How long does it take to ride the Route Napoleon?

[Bateman]

....Starting at Grenoble, heading down the Route napoleon, doing a loop of the Canyon Du Verdon, and ending up in Nice. Stopping only for petrol and fags and to admire the view every so often. Is it do-able easily in a day? How about half a day. I am on quite a tight schedule and was hoping to do the whole Route, stop for afternoon lunch in Nice and then head from Menton up to St Sauveur all in a day?

 

[alimey4u2]

For our American friends, the term "fag" is a British colloquialism for cigarette's.
Just wanted to make sure nothing was lost in the translation.........

 

[ynotbiker]

fag

yeah,george michael comes to mind

 

[Gaulois]

Grenoble to Nice is about 3 and a half hours (inc. stops), Add on an excursion to the Verdon and it will be all day.

Worth it though.

 

[guitarman]

Dumb question, is the Route Napolean just the N85 or does it take it any other roads?

Also I seem to remember reading it extends over to Spain. Does it and if so does anyone knows where it goes?

Cheers

Dick

 

[Jon]

Did it last October. Give yourself a day, then you can stop whenever you want, take pics, have a nice lunch. After all, you're riding it to enjoy it, not just to tick the box and say you've done it, are you.....................

 

[Gaulois]

Officially the road runs from Le Cannet (I think) to Grenoble. Its called La Route Napoleon because its the road Napoleon took when he returned to Elba. He had to take it to avoid Royalist forces and a hostile population. The first town that welcomed him was Grenoble which had always been very pro the revolution.
Jon's right. If you're doing it for the first time its worth taking a lttle longer.

 

[Steptoe]

Take a day - stop and hire a canoe and have a quick paddle up the canyon.

All do-able in a day, but you'll be stopping every 15 minutes to take pictures, thats what slows you down

 

[thornley]

Full day, anything less and you will miss so much. RN 85 can be a busy route in Late June/early July and again first week in September, the whole of France is on the move. Verdon region gets very busy during summer V busy tourist area but stunning scenery. Enjoy

 

[Bateman]

For our American friends, the term "fag" is a British colloquialism for cigarette's.
Just wanted to make sure nothing was lost in the translation.........

Maybe I am American and don't smoke

Don't want to unnecessarily rush this route and tick it off, but I do only have 3 1/2 days to do the Route Napolean and the Routes Des Grandes Alpes (assuming its open in early June). I was going to ride to Grenoble on my first day from Le Havre, but maybe I'll carry on for a couple of hours that first evening, so I can enjoy the canyon and the section of the Route on the next day. Thanks.

 

[Timolgra]

Is this the Napoleon Route?

 

[John Armstrong]

No, the Grandes Routes AFAIK.

After the coast the Route Napoleon goes through Sisteron, Gap and then Grenoble.

 

[Bateman]

Timolgra - Thats the Routes Des Grandes Alpes - great website here . The Napoleon Route is basically the N85 from Grenoble to Cannes I think.

 

[Wapping]

I seem to remember reading it extends over to Spain. Does it and if so does anyone knows where it goes?
Cheers Dick

That’s a different road.

The old classic (Roman) road from Italy to Spain ran basically west – east, certainly passing close by Apt in Provence, where it crosses the Pont Julien http://www.beyond.fr/sites/pontjulien.html
about a mile form my father’s house.

The tiny bridge was, until last summer, in use every day since the Romans. A testament to the engineers’ and stone masons’ skills that built it. It has just been by-passed by a short stretch of new road and a modern bridge, slightly to the left.

Interestingly enough, the remains of the old Roman road run along the hill are about 5 yards behind my father’s property. The grooves worn by countless carts can still be seen quite clearly.

You can near enough follow the classic route by tracing the modern motorway that runs down towards Marseille from Cavailon then follow the split to Barcelona.

 

[guitarman]

Thanks Wapping. I might try and pay a visit when I'm there in July, it looks interesting.

Cheers

Dick

 

[ebbo]

You can comfortable do the Route Grande Alps in 3 days. Going North to South we started on a Wednesday morning and completed it Saturday early afternoon, half a day was lost taking Kids GPZ to bits
There’s lots of accommodation and fuel from Thonon les Bains to Jausiers, but make sure you have full tanks before Col de la Bonnette because we didn’t see any more until we got to Menton on the coast, same goes for accommodation I think.

Travelogue worth reading here if your looking for more information
http://www.ebbo.org/routegrandalps2005-1.php