In-depth guide · CampingSpirit
About 700 kilometres and almost twenty passes from Lake Geneva to Menton: over the Iseran, Galibier, Izoard and Bonette through Savoy, the Briançonnais and the Ubaye to the Riviera – a summer route that depends on when the passes open.
The spirit of the route
The Route des Grandes Alpes begins with the smell of lake water and ends with the scent of lemon blossom – in between lie eight days in second and third gear. On Lake Geneva the mountains are still a backdrop; beyond the Dranse gorges they become the road. Timber chalets and Reblochon farms in the Aravis, the turquoise reservoir of Roselend, then the bare high country around the Iseran, where snow walls still stand in July and marmots cross the tarmac. Beyond the Galibier the light changes: the Briançonnais is drier, the larches paler, and at the Casse Déserte yellow rock towers rise from grey scree. The Ubaye smells of lavender, the air on the Bonette is thin, and on the last morning you look out of the sliding door over forested ridges all the way to the sea. This route rewards early starts, breaks at fountains and the courage to skip a pass now and then.
Stage-by-stage plan
1Stage 1: Thonon-les-Bains to Le Grand-Bornand (approx. 100 km)
- The drive
- From Thonon, take the D902 through the Gorges de la Dranse up into the Chablais to Morzine, then over the Col des Gets (1,163 m) to Taninges and through the Giffre and Arve valleys to Cluses. There, follow the D4 via Le Reposoir up to the Col de la Colombière (1,613 m) – the north side is wide at first, but narrow and steep on the last kilometres, with few passing places – and down into the Le Grand-Bornand valley. A good 2.5 hours of pure driving time.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Abbaye d’Aulps near Saint-Jean-d’Aulps: the ruins of a Cistercian abbey right on the D902, with a monastery garden and a small museum.
- Chartreuse du Reposoir: a 12th-century charterhouse below the Colombière, now home to Carmelite nuns, visible from the outside only.
- The Colombière summit, with views of the limestone walls of the Chaîne du Bargy and the Aravis.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Camping L’Escale on the edge of Le Grand-Bornand, well equipped with electric hook-up, sanitary facilities and service points, and open in winter as a Caravaneige. Other sites in the valley, such as Camping du Crêt. For a stopover, Cluses has a municipal aire de camping-car with service facilities; Le Reposoir has a small parking area at the entrance to the village.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Parking at the Colombière pass car park is no problem during the day, but overnight in high season it is not advisable because of signs and grazing livestock. In the ski resorts of Haute-Savoie, municipal orders regulate overnight parking of motorhomes and refer you to the designated aires – take signs with time restrictions seriously. Free camping here means parking in permitted car parks without camping behaviour, and it is rarely truly quiet.
- Insider tip for campers
- The Colombière is closed in winter and usually does not open until late spring; Morzine and Les Gets get crowded on market days and during cycling races. In Thonon, fill up with fuel and water before you start – the supermarkets on the road out towards Évian have petrol stations without height barriers; the Aire de Corzent on the lakeshore is suitable for the night before the start.
2Stage 2: Le Grand-Bornand to Bourg-Saint-Maurice (approx. 100 km)
- The drive
- Via La Clusaz on the D909 to the Col des Aravis (1,486 m), with a wide view of the Mont Blanc massif, then down to Flumet. Next, take the D218B over the Col des Saisies (1,650 m) into the Beaufortain, then from Beaufort through Arêches or along the Doron to the Lac de Roselend and over the Cormet de Roselend (1,968 m) – narrow above the lake, with rock edges and no guard rails – and down in long bends into the Isère valley to Bourg-Saint-Maurice. About 3 hours of driving time.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Chapelle Sainte-Anne at the Col des Aravis with Mont Blanc in the background – a photo stop in the morning light.
- Coopérative laitière in Beaufort: dairy producing Beaufort AOP, with a shop and a view into the maturing cellars.
