VAN-COMPARATOR Guide
One week in the Alps by motorhome: the realistic itinerary
Annecy, the Beaufortain, the Galibier, the Queyras: a one-week alpine itinerary that works with the passes instead of fighting them — vehicle size, seasons, budget.
The Alps are one of the mythical playgrounds of motorhome travel — and one of the worst-planned: every summer, crews discover that "doing the Route des Grandes Alpes in a week" means spending their vacation staring at hairpins. Here's the itinerary seasoned drivers actually recommend.
The right route from Annecy
Starting from Annecy: the lake loop at dawn, the Beaufortain and the Roselend dam (one of the finest balconies in the Alps), the Maurienne valley, then the giants — Télégraphe and Galibier — before dropping to Briançon, the Izoard and the villages of the Queyras. Return via Grenoble and the Vercors. Seven short stages, nights at altitude, and weather margin at both ends.
Working with the mountain
The great passes open from June to October: outside that window, redraw the route. Drive the passes in the morning (cyclist traffic and afternoon storms), use engine braking on the descents — the brakes of a loaded 3.5-tonner heat up fast — and favor a semi-integrated or converted van under 7 meters: the Galibier's hairpins are far friendlier than in a big A-class. An automatic gearbox is genuine comfort here.
Budget and logistics
Semi-integrated or converted van: €95–180 per day depending on the season; June and September offer the same passes 30% cheaper, with deserted high-altitude stopovers. Mind the borders: the Swiss vignette is mandatory from the first motorway kilometer, and Austria runs a separate toll system above 3.5 t. Savoie's stopovers are plentiful but popular: arrive before 5 pm around the lakes.
What about the full Route des Grandes Alpes?
Honestly: in one week, rarely a good idea. Its 700 km and 16 passes from Thonon to Menton deserve 10 to 12 days — otherwise you're driving instead of traveling. Save the full version for a long vacation, and give your crew two real rest days by a lake: that's where the motorhome wins.