The best road trip in France is the Route des Grandes Alpes, a 720 km traverse of the French Alps that crosses 16 mountain passes from Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean. It is the country's grandest drive, and it is only the beginning. Below are ten of the best road trips in France, ranked, from the hairpins of the high Alps and the limestone chasm of the Verdon to the châteaux of the Loire, the Corniches of the Riviera, and the wine villages of Alsace at harvest.
France may be the most complete driving country in Europe. In one journey you can climb an alpine col above 2,000 m, coast along a cliff road over the Mediterranean, wander a valley of Renaissance palaces, and taste a new wine in every village. We ranked these routes on scenery, variety, and the density of stops worth pulling over for, and pulled every distance and season straight from our catalogue. The high cols live on our mountain passes hub, the seaside runs on our scenic coastal drives hub, and you can see all ten together on the France road trips hub. Early autumn, right now, is one of the finest windows of the year: the Alsace harvest is in full swing, Provence turns golden, and the Alpine passes stay open into October.
The best road trips in France at a glance
| # | Route | Region | Distance | Duration | Best season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Route des Grandes Alpes | French Alps | 720 km | 7 days | Jun to Oct |
| 2 | Gorges du Verdon | Provence | 130 km plus D23 loop | 2 days | Apr to Oct |
| 3 | Châteaux of the Loire | Loire Valley | 230 km | 3 days | Apr to Oct |
| 4 | Three Corniches, Nice to Menton | French Riviera | 95 km loop | 2 days | Apr to Jun, Sep to Oct |
| 5 | Alsace Wine Route | Alsace | 190 km | 3 days | Sep to Nov, harvest |
| 6 | Corsica Island Drive | Corsica | 535 km | 7 days | May to Oct |
| 7 | D-Day Beaches | Normandy | 190 km | 3 days | Apr to Oct |
| 8 | Roman Provence | Provence and Gard | 205 km | 3 days | Apr to Jun, Sep to Oct |
| 9 | The Cévennes | Occitanie | 145 km | 2 days | Spring, Fall |
| 10 | Route de Turini | Maritime Alps | 120 km | 1 day | May to Oct |
If you only do one
Drive the Route des Grandes Alpes. No other road in France packs so much drama into a single itinerary. Over seven days the route climbs and drops through 16 named cols from Lake Geneva to the palm-lined seafront at Menton, cresting giants like the Col de l'Iseran and the Col du Galibier and threading the fortress town of Briançon. It demands a head for hairpins and a summer or early-autumn window, but the reward is the full sweep of the French Alps in one unbroken line. Fuel up before the long high stages and start each pass early.
1. Route des Grandes Alpes, French Alps
The Route des Grandes Alpes is a true alpine spectacular, about 720 km traversing the French Alps from Lake Geneva to the French Riviera over seven days. It ascends and descends 16 mountain passes, among them the Cormet de Roselend, the mighty Col de l'Iseran and Col du Galibier, and the Col d'Izoard, with the walled town of Briançon and the rally-famous Col de Turini along the way before the final plunge to Menton. It is moderate driving with an enormous payoff, open roughly June to October when all the high cols are clear.
2. Gorges du Verdon, Provence
The Gorges du Verdon is France's answer to the Grand Canyon, a limestone chasm where the Verdon River has carved cliffs nearly a kilometre high in the hills of Provence. In two days the roughly 130 km route plus the D23 Route des Crêtes loop links the pottery town of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, the turquoise Lac de Sainte-Croix, and the vertiginous viewpoints above La Palud-sur-Verdon and Point Sublime. It is moderate driving on narrow, dizzying ledges, best from April to October when the water runs its brightest teal.
3. Châteaux of the Loire, Loire Valley
The Châteaux of the Loire is the garden of France, a UNESCO World Heritage landscape of Renaissance royal palaces strung along the river over about 230 km and three easy days. You move from Chinon and the moated Château d'Azay-le-Rideau to the gardens of Villandry, the arched gallery of Chenonceau spanning the Cher, and the vast rooftops of Chambord. It is gentle, flat driving between one storybook château and the next, at its best from April to October when the gardens are in full leaf.
4. Three Corniches, French Riviera
The Three Corniches stack three cliff roads above the sea between Nice and Menton, a 95 km loop packed into two unforgettable days. You climb the Grande Corniche past La Turbie for the eagle's-eye views, drop to the medieval eyrie of Èze on the Moyenne Corniche, and trace the waterfront Basse Corniche through Villefranche-sur-Mer and Monaco. It is easy driving with the Mediterranean always below you, and the shoulder seasons of April to June and September to October keep the crowds and the heat in check.
