Where the foothills of the western Alps drop down to meet the turquoise Mediterranean, a slice of coastline has been made famous by wealthy holidaymakers for over 200 years. Its name? The Côte d'Azur. Towns and cities of the coast are now most definitely household names, thanks to the luxurious Monaco Casino, a certain nail-biting Grand Prix, and the Cannes Film Festival. But it would be a waste to travel there and laze at cafés, tan on beaches, or gamble away inheritance money. The Riviera's roads are its real highlight.

The exact western boundary of the Côte d'Azur is a hotly contested topic, but for the purposes of motorcycle riding, it should be taken all the way to the picturesque harbour of Cassis, just east of Marseille. The tarmac round here deserves to be ridden as much as anything else on the coast. Holidaymakers tend to stick to the famous Cannes-Nice-Monaco area close to the Italian border, so roads further west are less congested in summer.

Road Spotlight: D559, Route de Saint-Barthélémy 

The red rock of countless headlands push the intrepid D559 closer and closer towards the sea. Their colour is so rich that it's reminiscent of America's Grand Canyon. Ride this route early morning or in evening sunlight for less traffic and even stronger colours. Thanks to community member Jonathan Godin for uploading this gem to the Motorcycle Diaries website.

Road Spotlight: D559, Route de la Gineste

This is a classic on the western Côte d'Azur. The tarmac takes you from Marseille to the pastel frontages of Cassis, nestled on the shore between the cliffs of Calanques National Park and the colossal mass of Cap Canaille. Carry on along the coast on the smaller Route des Crêtes for a Riviera ride full of huge views. Take some time to park up and stroll to look-out points along the ridges.

Routes Inland from Côte d'Azur
 

Don't just stick to the coast. Exploring northwards into Alpes-de-Haute-Provence is an addictive endeavour. Be careful, or you'll find yourself journeying north-east in search of the higher peaks of the Alps. No problem with that, of course. Just don't complain that we didn't warn you.

Inland options are dominated by Route Napoléon, but there are other quality rides that are less well-known. Just east of Aubagne, north of Cassis, is the tricky little Col de L'Espigoulier. It's a hit with the locals. Further north still, the D900 snakes seductively through the beautiful nature of Parc du Lubéron. Ride north-west from Frejus to arrive at the mind-blowing Verdon gorges, cutting deep into the earth. Follow the D17 to experience them in all their vertigo-inducing glory.

Road Spotlight: D2, Col de l'Espigoulier
 

Well-known to anyone in Marseille who rides a bike, the D2 is only 14km long, but proudly stuffs itself with switchbacks. Hardly a metre goes by without the road changing trajectory like a fighter jet trying to shake off a pursuer. It's best to ride this on a quick-turning naked bike, keeping one eye out for bumps and camber changes that might upset your line. Stop to snap away at impressive views south from the top of the pass.
 

Motorbike Touring on Route Napoléon
 

From Cannes to Grenoble, Route Napoléon spreads out over 334km of French roads, from perfectly asphalted biking heaven, to monotonous straighter sections. Riding it north to south will yield the most enjoyment. This way, the poor tarmac between Grenoble and Corps is dispatched early, and the frustratingly long straights from Corps to Digne are forgotten during the final section. Riding south-east from La Tuilière, the road becomes truly magnificent. Despite the difficulty and tedium of what comes before it, this southern part of Napoléon's famous journey is an exciting undertaking on any motorcycle.

Let's go over the southern section in more detail. Climb steeply out of Grasse, watching for ice-rink tarmac. Spinning your rear tyre on steep inclines or locking up the front on descents are both easy to do. Ride carefully until you've navigated the last roundabout and turned onto newly-surfaced road. From here, switchbacks will help you climb out of civilisation towards forested hills and quieter roads. Grip is excellent, but watch out for gravel spilling onto the road round tight bends. Castellane makes a brilliant base for a night or two of exploration, but accommodation sells out quickly. Choose between €80 hotels in town, or €30 camping on the outskirts.

Road Spotlight: D6085/D4085, Route Napoléon

Thanks to Robbo M for sharing this southern section of Route Napoléon with the Motorcycle Diaries community. It's one of the smoothest and twistiest sections of the entire route. Climb switchbacks away from the coast and then set yourself into a rhythm of swinging with the bends. Continue along the D4085 for more curves and canyons until the village of La Tuilière. The road becomes straighter further on, so head back to Castellane and take the D952 south-west towards the coast.
 

Create Your Own Trip To The French Riviera
 

Interested in riding the French Riviera? Create your own route and download it in a GPX file for your Sat Nav right away. Learn more and get started here. 

Each month we give away Arai helmets or sets of Bridgestone tyres to the users who submitted the best two roads that month. The author of each road wins either a set of Bridgestone tyres matching their bike, or a brand-new Arai helmet. This competition happens each and every month, so every month you have a new chance to win.