Tour Des Alpes Francaises

The Roadster! family decide to have a holiday in the French Alps during May half-term. After weighing up whether to travel by train, plane or road, we decided that travelling by road offered the best option...

The engine hums, the morning glows—

Swapping screens for winding roads.

From island shores, through Chunnel dark,

We chase the sun with the morning lark.

Past Reims, Dijon, and fields of vine,

Where hilltops tilt and sunflowers shine.

At Aires we stop for rest and open air,

Breaking bread, moments shared.

The autoroutes sweep, fast, powerful streaks

Bear us towards the distant peaks

Through tunnels carved, across viaducts wide,

We gasp, we grin, as mountains glide.

Lake Annecy holds our spellbound gaze,

Its shimmering waters, a golden haze.

No screen can capture this alpine view,

No app can taste the morning dew.

A brother points, a sister grins,

A story stirs, a song begins.

We share the view, the jokes, the seat,

On mountain roads in the summer heat.

We chase the clouds, the gentle breeze,

Past silver falls and rows of trees.

The road bends high through pastures green, 

Cowbells chime through a wildflower sheen 

At Col du Marais, where silence flies,

And eagles carve the cobalt skies.

Then Glières—untamed, a breathless rise,

Where gravel speaks and history lies.

We pause for crêpes, for genepi ice cream,

For cheese that melts into a dream.

For flea markets, and for a myrtle tart—

A feast of France, the beating heart.

These gifts the open road provides,

A cure no doctor can prescribe.

Not apps or games, but hills we climb—

Pure magic made in precious time.

So look up, kids! The world's outside!

A widescreen epic, stretching wide.

Then—just for those who truly see:

"La vraie splendeur de la vie."

FOUR ROADS: Roadster! drives a Haute-Savoie Grand Slam!

Over the course of one unforgettable family road trip, we tackled four of Haute-Savoie’s most iconic driving routes. Each road delivered a different flavour of the Alps—some serene, some wild, all deeply memorable.

Stage 1: A40 – The Gateway 

to the Alps

Nickname: L’Autoroute Blanche

Vibe: Fast, bold, dramatic!

Best For: Access to the mountains 

with scenery that makes your jaw drop!

The Autoroute signs were telling us we were 

nearing our destination. We were on France’s so-called “White Motorway”, travelling along a stretch called “Autoroute des Titans”. 

We were about to discover why…

A lengthy tunnel cut through the Jura Mountains before emerging onto the dramatic Viaduc de Nantua - a  sweeping 86 metre high motorway carrying viaduct, passing through mountainsides, and by sleeping villages and peaceful lakes. We knew we were somewhere special, with every curve feeling like the opening widescreen shot of a spy thriller. We stopped at the “Aire de Ceignes Cerdon”, just to catch our breath!

Highlights:

• The three lengthy tunnels with engine roaring! 

• Emerging onto the Viaduc de Nantua - just WOW! So cinematic!

• The surreal moment when the Alps reveal themselves all at once

Stage 2: D909A –

Annecy’s East Shore

Nickname: The Lakeside Drift

Vibe: Serene, shimmering, and a little bit sporty

Best For: Coasting with the windows down and the water in arm’s reach

Our holiday destination. The D909A is the quieter side of Lake Annecy, the road wrapping the eastern edge of the lake like a grey ribbon. This is one of the most picturesque drives in Europe, and it’s not even trying. The road threads its way through postcard villages, with the lake by your side.The light here does something magical. Time slows. We drink in the views. No matter which way you look there is beauty. Look up - paragliders catch the thermals. Our favourite place to enter the water was here, a small stretch of grass and layby near the village of Balmettes.

Highlights:

• “There’s the lake!”

• Lakeside pizza in Angon. A very romantic setting.

• Coasting downhill before taking in the lake’s beauty.  in neutral, engine off, soaking up the silence

Stage 3: D12 – Faverges to Thônes

Nickname: The Cheese Trail

Vibe: Rustic, restful, and steeped in tradition

Best For: Meandering through meadows, cowbell soundtracks included

Starting in Faverges-Seythenex and winding north to Thônes, this road climbs gently through forested slopes and sleepy hamlets. The high point is Col du Marais at 843m, hairpin bends and broad alpine views. It’s not a flashy road, but is certainly dramatic in places!

Highlights:

• Beautiful towns with bakeries, balconies, and charm

• Waterfalls and dramatic woodland

• Watching the cyclists battle uphill

Stage 4: D55 – Route de Glières

Nickname: The Resistance Road

Vibe: Remote, rugged, and rebellious

Best For: A drive with guts, grip, and respect for history

We were looking for one of those dramatic hairpin mountain roads that cling to the mountainside. We found one.

The D55 is not for the faint-hearted. Climbing to the Col des Glières at 1,440m, this route mixes 12 hairpin turns with steep climbs and unguarded drop-offs. It’s a fun, but slow drive!

The reward at the top is the Glières Pass. A vast, flat valley at an ear-popping altitude of 1400-1500 metres. A huge Alpine pasture with cows grazing, cow bells ringing, conifer trees, farms, chalets and gîtes.

The plateau was a site of fierce fighting during World War II, between the French resistance, and the  German Army, and a vast monument would dominate the landscape were it not for the dramatic scenery of the surrounding mountains. 

Highlights:

• The amazing 12 tight hairpin road.

• The beautiful landscape of the Glières Pass.

• The monument: solemn yet defiant

Sam’s Rear View Mirror

Sam reflects on his French Alps adventure…

Well, that was EPIC!

It was a lot of fun and the scenery was absolutely amazing, with some of the best views I’ve ever seen. I’ve never seen mountains like that in real life! And the food! I LOVE French crepes!

The road trip was good. Although it was a long way, the car handled the trip without any problems (we broke down on holiday once before and I always worry it will happen again!). 

The French roads were nice and smooth, but even amazing roads can’t make really long drives feel short. Breaking up the journey is a must—it keeps everyone sane and safe. 

My only gripe with the Duster is that is became a bit of a uncomfortable after a while… My sister really needed more leg room, and we were short on cup holders, charging ports, and decent air flow in the back. If you’re going long-distance, the back seat need to work harder!

My favourite parts of the holiday…

• Crepes

• Ice cream

• Macarons!

• The campsite swimming pool!

• Swimming in the lake

• Feeling that mountain air on my face!