5. Alsace Wine Route, Alsace
The Alsace Wine Route runs about 190 km down the eastern flank of the Vosges, and there is no better time to drive it than now. Over three days the route links half-timbered villages from Obernai and Ribeauvillé to storybook Riquewihr, Colmar, and flower-decked Eguisheim, past the ramparts of Haut-Koenigsbourg and the grand cru vineyards that fill the slopes. It is easy, joyful driving through wine country, and September to November puts you right in the middle of the harvest.
6. Corsica Island Drive, Corsica
The Corsica Island Drive is a full island epic, about 535 km from Bastia to Bonifacio over seven days across the most mountainous island in the Mediterranean. It takes in the wild finger of Cap Corse, the granite heart of Corte and the Restonica valley, the red cliffs of Porto and the Scandola reserve, chic Ajaccio, and the needle peaks of the Col de Bavella before the white cliffs of Bonifacio. The driving is moderate and endlessly scenic, and the best months run May to October.
7. D-Day Beaches, Normandy
The D-Day Beaches route is a moving three-day, 190 km journey west along the Normandy coast where the Allied landings turned the war in 1944. From Pegasus Bridge and Juno Beach you reach the artificial harbour at Arromanches and the guns of Longues-sur-Mer, tapestry town Bayeux, then Omaha Beach and its American Cemetery, Pointe du Hoc, Utah Beach, and Sainte-Mère-Église. It is easy driving through gentle countryside, comfortable from April to October, and it rewards a slow, thoughtful pace.
8. Roman Provence, Provence and Gard
Roman Provence links the densest concentration of Roman monuments outside Italy in 205 km over three days. You start at the arena and Maison Carrée of Nîmes, cross the towering Pont du Gard aqueduct, stand in the intact ancient theatre of Orange, and finish among the excavations of Vaison-la-Romaine. It is easy driving through classic Provençal countryside of vines and cypress, and the mild windows of April to June and September to October are the most pleasant for wandering the ruins on foot.
9. The Cévennes, Occitanie
The Cévennes is a two-day, 145 km corridor through some of the wildest limestone country in France. Beginning at Florac, it crosses the high causses and drops into the dramatic Gorges du Tarn and Gorges de la Jonte before ending at Millau beneath the soaring Millau Viaduct, the tallest bridge in the world. It is easy driving with a real sense of remoteness, and it is at its finest in spring and fall when the light is soft and the gorges are quiet.
10. Route de Turini, Maritime Alps
The Route de Turini is a single thrilling day of driving, 120 km of the most celebrated stage of the Monte Carlo Rally. From the coast near Menton it climbs through chestnut forest and the hilltop village of Sospel to the Col de Turini at 1,607 m, a legendary tangle of hairpins, then winds down through L'Escarène. It is moderate mountain driving that any keen driver will savour, open roughly May to October and an easy add-on to a Riviera trip.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best road trip in France?
The Route des Grandes Alpes is the best all-round road trip in France: 720 km and 16 alpine passes from Lake Geneva to the Riviera over about a week. If you prefer the coast, the Three Corniches above Nice are unmatched, and for a gentler pace the Châteaux of the Loire and the Alsace Wine Route are hard to beat.
When is the best time for a road trip in France?
Late spring, from April to June, and early autumn, September and October, are the sweet spots across most of the country, with warm days, thinner crowds, and beautiful light. High-alpine routes like the Route des Grandes Alpes and the Route de Turini open roughly June to October, while the Alsace Wine Route peaks with the September to November grape harvest.
Is it hard to drive in France for tourists?
Not on most of these routes. France drives on the right, the roads and signage are excellent, and drives like the Loire and Roman Provence are rated easy. The alpine and gorge roads are a moderate step up for their hairpins and narrow ledges. Bring your licence, carry the required safety kit, and watch for tolls on the autoroutes between regions.
How many days do you need to road trip France?
It depends on the route. Short classics like the Three Corniches, the Gorges du Verdon, and the Cévennes run one to three days, so you can pair a couple in a week. A grand crossing like the Route des Grandes Alpes or the Corsica Island Drive wants a full seven days on its own.
Plan your France road trip
Ready to map it out? Compare all ten on the interactive map, start with the country's greatest drive on the Route des Grandes Alpes route guide, and browse the full collection on the France road trips hub. Pick your season, keep the daily legs short, and let France carry you from alpine cols to cliff-top coast roads, château valleys, and vineyards at harvest.
