Alps Grand Slam
The marquee French-Alps circuit: Chamonix's glaciers and Mont-Blanc high country, the Espace Killy powder of Val d'Isère and Tignes, and the world's largest linked ski area in the Three Valleys (Val Thorens, Courchevel, Méribel) - a winter ski slam or a summer alpine tour, closed off by lakeside Annecy.
7–14 days · Loop
When to go
- WeatherLoi Montagne winter-equipment law (Nov 1 - Mar 31) — Snow chains or winter tyres are legally required to enter the mountain zones - a hire car must be equipped, and passes/roads can shut in a storm
- WeatherShoulder-season lift closures (late Apr - Jun & Oct - late Nov) — Most resorts are between seasons - lifts, hotels and restaurants close, so aim for deep winter (Dec - Mar) or high summer (Jul - Aug)
- WeatherHigh-altitude long seasons (Nov - early May) — Glacier-backed Val Thorens (2,300m) and Tignes ski longest and most snow-sure; lower Chamonix town is weather-dependent early and late
The Alps Grand Slam strings together the biggest names in the French Alps in one honest circuit. You fly into Geneva, drive up to Chamonix under Mont Blanc, cross into the Tarentaise for the Espace Killy powder of Val d'Isère and Tignes, then hit the Three Valleys around Val Thorens - the world's largest linked ski area, reaching to Méribel and Courchevel on a single pass - before coasting back down to lakeside Annecy and the Geneva airport. It's built as a winter ski slam but works as a summer alpine tour, trading lifts for high trails and lake swims. There are no trains between the resorts, so this is a car route: hire something with winter equipment and treat the mountain roads with respect.
This route's vibe
What you get across the whole trip, blended from each stop's strengths.
Stop by stop
The route
Adjust trip length, budget, and travel style — the stops, transport, and cost update to match.
- 1
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
2 nightsThe mountaineering capital of the Alps under Mont Blanc: ride the Aiguille du Midi cable car to 3,842m, take the rack railway to the Mer de Glace glacier, and ski or tour the legendary off-piste. The most backpacker-friendly base on the route, with hostels and a real town.
Skip / overrated: Don't burn a day queuing for the Aiguille du Midi in bad weather - the summit is only worth it on a clear morning, so keep it flexible and go on the best-visibility day.
View Chamonix-Mont-Blanc guide→Getting there· ~54 kmCarRecommendedThe natural way to link the resorts - roughly a half-day drive down the valleys via Bourg-Saint-Maurice, with the final climb up to Val d'Isère. In winter the car must carry chains or winter tyres (Loi Montagne), and the pass road can slow to a crawl in snow.
Book: internal /cars dashboard — book a hire car with winter equipment included - an unequipped car is both illegal and stranded in a storm
BusDoable without a car but slow: resort transfer coaches route through the valley hubs (Bourg-Saint-Maurice / Moûtiers), so you backtrack to a rail-and-bus junction rather than going resort-to-resort direct.
Book: Rome2Rio — there is no direct inter-resort bus - you connect via a valley hub, so allow most of a day
Book buses - 2
Val d'Isère
3 nightsHalf of the Espace Killy, one linked lift network shared with neighbouring Tignes - vast, snow-sure high-alpine terrain and a smart, upscale village. Base here for the powder and the après; day-trip the Tignes glacier next door.
View Val d'Isère guide→Getting there· ~35 kmCarRecommendedClose as the crow flies but there's no direct mountain road between the Tarentaise valleys - you drop down toward Moûtiers and climb back up to Val Thorens, so budget a couple of hours. Winter equipment required.
Book: internal /cars dashboard — the direct-looking line on the map is a mountain wall - you must descend to the valley and re-ascend
BusTransfer coaches connect via Moûtiers, the shared rail gateway for the Three Valleys; expect a change and a wait rather than a single hop.
Book: Rome2Rio — everything funnels through Moûtiers - plan the connection, don't assume a through service
Book buses - 3
Val Thorens
3 nightsEurope's highest ski resort (2,300m) and your gateway to the Three Valleys - the world's largest linked ski area, sprawling across to Méribel and Courchevel on one lift pass. Snow-sure into spring, with a lively, more affordable scene than the Tarentaise's ritzier villages.
View Val Thorens guide→Getting there· ~76 kmCarRecommendedThe descent out of the high Tarentaise toward the lakes - roughly a two-and-a-half-hour drive down to Annecy, mostly on fast roads once you're off the resort access road.
Book: internal /cars dashboard
BusCoach or a Moûtiers train-plus-bus combination toward Annecy; connections are more frequent on this lower-altitude leg than between the resorts.
Book: Rome2Rio — still routes via Moûtiers - check the last connection of the day in winter
Book buses - 4
Annecy
2 nightsThe soft landing back toward Geneva: a canal-laced old town on an impossibly clear alpine lake. In summer it's a swim-and-cycle base; in winter, a pretty low-altitude decompress before the flight home.
Skip / overrated: Skip driving up to a viewpoint in a hurry - the lakeside promenade and the Vieille Ville canals are the whole point, and both are best on foot at an easy pace.
View Annecy guide→
Lodging + daily spend only — excludes flights & intercity transport.
What to skip
Don't try to sleep in every famous village - Val d'Isère, Tignes, Val Thorens, Méribel and Courchevel are a lot of packing-and-unpacking, and the linked lift passes mean you can ski into the neighbours without moving hotels. Pick one base per mega-area and day-trip the rest. And skip the shoulder seasons entirely: a late-April or November visit finds half the lifts and restaurants shut.
Practical tips
Geneva is the gateway airport - a train runs Geneva to Chamonix, but you'll want a car for the resort-to-resort legs, so pick up the hire at the airport. In winter your car must carry chains or winter tyres by law (Nov - Mar). Buy the multi-area or Three Valleys lift pass rather than day tickets, and book chalets and Michelin tables months ahead for the February school-holiday peak.
Best for
Common questions
Is the Alps Grand Slam better in winter or summer?
Both work but they're different trips. December to March is the ski slam - snow-sure, with the high glacier resorts skiing latest. July and August turn it into an alpine hiking-and-lakes tour. Avoid the shoulder seasons, when most resorts close.
Do I need a car?
Effectively yes. There are no direct trains between the resorts, and buses backtrack through valley hubs like Moûtiers and Bourg-Saint-Maurice, so a hire car is far more flexible. In winter it must carry snow chains or winter tyres to be legal in the mountain zones.
Can I ski all three areas on one lift pass?
Not one single pass for everything, but each mega-area is fully linked: Val d'Isère and Tignes share the Espace Killy pass, and Val Thorens, Méribel and Courchevel share the Three Valleys pass. Base once per area and ski into the neighbouring villages without changing hotels.