Driving to the Alps: snow chain and winter tyre rules in France, Austria, Italy and Switzerland

Car Tips/Hacks11/13/2026

Driving to the Alps: winter tyre and snow chain rules | Rooster

Driving to a ski resort means you can take all your kit, travel on your own schedule and avoid airport transfers. But the rules on winter tyres and snow chains are very different in the Alps from at home, and they vary from country to country, and sometimes from valley to valley.

This guide summarises the main rules for UK drivers heading to France, Austria, Italy and Switzerland, plus the documents and kit to take. Rules can change, so always check official sources and road signs before and during your trip.

Last updated 9 November 2026. Rules summarised from the AA, the French government’s Loi Montagne guidance and national motoring organisations. Check before you travel.

Key takeaways

Winter tyres are not required in the UK, but mountain areas abroad can require winter tyres, chains or both.
In France, mountain areas covered by the Loi Montagne require winter tyres with the 3PMSF symbol, or snow chains or socks in the car, from 1 November to 31 March.
Austria requires winter equipment in wintry conditions from 1 November to 15 April, with a minimum winter tyre tread of 4mm.
Italy’s rules are set regionally, and Switzerland has no blanket law but holds drivers liable if they are not properly equipped.
Wherever you go, carry snow chains and obey the blue chain signs.

Winter tyre markings: what counts

Across Europe, look for the 3PMSF (three-peak mountain snowflake) symbol. It shows a tyre has passed a snow-performance test. M+S (mud and snow) alone is a manufacturer’s label and some M+S tyres are effectively summer tyres. In France, M+S-only tyres no longer count for the Loi Montagne.

All-season tyres with the 3PMSF symbol usually count as winter tyres.

France

Under France’s Loi Montagne, designated communes in mountain areas across the Alps, Pyrenees, Massif Central, Jura and Vosges require winter equipment from 1 November to 31 March. Five departments apply the rule everywhere, including Savoie, Haute-Savoie and Hautes-Alpes, which cover many popular ski areas. In other departments it applies only in certain communes or on certain roads.

In these areas, your car must either:

have four winter tyres with the 3PMSF symbol, or
carry snow chains or snow socks in the car that fit at least two driven wheels.

Signs show when you enter and leave a zone. The rules allow a €135 fine, although French media have reported that enforcement has been patchy. More importantly, insurers may refuse a claim if you were not properly equipped where the law requires it.

Some French cities, including Lyon and Grenoble, also have low emission zones that require a Crit’Air sticker, which you must order in advance.

Austria

Austria has a situational rule. From 1 November to 15 April, cars must have winter tyres when there are wintry conditions such as snow, slush or ice. If you do not have winter tyres, you must fit chains to at least two driven wheels, but only where the road is fully covered in snow or ice.

Winter tyres must have at least 4mm of tread (5mm for cross-ply). Fines for not being properly equipped can be significant, and if your car blocks traffic the penalty can be higher.

You also need a motorway vignette (toll sticker or digital vignette) for Austrian motorways and expressways. Buy it before you reach the motorway.

Italy

Italy does not have one national rule. Regions, provinces and individual roads can set their own requirements, usually from mid-November to mid-April, and in the Aosta Valley from mid-October. On roads with a winter equipment order, you need winter tyres or chains on board.

Look out for the round blue sign showing a tyre with chains. It means chains or winter tyres are compulsory on that road.

Switzerland

Switzerland has no blanket legal requirement for winter tyres. However, drivers must keep their vehicles in a roadworthy condition for the conditions. If you cause an accident or hold up traffic on summer tyres in winter, you can be fined and found liable.

In practice, winter tyres are strongly recommended, and snow chains are compulsory where signs say so. You need a motorway vignette, which costs CHF 40 a year and is available as a digital e-vignette.

Fitting snow chains

Practise at home. Fitting chains for the first time on a cold, dark mountainside is miserable.
Buy the right size for your tyres and check your handbook. Some cars with low-profile tyres cannot take standard chains.
Fit them to the driven wheels, which is the front on most cars.
Drive slowly, usually no faster than about 30mph (50km/h).
Take them off once you reach clear roads.

Documents and kit for driving in Europe

Your full UK driving licence.
Your V5C logbook, or a VE103 if the car is leased or hired.
Proof of insurance. Check that your policy covers driving abroad and what level of cover applies. See is driving abroad covered by UK car insurance?
A UK sticker (not a GB sticker) unless your number plate shows the UK identifier.
Headlamp beam deflectors, unless your car can adjust its headlights.
Country-specific kit: France requires a warning triangle and a hi-vis vest for each occupant, and other countries have their own rules.
European breakdown cover.

Frequently asked questions

Can I hire winter tyres or chains?

Some UK and European companies rent snow chains and socks, and some hire winter wheel and tyre sets. If you are hiring a car abroad, ask the hire company to confirm it is fitted with winter equipment.

Is UK winter diesel OK in the Alps?

UK winter diesel is generally protected to about minus 15C. Diesel sold in Alpine resorts is formulated for colder conditions, so fill up locally rather than carrying fuel from the UK.

Do I need to tell my insurer I am driving abroad?

Check your policy. Many give basic cover in the EU automatically, but some only provide the legal minimum or limit the number of days. Tell your insurer before you go.