Route Napoleon Alternatives

[Griffit]

Hi, I'm planning a road trip during the bank holiday week with my wife in my TVR Griffith to make up for it having been off the road for most of the summer having a major mechanical refresh.

Never having been my intentions were to drive the Route Napoleon and spend some time relaxing along the Cote D'Azur for a few days before returning. Itinerary outline was as follows:

Saturday - Calais to Grenoble - 8-10 hour autoroute slog I appreciate having driven Calais-Montelimar previously.
Sunday - Grenoble to Antibes via Route Napoleon
Monday - Wednesday/Thursday - visit Monaco / Nice / St Tropez etc
Thursday - Saturday - Return journey

The plan is to anjoy some good roads in the car, soak up some sunshine and eat/drink well along the way with some nice places to visit. I'd considered the Route Napoleon a road I should drive and the Cote D'Azure somewhere with a reasonable chance of good weather. I could go to Spa for the GP but my wife's first comment was "it always rains" so thought better of it.

I'd welcome any alternative suggestions that could provide good roads, dramatic scenery and decent weather as the long autoroute slogs are pretty boring and 98RON is never cheap. Suggestions for a route back wouldn't hurt either if I head off as planned. I've driven most of the Swiss passes but had considered them.

Cheers,

Andy

[don logan]

Sunday could / should be Grenoble to Briancon to Nice via the Col De Bonette!

What date are you going?

Edited by don logan on Tuesday 12th August 15:19

[Griffit]

Had considered Col de la Bonette as a possible return route or via Cuneo towards Switzerland. Feeling was that it means another long day from Grenoble area that I'd probably rather split somehow?

[don logan]

Griffit said:

Had considered Col de la Bonette as a possible return route or via Cuneo towards Switzerland. Feeling was that it means another long day from Grenoble area that I'd probably rather split somehow?

Grenoble to Mont Dauphin then Mont Dauphin to Nice via Bonette

When I arrived in Cuneo from the Col De Tende I wished that I had stayed slightly east in the mountains!

Edited by don logan on Tuesday 12th August 15:57

[AdiT]

We came back from Antibes a couple of times via Sospel/Col du Turini, Col du Bonnet, Col du Vars, Briancon, Col du Lauteret to La Grave or Bourg d'Osain overnight. Then Cols's du Glandon, Madelaine, Petite St Bernard, into Italy, Grand StBernard into Swiss.
Two hard days but great roads.

[don logan]

AdiT said:

We came back from Antibes a couple of times via Sospel/Col du Turini, Col du Bonnet, Col du Vars, Briancon, Col du Lauteret to La Grave or Bourg d'Osain overnight. Then Cols's du Glandon, Madelaine, Petite St Bernard, into Italy, Grand StBernard into Swiss.
Two hard days but great roads.

Some of my absolute favourites there, I prefer Vars and Bonette going north to south, Lauteret is great in both directions but I think West to East is best for me, I didn't like Glandon that much and I think both Bernards are best from South to North!

Galibier and Iseran are both good too

I need to do Madelaine and Cormet De Roseland

[AdiT]

Guess you could do ...Lauteret, hang a right at the top, Galibier, Telegraph, Iseran then PetitStBernard.

Lauteret is too much a mian road to be a favorite. Never done the Roseland but believe it's pretty narrow.

[don logan]

AdiT said:

Guess you could do ...Lauteret, hang a right at the top, Galibier, Telegraph, Iseran then PetitStBernard.

Lauteret is too much a mian road to be a favorite. Never done the Roseland but believe it's pretty narrow.

That`s been a favourite route of mine to and from Chamonix, I once started in St Tropez and did Bonette, Vars, Lauteret, Galibier, Telegraph, Iseran and Pt St Bernard in a day and flew back from Geneva, can`t see me ever doing a day like that again.

When Lauteret is quiet it can be FANTASTIC, almost TOO fast!

Another favourite is Forclaz FROM Martigny