Driving to French Alps next week

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Hi, we are doing this for the first time next week. Please can anyone advise are roads generally Ok due to snow? Do you generally need snow chains? thanks.

You are required to have them in case you need them. The forecast does not like much snow, but the rules are there to protect everyone in case the weather changes and you do need them. While I doubt you will need them in a practical sense, you need them because that's the law. I wouldn't want to risk a bored Gendarme deciding to have a random check. But that's a choice you have to make. Enjoy your trip.

Thanks, do you mean the weather forecast does not look like too much snow falling in the next week?

Yes we will take them. We are going near to Annecy. Do you need special tyres also? thanks.

As long as you have, and know how to fit, chains you should not need winter tyres. Practice beforehand so you can do them in the dark if needs be. Ime the access roads are usually cleared but you may find carparks and resort roads have a layer of compacted snow .

J2Ski website does a good forecast for snow in resorts, including (nearer to the time) what the local roads are like.

At least if you're taking your own car you can buy appropriate chains for them over here first (Halfords/Amazon). You can also practise putting them on in the comfort of your own driveway in daylight, rather than halfway up a mountain at night in a blizzard (been there, done that!!). Also, new chains are colour-coded, which makes them much easier to put on than the manky old filthy and tangled metal ones that car hire companies will give you (at a cost). Take effective gloves
with you too!! Warm but thin enough to manipulate the chains when putting them on.
By the way, snow socks for your tyres (which look much more user-friendly thank chains) are always deemed sufficient in some mountain passes and they simply won't let you up - there's a barrier across the road.
You won't need winter tyres.

Sorry, snow socks AREN'T always deemed sufficient.

Ok, thanks. We had a message from the owner of the Gite saying roads all clear and good, no snow fall expected so should be fine.

Hmm, but that could all change by the time of your return journey - mountain weather is very dynamic.
Just factor in that the inconvenience/expense of equipping yourself with chains before you go is far preferable to the inconvenience/expense of getting caught in a blizzard without them, or worse, crashing over the edge of a mountain pass. You can buy them in resort in an emergency but they'll be three times the price.
The likelihood is that you won't need them, but still...

Is the gite you're staying in further down the mountain than the resort?

I would definitely suggest taking snow chains in case you need them for the return journey. If you end up not needing them this year there is a chance you will on a future drive to the alps.

Also, the gite owner, if he lives in a mountain region, will almost certainly have winter tyres on his own car, so might not fully understand your position.

Oh, yes we will take the chains definitely.

I live near the alps and have winter tyres on from November through to March. Even if there is no snow, they help when the road is icy or in icy car parks. Personally, I wouldn't be driving to a ski resort without winter tyres.

We rarely use our snow chains but do have them in the car when we drive to ski resorts. We have used them this year.