do you have to have snow chains?

No unless you intend to go up a mountain.

Snowsocks are legal too as well

its not a legal requirement then?

Not a legal requirement and you won’t need them to get to chamomix. Might need them for the outlying villages or if you want to drive to some of the smaller resorts.

Call the tourist office and ask

Not for the main town is my recollection and Mrs B just did a quick google in French and she thinks the same. The various ski lift stations like Le Tour you may do. I’ve driven there numerous times but with hire cars who have snow tires and after a snowfall the roads can be a bit tricky within the valley but not on the drive up. The main resort is quite low so generally roads are in good nick.

Our French friends generally just buy snow socks for €50 euro so as to “tick the box” for higher resorts like Les Arcs etc.

As above, you won’t need them until you need them.

Best to get (or borrow) a set just in case.

sweet. i’m driving out for two weeks in january snowboarding

After a decent dump of snow I’ve seen the Gendarmes checking all vehicles around Flegere, and turning anyone back who didn’t have winter tyres. They will home in on British vehicles, as there is a good chance they’ll have neither chains nor winter tyres. So, not a legal requirement, it just depends on the conditions on the day – but then if you just stick to using the buses on those days you’ll get around that one too.

If it snows then there is some good snowboarding at the back of Le Tour that often gets missed because the main pistes are blues. Even the road to Argentiere says to use snow chains or snow tyres if it has been snowing. I certainly wouldn’t go there without as it is a pain in the arse if you get stuck and no one will thank you if you block the road

Or just take the train. Way easier

Random idea, use google street view to drive up various rods and look for the snow tyre sign – red edged triangle with snowflake in it 8)

yeah perhaps i’ll get some incase eh

You can get them in the local supermarkets in France about € 25-35 so they are not that expensive.

Did not need them in the mountains where we went last year, but needed them for about 20 miles of the motorway just north of Grenoble while trying to get home… Definitely worth taking some…

@jedi I love the road trip element of driving out and as your are there two weeks the advantage of having a car is huge as you can try some different resorts.

yeah i want 1st lift access availablilty etc 🙂

After a decent dump of snow I’ve seen the Gendarmes checking all vehicles around Flegere, and turning anyone back who didn’t have winter tyres.

I think there is a sign just after the level crossing at Les Tines (just before the bendy climb to the paravalanche) which says something like “equipements d’hiver obligatoire” meaning winter tyres or snow chains.

You don’t ‘have’ to but if it really snows the gendarmes can be out on the road to argentiere making people put them on. Only if it really comes in! Even if it doesn’t you don’t want to park in the GM carpark, ski a day while it’s snowing and then drive back down the poya bends to Chamonix on summer tyres.

Summer tyres plus snow socks as a minimum is mostly fine. If it’s really dumping just do the train or the bus. If it’s just snowing a bit, stick the socks on and don’t drive like a dick and you’ll be fine.

Part worn winters very cheap on eBay.