Exploring The French Alps in a Campervan! I DID NOT EXPECT THIS | Road Trip France

Exploring The French Alps in a Campervan! I DID NOT EXPECT THIS | Road Trip France

Have you ever wondered why France is always mentioned as the best road trip destination in Europe? Well, I’ve visited multiple times and spent 5 weeks exploring in my camper van to understand exactly why. In this four-part series, I’m going to reveal all. So, if you’re thinking of coming to France in your camper van, your motor home, or maybe even your car, I’m here to share with you some of France’s very best locations, which will hopefully inspire and help you plan the road trip of a lifetime here in France. Let’s get into it. In episode 2, I leave Anie, head to the jaw-dropping resort of Shaman before exploring more of the Alps in Gobble, followed by Branson and some huge mountain passes until I reached the French Riviera right on the border with Italy. Hello and welcome back to part two of this French video. Now, we’re currently at a place called Lab Balcon Dulac, which is a restaurant that overlooks Anie. And the drive up here was a bit hairy. I’m going to be honest. You be able to see over there, I’ve got the engine lifted on the van uh just to make sure that it can cool down because it was getting pretty hot trying to come up these steep hair pin bends. You got a large vehicle, a large motor home, you might want to avoid this place. But the views on the way up and the views now are here are just absolutely spectacular. Just ridiculous. So the plan is we’re heading to Shamani and you would have seen at the end of the last video there’s potentially an avalanche warning. I’m not really sure what’s going to happen there. Obviously, we’re not high enough that there’s snow here. So, it’s hard to picture there’s going to be an avalanche in Shamine. Obviously, we’re going to be going a bit higher than here. For now, we’re just going to take in the views, have a quick drink here before we head up to Shaman. But, yeah, if you do have the opportunity to come this place in Anie, then definitely do. Look at this. Get this sweeping view right across the lake right down to Anie town itself. People paragliding here as well. Just magnificent. So, we stopped for a quick beer and a bowl of chips. One thing I will say, if you’re looking to eat here and you want the sort of front row view with the table overlooking the lake, you need to book ahead cuz it’s obviously a popular place. So, definitely do that. Now, what’s quite hilarious is we’ve come back to the van and parking is at a premium here. Everyone’s after parking and Jazz didn’t bother going for a week in the restaurant. I don’t know why. So, she’s gone in the back of the camper van and there’s a family here who were waiting on our parking space. So, uh yeah, no pressure in the back there, Jazz. [Music] So, I’ve briefly pulled over. We’re about 20 minutes from Shaman and like an absolute idiot, I’ve had avoid motorways on uh Google Maps. So, we’ve been taking these nice scenic routes, but to the detriment of almost killing the van. Um anyway, we’ve somehow managed to find ourselves in Switzerland now. Uh which isn’t a problem cuz we’re heading back into France now. But we’re kind of at the base of this valley and we’re just surrounded by these jagged peaks, snow covered peaks. And just over to the right, I can see the Mont Blanc Massive, which is the group of mountains that uh are in and around Mont Blanc itself. And it looks gigantic. It looks so bloody huge from down here. Obviously, it’s Europe’s highest mountain, so you would expect it to look pretty big. But down in this valley here, it looks huge. Anyway, 20 minutes and we’ll be there. [Music] Shaman is one of France’s most famous ski resorts. We visited just at the end of the season, and with no prior skiing experience, we thought we’d beg of the slopes a miss and just check out everything else the town had to offer. So, we’re indulging in the local delicacies. Absolutely not. We’re having tacos, but they’re delicious. Fish tacos. We’ve just parked up ready to go to the spa, which is just down the road, a 10-minute walk from this little parker. Now, one of the unusual rules here in France for men in particular, is going into a swimming pool bathing, you need to wear basically tight fitted bougie smugglers, uh, speedos. Now, I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to get away with this because it’s a spa. It’s not so much a swimming pool, but I don’t know. So, I brought my speedos with me. I’m hoping I don’t have to wear them. Now, to be fair, I’ve got these like short versions, so it’s not like your David Hasselhoff Baywatch proper tight. Yeah, you know what I’m trying to get at. Won’t be that. That’d be a horrific site. But just to let you know, guys, if you are coming to France, bear that in mind. If you’re planning on going swimming, you’ll need some tight fitting shorts or speedos. Let’s go and find out. So lucky for all the viewers out there, I didn’t have to wear my speedos. Now the QC term spa offers a nice relaxing experience with epic views up to the mountains, some free nibbles, a couple of glasses of fizzy wine, and it cost €7 per person. It can get a little overcrowded here. Just bear that in mind. After our relaxing evening at the spa, we slept like a baby and woke up the following morning excited to ride on the Aguil Dumidi cable car, the highest in France, which would