VAN-COMPARATOR Guide
Megève and the Mont Blanc country by motorhome: the chic mountains
The balcony villages of Combloux and Cordon, Saint-Gervais, elegant Megève: the iconic day facing Mont Blanc, its parking rules and its budget — without nasty surprises.
Some places are preceded by their image: Megève, its blond-wood chalets, its horse-drawn carriages, and Mont Blanc as the backdrop. The Mont Blanc country is the “chic” destination of the French Alps — and it works very well by motorhome, provided you accept its codes.
The Mont Blanc balconies: Combloux and Cordon
The finest head-on view of the massif is not earned in Megève itself but in the balcony villages next door: Combloux and its biotope swimming lake (chemical-free bathing facing Mont Blanc, a surreal setting), and Cordon, “the balcony of Mont Blanc”, where every bend frames the 4,810 m summit. Wide roads, decent daytime car parks: this is the easy part of the trip.
Megève and Saint-Gervais: the rules of the game
Inside Megève, motorhome parking is tightly regulated: aim for the authorised outer car parks by day and walk into the pedestrian centre — the village is best savoured that way, between luxury patisseries and alpine outfitters. Saint-Gervais-les-Bains is friendlier for the night (municipal stopover and campsites), and it is the departure point of the legendary Tramway du Mont-Blanc, France’s highest rack railway (Nid d’Aigle, 2,372 m). Les Contamines-Montjoie, at the head of its preserved valley, completes the trio of stages.
Winter: possible, but properly equipped
From November to March, France’s mountain law requires winter tyres or chains throughout the area. A winter-ready motorhome comes with a diesel heater, insulated tanks and proper tyres — check all three points explicitly, and re-read our guide to off-season rental. The reward: ski-resort stopovers at the foot of the pistes and rental rates 30% below summer… outside the February school holidays.
Budget for the iconic day
- Vehicle: campervan €85-150/day, A-class €150-280/day from Annecy (one hour away) or Geneva.
- Extras worth the money: Tramway du Mont-Blanc (~€42 return), Combloux biotope lake (~€8), cheeses from the Val d’Arly cooperative.
- The tip: sleep on the Saint-Gervais or Combloux side, visit Megève by day — you get the chic without the bill, and Mont Blanc at breakfast. The stage folds neatly into an Alps motorhome road trip.