In-depth guide · CampingSpirit
From Nice via Vence, the Gorges du Loup and Grasse on the Route Napoléon to Entrevaux, through the red gorges of Daluis and Cians and over Sospel into the Roya valley as far as the rock engravings at Mont Bégo – around 540 km between perfume kitchens, a Vauban fortress and high mountains, with the Mediterranean only returning at the finish in Menton.
The spirit of the route
Twenty minutes behind the Promenade des Anglais, the Riviera stops being a backdrop. The road climbs through terraces of olives and mimosa, villages cling like swallows’ nests to rocky spurs, and in Grasse it really does smell of jasmine in late summer. Beyond that the land turns bare: limestone plateaus with sheepfolds, the Route Napoléon in long loops, then Entrevaux, which climbs up to its citadel behind a drawbridge and zigzagging walls. In the Gorges de Daluis and the Gorges du Cians the rock glows wine-red, and the road squeezes through tunnels barely wider than your motorhome. From the sliding door you will see morning mist in the Roya valley, and in the evening larches above Casterino and chamois on the slope. And if you set off early, by midday you will be standing in front of 5,000-year-old rock carvings beneath Mont Bégo – before the final run down between lemon groves to the sea at Menton.
Stage-by-stage plan
1Stage 1: Nice to Vence (via Saint-Paul-de-Vence) (approx. 25 km)
- The drive
- Nice itself is not a good place for motorhomes: narrow one-way streets, car parks with height barriers, camera surveillance. It is best to start from a campsite west of the city (Villeneuve-Loubet or Cagnes-sur-Mer) and take the train or bus into the old town. Then drive via Cagnes and La Colle-sur-Loup up to Saint-Paul-de-Vence and on to Vence: a short distance, but heavy traffic, roundabouts and climbs. Around 45 minutes without traffic jams.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Fondation Maeght at the edge of the woods above Saint-Paul: Miró labyrinth, Giacometti courtyard, works by Chagall and Braque in a building by Josep Lluís Sert.
- Saint-Paul-de-Vence: a walk along the town walls and the grave of Marc Chagall in the cemetery at the southern end of the village.
- Chapelle du Rosaire in Vence, designed down to the last detail by Henri Matisse – opening hours are limited, so check beforehand.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Camping Domaine de la Bergerie on the western edge of Vence, in a green setting, with electric hook-up and sanitary facilities, open seasonally. For a start in Nice: Camping L’Hippodrome in Villeneuve-Loubet, close to the beach and the station, with electric hook-up, sanitary facilities and waste disposal – regional trains run from there to Nice-Ville. In Saint-Paul-de-Vence the municipality has designated a small motorhome car park on the Chemin des Trious (only a few spaces); check the conditions and overnight rules on the municipality’s website beforehand.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): On the coast between Antibes and Menton, free camping is practically ruled out: many municipalities ban motorhomes by decree from parking in beach and waterfront car parks or at night, height barriers are the norm, and wild camping on the seashore is prohibited anyway. Expect checks and towing. Plan only on campsites here.
- Insider tip for campers
- Nice has a ZFE (low-emission zone, Crit’Air sticker required); the municipality sets the classes itself and changes them. Before your trip, check with the Métropole Nice Côte d’Azur whether your vehicle is affected – with an old sticker or over 3.5 t, avoid the city centre altogether. Do your shopping in Vence before driving on: in the hinterland, supermarkets and filling stations become scarce.
2Stage 2: Vence to Grasse (via Gorges du Loup, Gréolières and Gourdon) (approx. 75 km)
- The drive
- Via Tourrettes-sur-Loup to Pont-du-Loup, then on the D6 upstream through the Gorges du Loup as far as the Pont de Bramafan – narrow, with overhanging rock and short tunnel sections; watch the height signs and drive carefully on the rock side. Continue up to Gréolières at the foot of the Cheiron, back to the Pont de Bramafan and on the D3 high above the gorge to Gourdon. From there, down in hairpins to Grasse. Pure driving time a good 2 hours.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Saut du Loup and the Courmes waterfall right on the D6, with small lay-bys – motorhomes only find room outside the midday hours.
- Gourdon: a village on a rock at around 760 m with views over the coast as far as the Lérins Islands; the old mule track “Chemin du Paradis” leads down to Pont-du-Loup in a good hour.
