French Alps - Roads too narrow for camper ?

[mark61]

Wow, those roads are narrow and bendy. But the views are stunning. How big was your van & did you frequently encounter other vehicles from the opposite direction? And did you ever have to reverse around a bend ?!
Thanks

MWB Sprinter, about 6M long 2m wide. Often encounter other vehicles, yes you have to reverse sometimes, but not that many. Can't remember if I've ever had to reverse round corner though. Nothing comes to mind, so couldn't have been anything worth remembering. I do go looking for intersting roads though.

 

[nomadichobbit]

MWB Sprinter, about 6M long 2m wide. Often encounter other vehicles, yes you have to reverse sometimes, but not that many. Can't remember if I've ever had to reverse round corner though. Nothing comes to mind, so couldn't have been anything worth remembering. I do go looking for intersting roads though.

Sprinters have the added advantage of bieng a few inches narrower & RWD which helps. Mines 6.2m Renault Master, a few inches wider and FWD. But I guess should be fine. I wanted the Sorinter but I also wanted to fit a 6 foot bed sideways which I just about managed in the master. Compromises compromises.

Thanks for posting the video.

 

[barryd]

A road on a dash cam video often looks narrower than it is, same effect on Google Streetview. nothing wrong with that road although the main routes through the Alps are much wider. I would have no hesitation in taking a 7.5 metre coach built up that. It might not look like it but you could probably squeeze two vehicles past each other on it.

The only time I ever came unstuck was in the Pyrenees we where were actually leaving the big mountains to head for the lower mountains towards the Atlantic coast and I took my eye off the ball and just followed the Sat nav blindly without checking the map before setting off. Ended up on proper goat track that was about 15 miles of single track around the side of a mountain. Virtually no cars until I met a French car coming the other way who just refused to reverse the 15 yards back to a small passing point. Just wouldnt budge so I ended up reversing about 250 or so to another one which put him in more of a flap as it meant he had to pass me with inches to spare on the cliff edge side.

If you can survive driving round our mountain roads there is nothing in the Alps or the Pyrenees to worry about. Some of ours are much steeper and narrower just not as long. Its rare to encounter much over 10% out in Europe. Just go and enjoy them, they are simply fantastic.

 

[shaunr68]

The only time I ever came unstuck was in the Pyrenees we where were actually leaving the big mountains to head for the lower mountains towards the Atlantic coast and I took my eye off the ball and just followed the Sat nav blindly without checking the map before setting off. Ended up on proper goat track that was about 15 miles of single track around the side of a mountain. Virtually no cars until I met a French car coming the other way who just refused to reverse the 15 yards back to a small passing point. Just wouldnt budge so I ended up reversing about 250 or so to another one which put him in more of a flap as it meant he had to pass me with inches to spare on the cliff edge side.

I had a similar experience in Greece, the sat nav directed us onto an unpaved road and like an idiot I complied, thinking it was just a shortcut between two main roads. Two miles of narrow rocky path hanging off the side of a mountain, with a 200m drop into the sea just inches from the offside wheels. Fun and games!!