France 2026 — Taking the Slow Road somewhere – maybe the Alps
In 2026, we’re planing on pointing the camper van maybe towards the French Alps — not in a hurry, not via the toll roads, and not by the fastest route, which is usually longer when you’re only pushing 100 kph, everyone else hurtles past at 130 kph.
There is a lot going on in the world at the moment. So flexibility to avoid being disappointed is the key right now.
This trip is about choosing the road that suits the van, the pace of travel, and the stage of life we’re in now. Slower roads. Smaller towns. A more direct line across France that makes sense when 350 km is a good day’s distance.
This is our provisional journey — a plan sketched lightly in pencil, open to change as conversations, logistics, and curiosity evolve.
Why We’re Avoiding Motorways and Tolls
The Provisional Route (Subject to Change)
This is the current plan — not a promise.
The idea is to take four days to reach the Alps, breaking the journey into manageable, enjoyable sections. Towns that give us a reason to stop, walk, eat well, and sleep somewhere cheaper.
Planned waypoints include:
- Calais to an overnight stop
- Forêt d’Orient
- Chambéry
- Val Cenis
Some of these stops may change. Others may disappear entirely. That’s part of the process this month. The route will adapt to weather, driver energy levels, (fuel costs!) campsite availability and sightseeing opportunities.
Travelling Separately, Arriving Together
Once we reach the mountains, the trip changes shape.
Two family members will join via their own adventure — travelling by train and meeting us in the Alps. Exactly how that will work is still being argued. There are conversations to be had, tickets to be booked, and logistics to untangle. or not, as the case maybe.
But that uncertainty is fun. This year isn’t about locking everything down early, like when they were younger. It’s about letting the journey breathe its own way for a change.
A Different Kind of Alpine Trip
It’s a journey you could do in a day in a modern car or camper van. We know that.
When the children were younger, the Alps always felt just a little too far — logistics too complex, too time-consuming to get there and back. Now, with more independence and mobility, it feels like the right moment to finally go.
Not quickly. Not efficiently. But with a new adventure.
This is never about getting to the Alps as fast as possible. It’s about enjoying France along the way — slower roads, off the beaten track, and a pace that suits both the driver and van.
This page will be updated throughout 2026 as plans evolve and the journey unfolds.