CHAMBERY FAQ`S
If you’re flying internationally, we recommend flying into Geneva Airport and either renting a car to drive to the town of Chambery, taking a train or booking a taxi. By train you will have to make one transfer in Geneva, and then the train goes directly to the Chambery train station.
Chambéry is 57 miles by car from the Geneva airport. It will take a little over an hour to drive it, unless it’s a heavy traffic day.
There is a small local airport, Chambéry-Savoie Airport 15 minutes north of the city center, next to Lac du Bourget, that is served by a number of cheap airlines, especially during the winter months.
A little further away is Lyon–Saint-Exupéry Airport, which is also served by international flights. There are 2 daily TGV train services in each direction between Lyon airport (station name: Lyon-Saint Exupéry TGV) and Chambéry with a journey time of 1 hour. Alternatively, there is a bus service operated by Transdev Haute-Savoie with a journey time of 1 hour.
By train: Chambéry has direct TGV from Paris and other trains (TER, Train Express Regional) to all major destinations of the region. It takes 3.5 hours to get to Chambery on the direct TGV. Chambéry is easily accessible to Lyon, Grenoble, Chamonix, Geneva (Switzerland), and Turin (Italy.)
Chambéry is compact in size and is easily explored on foot in a short amount of time. The medieval section of the town is quite well preserved. There are also local and regional buses. If you wish to explore the mountains or go on a wine tour, car rentals are available in town.
If you want a bit of exercise, you can also rent a bicycle and explore a bit further. Bicycles can be rented from the Vélostation in front of the train station: Agence Ecomobilité https://agence.ecomobilite.free.fr/. Only about 3 euros for a half day and about 5 euros for a full day. Open Monday-Friday 6:30 am to 7 pm and from 9 am to 7 pm on weekends and holidays.
For further information refer to Getting Around - Chambery.
Chambery is a historical capital of the realm of Savoy and is the capital of the French departement of Savoie today.
Located at a crossroads of roads, rivers and valleys 53 miles south of Geneva, 62 miles east of Lyon, and 325 miles southeast of Paris, Chambery has always had lots of visitors passing through.
The Office de Tourisme of Chambery is located on the large open square facing the Palais de Justice, just outside of the Old Town. You can get maps and learn about guided visits of the Chateau here. You can also get information about hotels in Chambery.
What food/drink is Chambery known for?
You cannot go thirsty in Chambéry – the city of Dolin Vermouth. For over 200 years, Dolin had been making fortified wine in Savoie Mont Blanc.
The two Carthusian monks, who are permitted to know the secret recipe, are churning out Chartreuse and everyone in town is making the local liqueur, Génépi.
For non-alcoholic drinks, try hometown 1883 syrups in your fizzy water.
This town invented the truffle, so indulging in some chocolate is a must. Invented by M. Dufour in 1895, the truffle came to be when he mixed some cream, vanilla and chocolate together. Who knew something so simple would take the world by storm?
Make sure you hit Cedric Pernot, not only to try his to-die-for chocolate truffles and ice cream, but also to visit the store itself. It’s in the oldest shop in town “Au Fidèle Berger” and has been a patisserie since it opened in 1832!
French is the official language spoken in Chambery. You may find that many restaurants, bars and hotels English is spoken also. However, if you decide to travel into the surrounding, more rural areas, or happen upon a restaurant off the beaten track then it's a good idea to brush up on your French. It's best to learn a few phrases and pick up a good English-French guidebook or app on your phone to help you get around. And familiarize yourself with common phrases such as hello, goodbye, please, thank you, excuse me and numbers 1-10.
What is the currency in France? Can I pay/tip in US dollars?In France, the currency is the euro, and travelers can exchange their dollars for euros at the airport exchange booths or kiosks throughout the region. Since the euro to U.S. dollar exchange rate fluctuates, be sure to check what the current exchange rate is before you go. When it comes to tipping, visitors should note that service charges are usually included on restaurant bills, though it is common to round out the bill with a small tip. Tipping hotel staff a euro or two for their services is also customary.
What should I do if I need medical assistance?In an emergency dial 112 is the general emergency services number or 114 for hearing assistance.