take us up 3,842 m. From the top of the mountain, there are various viewing points where on a clear day, you can get incredible views of Mont Blanc. [Music] So, annoyingly enough, my microphone hasn’t been working. Anyway, we’ve stopped at sort of the halfway point, which I think is 2,317 m, and there’s actually a bar here. Um, continuing the theme of this trip where we’ve just been pretty much drinking our way through France. We’re doing exactly the same here and we have Una Croninburg. I was just saying on that clip where the microphone wasn’t working a few weeks ago. I was in England’s highest pub drinking a pint. Now I’m at a bar that’s I don’t know. I don’t think there’d be many higher in the world. I would hazard a guess. So uh yeah. Cheers. Not a bad view to enjoy this beer with. I’ll be honest. destroyed it. So, we’ve just got back. We’re on flat ground now. Is that even a saying? I don’t know. Uh, but our experience up the mountain was absolutely fantastic. It cost us €60 each for the ticket to get up there. Spent about 2 and 1/2 hours up there. It was definitely cold, so if you’re going to come, bring some outdoor stuff. Bring walking boots and not trainers like we did. Um, you’ll be able to walk a bit on the snow and do all that stuff if you want to. But, yeah, definitely one of the highlights of the trip so far. And if you want to get them magnificent views of Agriel Demidi, some of the Mont Blanc massive, you can even see Mont Blanc when it’s clear. Um, yeah, an experience that’s going to last for quite a long time. Um, one I would highly recommend. Now, we’re going to head back to the van and I think we’re going to head to Geneva, which is obviously Switzerland, not France. We’re going to head there for the rest of the day because Jazz is catching a flight home tomorrow, which is going to be sad. Uh, she’s sad to leave me and Jen behind. It’s going to be pretty sad to continue the trip without her. Um, but yeah, that’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to head into Switzerland for the day. If you are in this region, I know this is a video about France, but it’s so easy to get to Italy. It’s so easy to get to Switzerland from here. Um, so yeah, we’re going to go and spend the rest of the day in Geneva. And then tomorrow, once Jazz has said goodbye, me and J are going to continue the trip heading further south towards the Mediterranean coast. Uh, I don’t know how far we’re going to get, but yeah, we’ll continue. So, after a short 1-hour drive from Shaman, we’re now in Geneva. We’ve managed to park up in the old town. Parking is a bit of a problem. So, if you’re in a larger camper van motor home, you might have to just keep trolling around the little streets till you find one. We’ve managed to get one on the corner, which is ideal. Now, one thing to note, if you do fancy coming to Switzerland for any period of time, you’re going to need a vignette to access the motorway system. Now, at the border from France into Switzerland, then uh there was a big QR code pretty much making you do it there and then. Now, it cost 40 Franks, which I think was about 36 37 quid. Um, and you just put in your reg plate, do it all online, and it’s done. You don’t need a certificate or anything like that. So, me, Jazz, and Jem are going to have a little walk. We’re next to this beautiful park, so we might have a walk through there. Um, but we’re going to make our way down to the lake here in Geneva. There’s obviously a giant fountain. Uh, pretty famous place. I think there’s the United Nations headquarters here. Could be wrong. Uh, we want to try and find some cheese and some chocolate. And then the rest of it, I have no idea. We spent the rest of the afternoon on a whistle stop tour of the very classy Geneva. Now, we stopped for a basic lunch costing the equivalent of a whopping 80 quid. Now, I can definitely see why it’s the world’s most expensive country. Later that evening, we enjoyed dinner at Cafe Ducalil, which I can’t recommend enough. They do an amazing cheese fondue. Definitely an acquired taste, though, and the world’s best profits. Now, before we continue the rest of the journey and head back into France, I just wanted to share some details about my new France guide book with you. So, Road Trip France contains everything you need for an unforgettable France adventure. It’s perfect for camper van, motor home, caravan, car, or even motorbike users. It has all of the vehicle requirements and legal stuff to get you into France. Plus, it’s packed full of itineraries, airs, campsites, and hotels. Each must-see location comes with a QR code and what free words reference to make navigation simple. Plus, there’s room in the back to plan your very own road trip. Now, all of my guide books are written in a downto-earth, easy to follow, and relatable style. Now, that’s a style that you guys seem to love. In fact, in May 2025, my NC500 guide book became the bestselling travel guide book anywhere in the UK. Plus, all of my guide books have received thousands of five-star reviews. Just go and take a look on my website or Amazon. So yeah, go and grab Road Trip France now by scanning the QR code on the screen or visiting my website robbbys.com where you’ll get free delivery plus free access to our France Google map. This is an exclusive if you order direct through my website. Thanks for listening. Now let’s get back into the video. Following morning, I dropped Jazz