The most beautiful roads: South of France

From the cornices of the Riviera to the passes of the Pyrenees, a selection of the most beautiful roads in the South of France.

The legendary French Riviera has three cornices.

The Basse runs along the coast in order to serve its seaside resorts, ports and luxurious residential cities. The Medium is slightly overhanging and allows to reach in particular the charming village of Èze.

Finally, the Grande Corniche meanders in the mountains (cols of Quatre Chemins and Èze), on the old route of the Roman Julia route – it passes through La Turbie, a city which retains a splendid ancient vestige called Trophée d ‘August.

The show it offers features the Mediterranean, as Alfred Hitchcock has shown in his film La main au collet (with Grace Kelly and Cary Grant).

The panoramic views are breath-taking. At certain points, roads give the possibility of passing from one ledge to another.

Corniche de l’Estérel, Var

Also called Corniche d’Or, it is one of the oldest French roads to have been distinguished as a tourist, in the 1900s.

It runs along the Estérel massif (highest point: Mount Vinaigre, 618 m above sea level) along the coast for around thirty kilometers. Outside the cities crossed, preserved natural landscapes await you (a bargain on the Côte d’Azur!). Dominated by the porphyry rock, red in color, the route is dotted with numerous creeks.

Among the remarkable sites where one enjoys exceptional views, you have the Pointe de l’Esquillon (facing the Lérins Islands), the rocky Cap Roux or the high Cap du Dramont (facing the Île d’Or), which we walk around. Note that the rather narrow road is often very busy, especially in summer.

Route des Crêtes, from Cassis to La Ciotat – Bouches-du-Rhône

For a short distance, the Route des Crêtes offers you sublime landscapes through the Calanques National Park, one of the jewels of the Bouches-du-Rhône department.

You can reach it from Marseille. After having approached wooded hills, you reach the Col de la Gineste, then the Route des Crêtes proper, near Cassis.

It is 15 km long and winds its way up and down. It is punctuated by vertiginous points of view between sea and mountain that you can enjoy quietly thanks to several belvederes and hiking trails.

The highlight of this route is the top of the Soubeyran cliffs, the famous Cap Canaille (363 m above sea level). Mandatory stop.

Lavender Routes – Vaucluse, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Drôme

Lavender, we see it everywhere in Provence. Note that no less than six circuits allow you to satisfy all your desires in the departments of Drôme, Vaucluse, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Alpes-Maritimes.

These roads, which are subdivided into sections or are linked at will, are punctuated with distilleries, museums, workshops, accommodation sites, restaurants or even health centers, but yes, as well as sale, of course.

Tour of the Luberon, Vaucluse

The Luberon massif is one of the most popular areas in Provence. Tucked away discreetly in nature or in magnificent villages, elegant second homes abound.

If you do not have much time, do not miss the classic route, which takes you through Oppède-le-Vieux, Ménerbes, Lacoste and Bonnieux. Otherwise, continue through the valley of Lourmarin to reach the southern slope of the massif, with the summit of Mourre Nègre (1,125 m) in focus.

Arrived at Manosque, country of Jean Giono, you set out west towards the beautiful city of Apt, then you end your tour by the ocher quarries of Roussillon and the splendid hilltop village of Gordes, which face the Luberon.

Cicadas, lavender fields, forests, country houses, bories. The landscapes are like your wildest Provencal dreams.

Gorges du Verdon, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence

France has its big canyon. The gorges where the Verdon flows crisscross the Pre-Alps, continuously offering a fascinating spectacle before this perennial stream stops at Lake Sainte-Croix.

The depth of these limestone cliffs varies between 250 and 750 m. It is the river, who’s emerald color enhances the beauty of the site, which sculpted this decor that we discover from two routes, the Route des Crêtes or the Corniche Sublime.

They are equipped with belvederes from which one benefits from exceptional points of view bearing evocative names like Point sublime or Balcons de la Mescla. There are many hikes to do and if you are a fan of climbing or white-water sports, these gorges are a paradise for you.

Coastal route of Cap Corse, Haute-Corse

D80: it is this code name that you must memorize at all costs if you want to offer you an almost complete tour of this splendour that is Cap Corse , northern part of the island – only its extreme point is not served by this road, but the D153 and D253 take you there.

