From the town of Castellane, I follow the blue-green Verdon River downstream as the cliffs either side rise ever higher. This road trip will allow you to combine sight-seeing with a historical twist. La Route Napoléon traverse Cannes où la ville présente aujourd’hui deux visages dont le plus connu est celui du célébrissime festival de cinéma, avec pour haut lieu la Croisette, ce front de mer où se succèdent les palaces, séparés de la plage par un rideau de palmiers et de pelouses.. De la route Napoléon au tapis rouge. Enjoy a delicious lunch - brie better be on the menu! ‘The heart notes are the most important – you keep them for many hours. From Castellane, it’s an hour to Digne-les-Bains through some more mountainous stretches of the road. But for now, let’s get down to the main course:We suggest kicking off your south of France road trip in Antibes, which lies just 10 minutes east of the official starting point of the Route Napoleon in Golfe-Juan.With a heaving modern port and, by contrast, a historic old town within the ancient city walls, Antibes is charming and fascinating in equal parts.We recommend parking your car down by the Port Vauban (there’s tons of spaces and the first hour is free) and taking your time strolling past the super yachts, sports cars, and big bikes.Then head towards the thick city walls and duck into the Old Town; grab a crusty filled baguette from,A modest sized town clinging to the sloping hills of the Alpes-Maritimes, Grasse is famed as the town where perfume originates from. It was once a fortress and prison, but today is largely grown over by pines. All rights reserved. The Route Napoléon takes on an epic quality for the first time as it leaves town, and zigzags up into the mountains. The Gorges du Verdon is Europe’s closest answer to the Grand Canyon, and the winding road hugs its north rim closely. Fill up at Café de la Table Ronde, already established in Napoleon’s day or amid wrap-around views at.© 2020 Lonely Planet. Road trip sur la route Napoléon La route Napoléon est probablement l’une des routes touristiques françaises les plus populaires . But on leaving Gap, a sign announces a layby for putting on snow-chains. Otherwise, Lyon–Saint Exupéry Airport is just over an hour from Grenoble (compared to 35 minutes for the city’s own airport) and has a wider year-round choice of flights. ‘Interesting,’ says Kirsti. To reach Paris, however, he would have to avoid the valley of the Rhône – the quickest route, but one dotted with garrison towns loyal to the king. Joggers who have made the same arduous ascent stop for a breather on a terrace that surveys all of the city. Four miles on from Barrême, where the army spent their third night on French soil, I leave the N85 and take the narrower D20 up to the Col du Corobin. Today, many travellers make their way to Grasse,It’s not one we’ve done ourselves, but if it’s something you’re interested in you should definitely check out their mini.Once you pass Grasse town center, you’ll want to head for the steep road and hairpin turns that take you up into the mountains overlooking a long stretch of the French Riviera. See full details of the experience and book your own rafting excursion in Castellane,Once past Castellane, the official Route Napoleon continues N/NW along the D4085. Stop at Col de Val Ferriére for a stroll to enjoy the views, or if you’re in a hurry just continue to Castellane, which should take another half hour. In 1815, Cannes was a small fishing village; the old encampment to the side has since been overtaken by hotels and apartment buildings, each competing for sea views. Worth doing if you fall in love with the area!Once out of Grasse, you’ll be on the D6085 all the way up to your next destination — Castellane.Lovers of adventure and tasty treats: this stop is for you.The perfect place to pull in for a steaming espresso and buttery pastries, Castellane is a tiny village hidden away in the mountains. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.guided tour of the museum with a local artist,Adventurous 10 Day Bali Itinerary: Our Pick of the Top Adrenaline Sports in Bali,Best Floating Sunglasses for Sailing, Fishing, SUPing & Kayaking (2019 Review),via-ferrata experiences on Lake Serre-Ponçon,tandem paragliding experience in Grenoble,Extreme Nomads Selection: 5 Best Dark and Twisted Netflix Originals Shows,SV Delos’ Brian Trautman on Sailing Around the World as a YouTube Creator,10 Best Surfing Books to Inspire You from Anywhere,What it’s Like to Sail America’s Northeast Coast Amidst a Pandemic,The Best Surf Bikinis & Suits to Eliminate Nip-Slips,From Superyacht Staff & Boat Deliverers to Adventure Sailing Entrepreneurs – Meet Ocean Passages. The Route Napoleon itself begins in Grasse, the route then continues all the way to Grenoble over 150km away, tracing its way through both the Alps Maritimes and the Alps. From Corps it’s 45 minutes to Laffrey, the