A two-day loop to the sunny Champsaur: up the Route Napoléon (La Mure, the Bonne viaduct, Col du Festre) and an overnight at our partner Camping des Six Stations; back via Gap and the Col de la Croix Haute through the Trièves. Not a single road ridden twice.
Base map © IGN · Géoplateforme. Indicative route — check that the passes are open before you set off.
Eleven stops scouted along the 365 km, from the Route Napoléon to the Champsaur pastures.
From Grenoble to Corps the route follows the N85, the Isère section of the road taken by Napoleon in March 1815. You cross the Matheysine plateau and La Mure, then the Bonne viaduct, which spans the valley in a single sweep before the descent to Lake Sautet.
After Corps the route leaves the main road to cross the Dévoluy, a limestone massif with the feel of a high-altitude desert, and climbs the Col du Festre at 1,441 m. You then tip over into the Champsaur: broad meadows, stone villages and a level of sunshine that has nothing to do with the northern side of the Alps. A first taste of the south, two and a half hours from Grenoble.
Day two climbs to Orcières-Merlette, the resort at the head of the valley where the road reaches more than 1,700 m, the highest point of the trip. It then crosses the Col de Manse (1,270 m) to drop down to Gap. This pass is a Tour de France regular, known for its fast descent and open views over the Gap basin.
The night is spent at the Camping des Six Stations in Saint-Jean-Saint-Nicolas, our partner stop in the heart of the valley. The return climbs back through Gap, the Col de la Croix Haute (1,176 m) and the Trièves, without ever repeating the outward road.
About 150 km by the Route Napoléon, just under three hours at a relaxed pace. It is the sunniest valley reachable from Grenoble without crossing a high-altitude pass.
Yes. The roads are wide, flowing and present no particular technical difficulty. It makes an excellent first two-day road trip.
No. The night is booked directly with the Camping des Six Stations in Saint-Jean-Saint-Nicolas, our partner stop. The motorbike and the accommodation are two separate bookings.
Yes, it is one of our longest rideable itineraries. The high point stays below 1,500 m, so the loop is often open from April through to November, weather permitting.
Our Triumph and BMW bikes (A2 and A licence) are prepped, insured and serviced. Book online, self-service pick-up 24/7 in Grenoble.
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