- Lac de Roselend with the Chapelle de Roselend on the shore and the arch dam above it.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Camping Huttopia Bourg-Saint-Maurice on the edge of town near the funicular to Les Arcs, with electric hook-up, sanitary facilities and waste disposal; check the season dates in advance. If you want to stay in the Beaufortain: the commune of Beaufort has an aire de camping-car in the village with water, and Camping Onlycamp de Domelin lies next to it.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): At the Cormet de Roselend there are large gravel areas used for daytime parking; camping behaviour is prohibited there, and the area is grazing and hiking country on the edge of the Beaufortain – for the night, better to move on to the aire in Beaufort. Do not stop on the shore of the Lac de Roselend: reservoir banks and access tracks are often closed by signs.
- Insider tip for campers
- In the Beaufortain it is worth shopping directly at the alpine pastures: many alpages sell summer Beaufort at the farm, often only in the morning. The descent from the Cormet to Bourg is long – use engine braking and stop at the lay-bys if necessary. In Bourg-Saint-Maurice, the supermarkets with petrol stations are the last reasonably priced supplies before the Iseran.
3Stage 3: Bourg-Saint-Maurice to Bessans (Haute-Maurienne) (approx. 90 km)
- The drive
- On the D902 up the valley to Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise, across the dam of the Lac du Chevril and through several galleries and tunnels to the Tignes turn-off and Val d’Isère. From Val d’Isère the road climbs in broad bends to the Col de l’Iseran (2,764 m), the highest paved pass in the Alps; the south side down to Bonneval-sur-Arc is narrower, in places without guard rails. A good 2 hours of pure driving time, but more like half a day with cyclists and photo stops.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Pont Saint-Charles and the Belvédère de la Tarentaise below the Iseran, with a view back to the glaciers of the Grande Sassière.
- The Iseran summit with the chapel of Notre-Dame-de-Toute-Prudence; in July there are often still walls of snow at the roadside.
- Bonneval-sur-Arc: stone houses with lauze roofs, car-free in the village centre, car park at the entrance to the village.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Camping-Car Park Bessans (Haute Maurienne Vanoise) on the edge of the village: pitches with electricity, water and waste disposal, access by operator card. A classic alternative: Camping de Lanslevillard a little further down the valley. In Val d’Isère, Les Richardes is a simple summer campsite on the edge of the resort – check the season and facilities in advance.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): A large part of the high valley between Val d’Isère and Bonneval borders on or lies within the core zone of the Parc national de la Vanoise: camping is forbidden there, even in a vehicle, and dogs are not allowed even on a lead, nor are drones. The pass car parks at the Iseran are meant for day visits only. At night, temperatures above 2,700 m drop below freezing even in August.
- Insider tip for campers
- In 2026 the Iseran opened on 12 June, with the winter closure scheduled for 2 November; until early July walls of snow line the road, and each year the opening depends on the weather. For current information on closures and roadworks, see savoie-route.fr. Start early: from 10 a.m. many cyclists are out, and it gets tight at the galleries near Tignes.
4Stage 4: Bessans to Valloire (approx. 70 km)
- The drive
- Through the Haute-Maurienne via Lanslevillard and Lanslebourg, down the Arc valley on the D1006 to Modane and Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne – a wide valley road with lorry traffic to the Fréjus tunnel. In Saint-Michel, join the D902 and climb through forest in about 12 bends to the Col du Télégraphe (1,566 m), then drop briefly to Valloire. Just under 2 hours of driving time.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Barrière de l’Esseillon near Aussois: five 19th-century forts above the Arc gorge, with via ferratas and a suspension bridge.
- The churches of Lanslevillard and Bessans with their wall paintings – the Chapelle Saint-Sébastien in Lanslevillard is one of the best known in the Maurienne.
