Mercedes V-Class
- 7 passengers
- 7 pieces of luggage
The V-Class combines the comfort of a sedan with the space of a van, in a beautifully finished cabin. It is the natural choice for carrying your luggage, even the largest pieces.
Private Chauffeur Risoul and Vars
TAILORED · SEAMLESS · DISCREET
The Riviera Elite Standard
Risoul and Vars: the Forêt Blanche, straight from Nice Airport
Riviera Elite Driver provides a licensed and insured private chauffeur service operated in accordance with the professional requirements for private passenger transport. Our vehicles and chauffeurs hold the required professional authorizations and are covered by the appropriate insurance for chauffeur operations. Compliance, safety and the protection of our clients are integral to our standards.
Above Guillestre, in the Hautes-Alpes, Risoul and Vars share the Forêt Blanche, a ski area with 185 kilometers (about 115 miles) of slopes, named for the larches that cover its mountainsides. From Nice Airport, the drive takes about four and a half hours in winter: your private driver handles all of it, from the terminal exit to your residence.
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At the terminal when your flight actually lands
Commercial flight or private jet, your arrival is followed in real time. When your luggage comes off the carousel, hand it to your chauffeur, who handles the loading.
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The whole family, all the gear
Suitcases for the week, skis, snowboards and boots: the V-Class carries everything, and everyone stays comfortable on the long drive.
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A road checked before every departure
Before heading for the Hautes-Alpes, we look into snow and traffic conditions. Every vehicle is fitted with the winter equipment required in the mountains, and your chauffeur drives with the snow in mind.
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In Risoul 1850 or the hamlets of Vars
The heart of Risoul 1850 is pedestrian-only, so you are set down at the access point nearest your residence. In Vars, your chauffeur stops right outside your chalet, whether in Les Claux, Sainte-Marie, Saint-Marcellin or Sainte-Catherine.
NICE AIRPORT TO RISOUL AND VARS TRANSFER
Transfers to Risoul and Vars, or a chauffeur by the day
Your transfer links the terminal with your chalet or hotel, both ways, with the fare set at booking. In between, hourly service puts a private car and chauffeur at your disposal for an outing or an evening in the valley.
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Taking a day off from skiing? Visit the fortress town of Mont-Dauphin or the villages of the Queyras; your chauffeur stays nearby during the visit, then drives you back up to the resort.
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For a wedding in the Forêt Blanche, we meet your guests in Nice, flight by flight, and drive them up to the resort. On the day itself, our chauffeurs shuttle between the chalets, the town hall or church and the reception venue, with a single person coordinating everything.
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Spending a few days in Cannes or Monaco before you ski? We collect you from your hotel and drive you up to the mountains. On the way back, we drop you wherever you like: at the airport or on the coast.
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We set your pickup time by your flight’s departure, adding the margin a mountain road calls for. Book the return along with the outbound ride, each at a fixed fare.
CLIENT REVIEWS
Loyal clients, five-star service
Punctuality, personal attention, smooth organization even for groups: that is what stands out in our clients’ Google reviews, and several have been traveling with us for years.
Authentic reviews on GoogleWe have used them for over 10 years as our regular chauffeur service for airport transfers and various trips around the area, both for ourselves and for our guests.
They have always been punctual, reliable, and available even at short notice. We highly recommend the company to anyone looking for a professional, exclusive, and comfortable travel experience at a very reasonable price.
OUR MERCEDES-BENZ FLEET
The right vehicle for the drive to Risoul and Vars
For two people traveling light, an E-Class sedan or an S-Class makes the trip in complete comfort. Once skis, snowboards and boots join the suitcases, choose the V-Class: in this van, up to seven passengers ride at ease, and all the gear fits. For more than seven travelers, we can arrange additional vehicles.
Mercedes E-Class
- 2 passengers
- 2 pieces of luggage
Elegant and discreet, the E-Class welcomes you into a peaceful atmosphere. It is a favorite with business travelers, who make the most of every minute on the road.
Mercedes S-Class
- 2 passengers
- 2 pieces of luggage
The S-Class embodies all the prestige of Mercedes-Benz. With its unrivaled comfort, it is made for occasions that call for the very best.
PART OF THE SERVICE
Up to the Hautes-Alpes, without watching the clock
From the moment you set off, the cabin is at a comfortable temperature. Reach into the onboard refrigerator for a cold bottle of water at any point in the drive, book your ski rental or lessons on the Wi-Fi, and let your phones recharge.
Skis, snowboards and boot bags are loaded and unloaded by your chauffeur at both ends of the trip. Child seats are installed on request, and champagne can be ordered at an additional charge.
- Multilingual ChauffeursYour chauffeur speaks French and English. For another language, mention it when you book.
- UmbrellasAn umbrella is always within reach, in case the weather turns.
- Chilled WaterBottled water is offered to you throughout the service.
- Wi-FiStay connected from pickup to drop-off.
- Phone ChargingKeep your devices charged on the way, via USB-C or Lightning.
- Climate ControlThe temperature is set before we pick you up, in summer and winter alike.
- Child SeatsBaby seats, child seats and booster seats are available on request.
- Dress CodeAll our chauffeurs wear a suit and tie.
