Motorcycle Ride Planner · Routes · France

Route des Grandes Alpes (Geneva to Mediterranean Spine)

France · D902 / D909 / D64 / M2205

The ultimate motorcycle bucket-list route in Western Europe: 440 miles crossing 17 iconic alpine passes from the shores of Lake Geneva to the palms of the Mediterranean Sea. Traverses Col des Gets, Col de la Colombière, Cormet de Roselend, Iseran, Galibier, Izoard, Vars, Cayolle (or Bonette), and Turini. Entire route is toll-free on departmental roads. Full route is only rideable during the peak summer window (late June to late September) when all high cols are clear of snow.

Route des Grandes Alpes (Geneva to Mediterranean Spine) runs 440 miles between Thonon-les-Bains (Lake Geneva), Haute-Savoie, France and Menton (Mediterranean Sea), Alpes-Maritimes, France. We count about 2,400 corners along it, which is consistently bendy. A hard road that rewards experience and punishes bravado.

Tank-bag quick reference

• StartThonon-les-Bains (Lake Geneva), Haute-Savoie, France46.3711, 6.4789
• High10 ft - 9,088 ft (Col de l'Iseran)elevation range
• EndMenton (Mediterranean Sea), Alpes-Maritimes, France43.7745, 7.5046

T-CLOCS before you go: tyres and wheels, controls and cables, lights and electrics, oil and fluids, chassis and stand.

Repair within reach

• 39 miMoto Axxe Annecy (Seynod)Annecy, France
• 48 miValais Moto Service SionSion, Switzerland
• 49 miMoto Axxe AlbertvilleAlbertville, France

Straight-line distance from the start of the route, not driving distance.

More in France

• Col de la Bonette & Cime Loop (2,802m)31 mi · 190 corners
• Col d'Aubisque & Cirque du Litor Shelf Road29 mi · 170 corners
• Col d'Izoard & Casse Déserte28 mi · 160 corners
• Gorges du Verdon & Route des Crêtes (D23 Canyon Rim)32 mi · 160 corners
• Col du Galibier & Col du Télégraphe26 mi · 155 corners
• Col de l'Iseran20 mi · 130 corners

Questions riders ask

How long does Route des Grandes Alpes (Geneva to Mediterranean Spine) take to ride?

About 440 miles. At an unhurried pace with stops that is roughly 12 hours of riding, longer if you are stopping for photographs.

Where does Route des Grandes Alpes (Geneva to Mediterranean Spine) start and end?

It runs between Thonon-les-Bains (Lake Geneva), Haute-Savoie, France and Menton (Mediterranean Sea), Alpes-Maritimes, France. Either end works as a start; the route reads the same in both directions.

Is Route des Grandes Alpes (Geneva to Mediterranean Spine) a twisty road?

We count about 2400 corners across 440 miles, which is consistently bendy.

Is there a GPX file for Route des Grandes Alpes (Geneva to Mediterranean Spine)?

Yes. The GPX is free, there is no account, and the planner will build a route that includes this road alongside others nearby.

Where these numbers come from

Distances and corner counts come from the route's own geometry, not from ratings or votes. Nothing here is crowdsourced and nobody paid to appear.