From the Italian Alps to Paris | Road Trip Through Hidden France
We are Marion and Duke, boomers without borders. We just finished the Italian portion of our 9-week European trip. In this video, we will travel from Italy across France to Paris. We will stay in San Martin Vubi and explore a bit of Merur National Park. Then we’ll spend two days driving to Leon where we will turn in our rental car and take the train to Paris. We left the Pedmont of Italy this morning and we’re driving uh drove back into France. Now we’re driving north into the French Alps. Don’t know how much hiking we’ll be doing with this rain though. [Music] It’s raining so this will be quick. But um this is the Ruda Vubi. You see a path going up there. Look how look at these canyons. [Music] We’re out of the canyon. Stopped to check out a bulerie. But, uh, look how the river goes down and through there. [Music] We’re at Pure Montana Resort and Spa in San Martin, Vubi. This is the bathroom and this is our room. It’s quite lovely. We’re two nights here, so it’s nice to have some space and greenery out here. I think the weather is going to be better tomorrow, although it’s still very, very pretty. Very happy. Very nice. [Music] Bonjour. Bonjour. It’s uh Monday morning. We’re in the French Alps in the town of San Martin Vesui. Vesubi. Um, it’s on the Vubi River. We’re going to be here two nights. So, we’re out to find breakfast this morning. Not sure what we’re going to do today, but right now at least, the sun is shining and life is good. Very good. And we’re lucky. We’re very lucky. San Martin Vubi, where we are staying in France’s Alpa Martin, had devastating floods in October of 2020. The Vubi River was a few meters wide when we saw it, but during the flood, it was 180 m wide. The pictures of the devastation that you can see online are amazing. Today, we drove along the river up into the Merant National Park to do a hike. Every bridge had either been replaced or was being replaced. It’s raining, but we decided to hike a little bit. Anyway, I think it’s a caval loop, but we’re probably only going to do part of it. We were just discussing where trail goes. I suspect it goes up kind of up that uh valley over there. We come up quite a bit. [Music] [Music] So, we’re down the steep, difficult part about a mile. Very steep with lots of rocky steps, but I’m glad we went down that way instead of up. We’re almost back down to the road. I think the last mile or so is going to be on the road. Okay, now we have almost a mile of road walking going uphill. You ready for uphill? Yeah, it’s not steep. Well, didn’t seem all that steep in the car, but it never does. [Music] [Music] Good morning. It’s Tuesday morning. We’re getting ready to leave S Martin Vubi. Uh it’s a beautiful morning. Uh today we’re driving halfway to Leon to a little place out in the country and then tomorrow we drive to Leon and take the train to Paris. You can even see the snow up in the mountains there. [Music] So, we’re driving back south towards the coast along the Vubi River cuz that’s what you have to do to go back up north towards Paris. And this is where they all had all the flooding in 2020. You can see the river isn’t all that wide here. But I read that what was it? It went to 200 m wide at the worst of the storm. Wiped out a lot of bridges. This one looks new. That one looks maybe like it survived. [Music] We’ve come out of the Vasubi River Canyon and turned west. Now we’re in the Var River Canyon. It’s quite impressive. This is actually a four-lane road. The other the lanes going the other way are in a tunnel going through the rock there. [Music] We are in the country outside the little town of Bevon. This is a ge called Mas Tulit dewah. Just lovely. I think we’re the only ones here tonight. That’s our room right here with the flowers on on the table in front of it. Looks like it’s going to rain in a bit. We heard thunder a while ago. That must be to keep Oh, to keep the chickens in. There’s a chicken there. Oh, this is the chicken coop. [Music] So the black corgi knows The Duke will throw the ball, but the brown and white one is not interested in letting the black one bring it to him. Well, the brown and white one will give it to you happily. Just the black and white one is not allowed to take it for the brown and white one. You safe? Yes. Oh, they’re both happy now. Well, maybe not. No, he’s not sharing it. So, here’s our room at last tulip. It’s very very nice. [Music] Good morning. It’s just a beautiful day here in Provence. Uh at we’re at Mas Tulip. I wish we could stay here longer, but we have a train to catch in Leon today and then turn in the rental car, catch the train and to Paris and we’ll be in Paris tonight. So like to come back here sometime. Just this lovely place. You can even see the swimming pool in the background there a little bit. Ready to go, dear? Almost forgotten what we did yesterday. Well, I still have to pack up the charging station. [Music] So, we got the car turned in, found the return place without only going around the block a couple times, once maybe. It’s very confusing. And there was a street closed. Yeah. That Google Maps wanted us to go on, but we made it. But we made it. So, we’re on the platform waiting for the train to Paris. What uh what did you think of the car? I remember it was really nice. It was a what do you call it? Renault. Renault. Clean. Yeah. Yeah. It was really uh it was good at everything, you know. Had a lot of features, good mileage, efficiency. Uh, you know, handled well. Cool. I was happy with it. There’s our train pulling in about half an hour late so far. [Music] We’re in car number 11. Actually, that wasn’t our train. The first half of our train pulled in, but the second half that we’re all waiting for is still coming. It was kind of comical that we, you know, they have electronic signs that tell you where to stand on the platform for your car. So, we were down here and then they made an announcement that for configuration reasons they had changed it and everybody here walked down to the other end of the platform and everybody in the other pl end of the platform walked up here and then 10 minutes later they announced that they’ve gone back to the original configuration and everybody switched places again. So, as I say, it was kind of comical. So, here it comes down. I think this time it is our train. See, we’re sitting right behind each other, right across from the handicap seating. [Music]
Join us on a stunning road trip from the Italian Alps across France to Paris—through canyons, villages, and one unforgettable hike in Mercantour National Park
We’re Marion and Duke, Boomers without Borders, and in this video we leave Italy behind and cross into France on a spectacular mountain route. We follow the winding Vésubie River to the charming village of Saint Martin Vésubie, where we stay at the beautiful Pure Montagne Resort & Spa and enjoy a gourmet dinner at Restaurant La Treille.
Then it’s into Mercantour National Park for a rainy but gorgeous hike on the Cavalet Loop. From there, we drive through Provence, visit Roquebillière, and overnight at a wonderful gite, Mas Tulipe de Soie near Bevons. After a delicious dinner in Sisteron, we head to Lyon, return our rental car, and board a high-speed train to Paris.
📍 Stops include:
Saint Martin Vésubie (Alpes-Maritimes)
Mercantour National Park
Roquebillière & the Var River Canyon
Bevons & Sisteron in Provence
Croissants in Laragne-Montéglin
Drop-off in Lyon & train to Paris
This is a road trip filled with nature, history, and a touch of luxury—don’t miss it!
📅 Filmed: May 2025
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Details of our current and previous travel and our itineraries are on my blog at: https://marionvermazen.com/our-trips/ While we are travelling I post updates every day.
If you would like to see the videos from this trip the playlist is here:
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Check out our South America 2023 videos: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOMPqRweqnMJVkH9JYO4MXxl9cOtdxNy2&si=Z5YV0oTnxH2c8d4o
Thanks for being part of our journey! 🌍✨
Chapters
00:00 – Introduction
1:30 – Saint Martin Vésubie
3:30 – Hiking in Mercantour National Park
5:50 – Driving to Bevons in Provence
7:50 – Mas Tulipe de Soie near Bevons
10:48 – Bevons to Lyon to Paris