Mountain pass · 15 km off the route
Col des Aravis
- Summit
- 1,486 m summit
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Road trip route · Switzerland · France
Geneva to Chamonix drive time, distance, costs & the best stops
- Drive time
- 1 hr 2 min
- Distance
- 82 km
- Fuel (est.)
- €11
- Tolls (est.)
- €3
The Geneva to Chamonix drive
The drive from Geneva to Chamonix covers 51 miles (82 km) and takes about 1 hr 2 min without stops. That makes it a comfortable one-day drive. Leave in the morning and you'll arrive with the day ahead of you.
Most of it is one road: the A40 carries 68% of the distance. You pass Cluses on the way. The border from Switzerland into France comes between Geneva and Cluses, about 20 km in.
There's real climbing in this one: the road gets up to roughly 1,046 m near Chamonix, with something like 758 m of ascent over the whole drive. The Col des Aravis is 15 km off the route if you have time for a detour.
Expect fuel for a typical petrol car (~40 mpg) to cost around €11 one-way plus roughly €3 in motorway tolls. Switzerland requires a motorway vignette (vignette required). Prices shift monthly, so treat these as ballpark figures.
At 51 miles this is longer than 3% of the 144 routes covered here, short enough to fold into a bigger itinerary without losing a day. Even in a single day it crosses 2 countries, so keep documents where you can reach them.
The road, kilometre by kilometre
Towns within a few kilometres of the fastest route, with the time it takes to reach them without stopping, plus where you cross the border.
- StartGeneva
- 20 kmInto France
- 40 kmCluses31 min in
- 82 kmChamonix
How high it goes
Roads you'll be on
- A4055 km · 68%
- N20516 km · 19%
- 1114 km · 5%
Famous roads on or near the drive
From the 500-plus passes and driving roads drivers collect in the Plan Your Road Trips app. None are on the fastest route, but these are close enough for a detour.
Mountain pass · 18 km off the route
Col de la Forclaz (Valais)
- Summit
- 1,527 m summit
Mountain pass · 24 km off the route
Cormet de Roselend
- Summit
- 1,968 m summit
Mountain pass · 24 km off the route
Great St Bernard Pass
- Summit
- 2,469 m summit
Best stops between Geneva and Chamonix
Within ~30 km of the driving route, worth the detour.
Mountain Passes
Cormet de Roselend
A 1,968 m Beaufortain pass whose road skirts the turquoise Lac de Roselend reservoir: one of the most photogenic climbs of the Tour de France and the Route des Grandes Alpes.
Mountain Passes
Col des Aravis
A 1,486 m pass between La Clusaz and Flumet with a tiny chapel at the summit and a postcard head-on view of Mont Blanc framed by alpine pastures.
Famous Roads
Route des Grandes Alpes
France's ultimate driving route: ~700 km from Lake Geneva to the Riviera over 16 great alpine cols including Iseran and Galibier. Pin marks the traditional start at Thonon-les-Bains.
What you need for this drive
Rules for each country on the route, in the order you meet them.
Switzerland
- Motorway
- 120 km/h · 50 in town
- Tolls
- Autobahnvignette
- Must carry
- warning triangle
Low-emission zones: Geneva Stick'AIR.
France
- Motorway
- 130 km/h · 50 in town
- Tolls
- Autoroute à péage
- Must carry
- warning triangle, hi-vis vest
- Winter tyres
- 1 November - 31 March
Low-emission zones: ZFE (Zones à Faibles Émissions) — needs a Crit'Air (Certificat qualité de l'air).
Checked against national road authorities and the ECB reference rates. Rules change — confirm before you travel.
Famous drives in Switzerland and France
Legendary routes you could bolt onto this trip, with real distances and stop counts.
Verdon Gorge: Route des Crêtes
Europe's deepest canyon, turquoise water 700m below, and a clifftop road with no barriers
104 km · 3h driving · 5 stops · 2 days
Furka Pass + Three-Pass Loop
Goldfinger filmed here, and so should you, with two more passes thrown in
127 km · 2.3h driving · 6 stops · 2 days
Route Napoléon: Cannes to Grenoble
The road Napoleon took from exile back to Paris, now a 325 km drive through pre-Alps
325 km · 5.7h driving · 7 stops · 3 days
Geneva to Chamonix FAQs
How long is the drive from Geneva to Chamonix?
Driving from Geneva to Chamonix takes about 1 hr 2 min nonstop, covering 51 miles (82 km). Add time for breaks: most drivers stop every 2 hours.
How much does it cost to drive from Geneva to Chamonix?
Fuel for a typical petrol car (~40 mpg) costs roughly €11 one-way. Expect around €3 in motorway tolls. Switzerland requires a motorway vignette (vignette required). Estimates are indicative: prices change monthly.
Can I drive from Geneva to Chamonix in one day?
Yes, at about 1 hr 2 min of driving, Geneva to Chamonix is a comfortable one-day drive with a couple of breaks.
Which roads do you take from Geneva to Chamonix?
The fastest route uses the A40 (about 55 km), the N205 (about 16 km), the 111 (about 4 km). It passes Cluses.
What other drives can I plan on Plan Your Road Trips?
We publish drive times, distances and fuel estimates for 144 routes across Europe and beyond, including 7 other drives in the same country. Browse them all on the routes index.
What are the best stops between Geneva and Chamonix?
Top-rated stops in the drive corridor include Cormet de Roselend, Col des Aravis, Route des Grandes Alpes: see the full list of 3 stops on this page.
More drives from Geneva & Chamonix
Planning a bigger trip? Try the free Switzerland road trip planner, browse every destination we cover or the France planner, take it with you on the road, or read the driving in France guide.