Along the Mediterranean, you cross ports, seaside towns, hilltop villages, you discover the watchtowers built in the 16th century during the Genoese domination.

The route gives you magnificent viewpoints, in particular when it rises in its western part and when you pass inland, in particular at the Serra pass (365 m above sea level).

Route de Calvi to Piana, Haute-Corse

Some of the most beautiful landscapes of the western facade of Corsica are available to you along this route.

Leaving from Calvi, take the direction of Porto by the coast, not hesitating to make stops to enjoy the spectacle, in particular on the panoramic sites of Notre-Dame de la Serra or Bocca Bassa.

The show continues with views of the Girolata Gulf when you climb to the Col de la Croix before reaching Porto. From this small port, which gave its name to another magnificent gulf, a piece of choice is reserved for you, continuing your way south.

These are the high coves of Piana, here called calanche. The red-tinted porphyry rock, which has been sculpted by erosion, appears as a succession of amazing shapes. What fun to imagine what they “represent” over ten kilometers.

In the footsteps of the Cathars – Aude, Ariège

Coming from Christianity, Catharism became a religion in the 12th century. Present in different parts of Europe, it has developed particularly in the South of France.

It was quickly fought by the Church, then by lords of the north and the king during crusades, which allowed them to conquer territories of the current Occitania region.

The sites to see on this theme are scattered in particular in Ariège and Aude. These are strongholds held by the Cathars such as the most famous of them, the castle of Montségur, whose remains rise to 1,200 m on a rocky outcrop.

Other places not to be missed: the castle of Foix, the bastide of Mirepoix, the village of Montaillou , the fortress of Peyrepertuse or the city of Carcassonne . It’s up to you to chart your course knowing that you will cross memorable landscapes in the Pyrenees, Corbières or large plains.

Route of the Pyrenees Passes

Crossing the Pyrenees with 34 of its most remarkable passes, this is a great trip. Before you start, be aware that from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, the distance to cover is 942 km.

A large part of this route has been traced in order to highlight the spa resorts in vogue during the Second Empire. Nowadays, the names of the Aubisque (1,709 m), Tourmalet (2,115 m) or Aspin (1,489 m) passes evoke the exploits of the Tour de France cyclists.

The landscapes that you admire are of a great variety. Leaving the verdant Basque Country, you reach the imposing peaks of the Hautes-Pyrénées, sometimes with a lunar decor, before gradually finding yourself in a Mediterranean atmosphere. Along the way, you will have passed through towns and villages rich in history.

The most beautiful roads: West and Center of France

From the route of the Lighthouses of Finistère to that of the Monts du Cantal, passing by the castles of the Loire, enough to take your breath away behind the wheel!

Route des Phares et des Abers, Finistère

Finistère, in the far west of France: a magnificent part of the world with the highest concentration of lighthouses in the world. The route loops from Brest via Plougonvelin and Pointe Saint-Mathieu, Le Conquet (with crossing to Ouessant Island), Trézine, to reach Plouguerneau and the Côte des Légendes via the magnificent Aber Wrac ‘h and aber Benoît.

Along the way, you can hike along the customs path, tread the sand on the beaches, see menhirs, visit unusual sites like Meneham.

Among the twenty lighthouses, 4 are open to the public: that of Île Vierge in Plouguerneau, the Saint-Mathieu lighthouse, the Trézien lighthouse and that of the Stiff in Ouessant. A superb route to meet ocean lands. FYI: there is an application on the lighthouse route

Circuits of the Parish Enclosures, Finistère

You will not find it elsewhere than in Brittany. The parish enclosures are unique architectural ensembles of their kind. Built in the 16th and 17th centuries during an economically flourishing period, they consist of a church, a cemetery, an ossuary, a triumphal door and a Calvary, a sculpted monument illustrating the crucifixion of Jesus.

Many of these enclosures have wonders. To help you discover them, three circuits have been traced in the north-center of Finistère, where they are very present, between the harbor of Brest, the Monts d’Arrée and the bay of Morlaix.

These circuits along bucolic routes form loops around Landerneau (55 km), Landivisiau (90 km) and Morlaix (70 km).