- Fort du Télégraphe right at the summit, with a view into the Arc valley.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Camping Caravaneige de Sainte-Thècle in Valloire, within walking distance of the village, with electric hook-up, sanitary facilities and service points, and open in winter. At the Col du Télégraphe there is a parking area used as a motorhome site; check facilities and current rules in the apps beforehand.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In Valloire and Valmeinier, municipal orders direct motorhomes to the designated areas overnight. The Maurienne valley floor has many car parks but hardly any quiet ones – the D1006 and the railway line to Italy are loud.
- Insider tip for campers
- Fill up with fuel and shop in Modane or Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne; in Valloire, prices and choice are as you would expect at a resort, higher. The bends of the Télégraphe are tight but well built; during cycling races in July they are closed for hours at a time – check the events calendar of the commune of Valloire.
5Stage 5: Valloire to Briançon (approx. 55 km)
- The drive
- On the D902 through the high valley of Plan Lachat, then in steep bends to the Col du Galibier (2,642 m). Just below the summit, at about 2,550 m, lies the historic summit tunnel: single-lane, about 360 m long and only around 4 m wide, with traffic lights; the road over the summit (2,642 m) remains as an alternative. Then down to the Col du Lautaret (2,058 m) and on the D1091 through the Guisane valley via Le Monêtier-les-Bains to Briançon. About 1.5 hours.
- Highlights & must-sees
- The Galibier summit with a view of the Meije and the glaciers of the Écrins – ten minutes on foot from the car park to the viewpoint indicator.
- Jardin botanique alpin du Lautaret: over 2,000 mountain plants at 2,100 m, open in summer.
- Briançon: Vauban fortifications and old town with the Grande Gargouille, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; the Pont d’Asfeld over the Durance gorge.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In Briançon, a municipal aire de camping-car on Rue Georges Bermond Gonnet with electricity, water and waste disposal, within walking distance of the upper town. Quieter: Camping des 5 Vallées in Saint-Blaise south of the town, or Camping des Deux Glaciers in Le Monêtier-les-Bains in the Guisane valley, near the thermal baths.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): The Galibier lies on the border between Savoie and Hautes-Alpes, and the core zone of the Écrins begins south of the Lautaret. At the Lautaret and the Galibier, overnight stays in the pass car parks are not permitted; in the core zone of the Parc national des Écrins the rule is: no camping in a vehicle, bivouac on foot only, with a small tent between evening and morning and only more than an hour’s walk from the road. Dogs are forbidden in the core zone.
- Insider tip for campers
- The Galibier usually opens in June and closes in autumn with the first snowfall; there is no fixed date, and opening and traffic-light operation depend on the snow and are announced by the départements of Savoie and Hautes-Alpes. With a wide or tall motorhome, you are better off taking the road over the crest instead of the tunnel, which is only about 4 m wide; we could not confirm the clearance height, so observe the signed dimensions before entering and follow the traffic light. The western approach via La Grave and the Tunnel du Chambon is not needed for this route – you stay on the east side of the Lautaret.
6Stage 6: Briançon to Barcelonnette (approx. 103 km)
- The drive
- On the D902 through the Cerveyrette valley via Cervières up to the Col d’Izoard (2,360 m), then on the south side through the Casse Déserte – yellow rock needles in the scree – and down through the Combe du Queyras to Guillestre. From there, continue on the D902 via Vars to the Col de Vars (2,108 m), well built and usually open in winter too, though temporarily closed in snow, and down into the Ubaye via Jausiers to Barcelonnette. Two passes, a good 3 hours of pure driving time.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Casse Déserte at the Izoard with the memorial plaques for Fausto Coppi and Louison Bobet – in the best light in the evening and early morning.
- Mont-Dauphin near Guillestre: a Vauban fortress on a rock plateau above the Durance and the Guil, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Villas mexicaines in Barcelonnette: villas of the emigrants who made their fortune in Mexico in the 19th and 20th centuries, now partly a museum (Musée de la Vallée).