- Gréolières with the ruins of the upper village of Haut-Gréolières and the limestone ridge of the Cheiron above it.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Camping Les Gorges du Loup near Le Bar-sur-Loup, terraced on the slope above the gorge, with electric hook-up and sanitary facilities, open seasonally – the access road is narrow, so large vehicles should announce themselves beforehand. In Grasse itself, Camping La Paoute lies in the south of the town, with electric hook-up and sanitary facilities, good for the perfume day.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Tourrettes-sur-Loup has a car park on the Route du Stade where motorhomes may stand; “parking, not camping” applies there, and rules signposted on site take precedence. At the Saut du Loup and in Gourdon the car parks are intended for day visitors only. On the limestone plateaus around Caussols and Gréolières, the forest tracks are closed to vehicles in summer.
- Insider tip for campers
- It is best to drive the Gorges du Loup northbound on the D6 (valley road) and return on the D3, and to start early in the day while there is little oncoming traffic. In Pont-du-Loup you will find the Confiserie Florian with candied fruits and violets, and next to it the pillars of the viaduct of the old Nice–Grasse railway, blown up in 1944. Tourrettes is the region’s violet village; the violet festival takes place in late winter.
3Stage 3: Grasse to Entrevaux (Route Napoléon, Castellane optional) (approx. 115 km)
- The drive
- On the Route Napoléon (D6085) from Grasse up to Saint-Vallier-de-Thiey, over the Pas de la Faye with a view back to the coast, then via Escragnolles, Séranon and the Col de Luens to Castellane – well built, with wide bends and lots of motorcyclists; with snow and ice in winter on the high plateaus (around 1,000–1,200 m), have chains or winter tyres ready. From Castellane on the D955 along the reservoirs of Chaudanne and Castillon to Saint-André-les-Alpes, then on the N202 through the Vaïre and Var valleys via Annot to Entrevaux. A good 2.5 hours. Shorter, but much narrower, is the route via Thorenc, the Col de Bleine and the Estéron valley – only for compact motorhomes.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Grasse in the morning: the Musée International de la Parfumerie, the historic factories of Fragonard, Molinard and Galimard, and the cathedral of Notre-Dame-du-Puy with three paintings by Rubens. The perfume craft of the Pays de Grasse has been on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage since 2018.
- Castellane: climb to the chapel of Notre-Dame-du-Roc on the rock above the town (a good 30 minutes).
- Annot with the sandstone blocks of the Grès d’Annot above the village; the narrow-gauge railway Nice–Digne (“Train des Pignes”) stops here and in Entrevaux.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Aire camping-cars d’Entrevaux on the Var below the fortress, with water and waste disposal, a few minutes’ walk over the bridge to the town gate. Quieter and with sanitary facilities: Camping du Brec near Entrevaux, a larger site with electric hook-up, seasonal. If you stay in Castellane, you will find numerous campsites there, as well as the aires La Boudousque and Halte Napoléon.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Entrevaux and Castellane already lie in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence département (04). On the Route Napoléon there are rest areas where parking is allowed; camping behaviour is prohibited, and in summer access restrictions to the forests apply here too. Around the reservoirs, signs point to overnight bans.
- Insider tip for campers
- In Grasse the old town is steep and narrow, and the car parks have height limits. Fragonard’s “Fabrique des Fleurs” and Galimard lie on the Route de Cannes on the edge of town, with car parks and free guided tours – the best choice with a motorhome. The jasmine harvest runs roughly from August to October; in early August Grasse celebrates the Jasmine Festival. Fill up completely before the N202: between Saint-André and Puget-Théniers there are only a few filling stations.
4Stage 4: Entrevaux to Valberg (Gorges de Daluis) (approx. 55 km)
- The drive
- A short stretch on the N202 to the signposted turn-off onto the D2202, then via Daluis into the Gorges de Daluis: red schist, sheer slopes and several rock tunnels, some unlit. We have not found official tunnel dimensions; older travel reports give around 3.3 m as the lowest clearance, and a weight limit is also signposted. The route is considered feasible with a motorhome, but tall roofs and cab-over alcoves are particularly challenged – measure your height, and the signs at the tunnel entrances take precedence. At Guillaumes turn onto the D28 and go over the Col de Valberg (a good 1,670 m) to Valberg. The D2202 north to the Col de la Cayolle is left out here. About 1.5 hours.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Pont de la Mariée above the deepest part of the gorge, with a view down to the Var.
- The rock formation “Tête de Femme” (Gardienne des Gorges), a woman’s profile in the red rock, visible from a lay-by on the road.
