Travel diary: the Alps in a motorhome

The Alps are an ideal destination to explore in a motorhome. The landscapes are absolutely magnificent at every turn and offer unparalleled driving pleasure. Here is an idea of ​​a three-day itinerary for setting off on the road to the Alps in a motorhome.

Day 1&2: The Haute Maurienne by motorhome

A bewitching valley, far from the main traffic routes: The Haute Maurienne has kept its formidable natural heritage intact. The edge of the Vanoise nature park is easily accessible from our agency in Lyon.

As you stroll through this superb valley, you will see the pride of the inhabitants, based on the specificity of living in Haute Maurienne. This is something you will quickly understand when you discover its bewitching landscapes. As you follow the course of the Arc, a river born of the mountains, you gradually gain height, Modane being situated at an altitude of 1,000 m and Bonneval-sur-Arc, at the bottom of the valley, at 1,800 m. From this central axis that is the river, many beautiful escapes offer themselves to you, in the direction of the passes or the Vanoise Park. Created in 1968, this immense protected area, located between the Haute Maurienne and Tarentaise valleys (to the north) is a great playground for hikers, cyclists and lovers of wildlife.

 

 

Nearby, the pleasant village of Aussois seduces for its shops, its hiking and mountain bike trails, and in winter its magnificent ski area. A pretty winding road, crossing the Cembro pine woods, leads you to a geological curiosity of the first order: the monolith of Sardières, an astonishing point of limestone rock, 93 m high. 

Local specialities await you in Bessans, famous for its sewn ham. The town is also famous for its devils. After Bessans, the valley becomes narrower and wilder. One is won over by an impression of being at the end of the world. Here you are at the bottom of the valley, with the only escape route being the road that climbs up to the Col de l'Iseran, which at 2,770 m is the highest in Europe. Closed in winter, it leads to the Tarentaise, Val d'Isère and Moutiers.

Day 3: Briançon and its Ecrins national park

 

Start your motorhome trip in the Hautes-Alpes department in Briançon, one of the highest towns in Europe. With 300 days of sunshine a year and its privileged location in the middle of the high mountains, Briançon is a place where life is good. Before hitting the road, start by visiting its upper town, whose fortifications erected by Vauban are listed as World Heritage by UNESCO. Then, head for the hinterland, in the Briançonnais, to get lost in the Ecrins National Park. When the vast meadows surrounding the Col de Lautaret are in bloom, the landscape is magical. Get up close to the glaciers by taking the Crevasses trail from the pass towards the Alpe du Villar d´Arène.

At the end of the day, you can park your motorhome in Briançon itself or in Cervières, on a homestay campsite referenced by the Homecamper site.

Day 4: Queyras and its regional natural park

 

Continue to explore the Hautes-Alpes in a motorhome by exploring the Queyras region. In the fall, it takes on the air of Canada with its large lakes, glowing vegetation and snow-capped mountains in the background. In the regional natural park of Queyras, many activities await you: hiking on the GR 58 trails or up to the summits, mountain biking, rafting, horse riding, visit to a cheese factory or a goat farm ... the whole family is welcome. !

The Queyras includes eight villages, so the very charming Ceillac with its small alleys. So make a stop in this small town to get to know its historical and cultural heritage. End your journey in the Queyras in a motorhome with a visit to Saint-Véran, and in particular to its observatory: on summer nights, the sky is clear and the opportunity to observe the stars is unique.

Moreover, to spend the night, the Homecamper site suggests that you park your motorhome on a camping area with the locals located in Réotier, very close to Ceillac. Something to sleep in peace.

Day 5: Serre-Ponçon and its lake

 

End our road-trip in a motorhome in the Alps in the heart of the Southern Alps at Serre-Ponçon, a destination designated for all water sports and swimming enthusiasts. Its advantages ? Its lake with its equipped beaches, its small secret coves and its 80 km of shores bordered by the mountains. This region of the Alps provides a feeling of total escape and freedom: forests of larches and fir trees, clean air, breathtaking views of the mountains are on the program.

Every year around June, a myriad of more or less sporty leisure activities are also to be discovered around the 9 beaches labeled "blue flag" of Serre-Ponçon: kite-surfing, canoeing, rowing, stand-up paddle, jet ski, windsurfing ... all in an exotic and unspoiled setting. The Alps are also famous for their white water sports such as rafting, kayaking and hydrospeed. Serre-Ponçon is also an ideal base camp for practicing these activities, thanks to the quality of the rapids of its two rivers. Thus, the more experienced or daring will jump into the Ubaye and its 52 km route, while beginners (or the more careful!) Will rather choose the progressive route of the Durance.

Do you want to extend your motorhome road trip in the Alps? We understand you! Head towards Gap, located at the foot of the Hautes-Alpes. Park your motorhome at the entrance to the city and stroll through its maze of alleys before arriving at Place Jean-Marcellin. Look up and admire the pink and ocher facades, smell the perfumes of the market on Saturday morning… another little corner of paradise where life is good!

To park your motorhome, nothing could be simpler: the Homecamper site indicates two pitches with locals in Gap.