Chambery | Tripp Savvy

Where is it?

Chambéry (or Chambé as many locals call it) is a town located in the French pré-alpes. It sits in a valley between three "massifs": les Bauges, la Chartreuse, and le Jura. It is located perfectly between the mountains and next to France's largest natural lake.

Did you say lake?!

Why yes, yes I did! Lac du Bourget is just 11km (6.8 mi) from downtown Chambéry. The two best ways to get to the lake are:

- By bike! There is a scenic bike route from Chambé to Bourget-du-Lac. This is my preferred options because I get to work off the ice cream I will likely eat beside the lake AND low emission adventure!

- By Train: You can take a 10 minute train for less than 3 euro from Chambéry to Aix-Les-Bains, then it's a 20 min walk from the "gare" (train station.)

Don't have a bike? Bike rentals are available just beside the train station (la gare). The rental company is called "Vélostation." They have bikes for adults, kids, and electric bikes.

Les Randonnées

Because Chambé sits in a valley between two large regional parks, there are plenty of hikes to be had! You can get some stunning views starting from almost any train station or bus stop in the area.

A car isn't always necessary to get in some nature time. Even if you only have a few free hours, there are multiple places to go where you can get the views and a little distance from the city.

Best HIKES near Chambéry!

SNOW

Skiing!

Another one of the best parts of Chambé's location is the distance from ski resorts. The city is located under 1 hour from a few smaller ski stations and about 1 and half hours from the largest skiable area in the world, with 7 different stations. The skiing culture is a large part of Chambéry and you will often see skiers around the train station on their way to different resorts.

Ski de Fond!

Located only 30 minutes from the city is La Féclaz, known for their cross-country skiing area. There are many places all around the city with cross-country skiing possibilities.

Les Raquettes

Also at La Féclaz, the other ski resorts, and anywhere else in the mountains along a trail, it's always safe to bring some snow shoes when there is snow on the mountains.