Driving to morzine/les gets (scenic routes)

[threesixty]

Appologies if this ones been done before, couldn't find anything on search.

I've lost count of the number of times i've driven to the portes du soleil but this year i'll be making the journey in something other than a van/pickup truck. So i'd like to go for a more entertaining route rather than usual toll road slog.

I was thinking of getting off the toll roads around Dijon and heading over via geneva? Anyone have any suggestions for a route or even just a few good roads?

cheers!

[ewenm]

threesixty said:

Appologies if this ones been done before, couldn't find anything on search.

I've lost count of the number of times i've driven to the portes du soleil but this year i'll be making the journey in something other than a van/pickup truck. So i'd like to go for a more entertaining route rather than usual toll road slog.

I was thinking of getting off the toll roads around Dijon and heading over via geneva? Anyone have any suggestions for a route or even just a few good roads?

cheers!

I drove home from the Alps in the Caterham on a relatively interesting route that you could reverse - Chamonix => Martigny => Lausanne => Besancon => Chaumont(?) => Reims with the only toll road being the Swiss autoroute, vignette at the border.

[raf_gti]

ewenm said:

threesixty said:

Appologies if this ones been done before, couldn't find anything on search.

I've lost count of the number of times i've driven to the portes du soleil but this year i'll be making the journey in something other than a van/pickup truck. So i'd like to go for a more entertaining route rather than usual toll road slog.

I was thinking of getting off the toll roads around Dijon and heading over via geneva? Anyone have any suggestions for a route or even just a few good roads?

cheers!

I drove home from the Alps in the Caterham on a relatively interesting route that you could reverse - Chamonix => Martigny => Lausanne => Besancon => Chaumont(?) => Reims with the only toll road being the Swiss autoroute, vignette at the border.

Can't offer any specific routes but basically in France as long as you head off the AUtoroute you seem to guarnteed good roads

[B52er]

I normally get off the A39 at Poligny and take the N5 over the Jura, through Champagnole, Les Rousses, La Vattay etc. Worth it just for the view you get of the alps and Mont blanc just past Col de la Faucille.....
Then through Geneva town centre, over the lake, thru to Gaillard border which spits you straight back into France so no Swiss m-way tax.
Great mountain roads, shorter distance, nice views - good times!

[Raven Flyer]

I think our vignette for Switzerland was 42 euros. Well worth it for avoiding the peage south of Dijon.

[Amateurish]

I've done a scenic trip from Dijon. Basically you take the N5 over the Jura and into Geneva, then road to Annemasse then up the "Vallee Verte" via Mieussy and Tanninges then up the hill to Les Gets. No need for a vignette since you don't go on the Autoroute in CH.

[Raven Flyer]

We were stopped on the motorway between Geneva and France (going to Cham). You have to pay there and then. By this time we had done enough vistas and just wanted to get there so it was no drama.

Came back the same way.

[Amateurish]

Raven Flyer said:

We were stopped on the motorway between Geneva and France (going to Cham). You have to pay there and then. By this time we had done enough vistas and just wanted to get there so it was no drama.

Came back the same way.

Yep, they do a vignette check at the border crossing near Geneva just before you join the A40. It's easy enough to go through Geneva itself and thus avoid using the Autoroute.

[S10 GTA]

When I worked there I used to drive back up via Evian rather than the normal way. Cracking roads round there. Whichever you take will be good.

[baxb]

I did the same route a few weeks ago driving down for the Pds. Got to Dijon on the Peage & then just told the sat nav to avoid toll roads & had a great drive, I think the majority was N5. Coming out of Geneva I would recommend taking the D907 via Annemasse, much more fun than going via Thonon.

Enjoy your trip.

[S10 GTA]

baxb said:

I did the same route a few weeks ago driving down for the Pds. Got to Dijon on the Peage & then just told the sat nav to avoid toll roads & had a great drive, I think the majority was N5. Coming out of Geneva I would recommend taking the D907 via Annemasse, much more fun than going via Thonon.

Enjoy your trip.

Thats the opposite to my suggestion. I would take the D902 up, and the D907 back down.

[baxb]

S10 GTA said:

baxb said:

I did the same route a few weeks ago driving down for the Pds. Got to Dijon on the Peage & then just told the sat nav to avoid toll roads & had a great drive, I think the majority was N5. Coming out of Geneva I would recommend taking the D907 via Annemasse, much more fun than going via Thonon.

Enjoy your trip.

Thats the opposite to my suggestion. I would take the D902 up, and the D907 back down.

Maybe you're right, I took the 902 up but the 907 back & enjoyed the run down much more than the run up, but thinking back traffic was a lot quieter on the 907 so I could have fun rather than trundle about at 25 like i did on the 902

[threesixty]

Thanks for the tips guys.

If anyones out there next week say hi! I'll be in a grey M3 or on a white M6

[Amateurish]

S10 GTA said:

baxb said:

I did the same route a few weeks ago driving down for the Pds. Got to Dijon on the Peage & then just told the sat nav to avoid toll roads & had a great drive, I think the majority was N5. Coming out of Geneva I would recommend taking the D907 via Annemasse, much more fun than going via Thonon.

Enjoy your trip.

Thats the opposite to my suggestion. I would take the D902 up, and the D907 back down.

They are both good roads but the D907 ("Vallee Verte") is significantly quicker (esp if going to Les Gets) than the route via Thonon.

[Amateurish]

threesixty said:

Thanks for the tips guys.

If anyones out there next week say hi! I'll be in a grey M3 or on a white M6

Where are you going / staying?

[S10 GTA]

This isnt fair. Les Gets is my favourite place on earth, and I did a season there before I started cycling. I would imagine it to be even more like heaven now! God I wanna move back!

[threesixty]

Amateurish said:

threesixty said:

Thanks for the tips guys.

If anyones out there next week say hi! I'll be in a grey M3 or on a white M6

Where are you going / staying?

Somewhere in les gets, mates have booked the palce and are out there already.

[Steve_F]

Not sure if I'd sacrifice a days riding out there for the extra time taken to find good roads on the way back - that is really testing which hobby I love the most!!

We set the sat nav to avoid toll roads on the way home. Might be worth doing that and seeing where it takes you.

Sent us through Geneva and up some really nice roads. Lasted just over an hour and changed the sat nav for quickest way. My mate was driving and had hurt his ribs in a leaving day last blast crash. I wasn't driving and was gutted I was in the wrong seat!

[ewenm]

Steve_F said:

Not sure if I'd sacrifice a days riding out there for the extra time taken to find good roads on the way back - that is really testing which hobby I love the most!!

We set the sat nav to avoid toll roads on the way home. Might be worth doing that and seeing where it takes you.

Sent us through Geneva and up some really nice roads. Lasted just over an hour and changed the sat nav for quickest way. My mate was driving and had hurt his ribs in a leaving day last blast crash. I wasn't driving and was gutted I was in the wrong seat!

I did Alps to Bath in one day a couple of weeks ago in the Caterham so it should be possible in any car. Avoiding the peage south of Reims only added a couple of hours to the journey and was much more pleasant.

[Lensey]

B52er said:

I normally get off the A39 at Poligny and take the N5 over the Jura, through Champagnole, Les Rousses, La Vattay etc. Worth it just for the view you get of the alps and Mont blanc just past Col de la Faucille.....
Then through Geneva town centre, over the lake, thru to Gaillard border which spits you straight back into France so no Swiss m-way tax.
Great mountain roads, shorter distance, nice views - good times!

Had a cracking lunch in Poligny last month on the way back from the passporte du soleil, lovely little town to visit.