Among the most famous enclosures are those of Saint-Thégonnec, Guimiliau, Lampaul-Guimiliau and Plougonven.

Emerald Coast – Ille-et-Vilaine, Côtes d’Armor

A succession of small bays and estuaries, beaches, rocks and cliffs. The eye is everywhere to party on this Emerald Coast which takes its name from the emerald green hue that sometimes takes on the sea. almost never lose sight of it by following the coastal roads.

There is no shortage of essential stops: the Pointe du Grouin (hairy pile between the Emerald Coast and Mont-Saint-Michel bay), the corsair town of Saint-Malo, Dinard and its Belle Époque residences, the medieval fort of La Latte or this splendid natural site that is Cap Fréhel.

Are you not satisfied with sublime maritime landscapes? Then continue your journey through the Bay of Saint-Brieuc to reach the Pink Granite Coast near Perros-Guirec, Ploumanac’h and Trégastel.

The megaliths of Morbihan

No need to be melted with esotericism to be fascinated by the megaliths that abound in Brittany. Faced with these monuments built by man several millennia ago, we immerse ourselves in endless meditations: what were they for? Theories abound, but we are not sure of anything.

Menhirs, dolmens or cairns are found throughout the region, but Morbihan is particularly rich in prehistoric remains, especially on the coast, where the impressive alignments of Carnac extend , as well as the sites of Locmariaquer, Gavrinis, Kergonan and Petit -Mont , more still others who discover themselves during a fun treasure hunt .

Tour of the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel – Manche, Ille-et-Vilaine

The vast bay that forms the setting where the Mont-Saint-Michel abbey rises is revealed from different angles along the road that borders it, the game consisting in watching for the silhouette of the famous islet.

From Pointe du Roc in Granville, you head south following a chain of typically Norman seaside towns. After that, you leave the coast to pass by Avranches, before finding the Manche by small roads, and here is that the Mont reveals its most beautiful finery to you.

Then, either you take a GR to cross the polders located west of the Mont on foot, or you bypass them to approach the start of the Brittany coast, as you approach Cancale.

At Pointe du Grouin, you admire the bay for the last time. Your journey stops there but it can also continue towards Saint-Malo and the Emerald Coast.

Loire castles route

The Loire Valley is one of the most popular corners of France. No wonder: between Orleans and Angers, you can see around forty major historic or religious sites. Many of them were raised under the authority of French sovereigns, mostly in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Loire Valley Castle Route crosses 4 departments: Maine-et-Loire, Indre-et-Loire, Loir-et-Cher and Loiret.

Several combinations and routes are possible to explore the Valley of the Kings with, on one side the majestic Loire, and on the other, jewels of French heritage such as the castles of Chinon, Saumur, Amboise, Chenonceau, Blois, Chambord, Azay- le-Rideau, Cheverny. A magnificent journey through the history of France

Route des Puys d’Auvergne, Puy-de-Dôme

They are 80 to line up from north to south over sixty kilometers. The Auvergne volcanoes form a chain along the Limagne fault, west of Clermont-Ferrand.

They have been inactive for several thousand years: it is therefore with a light mind that you will trace your route by taking roads bordered by the silhouettes of puys (Como, Pariou, Cow, Lassolas) whose flanks are frequently lined with forests.

You can for example leave from the Tazenat Gour (lake of volcanic origin) to reach, after having completed a large loop, the highest point of this chain, the famous Puy de Dôme (1,465 m) which is reached by a small train. From up there, you will find the volcanoes seen along your route.

In the meantime, if you feel like it, you will have visited two nearby sites: the Lemptegy crater and the Vulcania park. Note that you can enlarge your loop by including a foray into the neighboring Sancy massif (to the south).

Cantal Mountains Circuit

Two marked routes in a loop make you roam sometimes in the shade of the summits of the Cantal Massif, via high passes, sometimes on hilly bucolic roads.

The beauty of the landscapes is permanent and the stops in superb villages like Salers or cities with interesting heritage such as Saint-Flour add to the pleasure of the trip – and let’s not forget the discovery of the treasures of the local gastronomy.

