Route Napoléon, Comb Laval & Gorge du Verdon Motorcycle Tour
September 2024 | 10 Days | Three Countries
Our September 2024 journey through France’s most spectacular regions delivered an unforgettable 10-day adventure following in Napoleon’s footsteps. From the historic Route Napoléon to the dramatic Comb Laval balcony roads, from the breathtaking Gorge du Verdon to Europe’s highest pass at Col de l’Iseran, this tour showcased France’s incredible diversity. Riding through the Vercors National Park, crossing into Italy, and tackling numerous Alpine cols, we experienced quiet country roads, stunning mountain scenery, and the very best of French motorcycle touring.
Day 1: Le Shuttle to Verdun – Into Rural France
A bit of a soggy start greeted us down at Folkestone as we arrived at Le Shuttle. Rain drizzled down as we gathered the group together for introductions and final briefings, but spirits remained high despite the weather. Once aboard and through the tunnel, things improved dramatically as we headed out across rural France.
The weather transformation was remarkable—temperatures climbed steadily throughout the day, hitting the high twenties and even touching the early thirties as we approached our hotel for the evening. There were the usual sat nav shenanigans that accompany any first day of a tour, but as we progressed, everyone’s navigation systems started working in harmony and we made good time to Verdun.
This historic town, forever linked to the epic WWI battle, provided the perfect first overnight stop. A lovely evening meal and a couple of well-earned beers rounded off a great first day. Tomorrow we’d be heading south through the Lorraine National Park and into the Vosges mountains.
Day 2: Through the Vosges to the Jura – Snow in September?
We headed south today, starting the day riding through the Lorraine National Park. Vast expanses of farmland stretched before us on open roads with, as always in rural France, very little traffic to contend with. The freedom to ride at a steady pace, soaking up the scenery, is one of the great pleasures of French touring.
Temperatures continued rising as we progressed during the day, eventually hitting 33 degrees at one point! A stop for lunch in a lovely bakery in the Vosges provided much-needed air conditioning, which was very welcome indeed. Suitably refreshed, we continued on our way, taking the wonderful Route des Crêtes—the Alsace de Ballon road—which offered stunning panoramic views across the Vosges mountains as we reached the summit.
As the day drew to a close, we entered the Jura Mountains, a stunning area with quiet roads if you know the right ones! Traveling in smaller groups today, Mark arrived at the hotel first and called to warn of a snow-covered road about 5 miles from the hotel. Snow?? It had been 33 degrees all day! Sure enough, we came to a small village shrouded in thick fog with snow covering the road for about 2 miles. Very strange indeed, but we all made it through unscathed, if slightly bemused, to our hotel for the evening. Dinner at the restaurant du fromage gave us the chance to enjoy a cheese fondue or two before bed. Wonder if anyone had cheese-induced nightmares? Tomorrow we’d be heading down to the spectacular Vercors region.
Day 3: To the Vercors – Balcony Roads Await
Off to the Vercors region today—famous for its spectacular balcony roads and the iconic Comb Laval arch. But before reaching our destination, we had some fabulous roads to ride through the Jura region, the Massif de Bauges, and the Chartreuse National Park. These lesser-known mountain areas offered stunning scenery and perfectly engineered roads that flowed beautifully through the landscape.
We passed Grenoble, the gateway to the French Alps, with its dramatic mountain backdrop creating a spectacular vista. From there, we made our way to our hotel for the next two nights in the fabulous Vercors National Park. As we settled in for the evening, the conversation naturally turned to tomorrow’s plans: ride out or rest day? Given what awaited us on these legendary balcony roads, the choice seemed obvious!
Day 4: Comb Laval and the Vercors Balcony Roads
Obviously, ride out was the choice for today—everyone wanted to experience these fabulous roads of the Vercors! And why wouldn’t you, with some of France’s most dramatic scenery and engineering on offer? The obligatory photo stop at Comb Laval came first thing in the morning, with everyone marveling at this spectacular balcony road carved into the cliff face, complete with its iconic tunnel arch.
The rest of the day was spent riding through small picturesque villages, along quiet country roads, and up and down various cols. The Vercors offers a perfect combination of technical riding and stunning scenery—dramatic limestone cliffs, deep gorges, and sweeping mountain vistas at every turn. Just brilliant riding!
A few of the group took a refreshing dip in the hotel pool before dinner, making the most of the facilities and the warm afternoon sunshine. We rounded off our day with an excellent evening meal, already looking forward to tomorrow’s ride. Next stop: the stunning Gorge du Verdon via the legendary N85 Route Napoléon!
Day 5: The Route Napoléon to Gorge du Verdon
Our journey today took us away from the Vercors and on to our next tour highlight—the stunning Gorge du Verdon—traveling via the iconic N85 Route Napoléon. This historic road traces the route Napoleon took in March 1815 when he escaped from Elba and marched on Paris, gathering support along the way. It’s a road steeped in history and perfect for motorcycling.
We rode up out of the valley and descended down towards Grenoble, which was completely covered in mist this morning. With the Alps as its dramatic background, we could just see some of the high peaks poking out of the low cloud like islands in a white sea—a magical sight. Passing Grenoble, we spent the rest of the day continuing down the sweeping bends of the N85, following in Napoleon’s historic footsteps.
The Route Napoléon is everything you want in a touring road—smooth tarmac, gentle flowing curves, beautiful Provençal scenery, and barely any traffic. We arrived at our hotel in the Verdon region, where we’d stay for two nights. Tomorrow’s decision: another ride out or rest day? With the spectacular Gorge du Verdon on our doorstep, it seemed like an easy choice!
