saint-Maurice is a recognised centre for white-water sports. The Isère flowing through the town has a purpose-built canoe and kayak course that has hosted international competitions, and rafting and hydrospeed trips are common in summer. For walkers and cyclists, the valley offers routes into the Vanoise National Park, while some of the great road climbs of the Alps start nearby: the Cormet de Roselend towards the Beaufortain, the Col de l'Iseran beyond Val d'Isère, and the Little St Bernard pass towards Italy.
- Les Arcs by funicular, in winter and summer
- Val d'Isère and Tignes, further up the valley
- La Rosière and the Little St Bernard pass into the Aosta Valley
- Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise, a smaller ski area with old chalets
Food and where to stay
The Tarentaise is Beaufort country: the hard, nutty mountain cheese is made from the milk of herds grazing high pastures in summer, and cooperatives in the area sell it directly. Tartiflette, fondue, croziflette made with small buckwheat pasta squares, and diots sausages are staples of local menus. Visitors can stay in the town centre for easy access to the station and funicular, or in the hamlets above the valley for quieter surroundings and views. In winter, many guests use the town only as a transit point on the way to resort accommodation at Les Arcs, Tignes or Val d'Isère.
Practical tips
Keep your passport or ID card handy for the border. In winter, pack warm, waterproof clothing even for the valley, and plan arrival on a weekday if your dates are flexible. Skis, boots and snowboards take up a lot of space, so a family of four with equipment will usually need a van rather than a sedan. For the return, allow generous time for Saturday traffic down the valley when booking your flight home.
Book your transfer to Bourg-Saint-Maurice
AirportsTransfers.ch gives you a fixed price for the vehicle before you commit, and you pay online by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. Your chauffeur tracks the flight, greets you in arrivals with a name sign and waits if you are late, at no extra cost. Request child seats when booking and declare skis and boards so we send a Mercedes V-Class or a Sprinter with room for everything. Return trips can be reserved in the same booking. For advice on timing, call or WhatsApp +41 78 346 56 77 at any hour.
