Route to Monaco

Assuming that your preferred route will be via Dover, I would prefer to take the ferry to Dunkerque (DFDS) as it is the cheapest, has a good restaurant, and gives you a nice break after driving down.  It is always a mistake to plan for a long run on the first day.

Getting to Monaco on a fairly direct route without using toll roads is a drawn-out affair, and I would not bother with it – steer well clear of the A6 and A7, which are akin to the M1 on a bad day!  Assuming that you have the time, I would use the A26 from Dunkerque to Troyes, and view the toll fee as an investment in happy motoring.

The A26 is a toll road, but these roads offer pleasure rather than the frustrating boredom of UK motorways, so are worth using in small doses.  The costs are not too high either, and can save the price in terms of hotels.  Lots of Brits seem to have a horror of peages, yet they are not to bad – last  year I travelled from Calais to home by autoroute where possible, and paid 23 Euros, thanks to the almost all-free A20.  They also make navigation through city centres a lot easier, and such urban parts are usually free anyway.

Assuming that you will not disembark until about 2 pm (French time is +1 hr) about two and a half hours on the A26 will take you to Laon, where the hotel Marmotte (now renamed ETAP I think) or the IBIS would be good choices.  You could get further south, but from experience I know hotels seem thin on the ground, or in dense city centres, until south of Troyes.  Have a relaxing first day instead, with drinks in the bar at the hypermarket near the hotels.

From the end of the A26 at Troyes, take the A5 towards Paris, and come off at the next junction to join the Troyes ring road, following the signs for the N77 to Auxerre, whic is not a bad road. 

At the Auxerre ring road, follow the D906 towards Avallon and Chalons-sur-Saone.  This is the old N6, and should be almost traffic-free.  Join the the A6, then at J 28, N of Macon, the A40, then the A42 towards Lyon.  Exit at J 8 to the D1504 through Amberieu-en-Bugey to Chambery

After Chambery turn off the A43 to the A430 for Albertville, then N90 to Bourg St. Maurice, and the D902 over the Col de l’Iseran to Lanslebourg and the D1006 over the Col de Mont-Cenis to Italy.

At Susa follow the blue (normal road) signs to the S24 for the Col de Montgenevre back into France to Briancon.

On the south side of Briancon find the D902 and the Col de l’Izoard (a great road, and a favourite for the Tour de France) 

Follow the D902 to Guillestre and the Col de Vars to the D900 and Jausiers, where you turn L for the Col de Restefond - once the highest pass in Europe.  The road was built by the army to supply their forts, in case of an invasion by the Italians!

Red Zed on the Col de Restefond - the fort and road were built in case the Italians invaded!

From Jausiers, where you turn L to the D64 over the Col de Restefond and Col de la Bonnette, two of the highest passes in Europe.This road becomes the D2205, passing through Isola.  After St. Sauveuf-la-Tinnee I would go L to the D2565 through St.Martin, then L to the D70 and D2566 leading to Sospel and then to Menton and Monaco.  These little roads were used as special stages in the Monte Carlo Rallie – Col de Turini etc.

This route will give you a good variety of driving conditions, from deserted autoroutes and old N roads to some of the most twisty roads in France.