site of Napoleon’s moment of destiny, then 35 minutes to Grenoble. If you only make one detour from the route, be sure to break the journey here to see the Gorges du Verdon. Instead, he formed a plan to take much rougher roads through the mountains, until he had enough momentum to seize Grenoble and then march on the capital.I take an afternoon ferry back to Cannes, where a dock makes disembarking easier than in Napoleon’s time. Cherish the last drive to Grenoble, which should take around 45 minutes. He reached Fontainebleau on the 19th, and strolled in as if he had never left. Napoleon walked up to the opposing line of rifles, opened his waistcoat and challenged anyone to shoot him. With its dramatic citadel mounted at the top of town and cliffs hanging either side, it almost looks as though Sisteron has just barely managed to squeeze itself into this corner of the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence.At 750 m above sea level, Gap is the highest town in all of France. The Route Napoléon was the last roll of the dice by an inveterate gambler. He entered without a fight, but moved on quickly. Not in tidy little hairpin bends, but in big, impatient strokes. The Route Napoleon road itself is a fantastic design, with cambered corners and fantastic scenery. ).Keep this in mind for our suggested itinerary above — it’s totally customisable based on how much time you’ve available and how much you want to see!Hi! The houses begin to take on an Alpine look, not in the Provençal way, but in the ski-poles and fondue sense. Spend your morning soaking up culture, visiting the,Follow the A51 to Gap, the highest commune in France at 750m above sea level. No longer lost amid Riviera development, the road is now an obvious line on the map. After my unorthodox departure to see the gorges, I decide to atone by sticking more closely to Napoleonic footsteps than the signposted route does. A game of pétanque is in progress by the marina. Sadly, his triumph ended there when he was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo and exiled to St. Helena… but it sure was an impressive trip!Your road trip through France may differ slightly to Napoleon’s as you’ll be driving the route - preferably in a motorhome- and beginning in Cannes. So take another day, enjoy a croissant and a cup of coffee in town, take a stroll and visit the local shops. He reached Grenoble on the 7th of March, shot down the wall and was met with tears and praise, presented with pieces of the broken gate in lieu of a key to the city. The village’s streets curl round the hilltop like a snail shell. Lovers of adventure and tasty treats: this stop is for you. There was snow on the road when Napoleon travelled it in early March, and he must have been glad of warm lodgings in the village of Corps for his last night before the crucial test at Grenoble. In the market square of Vallauris stands.Picasso died in 1973, aged 91, just a little further up the Route Napoléon in Mougins. Get your cameras out folks — or simply get ready to stand amidst one of the most phenomenal landscapes there is to see this side of the Alps (at least we think so! You’ll have to pay an add-on to your car rental fee, but won’t need to loop back. Et pourquoi ne pas s’offrir un road-trip sur la Route Napoléon ? Nice Côte d’Azur airport serves many European destinations and a few further afield. The entire nation breathed a sigh of relief, and finally, this beautiful teardrop shaped island opened up to the rest of the world once again. La Palud-sur-Verdon is 45 minutes west, and its.6. ‘I use spring water that comes from under the sanctuary of Our Lady of La Salette,’ says Jean-François. Castellane. It’s dawn on the seafront in Cannes, and the water is still enough that the day’s first swimmers leave long wakes. Située au départ de la Côte d’Azur et jusqu’à Grenoble, elle est l’une des routes les plus mythiques de France. I can unsubscribe any time using the unsubscribe link at the end of all emails.Jardins du Musée International de la Parfumerie,The 12 best day trips in the Rocky Mountains,College kids are ditching dorms for the digital nomad life. If you’re looking for South of France road trip ideas, look no further than the Route Napoleon. In addition to the historical interest, the route passes through the strikingly beautiful scenery of southern France. Corps is a great place for walking, so lace up those shoes and dive into the impressive beauty of this region. You could even choose to stop overnight at any of the lovely little towns en route and explore the area more slowly.That said, there’s also nothing that ties you to doing the entire route; you can easily pick just a section of it and make it into a half-day trip if that suits your schedule better. En mars 1815, l’empereur déchu Napoléon Ier exilé à l’île d’Elbe, débarque à Juan-les-Pins pour rejoindre Paris. Un ruban de goudron mythique