Route des Grandes Alpes (1 Viewer)

[petertee]

Musing about a May/June trip to S France and remembering a trip down to the Med which I did in 1963 . We went down the Route Napoleon from Grenoble via Grasse to the Riviera and returned via Switzerland (and eventually Paris) up the Route des Grandes Alpes over passes such as Col de Cayolle, de Vars, Galibier, Iseran etc all well over 2000m.
My question is what experience advice does anyone have on taking a MH over these passes?

Cheers

Peter

 

[MrJinks]

I have done both of these routes but only in car.

So long as your motorhome is healthy :thumb: and you don't go any earlier than May, I would have thought you should not have any problems so long as you take your time and don't look down

I have read of others who have traversed the Route by motorhome


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[petertee]

Hi Jinks?

Thanks for your reply and the link to previous posts.

Peter

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[allie sommerville]

Musing about a May/June trip to S France and remembering a trip down to the Med which I did in 1963 . We went down the Route Napoleon from Grenoble via Grasse to the Riviera and returned via Switzerland (and eventually Paris) up the Route des Grandes Alpes over passes such as Col de Cayolle, de Vars, Galibier, Iseran etc all well over 2000m.
My question is what experience advice does anyone have on taking a MH over these passes?

Cheers

Peter

Yes - we drove the Route Napoleon in our van - spectacular! Stayed on the Camping Cordelia as I recall.

We 'did' the Grand St Bernard Pass in early June and lost our brakes ... and also had black smoke pouring from the exhaust - apart from that - fantastic!

 

[cronkle]

Musing about a May/June trip to S France and remembering a trip down to the Med which I did in 1963 . We went down the Route Napoleon from Grenoble via Grasse to the Riviera and returned via Switzerland (and eventually Paris) up the Route des Grandes Alpes over passes such as Col de Cayolle, de Vars, Galibier, Iseran etc all well over 2000m.
My question is what experience advice does anyone have on taking a MH over these passes?

Cheers

Peter

We did a lot of the route that you are talking about last year in late June. Galibier and Iseran are spectacular and as has been said, is easy for a healthy motorhome. The temperatures were sub-zero on Galibier but the views made it worth it. Iseran is higher, warmer when we were there and much easier to park at the top.

The Route Napoleon is, to my mind, at its best just to the north of Grasse. We found plenty of lat-bys to stop in to take pictures of the stunning scenery.

I think you have chosen a good route for motorhoming.

Have fun.

 

[froghopper]

advice

hi there, have done it with a d reg talbot tallisman, and a 1900 boxer diesel starfire, both in late may, a tip some ne gave me was take a short piece of wire, about 8 inches, put a terminal on each end, at the bottom jump the switch on the fans, have them blowing constant, remember to remove, went over grand massiff last june, oh yes with 125 bike on rack, no problem with over heating, of course, on its own fans cut in when hot, before it cools, gets even hotter, this way starts cool ,, stays cool,, never go without wire, even loaned it to fellow camper on st gottengurg route,, travel well, remember any road is a good road if it goes somewhere :thumb::thumb:

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[warwick]

We have done quite a few passes over the years Route Napoleon is fairly tame, in general just check the road width, gradients (C.Club Caravan Europe Vol 1 for France) There are a couple of passes restricted to 3.5T and some with low tunnels studying Michelin Maps is worthwhile. We`ve never had a problem other than one attempt to cook the brakes by going too fast in too high a gear. I now engage a very low gear and take my time!

 

[allie sommerville]

We have done quite a few passes over the years Route Napoleon is fairly tame, in general just check the road width, gradients (C.Club Caravan Europe Vol 1 for France) There are a couple of passes restricted to 3.5T and some with low tunnels studying Michelin Maps is worthwhile. We`ve never had a problem other than one attempt to cook the brakes by going too fast in too high a gear. I now engage a very low gear and take my time!

That's what we did on the Grand St. Bernard, but it b******d the diesel filter because of the high altitude!