Riviera & Provence Road Trip: Self-Launched Budget Version
5 days · France (Nice, Provence & Gorges du Verdon)
EPIKdrives charges £6,000
No-markup version: ~£340 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 5-day self-launched version of EPIKdrives' Porsche sat-nav tour of the Riviera and Provence. Instead of a chauffeured supercar and 5-star hotels, you pick up an economy rental car (or use the train/bus network) in Nice and follow the same legendary roads yourself — the Balcony Road above the Riviera, the Route Napoleon, the Gorges du Verdon and the Luberon villages around Gordes. You'll stay in hostels and budget guesthouses in Nice and Apt/Gordes, download the route as a GPX to your phone, and see the same scenery for roughly a tenth of the price. Costs are approximate backpacker/budget traveller estimates in GBP per person.
Day-by-day
Arrival in Nice — Old Town & Promenade des Anglais
Nice
Land at Nice Côte d'Azur Airport and take the Tram Line 2 (about €1.70) or bus 98 into the city centre. Check into a hostel or budget hotel near the Old Town or Libération. Spend the afternoon on foot: wander Vieux Nice's flower market (Cours Saleya), climb Castle Hill for the free view over the Baie des Anges, and stroll the Promenade des Anglais at sunset. In the evening, pick up your rental car for the following days — book an economy hatchback in advance (e.g. via Auto Europe, Rentalcars or a local agency near Gare Nice-Ville) for roughly £25–35 per day including basic insurance.
🚌Airport tram/bus ~£2; car pickup in Nice (no driving until Day 2)
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in central Nice (dorm £20–28 / private twin £45–60)
- →Cours Saleya market
- →Castle Hill viewpoint
- →Promenade des Anglais
- →Rental car pickup
Alps-Maritimes Balcony Road & Gorges du Verdon
Nice to Apt / Gordes area
Leave Nice early on your self-drive route heading north-west. Follow the legendary Moyenne Corniche and the cliff-hugging Balcony Road (Route de la Turbie / Corniche roads made famous in GoldenEye) through La Turbie and over the Col de Turini area of the Alpes-Maritimes. Continue onto the first stretch of the Route Napoleon (N85) towards Digne, then cut across to the Gorges du Verdon — walk the free Sentier Blanc-Martel viewpoint section or just drive the spectacular Corniche Sublime with photo stops. End the day in the Luberon at Apt or Gordes, checking into a budget guesthouse or hostel.
🚌Self-drive ~250 km (fuel ~£25 for the day); road tolls minimal on this route
🛏Budget guesthouse or hostel in Apt / Gordes (£30–45 private twin, ~£20 dorm)
- →Moyenne Corniche & Balcony Road drive
- →Col de Turini
- →Route Napoleon (N85)
- →Gorges du Verdon & Corniche Sublime viewpoints
Luberon Villages & Sénanque Abbey
Gordes & Luberon Valley
Spend a full day exploring the Luberon on your own wheels. Start at Gordes, the hilltop village with its castle and viewpoints, then drive the short road out to Sénanque Abbey to see the lavender fields and the 12th-century Cistercian monastery (small entry fee). Loop through hilltop villages like Roussillon (ochre cliffs), Menerbes and Lacoste, or take the highest mountain road in Provence — Mont Ventoux via Bédoin if you want the climb (about 1.5 hours each way). This replaces the operator's guided scenic day with a self-navigated drive; use Google Maps or a downloaded GPX.
🚌Self-drive ~100–150 km (fuel ~£12–18); Mont Ventoux add-on optional
🛏Budget guesthouse or hostel in Apt / Gordes
- →Gordes hilltop village
- →Sénanque Abbey
- →Roussillon ochre cliffs
- →Ménerbes & Lacoste
- →Optional Mont Ventoux drive
Lake Verdon circuit & Route Napoleon back to Nice
Provence to Nice
Drive the circular Corniche Route around Lac de Sainte-Croix / Lake Verdon, with a swim stop and the classic viewpoint over the Verdon canyon. Then take scenic forest roads and the most beautiful stretch of the Route Napoleon south through Castellane and Grasse, stopping at hilltop villages along the way. Return the rental car at Nice airport or Gare Nice-Ville (return before the office closes), then check back into your Nice hostel for the last night and celebrate with a cheap dinner in Vieux Nice.
🚌Self-drive ~200 km (fuel ~£22) + car return; no public transport needed
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in central Nice
- →Lac de Sainte-Croix viewpoint & swim
- →Corniche Route around Lake Verdon
- →Castellane
- →Grasse old town
- →Car return in Nice
Departure from Nice
Nice
Final morning: a last coffee and croissant at a Cours Saleya café, a quick dip at a pebbly beach, or a free walk up to the Nice Observatory if time allows. Take the tram or bus back to Nice Côte d'Azur Airport for your flight home. If you have a later flight, drop your bags at the hostel and explore the Marc Chagall National Museum (about €10) or the Matisse Museum.
🚌Tram Line 2 to airport ~£2
🛏None (departure day)
- →Cours Saleya morning market
- →Optional Chagall or Matisse Museum
Self-launched vs. EPIKdrives
| This itinerary (self-launched) | EPIKdrives | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£340 | £6,000 |
| Duration | 5 days | 5 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £5,660 per person (94%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more EPIKdrives-style trips? Check them out here.~£340
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Riviera & Provence Road Trip: Self-Launched Budget Version cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £340 per person for 5 days in France (Nice, Provence & Gorges du Verdon). This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with EPIKdrives?+
Yes — EPIKdrives charges around £6,000 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £340 — a saving of roughly £5,660 (94%) per person.
How long is the France (Nice, Provence & Gorges du Verdon) trip?+
This itinerary runs 5 days, covering 5 day-by-day stops through France (Nice, Provence & Gorges du Verdon).
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a road-trip, adventure, culture trip through France (Nice, Provence & Gorges du Verdon), self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
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