From Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean, a single route concentrates the most spectacular of the Alps. The Route des Grandes Alpes crosses France's highest road passes over nearly 700 kilometres.
From a lake to a sea
It links Thonon-les-Bains to Menton, crossing the Alps north to south through a string of legendary passes. On paper, 690 kilometres; but between endless climbs, technical descents and photo stops, you ride slower than you'd think. Here you don't chase speed, you fill your eyes.
The passes that make the legend
The Col des Aravis and the Cormet de Roselend open the dance, then come the giants. The Iseran, France's highest road pass at over 2,700 metres, offers an imposing mineral landscape.
Further south, the Galibier and its hairpins, the Izoard and its lunar Casse Déserte, and finally the Bonette, near 2,800 metres, one of the highest roads in Europe.
When to go and how long
The route only runs in the good season: the passes open from late May or early June and close with the first snow. Forget doing it all in a day: plan three or four days to enjoy it and recover between stages.
Prepare the bike
Check tyres and brakes, heavily used on the descents, and bring layers for altitude cold and rain. The choice of bike matters: a road-going trail or a comfortable tourer makes all the difference. The Yamaha Ténéré 700, the BMW F900 GS or the Moto Guzzi V85 Travel are cut out for this kind of ride, and can be rented for the trip.
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