- Guillaumes at the confluence of the Var and the Tuébi, with the castle ruin on the hill above the village and a short climb up to it.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Aire d’accueil de camping-cars “Le Lagopède” in Valberg, run by the resort, with fresh water and waste disposal; check electricity, charges and season on the Valberg website. Alternative in the valley: Camping du Pont de la Mariée between Daluis and Guillaumes, simple and seasonal. Near Beuil lies Camping L’Étoile du Cians.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): The lay-bys in the gorges are for photo stops, not for the night – rockfall and the narrow carriageway argue against it. Valberg tolerates motorhomes only on the aire; on the large resort car parks, separate rules apply in winter.
- Insider tip for campers
- With oncoming traffic in the tunnels, stop in good time and wait; do not roll in. Switch your lights on before the tunnels and sound your horn where signs require it. Valberg has a supermarket and a filling station – in autumn many of the resort’s shops are closed.
5Stage 5: Valberg to Sospel (Gorges du Cians, Col de Braus) (approx. 125 km)
- The drive
- From Valberg down to Beuil and into the Gorges du Cians (D28): at the top the narrow red Grandes Clues with overhanging rock and short tunnels, further down the grey limestone gorges of the Petites Clues, in all around 25 km of descent to the Var. Down at Touët-sur-Var take the M6202 downstream, then through the hinterland of Nice to L’Escarène and over the Col de Braus (around 1,000 m) with its closely staggered hairpins to Sospel. The Gorges du Cians are narrower than the Daluis; we have not found official tunnel dimensions, so the signs and your own vehicle width decide. There is no known permanent closure on the Col de Braus (D2204, around 21 km between L’Escarène and Sospel, gradients of up to a good 12%); in snow or ice chains or winter tyres are required, and the road can be closed at short notice. A good 3 hours; set your navigation to your vehicle dimensions so that it does not send you along village streets.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Rigaud: a village on a rocky spur above the Cians gorges, a detour on a narrow road – only for small vehicles.
- Touët-sur-Var: the church is built over a mountain stream, and through a grating in the floor you can see the water.
- Sospel: the medieval bridge over the Bévéra with its toll tower and the Maginot Line work Fort Saint-Roch on the edge of town.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Camping-Car-Park aire in Sospel on the edge of town, with electric hook-up, fresh water and waste disposal, access by card. With sanitary facilities: Camping Mas Fleuri north of Sospel, with electric hook-up, seasonal; also Camping Domaine de Sainte-Madeleine on the road to the Col de Turini.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Around Sospel, pass and hiking car parks are tempting for a night, but in summer forest-fire rules apply in the département: fires and barbecuing are prohibited, and forest tracks are closed at high risk – check the daily map. On designated car parks the usual French rule applies: parking yes, camping no.
- Insider tip for campers
- Drive the Gorges du Cians downhill in second or third gear; the Grandes Clues are the narrowest point of the whole route, so pass through in the morning in July and August, before the motorcycle groups and coaches arrive. If you shy away from the route, drive back from Valberg via Guillaumes and the Gorges de Daluis. We are deliberately leaving out the Col de Turini from Sospel – it belongs to the Route des Grandes Alpes.
6Stage 6: Sospel to Tende (via Breil-sur-Roya and Saorge) (approx. 45 km)
- The drive
- Over the Col de Brouis to Breil-sur-Roya, then on the RD6204 upstream through the Roya valley: Saorge, the Bergue gorge, Fontan, Saint-Dalmas-de-Tende and Tende. The valley road was rebuilt in sections after Storm Alex in October 2020; new bridges and widened passages alternate with older, narrow stretches. Expect roadworks traffic lights to continue; the current situation is given by the département’s road information service (Inforoutes06, 0 805 05 06 06). About 1 hour.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Saorge: the village hangs in terraces above the Roya gorge, with the Franciscan monastery above and a view over the valley – on foot from the car park at the village entrance.
- Saint-Dalmas-de-Tende station, a monumental border station from the Italian era on the Nice–Cuneo railway line.
- Musée des Merveilles in Tende as preparation for the rock engravings, with casts and explanations of the Bronze Age.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In Tende lies the Camping municipal Saint-Jacques in the Campileggio quarter on the Pia, around 400 m from the town centre, with pitches for tents, motorhomes and caravans and the shortest way into the Vallée des Merveilles. Ask the municipality beforehand about season and reception hours. In the direction of La Brigue there is a simple site near Pra Reound. As a safe fallback: two nights on one site in Sospel and Tende as the day’s destination.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In the Roya valley, space between river, road and rock is scarce, and many lay-bys are roadworks or passing areas. Stay overnight on official sites or at municipal aires; the banks and gravel bars of the Roya are off limits after the flood of 2020.