Rising near Murat, three remarkable volcanic sites are not to be missed. These are Puy Mary, pyramid-shaped (1,783 m), conical Puy Griou (1,690 m) and Plomb du Cantal, the highest point in the region (1,855 m) which is accessible by cable car from the Lioran. The panoramas of the Massif Central are exceptional here.

Circuit of the hilltop villages of the Aveyron gorges

Green nature and old stones are on the program of this 100 km circuit which takes you through three departments of the Midi-Pyrénées region: Tarn, Tarn-et-Garonne and Aveyron.

Following mainly the thread of the Aveyron river, it offers you a necklace of castles and hilltop villages dating from the Middle Ages, which are mostly bastides, type of locality that abounds in the Southwest. Often built in one go, the country house is organized according to a checkerboard plan around a square.

The route begins with Cordes-sur-Ciel, one of the most beautiful medieval cities in France, then continues notably through Mauriac, Castelnau-de-Montmiral, Puycelci, Bruniquel, Penne, Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val, Najac, and ends with Villefranche-de-Rouergue.

Lot Valley, Lot

Between Mont Lozère, where it takes its source, and Aguillon where it flows into the Garonne, the Lot winds 481 km through Lozère, Aveyron, Cantal, Lot and Lot-et-Garonne.

The portion of this river which is located in the department which bears his name is bordered by a splendid road. Over fifty kilometers, its meanders are bordered by peaceful landscapes highlighted by towpaths, but also by heights.

The medieval village of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie is a little wonder that seems to come out of a fairy tale book. He was elected favorite village of the French.

Short barge rides – flat-bottomed boats – are offered here, as well as visits to castles and the prehistoric cave decorated with Pech-Merle.

A little further on is Cahors, a beautiful old town whose emblem is the Pont Valentré, a superb 14th century work enhanced by three towers which look out over the Lot.

Tarn Gorges – Aveyron, Lozère

The Gorges du Tarn separate the Causses from Méjean and Sauveterre, thus forming a canyon along some thirty kilometers, between the surroundings of Florac and Millau.

If you do not particularly taste white water sports, it is by road that you will discover the beauties that adorn the course of the Tarn, a river which rises on Mont Lozère.

Sometimes the walls of these gorges widen to form circuses, sometimes they tighten in defiles in an impressive way. Their height can reach 500 m.

The most sought-after view on this route is called Point Sublime and is located in Saint-Georges-de-Lévéjac. A stop in one of the villages that punctuate the route, so that you can walk along marked paths will be a good idea.

The most beautiful roads: North and East of France

From the Baie de Somme to the Côte d’Albâtre – Somme, Seine-Maritime

Large, the Baie de Somme (70 km²) is an exceptional natural site prized by migratory birds, which alternate bodies of water, marshes, dunes, salt meadows, near the port of Crotoy and from the medieval city of Saint-Valéry-sur-Somme.

Its discovery is part of a journey that can start from Le Touquet and continue up to Mers-les-Bains, in order to visit Picardy seaside towns nicely endowed with Belle Époque residences and vast sandy beaches. And why stop there?

Opposite Mers-les-Bains, here is Le Tréport where the Côte d’Albâtre begins. In this part of the Normandy region of Caux, there are other ports and charming seaside resorts, as well as spectacular cliffs that rise up to 120 m above the sea.

In Étretat, you should not miss the famous site made up of the downstream gate, the Aiguille and the Manneporte.

Route des Crêtes in the Vosges – Vosges, Haut-Rhin

The “blue line of the Vosges” symbolized for a long time the French will to take back the lands of Alsace and Lorraine annexed by Germany in 1871. It is today to be traversed along a strategic road traced by the French army during the First World War.

Open when the weather permits, generally from April to November as a whole, it follows a north-south axis for eight tens of kilometers and winds between 940 to 1,400 m above sea level.

The viewpoints over the west of the Vosges mountains and over the Alsace plain to the east are among the great attractions of this circuit, which passes through passes such as those of the Schlucht or Bonhomme , as well as the Grand Balloon (1,424 m, highest point in the Vosges) and allows you to admire a number of peaks such as Vieil Armand, Hohneck, Gazon du Faing or Brézouard, as well as lakes, forests.

Alsace Wine Route – Bas-Rhin, Haut-Rhin

170 km long, this signposted road winds its way through hills covered with vines, from north to south of Alsace.

