Route des Grandes Alpes

5 days · 5 driving roads · 523 miles of them · best July–September

Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean, over seventeen Alpine cols. The Galibier and Izoard are Tour de France legend, the Bonette claims Europe's highest through road, and the Turini finishes it with the Monte Carlo Rally's night stage before the drop to Menton.

Getting there

⛴ Eurotunnel Le Shuttle — Eurotunnel, about 36 min, up to 4/hour. Check sailings.

Worth knowing: The whole route only strings together once the high cols open, usually not before late June. France requires a breathalyser kit, hi-vis and warning triangle in the car, and city Crit'Air stickers if you pass through on the way down.

The roads, in order

1. Route des Grandes Alpes D902 corridor · Thonon-les-Bains → Menton · 430 mi · 3–6 days ⚠ High cols closed roughly Oct–Jun — drive it in summer 📷 Col des Aravis · ⛽ Intermarché 24/24, Bourg-Saint-Maurice · 📷 Col de l'Iseran · 🍽️ Refuge Napoléon, Col d'Izoard
2. Col du Galibier (via Télégraphe) D902 · Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne → Col du Lautaret · 21 mi · 1 h ⚠ Closed roughly Oct–Jun (snow) ☕ Relais du Télégraphe · ⛽ Elan pumps, Valloire · 📷 Col du Galibier summit
3. Col d'Izoard D902 · Briançon → Guillestre · 22 mi · 55 min ⚠ Closed roughly Oct–Jun (snow) ⛽ Esso Briançon · 🍽️ Refuge Napoléon · 📷 Col d'Izoard summit · 📷 Casse Déserte
4. Col de la Bonette M64 / Cime loop · Jausiers → Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée · 30 mi · 1 h 15 min ⚠ Closed roughly Oct–Jun (snow) ⛽ Le Sans Soucis fuel, Jausiers · 🍽️ Halte 2000 · 📷 Cime de la Bonette
5. Col de Turini D2566 · Sospel → La Bollène-Vésubie · 20 mi · 1 h ⚠ Snow possible at the col in winter — the Monte Carlo Rally counts on it ⛽ Station de Sospel · 🍽️ Les Trois Vallées · 📷 Col de Turini summit

Drive it

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