Day 6: Gorge du Verdon – Europe’s Grand Canyon
A ride out around the Gorge du Verdon was the choice for most of the group today, while a couple of the guys decided to have a well-earned day off and explore the local town. The Gorge du Verdon is often called Europe’s Grand Canyon, and it’s easy to see why—the turquoise waters of the Verdon River carve through limestone cliffs that plunge 700 meters deep in places, creating one of the most spectacular natural wonders in Europe.
It was a relaxed ride of photo stops to admire the breathtaking views, coffees in small Provençal villages, and lunch in charming town squares where we could watch local life unfold around us. The corniche roads that wind around the gorge offer stunning viewpoint after stunning viewpoint—each corner revealing another dramatic vista.
We’re not sure the photos will do the scenery justice, but we certainly tried! There’s something about the combination of that vivid turquoise water against the white limestone cliffs and the deep blue Provençal sky that cameras struggle to capture. You really need to see it in person to appreciate the scale and beauty of this natural wonder.
Day 7: Alpine Passes – Col de la Bonette and Into Italy
Our ride today took us due north through the Mercantour National Park with a multitude of passes to navigate. This was proper Alpine territory—high mountains, dramatic landscapes, and endless hairpin bends. We headed toward the legendary Col de la Bonette, stopping at Le Camp des Fourches, a disused military base that sits high in these mountains.
Standing at this remote outpost, it must have been a very bleak place to be stationed during winter—exposed to harsh Alpine weather and completely isolated from civilization. The abandoned buildings serve as a stark reminder of the harsh conditions soldiers endured here. Onwards to the summit of Col de la Bonette, where photos were taken at one of Europe’s highest road passes, then it was off to our next pass of the day—Col du Vars.
We’re not sure how many hairpins you can fit into one day, but we managed quite a few! The Alpine passes in this region are engineering marvels, with beautifully crafted corners that seem designed specifically for motorcycles. Our hotel for the evening was in an Italian ski resort, so of course, it was off for pizza for dinner. Would be rude not to, being in Italy! More passes tomorrow, including the highest paved road in Europe!
Day 8: Col de l’Iseran – Europe’s Highest Pass
Another day of riding some fabulous Alpine passes awaited us as we left Italy and crossed back into France. The highlight of the day—and perhaps of the entire tour—was Col de l’Iseran, the highest paved pass in Europe at 2,764 meters (9,068 feet) above sea level. The road climbs dramatically through multiple hairpins, with the landscape becoming increasingly barren and dramatic as you approach the summit.
Standing at the top, surrounded by peaks and glaciers, with nothing but clear mountain air and spectacular 360-degree views, is an unforgettable experience. It’s one of those moments where you realize just how fortunate we are to be able to ride motorcycles through such incredible landscapes. The temperature at the summit was decidedly cool—quite a contrast to what awaited us lower down!
Heading away from the cool temperatures of the high Alps, we made our way back past Lake Annecy, where we stopped for delicious ice cream by the lakeside. The lake’s stunning turquoise waters and mountain backdrop provided the perfect setting for our afternoon break. Ice creams finished, it was time to move on toward our hotel for the evening. A lovely meal in a local brasserie rounded off a brilliant day of riding and spectacular scenery—one of those perfect motorcycling days that stays with you forever.
Day 9: Northward Bound – The Never-Ending French Countryside
Much checking of weather apps this morning after heavy rain overnight, but in the end, the weather gods were kind to us as we headed further north through the never-ending French countryside. One of the great pleasures of touring France is these long days on quiet D-roads, where you can settle into a perfect rhythm of riding.
Sweeping bend after sweeping bend on D-road after D-road—it definitely met with everyone’s approval, judging by the smiles at our various stops during the day! There’s something hypnotic about these roads: smooth tarmac, gentle curves that flow naturally with the landscape, picturesque villages every few kilometers, and barely another vehicle in sight. It’s touring perfection.
We made our way onwards to our last hotel on tour in the lovely town of Châlons-en-Champagne. A great evening ensued with, not surprisingly, the topic of discussion being which were the best roads, best scenery, and which Columbus tour to pick next. These post-tour conversations are always special—everyone sharing their favorite moments and already planning the next adventure. Tomorrow, the Channel Tunnel beckons, but tonight we enjoyed our final evening together as a group.
Day 10: Final Ride – Reims-Gueux and Home
Our last ride on our last tour for 2024 took us to Le Shuttle via the Reims-Gueux Circuit for a traditional photo stop. This historic street circuit, which hosted the French Grand Prix from 1926 to 1966, provided a fitting bookend to our journey—motorsport heritage reminding us of the passion we all share for two wheels and the open road.
A smooth run up to the tunnel followed, and despite being told at check-in there were delays of up to an hour and a half, we caught an earlier than booked train! Sometimes the travel gods smile upon us. As we loaded the bikes aboard and the French countryside disappeared behind us, there was that familiar mix of satisfaction and slight sadness that accompanies the end of any great tour.
Another brilliant tour came to a close, as did the 2024 season for Columbus Motorcycle Tours. What an excellent year it had been—fantastic groups on every tour from all walks of life, all with a common love of motorbikes and getting out there and using them. From the legendary Route Napoléon to the dramatic Comb Laval, from the stunning Gorge du Verdon to Europe’s highest pass, we’d experienced the very best of French motorcycling.
Thanks to everyone who came along—it’s been an absolute pleasure to meet you and, of course, to guide for you. Hope to see as many of you as possible again next year, and keep an eye out for some new tours we’re finalizing for 2025!
Interested in joining us on a future French Alps tour? Get in touch or view our upcoming guided tours.