off at the atly named kiss and fly point at Geneva Airport before me and my 15-year-old colleague Jem return back to France heading in the direction of Grenobyl. Now today’s going to be of a bit of a transition day. One of them days when you’re on a longer road trip where you clean out your motor home or your camper van, you get a bit of washing done. You even take care of yourself a little bit. I’m going to try and get a haircut cuz uh as you can see, I’ve just had a shower. But yeah, it’s getting a little bit longer than I would like. But yeah, I’ve just spent the last half an hour cleaning out the van. Uh I’ve stopped at this cool little air where I’ve been able to top up my water. Uh there’s a fuel station down the way where I’ve topped up my gas, my LPG or GPL as they call it here in France. And shortly I’m going to be leaving to head into Chernobyl, which is a beautiful city located at the foot of the Alps. From there I’m going to be doing a little bit of exploring. I’m going to be picking up the pace a bit more now that Jazz is gone. Going to be less of a holiday and more of a road trip adventure going place to place to place, multiple places each day. But for now, that’s enough waffling for me. I’m going to get the van packed up. We’re going to head to Gobble and take it from there. So, after what feels like half a day of just pure faffing, I’ve actually managed to get myself booked in for a haircut in about 3 hours. So, that gives me a bit of time to play with. Now, the first thing we’re going to do here in Grenobyl, which is known by many as the capital of the Alps, um it actually hosted the Winter Olympics here. I think it was 1964. So, during the winter, it’s obviously a great access point for skiing, uh all them winter sports. And in the summer, like many of the other ski resorts and towns, a number of things you can go and do. So we’ve come on the Telefarik the cable car which is going to take us up to Fort Dubastile for on the top of the hill. It’s dog friendly so Jim’s come along for the adventure and it’s got €960 for a return lake and so far we’re only 10% of the way up and you can start to see the views really open up over the city up into the mountains. A lot of which has still got snow on the top. Um so yeah, two days and two different cable cars cuz we did one yesterday at Mont Blanc. One thing that I do find a bit sad about French culture and I guess it’s antisocial, but it’s the graffiti. Like don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to sound like a Karen here, but for example, this Fort Dubastile, it’s a ancient fort on the top of this hill. What is the need to put graffiti on it? It’s just spoils it a little bit. But yeah, I’ll stop moaning now. I’m just taking in these amazing views. [Music] So, that’s it. Me and Jimmy have spent our time here taking in the views. We had a quick ice cream, but it is an epic way to uh get these panoramic views across the place. Um, pretty big city actually. I didn’t know it was so big. But in a strange way, it also feels quite small when you compare it to the huge snowcap mountains of the Alps that kind of backdrop the city. Now, speaking of the Alps, um, so far what we’ve seen has been very limited, but it’s been incredibly beautiful and I want to continue exploring a little more of this alpine region in France. So, after my haircut, after I’ve had a little walk around the city, I’m going to start heading back out into the Alps, into the wilderness, uh, to find some beautiful alpine flower meadows, more of these vast, epic mountains, and explore a little bit more of what the French Alps has to offer. After exploring the city center, and of course enjoying my haircut, I stopped for a quick burger before heading back out on the open road in the direction of the mighty Alps. So, I’ve left Grenobyl as you can tell, got my haircut, and we’re heading to a place called Brians, and it’s going to involve some pretty tricky hair pin, tight, steep, narrow roads. But so far, I’m about 45 minutes out of Grenobyl in that direction. And as you turn every corner, the scenery just becomes more and more mind-blowing. Like, I’ve been in France now for 9, 10, 11 days, something like that. And this is easily one of the best drives I’ve done here so far. around one corner it feels like you’re in some kind of lush rainforest in the middle of Malaysia. The next you turn and you’ve got these snowcapped mountains as if you’re in Canada or somewhere. It’s just mind-blowing. We’re not going to make it all the way to Bion tonight cuz we’re losing light and I don’t want to take these dodgy hairpin bends in the dark to be honest. So, I found a park up that is yeah about 40 minutes from here. Hopefully, we’ll have enough light to get there. If I stop waffling, we will. So, yeah. So, let’s carry on with this uh beautiful drive. I don’t know what else to say about it. My my mind is absolutely blown. So, I’ve pulled over yet again and I’m a little bit gutted I’ve took this drive at this time of night. Um, and I’m just gutted that I can’t show you exactly what I’m seeing with my own two eyes. So, behind me are two of probably the largest waterfalls I’ve ever seen in my entire life. And I just lost words. I am really lost for words. So behind me, you’ve got these one there and one there. And then this way you’ve got the tallest, most picture perfect peak. Oh man, I just can’t describe this place. It’s absolutely beautiful. It