Romy Voyages

Paris to the Atlantic, then wherever the road goes.

The whole route, in the order it actually happened. A white van, one small road at a time, and far too much time spent finding coffee that was not terrible.

The stops

  1. 01

    Paris, FranceSaint-Germain-des-Prés

    Where this started. The bakery three streets back opens at seven and the queue starts at seven twenty, which is the only timetable that matters here. Spring

  2. 02

    Paris, FranceLe Marais & Place des Vosges

    Long afternoons and a car park that does not exist. Best coffee in the city is in a street with no sign on it, two doors past the bookshop. Spring

  3. 03

    Paris, FranceSeine quays & the bridges

    Walked the whole thing once in the rain. It is the one route in the city that asks nothing of you. Spring

  4. 04

    Normandy, FranceÉtretat & the chalk cliffs

    Two hours west. The cliffs are better in fog than in good weather, which nobody tells you. Early summer

  5. 05

    Provence, FranceLuberon villages

    Lavender in July, dust and silence the rest of the year. Stopped for six days and stayed nine. Summer

  6. 06

    Côte d'Azur, FranceNice to Saint-Tropez

    The coast road is worth doing slowly and early, before the traffic. Lunch is a €14 plate of anchovies and it is perfect. Summer

  7. 07

    Swiss AlpsPasses & glacial lakes

    Up higher than the van likes. The coffee up here is worse, the air is better. Late summer

  8. 08

    Italian DolomitesAlpe di Siusi & the passes

    Quiet in September, unbearable in February. Went in September. September

  9. 09

    Lake Como & LombardyThe Italian lakes

    Expensive, beautiful, and best seen from a side road with no name on the map. September

  10. 10

    TuscanyRolling hills & cypress roads

    Picked the wrong dirt track on purpose and it was the best afternoon of the trip. October

  11. 11

    Black Forest & RhineGermany

    Rain for four days straight. The van heater and a book were the whole plan. November

  12. 12

    Portuguese AtlanticAlgarve cliffs

    Last stop on this leg. Warm in a way that felt slightly unfair in November. November

  13. 13

    Scottish HighlandsLochs & single track roads

    Pulled over at 7:40 for the mist sitting flat on the water. The far shore never came out, and the coffee went cold in the mug while the van heater ran. November

Practical

Vehicle
2019 white Sprinter. Around 12 km to the litre, which is better than it sounds.
Sleeping
Rear bed, always. Campgrounds in season, parking lots and quiet pull-offs out of it.
Budget
Camp and self-cater, with one proper dinner most weeks. The van does the saving.
On this page
Every stop so far, in order. New places get added as they happen.