Route Napoléon: Cannes to Grenoble
The road Napoleon took from exile back to Paris, now a 325 km drive through pre-Alps
- Distance
- 202 mi
- 325 km
- Driving
- 5 hr 42 min
- excl. stops
- Suggested
- 3 days
- balanced split
- Stops
- 7
- curated
Distance and driving time are measured along the mapped route through the 7 stops listed below. Officially signed versions of famous routes often quote a longer figure, since they include promoted detours this line doesn't take.
Opens the planner with every stop loaded. Free, no card needed.
Day by day
Distances are measured along the actual road geometry, not straight-line. Drive times exclude stops, traffic and ferry waits.
Before you go
Best time to drive it
April to June, or September to October
Shoulder season. Warm enough to enjoy, and you avoid both the August heat and the worst of the coastal traffic.
Indicative costs
- Fuel (40 mpg petrol)€42
- Tolls€21
Tolls assume ~65% of the distance on tolled road. Fuel prices move constantly: treat these as a range, not a quote.
Driving rules
Emission zones, mandatory equipment and licence requirements change country by country, and in 2026 several of them changed mid-year.
Driving in FranceEvery stop on the Route Napoléon: Cannes to Grenoble
- 1Cannes
- 2Grasse
- 3Castellane
- 4Digne-les-Bains
- 5Sisteron
- 6Gap
- 7Grenoble
Worth a detour
Curated places within 25 km of the road.
Promenade des Anglais
landmarkNice's iconic palm-lined seafront boulevard stretching along the sweeping curve of the Baie des Anges.
La Croisette, Cannes
landmarkThe glamorous seaside boulevard famous for the Cannes Film Festival and its luxurious beachfront setting.
Antibes Old Town
landmarkA charming walled coastal town with a Picasso museum, vibrant Provencal market, and yacht-filled Port Vauban.
Route Napoléon
historic highwayHistoric route following Napoleon's 1815 march from Golfe-Juan to Grenoble
Col de Vence
mountain passA popular road above the French Riviera offering twisting climbs through Provençal landscapes with views stretching from the Alps to the Mediterranean Sea.
Gorges du Verdon
natural wonderEurope's deepest canyon, a 25-kilometer gash of turquoise waters flanked by 700-meter limestone cliffs in Haute-Provence.
Lavender Fields of Valensole
scenic viewpointVast purple lavender plateaus that bloom spectacularly from mid-June to mid-August across the Valensole plain.
Corniche de l'Esterel
coastal driveA spectacular coastal road winding through the red porphyry rocks of the Esterel massif between Cannes and Frejus.
Cafe de la Rencontre
cafeA historic cafe on the Route Napoleon near Laffrey where Napoleon famously confronted royalist troops in 1815, on one of France's most scenic driving routes.
Gorges du Verdon Viewpoint
scenic viewpointEurope's deepest canyon with 700-metre limestone walls and turquoise water, viewed from multiple pull-offs along the Route des Cretes.
Route des Crêtes du Verdon
famous roadA one-way clifftop loop above the Verdon canyon with a string of giddy belvederes over the abyss.
Lac de Sainte-Croix
natural wonderA vivid turquoise reservoir at the mouth of the Verdon gorge, perfect for pedal-boats and a swim.
Common questions about the Route Napoléon: Cannes to Grenoble
How long does the Route Napoléon: Cannes to Grenoble take?
The driving itself is about 5 hr 42 min across 202 miles (325 km). Most people spread it over 3 days: the day-by-day breakdown on this page splits it into balanced stretches rather than equal ones, so no single day is all driving.
How many miles is the Route Napoléon: Cannes to Grenoble?
202 miles, or 325 km, measured along the actual road rather than straight-line between towns.
When is the best time to drive the Route Napoléon: Cannes to Grenoble?
April to June, or September to October. Shoulder season. Warm enough to enjoy, and you avoid both the August heat and the worst of the coastal traffic.
What does the Route Napoléon: Cannes to Grenoble cost in fuel?
Roughly €42 in fuel for a petrol car averaging 40 mpg, plus about €21 in tolls. Indicative only: fuel prices move.
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