could well be in the top three drives I’ve ever done anywhere in the world. I don’t know. I don’t know what beats this really. Uh, I’ve driven in Patagonia and it’s given me similar vibes and I’m I’m just shocked and I can’t wait to continue the drive tomorrow. It’s obviously getting dark now as you can tell and hopefully I can get the drone out tomorrow. There’s no good flying it now cuz you won’t really see much. If you are coming to the Alps, I definitely encourage you to do this drive. I’ll leave a link in the description to a little Google Maps and it’s of course going to be in my new Road Trip France guide book. But yeah, it’s absolutely stunning. I don’t know how many times I need to tell you but wow wow wow. There’s no videos or pictures will ever do this place justice. Uh but yeah, I’m going to continue and get parked up for the night. Amazing. So, unfortunately, it’s almost pitch black. You can barely see me. I have to say this is probably the most incredible park up I’ve ever had. It’s actually a designated air. Uh there’s nobody here. And the drive up here, it was terrifying, but it was so rewarding. And to just keep crawling back and forth on yourself on these hairpin bends just to get higher and higher and higher. There’s villages below with these beautifully lit up clock towers. It’s like something out of some kind of weird fairy tale Christmas card. Like I can’t describe this drive. I know I’ve been ranting on and ranting on, but just look at this. Look at this valley behind me. Stuff of dreams for me. This is somebody had asked me what a perfect road trip would look like. It’d probably be this. My mind’s blown. And with that, I’m going to go and get into the van, get the heating on cuz it’s a bit cooler up here. I can’t wait for sunrise to reveal, you know, exactly what is around me. Wow. Incredible. Right. Good night. Good morning. Now, the mountain you see behind me is called Me EJ E. And it’s over 3,800 meters high. Actually, what four times the size of Snowden. Now, in the summer months, you can actually get a cable car up there from I think the end of May into August. Now, at the top of there, you can actually visit a glacia. And obviously in the winter season, we’re part of a big ski resort here. So, there’s plenty of skiing. I’m in that awkward bit at the end of April where there’s not a lot going on, but I’ve got this completely magnificent uh air, this camping park completely to myself, and these views are spectacular. Waking up to that this morning was just something that I would have never expected on this France road trip. So, I’m excited. Today, we’re heading to Brians, which is the highest town in France. It’s the third highest town in Europe, actually. So, yeah, we’re going to stop waffling and we’re going to get on the road. [Music] So, I’ve made a quick pit stop. We’re going into more of a snow zone here. Obviously, we’re getting higher in altitude, and this drive is just one of them ones that keeps getting better and better and better, and I don’t know when it’s going to stop. So, I’m just appreciating every single minute of it. Uh, definitely one of the best drives I’ve ever done. We’re going to continue on to Brienson and hopefully we get more and more of this scenery because it is just absolutely sublime. Let’s get on it. So, I’ve made it to the city of Brians. I’ve been getting it wrong. It’s the highest city in France and the third highest in Europe. And just behind me is the old city walls. But yeah, we’re surrounded by huge mountains into the distance. Uh really picturesque. I’m just parked on the outskirts. So yeah, be heading up in a sec and we’ll explore more of Bon. [Music] So we’ve made it through the old fortify walls of the city. This is actually a UNESCO World Heritage listed site. I think it got added in 2008. And on the approach, it’s really given me uh the labyrinth vibes. I don’t know if you’ve watched the David Bowie film from the is it late ‘ 80s, early ’90s, but yeah, the Goblin City or whatever it’s called. It’s definitely on that kind of vibe. [Music] So, after exploring the old town here, we get back on the road. I’ve enjoyed my time here. It’s a sleepy little place at the minute. I’m sure it gets busier in the summer season. The streets are actually filled with the smell of incense sticks which quite unusual but uh yeah it’s one of them crafty almost hippie type places but with these views. Yeah, I just keep going on about them. They are so bloody good. Look at this. Anyway, back in the van. We’re now heading further south as we continue sort of on this alpine trail really. We’re going to be passing a lake shortly which I’ve been told has some pretty turquoise blue water. So yeah, let’s go and check it out. [Music] So this beautiful turquoise lake behind me is called Savins Leak. There’s also a small town which is just across the bridge here. Now, I’d presume either there’s some kind of dam system here because of how low the water is, or we’ve got a bit of a drought on our hands, and I know in the UK this year, we haven’t had much rain, so maybe it’s the same here in France. But this lake is absolutely beautiful. I’ve seen signs for a boat trip. Uh you can do kayaking on here, and I actually can’t get over the color of it. It is so turquoise blue. There’s no photo filters needed. No editing on video needed. The water is so saturated and vibrant. It’s beautiful. Absolutely stunning. So, I’ve just spent the