qui serpente à travers la grande histoire et de tous petits villages, quelque part entre les vallées alpines vertigineuses et la délicate Provence. The road follows the route taken by Napoleon in his 1815 escape from Elba to Grenoble. The royalist general’s aide-de-camp shouted ‘Fire!’ but the general himself hesitated. You can either drive or fly into Cannes, and spend at least a night there. On one of our drives along the Route Napoleon, we went from Cannes to just beyond Castellane and back within a single morning (and it was no less gorgeous than the full version of the road trip! Pick up your car at Nice Airport and drive for 20–30 minutes to Golfe-Juan, the official start of the Route Napoléon.4. My last few miles lead through the suburbs that have grown since 1815, so in an effort to end the trip with some visual drama, I take a cable-car up to the mountaintop Bastille fortress. On the side wall of a church, under a stone eagle with wings outstretched, a message is spelled out: ‘HERE on the dunes beside the former chapel of Notre Dame de Bon Voyage, NAPOLEON, returned from the island of Elba, set up camp for the night of 1–2 March 1815 before dashing to Paris by the perilous Alpine road.’.It’s this adventure that I’ve come to the French Riviera to retrace, following a road now celebrated as ‘la Route Napoléon’. Napoleon had been exiled to Elba, and the start of this road trip marks his escape and march north to seize power. I follow the villa-covered coast round to Golfe-Juan, a more low-key slice of the Riviera; it, too, barely existed two centuries ago. A fight here was unlikely to go the ex-emperor’s way. Following Napoleon Bonaparte’s 1815 march from Elba to Grenoble, you’ll get to dive into the culture and history of southern France. He had led more daunting expeditions than this before: to Egypt, to Russia. The Route Napoléon takes on an epic quality for the first time as it leaves town, and zigzags up into the mountains. No part of this site may be reproduced without our written permission.Just back from: driving the Route Napoléon in France.I want emails from Lonely Planet with travel and product information, promotions, advertisements, third-party offers, and surveys. Rapids, chill spots, and jumping in to swim in the white waters; what’s not to love?! Trek up to the top of town and grab a bench in the gardens of one of the indoor/outdoor restaurants and enjoy a local brewsky as you soak in the view.After your stop here, continue along the D952 towards Digne where you’ll rejoin the official Route Napoleon.A quiet, scenic place to stop, Sisteron sits right on the banks of the River Durance (and was a stopping point for Napoleon himself during his march to Paris). ‘It’s great to work outdoors – I love being in symbiosis with nature.’,To try my hand at the final stage in the perfume process, I head to the Galimard studio, where Finnish-born Kirsti Kanervo takes budding parfumiers through the stages of building a bottle of scent. At.1. If you’re a fine arts fan, you can head to the,Follow the N85 for about 45 minutes and you’ll find yourself in Sisteron, on the banks of the River Durance. Though lavender is the flower that outsiders most associate with Provence, the signature scents of Grasse are jasmine and tuberose. It should be a signal to leave the warmth of the coast behind, and yet I’m reluctant to speed away on the route just yet.The hilltop towns inland provide excuses to linger. The bustling streets of Kandy and Anuradhapura are quickly filling with tourists. Behind the palm trees along the Boulevard de la Croisette, most hotel room curtains have yet to open. The perfect place to pull in for … But outside of the urban meccas, Sri Lanka’s tangled green jungle, rolling hills, and surf-washed shores draw a different kind of traveler. It was home to the painter Jean-Honoré Fragonard, famous for his scenes of pre-revolutionary aristocrats frolicking in idyllic countryside. She'll be writing numerous blogs for you to enjoy every week!Musée Muséum Départemental des Hautes-Alpes,Museum of the Resistance and Deportation of Isėre,Fully Equipped 4 Berth motorhome ideal for families or couples,motorhome, camper van,the most competative hire rental,Colonel Mustard - The Ultimate Stealth Camper,5 berth pet friendly motorhome, based between Brighton and Gatwick,Create Your Own Adventure in an Explore More Camper,A beautiful self-converted campervan. Since then, the entire country has been in a constant state of growth. ).The sky-tickling mountains and plummeting valley of the gorge are mesmerising on their own, but the turquoise water of the Verdon River slicing through the landscape below really is next-level. To get a sense of this mountain environment, you should head to Domaine de Charance, a château set in 220 hectares of stunning scenery. Or in 1821, when he died in his final, permanent exile – 4,000 miles away on St Helena. He was met favourably, with many royalist forces joining him instead of arresting him. ‘It’s blessed!’