Getting from Lyon to La Plagne
La Plagne is our home patch. Mountain Rescue is based in Peisey-Nancroix, just across the valley, so when you book a transfer from Lyon to La Plagne, you're travelling with drivers who live a few minutes from your chalet.
The journey from Lyon Saint-Exupéry is around 205 km and usually takes about 2 hours 45 minutes. Most of it is fast motorway through Chambéry and Albertville, followed by the famous climb from Aime up to the resort.
You'll travel in one of our own VW Caravelle 4Motion minibuses, with room for everyone's skis and boots. The minibus is yours alone: no other groups, no extra stops, straight to your door.
What does it cost?
Private service from €465 for 1–4 people. For groups of 5 to 8, add around €20 for each extra passenger.
One fixed price covers the minibus, the driver, motorway tolls, fuel, your luggage and skis, and any child seats you need. If your flight lands late, the first 90 minutes of waiting are on us.
What does it cost?
Private service from €465 for 1–4 people. For groups of 5 to 8, add around €20 for each extra passenger.
One fixed price covers the minibus, the driver, motorway tolls, fuel, your luggage and skis, and any child seats you need. If your flight lands late, the first 90 minutes of waiting are on us.
Eleven villages
La Plagne isn't one resort but eleven, spread from 1,250 m to 2,100 m. Each has its own road and its own drop-off, and our drivers know every one of them:
The high villages: Plagne Centre (1,970 m), Aime-La Plagne (2,100 m), Plagne Villages, Plagne Soleil and Belle Plagne (2,050 m), Plagne Bellecôte (1,930 m) and Plagne 1800.
The lower villages: Montalbert (1,350 m), Champagny-en-Vanoise (1,250 m), and Montchavin (1,250 m) and Les Coches (1,450 m) on the Paradiski side. For those two, see our Montchavin & Les Coches page.
Just give us your address when you book, and we'll plan the right route up.
Why families choose Mountain Rescue for La Plagne
We live here. Our base in Peisey-Nancroix is a short drive from La Plagne. Our drivers spend the whole winter on these roads, not just the odd weekend.
Four-wheel drive, every time. The road up from Aime is famous for its hairpin bends. Every minibus in our fleet is a 4Motion four-wheel drive on winter tyres, ready for fresh snow.
No middlemen. We own our minibuses and employ our drivers directly. The team you book with is the team that drives you.
Rated by our customers. See what families say about us on Google, TripAdvisor and Trustpilot.
Meeting your driver at Lyon
After baggage reclaim, walk through into arrivals. Your driver will be there with your name on a board, ready to help with bags and skis. You'll have their name and mobile number the evening before, sent by text and email.
From Lyon to the slopes: the route
We leave Lyon on the A43 motorway, heading east to Chambéry and on to Albertville, where the 1992 Winter Olympics were held. From there, the road runs up the Tarentaise valley past Moûtiers to the small town of Aime. That first 185 kmis almost all motorway and dual carriageway.
At Aime, we turn off for the final 20 km up to the resort. The road climbs through a series of 21 numbered hairpin bends, passing the 1992 Olympic bobsleigh run on the way to Plagne 1800 and the upper villages. It's a spectacular drive, and exactly why a 4WD minibus and a local driver make a difference.
When to fly
Saturday is changeover day across La Plagne, and the afternoon brings queues on the A43 and through the valley. An early morning landing at Lyon usually gets you to your chalet in time for lunch and a first look at the slopes.
The trip home
For your flight home, we'll normally collect you around
before take-off. That leaves time for Saturday traffic and check-in at Lyon. We'll text you the exact pick-up time and your driver's details the evening before
Children and car seats
Travelling with kids? Tell us their ages when you book, and we'll fit the right baby seat, child seat or booster before we meet you, all at no extra cost. Every child needs their own seat by law, so please count them in your passenger numbers.
A supermarket stop in Aime
Supermarkets in resort are small and pricey. Our favourite stop is the E.Leclerc in Aime, right at the foot of the climb, so you can stock up for the week before heading up. Book the stop in advance, and we'll build in the time.
Lyon to La Plagne: common questions
How far is Lyon Airport from La Plagne?
Around 205 km. The drive takes about 2 hours 45 minutes, a little longer on peak-season Saturdays.
Can you drop us at our chalet rather than the village centre?
Yes. We drive you as close to your door as the road allows, in any of La Plagne's eleven villages.
Is the road to La Plagne safe in snow?
Yes, with the right vehicle. The climb from Aime is steep and winding, and cars without winter equipment sometimes need chains. Our minibuses are four-wheel drive on winter tyres, and our drivers use this road every day.
We're a group of 10. Can you help?
Yes. Each minibus takes up to 8 passengers with luggage, so for bigger groups we send two, timed to travel together.
Our flight is delayed. What happens?
Don't worry. We track every flight, so your driver will know. The first 90 minutes' wait is free, then €25 an hour if the driver's schedule allows.
About La Plagne
La Plagne is one of France's largest ski areas, with slopes for every level and some of the best beginner and family skiing in the Alps. The high villages are mostly ski-in ski-out, while Montalbert and Champagny keep a traditional mountain-village feel.
Its glacier on the Bellecôte gives you snow late into the season, and you can still ride the 1992 Olympic bobsleigh run, a highlight for older kids and adults alike.
Skiing further afield
The Vanoise Express cable car links La Plagne with Les Arcs, forming Paradiski, with over 400 km of linked pistes. Peisey-Vallandry, where we're based, is just on the other side.
Book your Lyon to La Plagne transfer
Enter your dates and group size for an instant price. A 25% deposit secures your minibus, and the balance is due 4 weeks before you travel.