last sort of half an hour sat on the picnic bench overlooking the lake, doing a little bit of work and sort of planning out my next move. Now, I’m really conflicted at the minute because I don’t know whether to just head straight down to the French Riviera or go via Provence, which is home to Gorge, the Verdon, the Lavender Fields, and a number of places. It would mean a little bit of back and forth. Either way, it’s not a complete perfect loop. The most sensible loop is probably going down to French Riviera, heading to Nice first. So, I’m leaning towards that way. Just speaking to a really nice uh couple from the Netherlands who’ve been traveling for the last 2 years. They’ve been here in France and in Spain. So, yeah, just imagine me on a 4-week trip trying to explore as much of France as I can. And these guys are here for 2 years. Just goes to show you how big and how vast France really is. But yeah, their advice was to follow the weather and I’ve looked at the weather for both places and it looks pretty good. So, I really don’t know what I’m going to do. predicament. So, I’ve made the decision to head to the French Riviera. So, what we’re going to do is work our way down through the Alps. We’re going to have a beautiful descent down towards Menon, which is the town closest to Italy, right on the border of France, and we’re going to follow the coast, the French Riviera, all the way probably to Sanrope and then we’re going to head north afterwards into Provence and do it that way around. So, it’s a place I’ve never been to. place that’s full of beautiful coastline, turquoise Mediterranean seas, beaches, really posh places such as can Oh, sorry. There’s a massive bird of prey down there. What is that? Apologies. I got interrupted by a bird of prey. Places such as Monaco, famous for the Grand Prix. Many films, including one of my favorite, James Bond. It’s going to be difficult to get to Monaco with a camper van. I’m not sure I can, but I’m determined to get there one way or another. So excited for this next leg of the trip. What a place. Right, I’m going to continue the drive cuz to get down to the Riviera from here, we’re looking at about 4 hours. I’m not sure I’m going to be able to get it all done today, but we’ll try our very best. [Music] We’re making our way in a sly direction. Now, Google Maps, interestingly enough, has taken us on a thing called P de la, which is a very high mountain pass. It’s pretty much a single road all the way passing through this magnificent gorge. Waterfalls everywhere. There’s snow, there’s trees, there’s blue rivers. It’s pretty much everything you would expect from an alpine drive. Now, the problem that I’ve got with this mountain pass, got 38 mi range left in the van in terms of fuel, and the nearest petrol station is over an hour away. So yeah, going up and down hills doesn’t lend itself to decent fuel economy. Who knows what’s going to happen. Got a gem in the front with me. Anyway, going to have a little stop here. Uh I’m going to have a quick drink and then we’re going to get back on the road. Hopefully we can get to the petrol station. If we don’t, we’re stranded here. Think of worse places to be stranded to be honest. Don’t know what would happen though. Never mind. So, I think I’ve made it to the summit of this mountain pass. And I think it’s the summit because of how deep the snow is. Honestly, it’s like a winter wonderland here. Luckily, the road has been cleared like quite a while back. But look how high this is. Snow drifts. I mean, that bit there has got to be 15 20 foot here. You’re talking Yeah, five or six foot, but very slushy stuff. Yeah, the fuel situation is still not looking good. My fuel light has now come on. I’ve got no range showing as an actual mileage. Hopefully, the rest of it’s downhill. Yeah, we’ll continue through this little winter wonderland paradise. [Music] So, I found a completely free park up for the night in this small town village, whatever it’s called. I think it’s like Will Arz. It’s one of the first towns that you come to if you follow that mountain pass. Sorry, I couldn’t be more specific. Completely free. There isn’t. I think there’s one other van here, but I think that’s a works van. Uh, the reason I stopped in this place was obviously to fill up with fuel. So, I’ve managed to get that sorted, which is a good thing. Now, today has been awesome. There’s been a lot of driving involved, but actually the driving today has been the main activity, if that makes sense. I haven’t just been driving to get from place to place. That mountain pass and then obviously the drive this morning has just been mind-blowing. Some of the best drives I’ve done anywhere in the world, as I keep repeating and I keep saying and saying. Now, if you’ve watched this series so far and you’re thinking, “Wow, there’s a lot of driving involved in France.” There can be if you want there to be. There can be less driving involved if you want there to be. So, in this trip, I’m covering quite a lot of distance. I’m pretty much doing a clockwise loop. I wouldn’t expect you guys to come here and do that. You’ll always know that I recommend staying somewhere, you know, in a region. For example, 2 weeks you might want to spend in Normandy and Britany, 2 weeks down the south of France. But what I definitely wouldn’t recommend is trying to do it all in a short space of time. A because it’s so big and b you’ll just be driving and