Route Napoléon by Motorbike: Grenoble to Cannes (2 Days)

The Route Napoléon follows the path the emperor took in March 1815 on his return from exile on Elba, from the Riviera up to Grenoble. Today it is the N85, a superb sweeping road that trades alpine foothills for lavender plateaus and finally the Mediterranean, marked along the way by the imperial eagle. You drive on the right. Fuel up before the quieter mountain stretches and watch for other bikes on the bends — it is a favourite ride for good reason.

Day 1 — Grenoble to Sisteron (145 km)

Leave Grenoble heading south on the N85, climbing over the Col Bayard above Gap, then following the Durance down to Sisteron, where a huge citadel guards the narrow gorge. It is a natural place to break the ride — wander the old town under the rock and sleep in Sisteron.

Day 2 — Sisteron to Cannes (190 km)

Continue south through Digne-les-Bains and the perched town of Castellane, the gateway to the Verdon gorges, then wind up and over the wooded cols toward Grasse, France’s perfume capital. From there the road drops to the coast and the palm-lined seafront at Cannes, close to Golfe-Juan where Napoleon came ashore.

Costs

Use the cost calculator to price fuel and nights for your exact dates. The N85 is toll-free, but the Riviera end is pricey in summer — book a room inland around Grasse or Sisteron to keep nights affordable. Bring layers for the cool morning air in the mountains even when the coast is warm.

This trip is also in the free Roadcut trip planner: change the number of days and where you sleep each night, pick your vehicle to see the fuel cost, check the weather on the road, and open each day in Google Maps, Apple Maps or Waze.