Car Hire Chambery Train Station

Planning a ski trip and want to access Les 3 Vallees, the world’s largest ski area, or dreaming of getting behind the wheel to explore the best driving roads in the Alps?

You’ll find Chambery, the largest city in the Savoie Department, the perfect location to begin your Alpine adventure.

Chambery has its own airport, Chambery Savoie Mont Blanc Airport (CMF), a short taxi ride away from the city centre where you’ll find our Avis Chambery rental location conveniently based at Chambery Train Station, Chambery-Challes-les-Eaux.

You can easily reach the Chambery by train on one of the international services from cities across Europe, via the Eurostar, Thalys or high speed TGV and hire a car. To make your ski trip to the Alps stress free, just hop on the Eurostar to Paris and leave the French capital from the Gare de Lyon on one of the 20 trains a day from Paris to Chambery. You can travel the 455km and be right by the ski slopes in just under 2hr50min on the fastest train.

Chambery Station is a key international transport hub with connecting train services to major cities like Geneva, Turin and Milan as well as being a stop on the Eurostar service from Brussels with onward connections to regional centres like Grenoble, Annecy and Aix-Les-Bains. Opened in 1856, the station’s facilities include shops and cafes, a welcome desk, left luggage, waiting rooms, a taxi rank and within the precinct of the station, an Avis car rental location.

Hiring a car from Avis at Chambery-Challes-les-Eaux Railway Station gives you the chance to explore southeast France, head further afield to visit cities like Lyon or Turin, or drive to the Mediterranean coast with its chic towns and glamourous beaches. So, whether you are looking for the perfect hire car to tackle the Alps or the wider region, Avis has you covered as soon as you step off the train.

You’ll find our Avis office at Chambery-Challes-les-Eaux Train Station close to the entrance of the station in Place de La Gare.

From our Avis office at Chambery Station, it’s just an 8min (2.7km) drive into the heart of Chambery. Turn left out of the car rental car park onto Avenue de la Boisse and at the end of the street, turn left onto Boulevard Gambetta. At the roundabout take the fourth exit onto Avenue Jean Jaurès and continue into the centre of the city.

Chambery was the historic capital of the Savoie region in medieval times. Situated at a crossroads, today it’s a popular base from which to explore the French Alps.

The town itself has several attractions. Be sure to visit the House of Savoie castle, the Château of Chambery, which dates back to the Middle Ages. The most famous landmark is the Elephant Fountain, built in the 19th century. Take a stroll through the medieval part of town to be transported back in time.

You can also take a dip in the nearby Lake Bourget in warmer months, go boating and even water skiing.

Food lovers will appreciate the distinct cuisine of the Savoie region, especially the mountain cheeses. Famous dishes like tartiflette and raclette originated here and while this hearty food is perfect after a day on the slopes, you can enjoy these sumptuous regional staples all year round.

Chambery is situated between many quaint towns and vibrant cities, including Lyon and Geneva. It’s also conveniently located close to the French Alps for ski and mountain sport enthusiasts, as well as many other scenic destinations.

Méribel

About 80 minutes’ drive west into the mountainous landscape surrounding Chambery, the town of Méribel awaits. A major ski station in the 3 Vallées, it offers some of France’s best slopes in the winter. In the summer it’s quieter, but there are numerous trails ideal for hikers looking to get off the beaten track and enjoy the great outdoors.

Annecy

Take the 90-minute scenic route via D912 to the town of Annecy. Located on Lake Annecy, one of Europe’s most pristine lakes, it offers a range of activities from water sports to hang-gliding and hiking. Stroll the town’s intimate winding streets and canals while shopping and sampling the specialities of the Savoie region.

Grenoble

Less than an hour south of Chambery, the city of Grenoble is nestled at the base of picturesque mountains. This university city has plenty of history to explore, and the hilltop Fort de la Bastille, accessible by gondolas, is its top attraction.

The roads in and around Chambery are easy to navigate and Chambery Station is the perfect base to tour the Alps and discover some of the best driving roads in the mountains or plan a road trip further afield across southeast France. Plus, hiring a car from Avis at Chambery Station gives you the freedom and flexibility to explore at your own pace.

If you are picking up your hire car from Avis at Chambery Station and want to explore Chambery, you’ll find plenty of public parking around the station area. There are plenty of parking options in the city centre with both short and long stay car parks as well as on-street parking payable at meters. Don’t forget parking in some popular Chambery tourist sites can be at a premium in the peak summer months and in the height of the ski season and it is worth checking local parking and booking ahead before you set off.

If you are heading out to tour the Alps or southeast France from Chambery Station, our friendly Avis team is on hand to help make your road trip as smooth as possible. Be aware that Chambery, like many French cities, has a Low Emissions Zone (Zone à Traffic Limité) to cut pollution and congestion.

As a popular tourist destination, Chambery can get busy at peak times in the holiday season and the A43 and A41 highways into and out of the city can be affected.

If you are new to driving in France, we’d advise familiarising yourself with the latest advice plus the road rules in France.