driving and you won’t actually be able to enjoy it. It’s a little bit different for me. A lot of this is about writing the book, getting the photos, creating these videos for YouTube. So, my experience would be slightly different to you guys coming here on a holiday or your own adventure. So, yeah, just something to bear in mind. But, we’re going to end the day now. I’m going to get in the van. I’m going to cook some dinner. And then tomorrow, we finally make it to the French Riviera. Place that I’ve never been. The place I’ve always wanted to go. So, yeah, exciting. I’ll pick it up tomorrow. See you then. Good morning from this beautiful park up. The sun’s shining. I’ve even got my shorts on today. And that’s because we’re heading to the south of France. It’s warm here, by the way. It’s been warm for most of this trip. The one thing I love about these little parkups, especially this one that stayed at last night, is most of them have a facility for emptying gray, black waste, filling up your water, and most of them even have bins as well. I’m shocked at the amount of bins all over France. Just doesn’t happen in the UK. Uh I don’t understand why. I don’t understand the culture towards motor homes, camper vans in the UK. Potentially because we’ve got a lot less space. I don’t know. But in France, it’s fantastic. And it’s one of the reasons I’m beginning to really love being here in my camper van. It’s just so readily available to stay. So many places for free or for very little cost with just great facilities in these beautiful locations with gorgeous mountains, um, lovely little chalets. You name it, France pretty much has it. Anyway, I’m going to get on the road. We’ve got about 1 hour 45 till we get to Menton, which is on the border with Italy, and we’re going to head west from there. In front of me is just an absolutely sublime panorama of some alpine mountain range here. Now, the reason I’ve stopped is I’m going to have my breakfast. I’m going to sit with my van door open and just taking in this view. I think this is probably going to be one of the last epic views of the Alps I’m going to get on this trip, but it’s left me wanting so much more. I’m definitely going to come back here later in the year with Jazz uh to explore more of France. And I think that is the thing with France. the more time you spend here, the more it drives you to come back here. So, whilst I am a little bit sad that I’m leaving sort of this alpine region, you know, I’m excited to come back very soon hopefully. So, we’re about half an hour from the Kotazor, the French Riviera, and I’m passing through this gorge. It reminds me, weirdly enough, of Cheddar Gorge in Somerset. It’s the unusual thing here is that it’s got this really vivid red rock which looks so alien because all of the landscape and the rocks I’ve seen up to this point in the sort of Alps region of France have been sort of a white limestone gray color. Very interesting. The sign said it was called Gorge Can. I don’t know if I’m saying it correctly, but it’s pretty bizarre. Pretty interesting actually. Anyway, back in the van. We are going to the French Revier. Is that how you say it in French? I don’t know. [Music] This gorge/c canyon, whatever the hell it is, is absolutely magnificent. Just in a helicopter, literally just launching some huge rock out of the canyon. Um, definitely feels like something out of James Bond with all these hairpin roads, beautiful rocks and colors, and now we’re into this lush almost Arizonanian looking canyon. It reminds me of like the Grand Canyon basically, but with a lot more lush greenery and vegetation. I can smell my brakes cooking a little bit. We’re going downhill quite a bit. I’m having to use my clutch to try and not put too much pressure on the brakes because they do get really hot. The van is pretty heavy and it’s pretty steep, so I need to be careful of that. But yeah, this place is amazing. I’m going to take back what I said about Cheddar Gorge. Unfortunately, Cheddar Gorge doesn’t have anything on this place. this gorge can sand. You go from the red rock to this just insanely huge, uncomprehendable gorge with towering cliffs that do seem to tower over you. Um yeah, just look at this up here. And for miles and miles these little windy roads continue through it and it makes you feel really insignificant. You feel powerless to these absolute beasts. It’s amazing. And it was unexpected. I didn’t know this place even existed. And that’s France for you. Somehow someway, every corner you turn around, there’s just something even more beautiful than the last. Don’t know how that’s possible, but that’s France for you. Finally, I’ve made it to the French Riviera, and it feels like I’m in a different country. It’s about 24°, and it’s just got that beautiful Mediterranean city vibe. Now, one thing to note is that the traffic uh around the French Riviera, it’s not going to be what you’re used to if you’ve been up in the Alps. That’s for sure. Little bit chaotic. Nobody lets you out in France. I don’t know why people don’t look out for each other, but that’s just must be a European thing. But if you’re on the motorways on the toll roads, nobody will let you pull out if you’re trying to get around a lorry or a wagon or that kind of thing. The reason I’ve come to this place, Menton, is to check out its beach, its beautiful seaside front prominard. meant to be some really nice looking buildings, but