Lyon → La Clusaz, Courchevel, Val-d'Isère: the guide to transfers to the 2030 Games venues
Lyon will be the hub of the 2030 Winter Games: international airport, high-speed rail stations, ice venues in the metropolitan area — and Alpine venues two to three hours away by road. Our drivers travel these roads every winter. Here is the guide to the links, with realistic times and seasonal pitfalls.
Published on November 15, 2026 · By Khaled Aggoune, founder of ONLY VTC — private-hire driver in Lyon since 2016, assistance missions on the A43/A46 corridor
During the 2030 Winter Games, everything will converge on Lyon: ice events in the three venues of the metropolitan area, and tens of thousands of spectators, companions and professionals heading out to the mountain venues. Three gateways — Saint-Exupéry airport, Part-Dieu station and Perrache — and then the road. Here is what it is really like, area by area.
Aravis: La Clusaz and Le Grand-Bornand, the closest
Cross-country skiing and biathlon will take place in Haute-Savoie, at La Clusaz and Le Grand-Bornand (Sylvie-Becaert stadium). From Lyon, the route goes via Annecy on the A43 and then the A41: allow about 2 hours under normal conditions to the heart of the Aravis. This is the shortest mountain link in the Olympic set-up — and one we provide most often in winter, thanks to biathlon: the Le Grand-Bornand World Cup already draws a large crowd from Lyon every December.
Tarentaise : Courchevel, Val-d'Isère, La Plagne
Most snow events will be concentrated in Savoie: alpine ski speed events (downhill, super-G) and ski jumping at Courchevel, technical events (giant slalom, slalom) on the Bellevarde face at Val-d'Isère, and bobsleigh, luge and skeleton on the track at La Plagne inherited from Albertville 1992. Access is via the A43 and then the Tarentaise valley: about 2 h 30 to Courchevel, 2 h 30 to 3 h to La Plagne, about 3 h to Val-d'Isère, at the very end of the valley. Beware of rental changeover Saturdays: the A43 and N90 become saturated several weekends a season, and leaving two hours earlier or later can save as much time.
Hautes-Alpes : Briançon, Serre Chevalier, Montgenèvre
Freestyle skiing and snowboarding will take place in the Briançon area, with an Olympic village in Briançon. From Lyon, the main route goes via Grenoble and then climbs towards the Col du Lautaret: about 3 hours by road, in spectacular but demanding scenery — the Lautaret is a true Alpine pass, treated and monitored in winter, where the weather rules. In this area more than any other, the "early departure + driver used to the mountains" combination makes the difference.
Winter pitfalls — and how we deal with them
- The Mountain Law : from 1 November to 31 March, winter tyres or chains on board are mandatory in the relevant mountain municipalities. Our resort-link vehicles are equipped all season.
- Black Saturdays : accommodation changeovers, resort routes saturated. When timing is critical, we aim for early-morning or evening slots.
- The weather : snowfall during the journey changes everything. A driver who travels the Tarentaise every week knows where it gets stuck, where it gets through and when to give up on a shortcut.
- The price : on a transfer at a fixed price confirmed at booking, traffic jams and detours are our problem — not yours.
And for calendar enthusiasts: long-track speed skating will be the only events held outside France, in Heerenveen in the Netherlands — we will not drive you there. For everything else, the mountains start in Lyon.
ONLY VTC provides Lyon ↔ Alpine resort links all winter — Aravis, Tarentaise, Oisans, Briançon area — at a fixed price, tolls included, with Mountain Law-equipped vehicles. Book online or on 06 67 25 84 26.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to get from Lyon to the 2030 Olympic venues?
Under normal conditions: about 2 hours to La Clusaz and Le Grand-Bornand (Aravis massif), 2 h 30 to Courchevel, 2 h 30 to 3 h to La Plagne, and about 3 hours to Val-d'Isère and the Briançon–Serre Chevalier–Montgenèvre area. In the depths of winter, on a school holiday Saturday or during snowfall, these times can lengthen considerably — hence the value of an early departure and a driver who knows the time slots.
Is winter equipment needed to reach the resorts from Lyon?
Yes: from 1 November to 31 March, regulations require winter tyres or chains on board in the relevant mountain municipalities (Mountain Law). ONLY VTC vehicles serving the resorts are equipped all season — one less thing for the passenger to worry about.
Can I book a Lyon–resort transfer at a fixed price?
Yes. The price is calculated and confirmed at booking, tolls included, and does not change — even in the event of traffic jams, snow or a forced detour. The estimate takes 30 seconds online on the ONLY VTC estimate page.