.Napoleon was 12 miles from Grenoble when the king’s soldiers at last stood in his path, before the village of Laffrey. You have a wide array of museums to pick from, including the,By using our website, you agree to the use of cookies as described in our,Best Places to Visit in France by Campervan.Subscribe and receive great tips, promotions and inspiration for your next motorhome trip, straight to your inbox.Itinerary for the Napoleon Road Trip through France.Fleurine has grown up in numerous countries, leaving her with a deep love for travelling. The valley of Grenoble is like nothing you’ve seen before, and your first major city since leaving Cannes. When people say “you smell good” it’s the heart notes they’re describing.’ My creation leads with scents including green tea, bergamot and pineapple, developing into bamboo, wild jasmine, ginger, white musk and sandalwood. Crane your neck skywards and you’ll see the.For the action-seekers amongst you, you’ll want to head straight for the riverbanks:Castellane is the starting point of an incredible river rafting journey which takes you way down the Verdon — including through the most beautiful spot we saw on this journey, the Verdon Gorge (more on that next!). You’ll find a handful of shops and cafes skirting the town center, including an incredible,The town itself is insanely picturesque with a stoney bridge marking its entrance from the mountains outside and the azure waters of the Verdon River running below. Jackpot. Not in tidy little hairpin bends, but in big, impatient strokes. After half an hour, the playful, perma-tanned coast seems like an age away, replaced by a hardscrabble landscape of rock, oak forest and sparse villages. This will be a gorgeous drive, so plan in time to stop and take photos, as you’ll be ascenting through stunning nature with a view of the natural park. - and then head to the,Head on the N85 for just over half an hour, and you’ll reach the gorgeous town of La Mure. Its Musée d’Art Classique juxtaposes art from the modern and ancient worlds in surprising ways; the Roman helmets and Egyptian mummy-cases could almost be a tribute to the military commander who stood at the foot of the pyramids. The 10th of march saw Napoleon reach Lyon, staying there for four days before continuing on his journey. Cette route longue de 328 km a été empruntée en 1815 par l’empereur Napoléon pour rejoindre la capitale, tout en déjouant la surveillance de ses ennemis, afin de reconquérir la France et rétablir l'Empire. I'm Grace -- freelance writer & content creator for the outdoor travel industry. Visit the,The hour drive to Digne will be a beautiful one, descenting and taking in the beautiful panorama of the mountain ranges and wide plains below. Ruler-straight avenues radiate out from its centuries-old core in a grand geometry the soldier-emperor would surely have approved of.Grenoble was not the end of Napoleon’s own journey. The route includes sections of routes N85, D1085, D4085, and D6085. Save it for later. In the summer, the rivers and freshly melted mountains are filled with adventure-seekers of all kinds — you can go canyoning, rafting, and even paragliding over the Chartreuse peaks (,If you feel like Grenoble might be a spot you’d like to spend longer in, you might be tempted by the city’s latest offerings: a,The Route Napoleon officially begins in the little seaside resort of Golfe-Juan — which is located smack dab in between Antibes and.The story goes that Napoleon came ashore right in Golfe-Juan near the Fort Carré and set off north-northwest along today’s Route Nationale 85 en route to Paris.While media reports differ slightly, the general consensus is that the Route Napoleon is between 314-325 km long.To drive directly from the beginning of the Route Napoleon at Golfe-Juan to the end point in Grenoble takes roughly 4-5 hours.Now, most likely you won’t be doing this drive in one straight shot; you’re bound to want to stop to explore the landscape, soak in the scenery, and grab some grub along the way.In that case, you could expect the road trip to take up a full day (say 8 hours plus). Grenoble Alpes–Isère Airport largely deals with winter skiing traffic only. A particularly stunning stroll is along Canal du Beaumont, a shaded woodland path that is quiet and tranquil, with the calming water flow relaxing you even further. You’ll find it in the desolate islands, the hidden waterfalls, and the mysterious mountain temples. Cannes is to the left, across a wide bay dotted with sailing boats. ‘You were more classical when you started, but then you turned to the modern.’