other than that, you can actually get a train to Monaco in less than 10, 15 minutes for the price of, I don’t know, a bag of chips. So, me and Jem are actually going to head into Monaco. Now, there are a couple of things to note about Monaco. As far as I am aware, you can’t take a fullyfledged motor home to Monaco. So, that’s why I’ve parked here. Second thing, they’re not big fans of dogs. There’s not much to do dog friendly wise. So, me and Jam on a little bit of a mission to disprove that myth. almost a James Bondesque spy mission. We’re going to infiltrate Monaco with Gem. So, let’s uh see how we get on. So, after a short and very beautiful train ride, we’re here in Monte Carlo, which obviously is a billionaire’s playground. So, uh just a place for me and Jim, isn’t it? So, we find ourselves in Monte Carlo. Now we’re actually walking through the Jardin the casino which I presume is the gardens of the casino and I think they’ve got the grand stands up for the F1 which is interesting. I don’t know when that actually takes place. I presume it’s pretty soon if they’ve got all the stands in place. So far we haven’t come across any other dogs that are sort of on Gem’s size. They’re all like pocket handbag pooches which I guess you would expect in a millionaire’s playground. It’s in the first supercar. I think it was a Bugatti which I believe are worth a million or two. Obviously, we’re in Monte Carlo. So, behind me, we’ve made it to the Monte Carlo Casino. Now, James Bond fans like myself, this was in Never Say Never Again, which is in the 1980s. And of course, Golden Eye 1995 with Pierce Brozner. So, yeah, here we are. There are a number of supercars dotted out the front. I don’t know if this is some kind of advertising thing. Someone’s parked up, but yeah. Uh, as you would imagine, it’s very busy here, very touristy. Um, but if you don’t know much about Monaco itself, other than the millionaire status, it’s actually an independent city classed as a principality country. So, it’s actually the second smallest country in the world after the Vatican City obviously in Rome. The reason that there’s so much money here is because there’s zero tax on income. So, millionaires come here obviously for the benefits of not paying tax. But as well as checking out the casino, there’s an old town which I’m not going to venture up to today cuz a it’s too hot, b it would be uphill and free, I’ve got a gem. Uh I’m just being mindful of keeping it out the sun as best I can. Uh there are a number of other things to do here, but it’s mainly just a ticking list to say you’ve been here, got the photos, and of course it’s got the famous Grand Prix track. It’s also home to Monaco, which is a football team. So yeah, we’re going to have a little walk around here, and then um we will move on. [Music] So, we’ve made it back to the van. As you can tell, definitely caught the sun today. Uh, the train back was slightly eventful. I got told off because Jem was meant to be wearing a muzzle. Uh, which I didn’t know about. Uh, just something to bear in mind. Now, you might be able to hear a worring noise. We’ve got both Max Air fans running. So, before I came on this trip, um, I had an extra Max Air fan put in. So, I’ve got one blowing in air and one sucking out air. And it creates this vortex. And since we stuck it on 10 minutes ago, the temperature has dropped from like 20, what was it? 27°, it’s now 22° inside the van. way more bearable than outside and Jem is now just chilling. So yeah, going to head down to the beach. And the interesting thing about Menton and not that video before, I’ve looked at photos and there’s like an old sort of Italian looking set of houses that you can view from the beach. So that’s where I’m going to head now. [Music] So, I’ve made the walk down to the beach here in Menon. One of many beaches, actually. I think there’s two or three now. Funny enough, as I was walking down here, the Crocs have been getting the odd funny look. Especially when I was in Monaco. Don’t think Crocs are the height of fashion for these millionaires in Monaco. However, give it a year, you’ll see people in their Bugattis, Ferraris wearing Crocs, I’m sure. Anyway, I’m going to come down here and check out this beach. The first one of this trip. First time we’ve been to the Med on this trip. Oh, and with this weather, it just feels like I am on holiday. Wowee. Um, of course, it’s gorgeous beach. Fair enough. It’s not sandy, but it’s still absolutely fine. And I think it tends to be one of them places that gets overlooked by nearby places such as Nice, Monaco, K, Sanrope. But if you’ve got time to come here, as I said, we’re literally on the border with Italy. So, you’ve got a bit of that influence here as well. My first impressions are very good. So, despite being worried about the temperature of the sea, it’s absolutely fine. Obviously a little bit cold, but I’m really surprised. So refreshing as well. Uh yeah, I’m going to hopefully try and get some more swimming slash beach slash sea sessions on this French Riviera part of the trip. I’m now beginning to understand why people hot footed all the way down here from England. Yeah, what a place. I’m making my way up the steepest steps in the world up to the church. Sorry, I’m out of breath. It’s that bloody steep. And of course, my are soaked after going in the sea. So, they’re now creaking. Anyway, this place is stunning. [Music] So, I’ve walked