Route des Grandes Alpes: Lake Geneva to the Riviera

Route description

The route starts in Thonon-les-Bains on the French shore of Lake Geneva and heads south on the D902, the first leg of the Route des Grandes Alpes, climbing through the Dranse gorges into the Chablais mountains. A short detour via Cluses and Sallanches brings you to Chamonix, where the Aiguille du Midi cable car rises to 3,842 m, face to face with Mont Blanc. Even in August it is cold at the top, so pack warm layers, and plan the ride for a clear morning.

After a night at a campsite near Chamonix, rejoin the Grandes Alpes over a string of high passes towards the Maurienne valley, where the road climbs via the Col du Télégraphe to the Col du Galibier at 2,642 m. It is a Tour de France classic, with bare, rocky slopes and a wide view over the Écrins massif on the way down to the Col du Lautaret. The Galibier is usually open from June to October; outside that window, check the pass status before setting off.

From the Lautaret the road drops to Briançon, a fortified town with Vauban ramparts and one of the highest towns in France. South of Briançon the route continues over further high passes, and the scenery gradually shifts from glaciers and larch forest to dry limestone and lavender-scented hillsides.

The long descent ends in Nice, where the Promenade des Anglais and the old town meet the Mediterranean, and the last short leg follows the coast east to Menton, just before the Italian border. The upper pass roads are narrow and unguarded in places, so take them slowly in a large motorhome and allow plenty of time for each leg. Campsites near the coast fill up in summer, so book ahead for the final nights.