- Insider tip for campers
- Saorge has only limited parking for motorhomes at the access road – do not drive into the village, its lanes are staircases. If you want to leave the motorhome behind: the Nice–Breil–Tende railway line links the villages in the valley; check the timetable in advance. At the end of Saint-Dalmas the road to La Brigue branches off – a detour to the chapel of Notre-Dame-des-Fontaines with its 15th-century frescoes.
7Stage 7: Tende to Casterino and Vallée des Merveilles (day trip) (approx. 30 km)
- The drive
- From Saint-Dalmas-de-Tende on the D91 up into the Lévense valley to the Lac des Mesches and on to Casterino (around 1,550 m), out and back. A narrow, winding mountain road with an avalanche gallery; ask about the road condition beforehand at Inforoutes06; beyond Casterino the tracks are open only to authorised vehicles. About 30 minutes each way.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Hike from the Lac des Mesches to the Refuge des Merveilles and into the Vallée des Merveilles with the Bronze Age rock engravings beneath Mont Bégo – a good 700 m of ascent to the refuge, a full day with the engraving fields.
- Shorter from Casterino: into the Fontanalba valley with further engraving fields and larch forest.
- Guided tours by the Parc national in the Vallée des Merveilles: groups, fixed start times, booking only online via vallee-merveilles.com; check price and times there beforehand.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Back to Tende or to a site in the lower Roya valley. In the area of the Vallée des Merveilles, camping in a tent, motorhome, caravan or roof tent is expressly prohibited; bivouacking is permitted only at the Merveilles and Fontanalba refuges.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): The car parks at the Lac des Mesches and in Casterino are hiking car parks, not overnight places – the national park rules prohibit camping in vehicles, and violations are punished with a fine. Dogs are prohibited in the engraving area even on a lead.
- Insider tip for campers
- In the engraving area you may walk freely only on marked paths, and off them only with a guide; walking poles with metal tips are prohibited, and engravings must not be stepped on or touched. Start early: thunderstorms build up quickly at the Bégo in summer. The CAF refuges require online reservation.
8Stage 8: Tende to Menton (via Ventimiglia) (approx. 70 km)
- The drive
- Down the Roya via Fontan, Saorge and Breil-sur-Roya, then at Piena across the border into Italy and on the SS20 through Airole to Ventimiglia; from there along the coast road at Ponte San Ludovico back into France and on to Menton. This way you avoid the return via Sospel and the Col de Castillon. Around 1.5 hours, longer on market days in Ventimiglia.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Airole: an Italian stone village on a bend of the Roya, a short stop on the through road.
- Menton’s old town with the Basilica of Saint-Michel-Archange and its forecourt in pebble mosaic, plus the Musée Jean Cocteau by the sea.
- Gardens of Menton: Serre de la Madone and Val Rahmeh with subtropical plants, both with an entry fee.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Camping Saint-Michel on the heights above Menton, with electric hook-up and sanitary facilities – the access road is steep and narrow, so ask beforehand if you have a large vehicle. A little higher up in the hinterland lies Camping La Giandola in Gorbio, also with electric hook-up and sanitary facilities.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In Menton and along the coast, free camping is not an option: motorhomes are not tolerated on beach and waterfront car parks, and checks are made at night. Stay on the campsite and go into town on foot or by bus.
- Insider tip for campers
- On Fridays there is a large market in Ventimiglia and the through route backs up – better to travel on another day or pass through early. In Italy, drive with lights on outside built-up areas. In Ventimiglia and the coastal towns there are zones closed to traffic (ZTL): do not drive into the centre, and heed the signs. Carry ID; checks are possible at the border. The Tende road tunnel to Cuneo can be used only as a single lane with traffic lights; vehicles over 3.5 t, buses and cyclists are excluded. It is completely closed from 21 September to 30 October 2026 (6 a.m.), with no diversion through the tunnel. Before that, from 14 September, only short windows applied on weekdays (6–8, 12.30–1.30 p.m., 6–9 p.m.), and 6 a.m.–11 p.m. at weekends. Check the times after reopening with the département (Inforoutes06); without the tunnel, the way to Italy leads along the coast via Ventimiglia.
Camping practice & local rules
Wild camping & overnight parking
- In France a motorhome counts as a vehicle and may park wherever parking is allowed (a maximum of 7 days in the same place), provided no municipal decree stands in the way. Camping behaviour – stabilisers, awning, table and chairs, draining waste water – is prohibited outside campsites and aires. Blanket bans for an entire municipal area are open to legal challenge, but signs and height barriers on the coast are an everyday reality.