AROUND RISOUL AND VARS
Risoul and Vars through the season
From the first snowfall to the long days of summer, here are a few highlights of the valley, each within easy reach with your chauffeur.
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Winter
Skiing the Forêt Blanche
Slopes link the two resorts: 185 kilometers (about 115 miles), from 1,650 to 2,750 meters (about 5,400 to 9,000 feet), mostly above 2,000 meters (about 6,600 feet). The ski area takes its name from the larches that blanket the mountainsides.
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Late March or early April
The Speed Masters in Vars
Each spring, as the season draws to a close, the world’s best speed skiers race down the Chabrières track, one of only two certified for speeds above 200 km/h (about 124 mph). A world record of 255.5 km/h (about 159 mph) was set here.
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Summer
Lake Serre-Ponçon
Twenty kilometers (about 12 miles) long, Lake Serre-Ponçon offers lifeguarded beaches and boating in summer. Heading to the resorts, the road runs along part of its shore, between Gap and Embrun.
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Year-round
Mont-Dauphin, Vauban’s fortress
A few minutes from Guillestre, on its plateau above the Durance and the Guil, Mont-Dauphin keeps the ramparts Vauban began building in 1693. The fortress is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
PROFESSIONAL REFERENCES
Experience serving hotels, luxury brands and major events
Below are hotels, luxury brands and event organizers who entrust us with their guests’ rides. The families we take up to the mountains keep their privacy.
For several years, these partners and professional references have relied on Riviera Elite Driver for their private chauffeur needs. Their presence here is a testament to a lasting relationship of trust, built on services we have genuinely delivered.
THE RIVIERA JOURNAL
The same service, wherever you go
La Foux d’Allos transfer
Val d’Allos
Pra-Loup, on the far side of the Col de Vars.
Auron transfer
Auron
Under two hours from Nice, with 135 km (84 miles) to ski.
Isola 2000 transfer
Isola 2000
A resort just below the Col de la Lombarde.
Nice Airport transfer
Nice Airport
Flight tracking and a terminal welcome, before the Alps.
FROM THE HAUTES-ALPES TO THE RIVIERA
Risoul and Vars, starting in Nice, Cannes or Monaco
Your chauffeur can start from Nice Airport, from a hotel in Cannes or from an address in Monaco, and take you back wherever you like once your stay is over. In the Southern Alps, we also drive to Pra-Loup, Auron, Isola 2000 and Valberg.
- Risoul and Vars
- Val d’Allos and Pra-Loup
- Auron
- Isola 2000
- Valberg
- Nice Airport
- Nice
- Cannes
- Monaco
Your rides to the Forêt Blanche
- Nice Airport → Risoul 1850Where your week begins
- Nice Airport → VarsFor the speed records
- Cannes → RisoulAfter a stay on the Croisette
- Antibes → VarsFor February break
- Vars → Pra-LoupOver the pass, even in winter
- Risoul 1850 → Nice AirportBefore your flight home
GOOD TO KNOW
Any questions about the drive to Risoul or Vars?
Four and a half hours on the road: which way do we go?
Allow about four and a half hours in winter from Nice Airport. The fastest route takes the highway toward Gap, then follows Lake Serre-Ponçon to Embrun and Guillestre, where the roads climb to Risoul and to Vars. Depending on conditions, your chauffeur may also go through Barcelonnette and over the Col de Vars, the highest pass in France kept open all winter.
Our flight lands late in the day: can we drive up that same evening?
Yes. Our transfers run 24/7: your flight is tracked, and your chauffeur will be at the terminal even for a late landing. The drive then continues in a vehicle equipped for winter; just let your residence know you will arrive during the night.
During our stay, can we go to the other resort for dinner?
Yes. On skis, Risoul and Vars connect through the slopes; by road, you have to drive back down toward Guillestre. For an evening out, your chauffeur drives you over to the other resort, waits, then brings you home.
For such a long drive, taxi or private chauffeur?
Taking a taxi at the airport starts with standing in line, then hoping your skis and snowboards will fit in the trunk for a long mountain drive. A private chauffeur spares you the wait: wearing a suit and tie, they are already there when you walk out of arrivals, your name displayed on a tablet. Your brand-new Mercedes-Benz of the latest generation, sized for all your gear, is ready to go.
PERSONAL ASSISTANCE
Your road to Risoul and Vars, planned by Valentin
Valentin Sassi founded Riviera Elite Driver in 2016, after a career in tourism and luxury hospitality on the French Riviera. In the five-star hotels and Palaces of Cannes, he learned what great hospitality demands: attention to detail, discretion and the art of anticipation. These qualities have become his signature.
At first the only one behind the wheel, he earned the trust of hotels, partners and loyal clients, then brought together a team of professional chauffeurs who share his vision of the craft.
Since 2023, he has devoted himself entirely to his clients: he personally organizes every journey and coordinates your chauffeurs.
Day and night, seven days a week, the whole team is just a call away. For Risoul and Vars, he checks the day’s road conditions, chooses the vehicle that suits your gear and suggests a departure time, for the ride home as well as the way up.
The vehicle matters. The people who look after you matter more.