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In Barcelonnette, the Aire du stade Léon Signoret with electricity, water and waste disposal, a few minutes from the centre. Camping Le Tampico on the edge of town for longer stays. If you want to overnight in Guillestre, there is a dense choice there, such as Le Catinat Fleuri or Saint-James les Pins. For the Izoard, Camping de l’Izoard in Arvieux is a quiet option on the Queyras side.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): The Casse Déserte is a site classé – wild camping is expressly forbidden there, and overnighting in the lay-bys on the Izoard is not permitted either. In the Parc naturel régional du Queyras, camping in forests and on alpine pastures is not allowed without permission. In Jausiers there is a municipal aire on the edge of the village, a legal alternative.
- Insider tip for campers
- If thunderstorms are forecast, drive the Izoard in the morning: the south side, with loose debris beside the carriageway, is treacherous after heavy rain. Guillestre has supermarkets with petrol stations; in the Ubaye, petrol stations are thinner on the ground – fill up fully, because beyond Barcelonnette come the longest stretches without services.
7Stage 7: Barcelonnette to Saint-Martin-Vésubie (über die Bonette) (approx. 120 km)
- The drive
- From Jausiers, take the D64 through larch forest and alpine pastures over the Faux Col de Restefond to the Col de la Bonette (2,715 m); the ring road around the Cime de la Bonette reaches 2,802 m and is narrow, so large vehicles are better off staying at the col. On the M2205 down through the Tinée valley via Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée and Isola to Saint-Sauveur-sur-Tinée, then via Valdeblore and the Col Saint-Martin (La Colmiane, 1,500 m) to Saint-Martin-Vésubie. About 3.5 hours. Variant: over the Col de la Cayolle (2,326 m) on the D902, through the Gorges du Bachelard and the Haut-Var to Guillaumes, Valberg and Beuil – more intense scenery, about 20 km longer, but the harder choice for large motorhomes, and best checked in advance for weight or length.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Cime de la Bonette: a ten-minute walk from the car park to the summit, with a panorama from Monte Viso to the Maritime Alps.
- Military ruins at the Camp des Fourches and the Restefond barracks, witnesses to the Alpine fortifications.
- Saint-Martin-Vésubie: old town with a rivulet in the Rue du Docteur Cagnoli; locals call the valley the “Suisse niçoise”.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In Saint-Martin-Vésubie, Camping A la Ferme Saint-Joseph lies on the edge of the village, a small site with basic facilities; for larger vehicles, the Camping municipal de Valdeblore in La Bolline above the Vésubie is the better choice. Sanitary facilities and electricity available; check the season in advance.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): A large part of the road between Jausiers and Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée lies in or beside the core zone of the Parc national du Mercantour. Camping in a vehicle is forbidden there, and bivouac is on foot only, with a small tent, from evening to morning and more than an hour’s walk from the road (ask the park authority for exact times); violations can be punished with a fine. Dogs are forbidden in the core zone even on a lead. The pass car park is a day destination, not an overnight spot.
- Insider tip for campers
- The Bonette is closed in winter; the regional season dates gave 9 May to 31 October for 2026, weather permitting. The Cayolle is not cleared from December to May and usually does not open until late May or June: its north side through the Gorges du Bachelard is very narrow, with rock overhangs and few passing places. We could not confirm specific weight and length limits – it is not recommended for large or heavy motorhomes and combinations; read the signs at the junction near Barcelonnette, get information from the Département Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and, if in doubt, choose the wider Bonette. Between Jausiers and Saint-Étienne there is neither a petrol station nor continuous mobile coverage.
8Stage 8: Saint-Martin-Vésubie to Menton (approx. 80 km)
- The drive
- Through the Vésubie valley on the rebuilt M2565 to Lantosque, then via La Bollène-Vésubie on the M70 in tight bends through larch and pine forest to the Col de Turini (1,607 m). On the M2566 down to Sospel, over the Col de Castillon (706 m) and in the last bends down to Menton by the sea. A good 2.5 hours; narrow on the north side of the Turini, with oncoming traffic in the bends.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Col de Turini: the turning point of the Monte-Carlo Rally and, in summer, a cool break in the forest, with a detour to the Plateau de l’Authion and the forts.