past about five pizza restaurants and every pizza that I’ve seen being served looks absolutely incredible. I was thinking to myself, why is the pizza here so good? And of course, I’ve totally forgot. Literally over there, you just about make it out. I think about there, that’s actually it over there. Hence why the pizza here is so good. Won’t be getting any tonight. Maybe tomorrow. Now, if you did want to stay in Menum for a night or two, there is a campsite that’s up on the hill, not too far away. I think it’s like maybe 1.5k walk down and up back into the town itself. Facilities there are basic. So, the other option is trying to find a car parking space, which I’ll admit is going to be pretty difficult, especially in the height of summer. So, the best way to tackle that if you do want to come here for the day, for example, is to come here early or come here late and stay overnight. further away you get from the beaches, the easier it’s going to be to find a parking space. So, we’re here in Menon and these Hello. Hello. Say hello. Hello. These guys wanted to be on YouTube, so there you go. Uh, what’s your name? Yasin. Yasin. My name is Zion. Zion. Yasim. Yasin. Nice to meet you. What? [Music] So, I’ve left Menton and I found a park up, a potential park up in a place that’s between Monaco and Nice. Can’t remember the name of it. Um, but I’ll put it on the screen and I’ll remember it tomorrow cuz it was one of the places I really wanted to go. So, I’m following this road and we’ve got this incredible view over Monaco. Now, there are a number of places that kind of sit above these cities, these sort of seaside towns, and you’re going to be able to pull up hopefully in a few parking spots and get some of these views for yourself. But yeah, this one overlooking Monaco just as the sun’s beginning to set. It’s just absolutely mind-blowing. It’s so beautiful and you can really see the scale of Monaco from up here. I’ve come to a place called V France Sumere, which I think is a village that’s got this port. Uh I’ve come here to park for the night. Now there are a couple of parkups that look pretty decent. I’m on one at the minute which is on this main road which seems a bit too busy. Going to have a little wonder around to see if there’s a better one. So I’ve actually found a park up which is a little bit quieter off the main road. Sat like a sucking astr football club. Uh it’s on park for night. The reviews are pretty good. Um and yeah, we’re presented with this mad view over the village. Now across the bay from here is a bit of a headland place that’s home to a couple of beaches that are definitely worth checking out. And the headland that I’m currently looking at is called St. John Cap a ferat. So that’s the little bit of headland that sticks out between Monaco that side and Nice that side. And of course little village down here is V France Sumere. So yeah, that’s all the French lingo you’re going to get out of me today. And I’m going to wrap it up there. I’ve got a few chores to do in the van. But I just want to say a massive thank you for watching this episode. It started in Anie at the foothills of the Alps where we were blown away by the beauty of the place and then it just got better and better as we went to Shamani. We went up the Aguili and then of course we dropped Jazz off after a couple of the days exploring Geneva and then everything else that I’ve done the drive-in all the way through has been spectacular. Definitely the Alps is a place I can’t wait to return to. Now, in the next video, which is coming up very shortly, I’m going to be exploring some more of the French Riviera. And judging by my planning and my research, you need to really watch this cuz it’s going to be stunning. It’s going to be beautiful. And I can’t wait. So, yeah. If you’re new to watching my videos, just want to say a massive thank you. If you’re an old subscriber of mine, equally thank you. Hit the sub button if you are new. I’m going to catch you guys very soon in the next video. If you want any questions or any advice or tips about France or road trips in general, just leave a comment below. I’ll reply to all of them. And of course, if you want to support No Travel Guides and myself further, please take a look at the road trip France book which is now available and it’s got all of the good stuff that you need to know about coming to France. Locations, parking, camping, critique, air stickers, tolls, everything you need to know is going to be in that bus. So, thanks. I’m going to catch you in the next episode. Bye for now.

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🇫🇷 Welcome to Part 2 of my Ultimate France Road Trip! 🚐
In this episode, I head across the stunning French Alps. A location that for me is unmissable on your own French Road Trip! Even in a campervan & motorhome, the Alps in France are remarkable. Expect scenic drives, hidden gems & plenty of France travel tips. Whether you’re planning your own motorhome trip through France or just love travel content, this series is packed with inspiration, tips, and unforgettable views.

🎥 Highlights:

Breathtaking Alpine scenery
Scenic drives & winding roads
Hidden gems in the high mountains
A dramatic descent to the Côte d’Azur

🗺️ Don’t forget to subscribe to catch the full 4-part series as I travel across France in my campervan, visiting the very best spots along the way!

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