.I’m not sure that even Grasse’s best efforts could have covered the odour of a small army under forced march. Unlike him, I am in no rush, and want to leave plenty of time for detours and digressions. It took Napoleon and his men seven days to cover that distance, going at great haste. The idea of anyone other than fishermen wanting to live as close to the sea as possible – so exposed to attack – would have astonished Napoleon’s contemporaries. The best parts of this area are outside, so slap on some sunscreen and let’s go! You can do a.When I think of Moustiers, I think of two things:Okay jokes aside, Moustier-Sainte-Marie is an incredible town with really, really ancient history and fantastic old architecture to boot. In the province of the Dauphiné to the north he thought he could count on a surer welcome.Between Sisteron and Gap, the road crosses a broad, flat bowl of fruit orchards seemingly ringed by mountains on all sides. To truly learn about the Hautes-Alpes region, including the art, history, archaeology and traditions, you can visit the,As you finish the 45 minute drive to Corps, you may spot the Massif du Dévoluy on your left, a mountain renowned for winter sports with a flourishing ski resort. It’s a fab spot for photo ops — we once decided to Airbnb a typical Provencal cottage around here, complete with its own massive garden, olive grove, and views of the valley below. Francesco Barberio, from Italy, is in his second year working in the gardens of the Musée International de la Parfumerie. I’d easily go as far as to say this was the highlight of our south of France road trip, and I’m confident it’d be up there for you too.Does the sight of those mountains make you feel like you just…wanna…. Or three months after that, when he was conclusively defeated at the Battle of Waterloo. Depending on the season you’ve chosen to embark on this road trip, you could take a detour there for a few runs and some aprés ski. In a garden just outside town,7. ‘The peak notes are the opening of the perfume, but they blow away after 15 minutes,’ Kirsti says. He had been exiled on Elba for less than a year when he decided to return to France and force out the restored monarchy under Louis XVIII. LAUNCH YOURSELF OFF THEM?!? These days you can find me Europe side scouting out the best outdoor adventures Ireland has to offer -- and drinking ALL the wine. While it’s a beautiful road, we recommend departing slightly from the official route and heading west for a little spell on the D952 (don’t worry, you’ll rejoin the main route shortly, but trust us when we say you.The otherworldly scenery of the Verdon Gorge more than makes up for the slight deviation from the Route Napoleon required to get here. In just 2009 Sri Lanka saw the end of a brutal 26 year long civil war. He headed to Cannes on the 1st of March, and began to head north to Paris, utilising smaller roads and villages to avoid being caught by the royalists. I spent the past few years living in China, Vietnam, and Thailand working as a blogger, TV presenter, and documentarist. You could even stop at Saint-Vallier-de-Thiey for lunch, as Napoleon did under an elm tree. You’ll find a plaque marking the spot. Surrounded by hundreds of kilometers of coral reef, and inland, covered in winding rivers and….The Route Napoléon is a next-level road trip.Route Napoleon: The history (for people who hate history),Route Napoleon – South of France road trip itinerary,FAQs about the Route Napoleon: South of France Road trip.Where does the Route Napoleon start and finish?Your email address will not be published.We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. ‘You should come in the early morning or evening when the aroma is even stronger,’ says Francesco, picking out some of the hundred varieties of jasmine for comparison. Ideal for summer and winter hires,A brand new conversion perfect for adventure,Stay up to date on great motorhome destinations,Found a nice motorhome? And from a side-business of growing and distilling flowers to disguise the smell of its main product – leather gloves – Grasse emerged as the ‘perfume capital of the world’.The fragrant notes of the area draw plenty of people from abroad. These days it’s a drive of around six hours, running for just over 200 miles as far as the Alpine city of Grenoble. You’ll find it in the butter flat lagoons, strong wind, and barreling surf. Extreme nomads with a burn for outdoor adventure have long known Sri Lanka’s real charm isn’t something you’ll find in the city. Few cars pass this way; it’s a while before I meet another vehicle – a support van for cyclists tackling this rare stage on the Tour de France. Descending towards Digne-les-Bains through a valley that could be in an American national park, the car radio plays a soundtrack of Ennio Morricone’s themes from legendary spaghetti westerns.Napoleon had to emerge from the mountains to tackle the suspected royalist choke-point of Sisteron: at the spot where the Durance River forces through a spine of rock, a citadel stands guard at the old northern gateway of Provence.
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