- Sospel: medieval bridge over the Bévéra with its toll tower, and the baroque Cathedral of Saint-Michel.
- Menton: old town with the Basilique Saint-Michel-Archange and a view over the harbour as far as the Italian border.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In Menton, Camping Parc Saint-Michel lies on the Route des Ciappes on the plateau above the town, with sanitary facilities, electricity and a waste disposal point; by its own account the site takes only smaller motorhomes under 7 m (portals state up to 8 m), and the approach is steep and narrow with bends. From May to mid-September a minimum stay of three nights applies when booking – check length and availability with the site beforehand. More relaxed for large vehicles: the Camping-Car Park aire in Sospel with electricity, water and waste disposal, about 20 km before the destination – from there, take the train to Menton or Nice.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): The Vésubie was badly devastated by Storm “Alex” in October 2020; riverbanks, building sites and temporary areas are no place to overnight. On the Côte d’Azur many communes ban overnight parking of motorhomes near the coast by arrêté, and car parks have height barriers – plan Menton with a fixed pitch.
- Insider tip for campers
- On the Turini there is a lot of motorcycle traffic during the day in summer; keep well to the right in the bends and fold in your mirrors where it gets tight. If you continue to Nice: the Métropole Nice Côte d’Azur has its own ZFE – check the Crit’Air rules before driving on. In Menton, the market hall on the Quai de Monléon is open in the morning – good for lemons and socca before the journey home.
Camping practice & local rules
Wild camping & overnight parking
- France distinguishes between “stationnement” and “camping”: a motorhome may park as a vehicle – for a maximum of 7 days in the same place – where parking is permitted and no municipal order says otherwise. Levelling jacks, awning, table and chairs, or draining waste water count as camping and are prohibited outside campsites and aires. Blanket bans for entire municipal areas are legally open to challenge, but they are common in ski resorts and on the Riviera.
- National parks: in the core zones of the Parcs nationaux de la Vanoise, des Écrins and du Mercantour, camping – even in a vehicle – is forbidden, and dogs are forbidden there even on a lead, as are drones and fires. Bivouac is allowed only for hikers with a small tent between evening and morning, in the Écrins and Mercantour only more than an hour’s walk from the road, and in the Vanoise only at designated spots near the huts (19:00 to 08:00, only 1 June to 30 September, registration with the hut warden).
- Wild camping is also forbidden in sites classés such as the Casse Déserte, within 500 m of monuments historiques (such as the fortresses of Briançon and Mont-Dauphin), near drinking-water sources and on the seashore. Pass car parks are day destinations; at night above 2,000 m it is frosty even in summer.
- You can legally overnight on campsites, on the “aires de camping-car” of municipalities and private chains (such as Camping-Car Park with an access card), and at farms via networks like France Passion. Useful apps: park4night, Campercontact, CamperStop; for pass closures, the traffic pages of the départements Savoie, Hautes-Alpes, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Alpes-Maritimes.
Waste disposal & supplies
- Fresh-water and waste-water service points are called “borne” or “aire de services”; machines from Euro-Relais, Flot Bleu and Urbaflux are widespread, paid for with tokens, coins or card. There are reliable stations in the valleys (Cluses, Bourg-Saint-Maurice, Briançon, Barcelonnette, Sospel), but none on the passes.
- Water: village fountains in Savoy and in the Queyras are often drinking water, but not always – look out for “eau non potable”. Fill the tank before the Iseran and the Bonette; in late summer, drought orders (sécheresse) in the Hautes-Alpes and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence can restrict water supply.
- Empty grey water and the cassette only at service stations; draining on pass car parks or into streams costs a fine and harms the delicate high-mountain soils.