- Wild camping is prohibited on seashores, in Sites classés, within 500 m of Monuments historiques and near drinking-water abstraction points. On this route that affects the entire coast as well as townscapes such as Saint-Paul-de-Vence, Gourdon and Entrevaux.
- Parc national du Mercantour: in the Vallée des Merveilles camping of any kind is prohibited, including in a motorhome; bivouac only at the Merveilles and Fontanalba refuges, dogs prohibited, penalties up to €1,500. Motor vehicles only on the roads designated for them.
- Forest fire in Alpes-Maritimes: in summer there are daily updated hazard maps for each massif (usually updated the evening before at around 6 p.m. for the following day); at a high level, access to the forests is prohibited. No fire, no barbecue, no smoking in the forest. Map at risque-prevention-incendie.fr/06; for Castellane and Entrevaux, that of département 04.
- Useful apps: park4night, Campercontact and the Camping-Car-Park app for the aires with card access; the comments often show where municipalities have introduced new bans.
Waste disposal & supplies
- Service and waste disposal is called “borne de service” or “aire de services”; many stations work with tokens, a card or are free. In the hinterland they are few and far between – Entrevaux, Valberg and Sospel are the reliable points on the route.
- Empty grey water and the cassette only at the station; in the gorges and by the river, dumping into nature is grounds for a fine.
- Tap water is drinkable; avoid village fountains marked “eau non potable”. In the mountains in late summer, save water; some municipalities impose restrictions in dry spells.
- Gas: French exchange cylinders (butane/propane) are available at supermarkets and filling stations; foreign cylinders are not exchanged. LPG pumps for refillable tanks are rare in the hinterland – look for them rather on the coast and on the motorway; bring adapters (Dish/Euronozzle).
- Fuel: supermarket filling stations in Vence, Grasse and the Var valley are the cheapest; in the Roya valley there are only a few stations, Ventimiglia is an option, but diesel in Italy is usually not cheaper.
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 road 80 or 90 where signposted, built-up areas 50. Motorhomes over 3.5 t: motorway 110, expressways with separated carriageways 100, other roads 80, built-up areas 50, with a speed disc at the rear. Combinations over 3.5 t: motorway and expressways 90, other roads 80.
- “Angles morts”: vehicles over 3.5 t, expressly including motorhomes, have had to display the blind-spot stickers since 2021; without them a fine of €135 is possible.
- ZFE: on 21 May 2026 the Conseil constitutionnel struck down the nationwide abolition of the ZFE (Décision 2026-903 DC); the zones remain, and each Métropole sets the classes itself. For Nice, check with the Métropole before your trip. The Crit’Air sticker (only via certificat-air.gouv.fr) also applies to foreign vehicles.
- Tolls: the A8 on the coast is a toll road. Class 2 = over 2 m and under 3 m in height at a maximum of 3.5 t; class 3 = two axles and from 3 m in height or over 3.5 t; class 4 = three or more axles over 3.5 t or from 3 m. Tende tunnel: vehicles over 3.5 t prohibited, single lane with traffic lights, 30 km/h in the roadworks area; completely closed 21.9.–30.10.2026, afterwards check times with the département.
- Gorges du Loup, Daluis and Cians: single-lane tunnels and overhanging rock; the heights and widths signposted at the entrances take precedence. If you are over 3 m high or over 7.5 m long, plan the gorges outside the high season and in the morning.
- Blood alcohol limit 0.5 (novice drivers 0.2); phones at the ear and headphones at the wheel are prohibited. High-visibility vest for the driver and warning triangle are mandatory. In Italy (Ventimiglia) lights on outside built-up areas; rear carriers with overhanging loads need the red-and-white warning panel there; access to centres is often ZTL – a hint only, heed the signs.
CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist
- A compact motorhome or exact knowledge of your own height and width – the tunnels in the Gorges de Daluis and the Gorges du Cians do not forgive guesswork; stick the dimensions clearly visible in the cab.
- Sturdy walking boots and poles with rubber tips: in the Vallée des Merveilles, poles with metal tips are prohibited.
- Printed or offline-saved bookings for the guided tour in the Vallée des Merveilles and the CAF refuges; reception in the Roya valley is patchy.
- Day pack with 2–3 litres of water and a rain jacket: long, shadeless ascents at the Bégo, thunderstorms in the afternoon.
- Crit’Air sticker on the windscreen and, over 3.5 t, the “Angles morts” stickers – checks are made on the coast.
- Tokens and cards ready for aires, plus French and Italian gas adapters in case you continue into Italy via Ventimiglia.
As of 2026-09. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go.