There are countless opportunities to stroll through vineyards on specially designed trails, charming villages and exciting cities.

Among the most remarkable localities are Obernai, Barr, Mittelberghem, Dambach-la-Ville, Ribeauvillé, Riquewihr, Hunawihr, Colmar, Eguishelm.

The old houses, the old churches and the castles, the green vegetation, without forgetting the treasures of the local gastronomy: even if you are not interested in the tastings offered by the wine producers, the itinerary that you serves here is delectable. And you don’t get behind the wheel if you’ve been drinking.

Route des Sapins – Jura, Doubs

Among the most beautiful forests in the Jura are those of the Joux and Levier, located between Lons-le-Saunier and Pontarlier. They form a renowned fir-tree which is bristling with trees which can rise to almost 50 m. The most remarkable are elected “President”.

Over forty kilometers, a marked route will take you to discover them, as well as spruces planted in 1811 in honor of the King of Rome and other natural sites which can be appreciated in particular from belvederes offering points of memorable sight.

Trails are to be taken in order to fully savor the flora and fauna that unfurl in this environment where the Rondé park nestles with Sika deer.

Certain stages of the route also invite you to learn about the history of the forests crossed: forest houses, a drying room, a reminder of the use of their trees to shape boat masts…

Burgundy Grands Crus Route

To go from Dijon to Santenay, you can take the motorway… No, rather follow the Route des Grands crus, which crosses a hilly territory where the vines of the divine nectars of Côtes de Nuits and Côtes de Beaune grow.

The names of the villages are evocative: Gevrey-Chambertin, Vougeot, Vosne-Romanée, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Pommard, Volnay, Meursault. Wine tasting is not the only pleasure offered by this marked itinerary which follows an axis north-south for about sixty kilometers. And, beware, we don’t drink when we take the wheel!

The villages mentioned as the cities contain remarkable heritage sites, the Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy in Dijon for example, or the Hospices de Beaune.

If you wish to extend your trip on the same theme in Burgundy, note that you have the Vineyards of the Yonne route to the north, as well as the Great wines route and the Mâconnais-Beaujolais Wines route to the south.

Route des Grandes Alpes, from Thonon to Menton

Along nearly 700 km, the marked tourist route takes you through 16 mountain passes, the above is the Iseran (2764 m). And this is only the main route, many deviations are possible.

It is a phenomenal lesson in geography that you follow from Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean, crossing the mountains of Chablais, Vanoise, Queyras, Ubaye and Mercantour. Along the way, you will discover the rich variety of landscapes in the French Alps.

Please note: this route is only possible in its entirety from June to October, the rest of the year, many passes are closed.

The laces of Montvernier, Savoie

An iconic Maurienne road that required no less than 6 years of work, between 1928 and 1934.

The 18 spectacular Montvernier switchbacks cover almost 400 meters of elevation gain to link the Arc valley to the pretty village of Montvernier nestled around its church.

The width of the road is only 4 meters and its average gradient of 7.56% and the switchbacks, stacked on top of each other, climb on the side of the cliff.

Route of the Bourne gorges, Vercors – Isère

The Vercors, straddling the Drôme and the Isère, has several vertiginous roads, showing the wide-open spaces of this preserved region. Among the most beautiful routes, the Gorges de la Bourne road (D531), carved into the cliff connects Pont-en-Royans to Villard de Lans , for almost 25 km

The Bourne gorges are part of the natural wonders of the natural park regional of Vercors. These are the longest gorges in the massif. The road is full of viewpoints, especially on the gray cliffs of the Bournillon cirque, but also of remarkable natural sites, such as the Choranche cave.

Ardèche Gorges

Over thirty kilometers, the course of the Ardèche is enclosed between limestone cliffs rising up to more than 300 m.

Leaving from Vallon-Pont-d’Arc, you follow the meanders of the river with, as a first reward, this natural monument that is the Pont d’Arc: an imposing arch which is part of the tourist riches of the region.

The route then climbs onto a plateau where you can make stops to enjoy great views of the canyon from lookouts.

The surrounding area is ideal for hiking to discover a diverse flora and fauna, as well as geological sites such as potholes and caves.