South of France Road Trip
In May 2024 we packed the car, left Derby behind and headed south, driving our 2005 Porsche 911 Carrera to the French Riviera.
This trip wasn’t about rushing from place to place or following a strict itinerary. Instead, it was a slower European road trip built around long drives, classic French roads, good food, strong coffee and giving ourselves time to enjoy where we were rather than worrying too much about what came next.
The journey south included overnight stops along the way, a night in Aix-en-Provence, and a longer stay in Saint-Raphaël on the Riviera. While there, we explored the surrounding area, drove roads like the Route Napoléon, made the trip up to the Gorges du Verdon, spent time in Nice, and took in the atmosphere of the Classic Monaco Grand Prix. The return journey north was broken up with a stop in Beaune, adding one last change of pace before heading home.
This category brings together all posts from that trip — part road trip diary, part collection of memories, and a record of how the journey unfolded. As with everything on Blogging The Road, these posts aren’t intended to be a travel guide or a list of recommendations. They’re simply an honest account of where we went, the roads we drove, and how the trip felt at the time.
The following posts are presented in ascending order. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to get in touch
Taking a 20-year-old Porsche 911 on a 2,450-mile road trip to the French Riviera felt like a gamble before we left. Looking back, it might just have been the best decision we made.
The long drive north from the Riviera to Beaune and back to Derby — motorway miles, good food, a chance meeting with an 80s pop legend and the reality of returning to UK traffic.
A full day driving the Route Napoléon and Gorges du Verdon from Saint-Raphaël — mountain roads, limestone cliffs, sweeping bends and easily the best driving day of our trip.
A few slower days on the French Riviera: markets in Saint-Raphaël, gaufres by the sea, a surprise military festival in Saint-Tropez and a slightly soggy day exploring Nice.
A visual companion to our Monaco Classic Grand Prix visit, bringing together close-up images and videos of the vintage Formula One and sports cars that raced through the streets of Monte Carlo.
A day at the Monaco Classic Grand Prix offered vintage Formula One cars, iconic streets and a very different way to experience racing in the Principality — without Formula One prices.
Saturday markets in Aix, a relaxed drive through Provence, a return visit to Port Grimaud and then our first proper arrival on the French Riviera at Saint-Raphaël.
A long motorway drive from Langres to Aix-en-Provence, passing through Lyon, rolling past vineyards and mountains, and arriving in Provence sunshine ready to explore.
We left Derby at 1:30am and drove through the night to France, swapping the familiar Dover–Calais ferry for the Eurotunnel. By midday we were standing at the historic Circuit de Gueux, before ending a long first day in Langres.
In May 2024 we pointed our 2005 Porsche 911 Carrera south and headed for the French Riviera. What followed was a 2,450-mile road trip through France taking in mountain roads, classic motorsport, too many pastries and a few unexpected moments along the way