- Gas: French exchange bottles (butane/propane) are available everywhere, but foreign bottles are not exchanged. GPL pumps for refilling (Dish/Euronozzle adapter) are thin on the ground in the Alpine valleys – arrive with full tanks. Above 1,500 m and in frost, use propane instead of butane.
Vehicle size & traffic rules
- Speed limits: motorhomes and combinations up to 3.5 t as for cars – motorway 130 (110 in rain), expressway 110 (100), country roads 80 or 90 where signed, built-up areas 50. Motorhomes over 3.5 t: motorway 110, expressways with separated carriageways 100, other roads 80, built-up areas 50; speed disc at the rear. Combinations over 3.5 t: motorways and expressways 90, other roads 80.
- Loi Montagne: from 1 November to 31 March, in the municipalities of the mountain départements designated by the prefecture – including Haute-Savoie, Savoie, Hautes-Alpes, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Alpes-Maritimes, recognisable by signs B58/B59 – four winter tyres with the Alpine symbol (3PMSF, snowflake on a mountain) must be fitted, or snow chains or snow socks for at least two drive wheels must be carried; this also applies to motorhomes. Plain M+S tyres have no longer been sufficient since 1 November 2024. According to the information available, no fine is planned for winter 2026/27, but you can be refused onward travel, and insurers may reduce payouts after an accident. The high passes are closed at this time anyway.
- Pass openings: Iseran, Galibier, Izoard, Cayolle, Bonette, Cormet de Roselend and Colombière are closed in winter and open between May and the end of June depending on the snow; closure usually follows in October or early November. Aravis, Col des Gets, Lautaret, Télégraphe, Vars and Turini are generally passable all year, but are temporarily closed in snow or avalanche danger. In 2026 the Iseran was open from 12 June (winter closure planned from 2 November), and the Bonette was announced as open from 9 May to 31 October. The safe travel window for the whole route is early July to mid-September. Individual passes are closed for hours at a time for cycling events.
- Vehicles over 3.5 t, including motorhomes, need “Angles morts” stickers on the sides and rear; without them you face a fine of €135. Signed restrictions may apply on the passes (the Cayolle north side very narrow, the ring road at the Cime de la Bonette narrow, the Galibier tunnel single-lane and only about 4 m wide) – signs take priority over any app.
- ZFE and tolls: there are no low-emission zones with driving bans on the route itself; Nice has its own ZFE, and the Crit’Air sticker (available only via certificat-air.gouv.fr) also applies to foreign vehicles. The route is toll-free; if you arrive via the A40/A41, class 2 applies below 3 m height and 3.5 t, class 3 from 3 m height or over 3.5 t. If you arrive via Switzerland, you need the vignette up to 3.5 t, and above that the flat-rate heavy vehicle charge.
- Alcohol limit 0.5 (novice drivers 0.2); phones held to the ear and headphones at the wheel are prohibited. A warning triangle and high-visibility vest are compulsory. On mountain roads, the vehicle travelling uphill has priority at narrow points – drive defensively anyway and let buses go first.
CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist
- Snow chains matching your tyre size, or 3PMSF tyres – compulsory under the Loi Montagne from 1 November, and useful even in July if it snows on the Iseran or the Bonette.
- Binoculars: ibex on the Iseran, marmots on the Galibier and, with luck, bearded vultures above the Bonette can be seen from the road.
- Offline maps and a printed road map of the Southern Alps – there are long dead zones for mobile signal between Jausiers and Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée and at the Col de la Cayolle.
- Down jacket, hat and a warm sleeping bag: in Bessans at 1,700 m and on the passes, night temperatures fall towards freezing even in August.
- Euronozzle and Dish adapters with a full gas bottle, plus propane instead of butane for cold nights at altitude.
- Dog lead, poo bags and a plan B for your dog: dogs are forbidden in the core zones of the Vanoise, Écrins and Mercantour, so plan hikes there without your dog.
As of 2026-09. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go.
