Well I'm in the stages of planning a road trip for June taking in Lyon, Monaco, Mont Blanc, Andermatt, Stuttgart, The Ring then home. The main part of the trip being the journey from monaco to andermatt with stop over in Mont Blanc. I'm trying to plan a route from monaco with as little use of main roads as possible to Mont blanc and I wondered if anyone had done anything similar and had any suggestions for routes I could take.

Hi,

There are so many different routes avoiding Autoroutes and the more obnoxious main roads, narrowing it down to even a couple if difficult. Depends on your needs, the time you have, wether you want the emphasis on scenery or driving – endless virage/lace tie hairpins or fast open sweepers.

I find satnav not too good for planning as the route is more important than the destination, so I use an old fashioned paper map. The Michelin 200 000:1 is fine. Just look for squiggly bits of usually yellow roads. Beware the French road numbers. Similarly to UK, central government is responsible for trunk routes and the 80 odd individual Departments are responsible for all lesser roads. Over the last few years many roads have been reclassified and renumbered this can cause momentry confusion, but getting lost gives you the opportunity to discover a new route.

So, Monaco to Sospel – D2566.

From Sospel , either via Col De Tende, D6204 which takes up into Italy, becoming the SS20 to Borgo then SS21 to Argentera up and over the Col dela Madelena/Col de Larche back into France on the now D900. Through Vars and onto Guillestre, you can go left on the N94 or right staying on the D902. Either way, ending up in Briancon.Find the D1091 I think it’s signed Grenoble, and you climb the Col du Lautaret. At the top, just before a big restaurant turn right uphill on to the Col du Galibier, D902. I’ve been across in August and been welcomed by blizzards, actual snow, then a week before it was closed last October when it was hot and azure blue sky. There is a friendly café before the top, and you can take the tunnel or go round the slightly longer route over the summit. Watch out for the sheep, cattle and desparate cyclists!

Onward and through Valloire, over the Col du Telegraphe, arriving at St Michel de Mauriene. Turn right on the D1006 to Mondane, Val d’Isere and Bourg St Maurice. Somewhere it becomes the N90 down to Moutiers. You can pick up the road to Courchevel (sounds like the script for Ski Sunday). This is probably as near as you can drive toward Mont Blanc.

A very nice alternative if you are a keen bend swinger, and the passengers may appreciate the views if not the drops, takes you over reputedly the highest through road pass in Europe. Over the last few years it has been regarded and resurfaced so it is now longer the gravel rally stage it was when I first crossed it put breathtakingly beautiful and you are a long way from ANYWHERE. Last October, thre was a convocation of about 8 eagles just soaring on the thermals, a first for me. Use the previous route to Sospel, but going left on the D2566. At Chalet Turini take the D70 across to La Bollene-Versubie, where you go right on the D2585 which leads you to the D2205 turning right – north - on the D2205 which morphs into the D65 and takes you right on over the Col de la Bonnett. Join the D900 at Jausiers, keep heading north and up pick up the D902 and carry on as before – Guillestre and Briancon.

There are lots of other ways too, but it can be much more tiring than you realise and you use a lot more fuel too,not to mention the pressure on the brakes.

Have a great time which ever way you go,

Nick

Wow, thanks for that (more info than I could ever hope for) I'll dig the Michelin map out and have go at plotting that route. Got 10 cars to think of like my Superb (or whatever I end up buying), a 911, 968, ferrari 355, mini cooper, mercedes vito,TT and couple of TBA's. So gonna try and keep away from the rough stuff if I can help it. Seems what ever route I plan it's gonna take about 9 hours from what I can see ( might be a bit much )

Thanks again Nick

Cheers Jason