In early May, I will be driving from Moustiers Ste Marie to Vence and am searching for a route with fewer steep cliffs and hairpin turns (etc.) so as to have a driving experience which won't be too stressful. I am accustomed to driving in Europe but have never driven this route before. If you have driving experience on this route, I would love your advice. I know that some routes are more picturesque than others, but I prefer to sacrifice beauty in order to be more relaxed behind the wheel!
Posted by
Northern Colorado
11 posts
You're in luck! Google Maps shows a preferred A route that's 22km longer than the obvious D routes, but a few minutes faster! And definitely less stressful. It dips way down south and around to Antibes before heading back inland to Vence. It does include a D route portion; just go as slowly as you need to feel comfortable. Whenever someone faster comes up behind you, just pull over at your first opportunity and let them pass. You'll miss Verdon Gorge, but you did say you're willing to sacrifice beauty in return for less stress...
Here's the route:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/MFfeZ34mcPj8sJ3y5
(Disclaimer: we're going the opposite way, from Vence to Moustiers, in mid-April, so we haven't experienced the drive yet, but we'll be going the scenic route, so our experience wouldn't help you anyway.)
Posted by
Paris
7856 posts
If you want to minimize curves, you can go via Aups, Villecroze, Les Arcs, joining tha A8 motorway at Le Muy. I do NOT recommend the other highlighted route on Google via the D6 through Vérignon: the road is quite narrow. Let alone the route along the Verdon Gorge, but that one is more obviously mountainous.
Villecroze is a very interesting stop, I strongly recommend you book a visit to the "cave" and walk through the delightful old village. Or at least the village if no time for the "cave". I went last summer and was very pleasantly surprised!
If you have a bit of extra time (maybe 2 to 2.5 hours total, extra driving time included?), from Lorgues you can also head to the Thoronet Abbey, a 15-min drive away. It is stunning. The self-guided visit takes about 1.5 hours. From there, you can join the A8 motorway at le Cannet des Maures.
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
11718 posts
I agree with balso that the darker Google map route puts you right at the canyon edge and there aren’t many places to turn off. I’d follow balso’s route. When we went, we were living in Cassis near Marseille. Our route was very easy back to Aix-en-Provence and onto the autoroute, but that’s way out of the way for you.