The Route Napoléon
The Napoleon Route traces the memory of Napoleon's fantastic epic in 1815 ...
Today, this road is 201 miles (324 kilometers) long and traverses superb landscapes on its sinuous path from the sea into the mountains.
A bit of history
After being forced to abdicate on April 6, 1814, Napoléon Bonaparte was exiled to the island of Elba. From that point on, he had only one objective: to escape and overthrow the monarchy of Louis XVIII.
On February 26, 1815, Napoléon left Elba and landed at the coastal town of Golfe-Juan days later, on March 1, accompanied by two to three thousand men.
To avoid the royalist troops stationed in Basse-Provence, he decided to travel to Grenoble via an inland route.
He passed through Castellane and Digne-les-Bains on March 3 and 4, 1815, to at last reach Paris with his men on March 20, 1815.
This historic journey led to the creation of the Route Napoléon, the first sightseeing route in France, officially unveiled in 1932. Today, this road is 201 miles (324 kilometers) long and traverses superb landscapes on its sinuous path from the sea into the mountains.
Following in the Emperor’s footsteps along the Route Napoléon is a journey unlike any other that crosses through many small Provençal villages to reach the foot of the Alps.
See the exact route and the towns along it on the route-napoléon.com website.
Photo gallery
Opening
All year round.
Rates
Free access.
Services
Equipment
- Picnic area
- Orientation board
Services
- Motorhomes allowed
Activities
- Tourist routes
Discover also
In the Footsteps of Napoléon
Connecting Grasse to Castellane, this itinerary lets hikers follow in Napoléon’s footsteps, linger in villages steeped in history, and enjoy the splendid landscapes surrounding them.
The Route Napoléon on Horseback - Grasse-Séranon
The “Route Napoléon on Horseback” itinerary is a 224-mile horseback riding route of marked trails designed for horseback riders, connecting Grasse (Alpes-Maritimes) to Vizille (Isère).