I have driven through France and on to drive the Amalfi coast though could not tell you today if I was ever on the Route Napoleon....
Someone who has last year done the trip typed this :-
Personally I wouldn't do the Route Napoleon. I did it last year and although it was OK I prefer the alternate route that runs down the left of it from Grenoble down to Sisteron. You come off the A6 just before Lyon (which can be hideous to drive through) and head over to Grenoble, then exit the auto-route down the D1075 down to Sisteron. Seemed like much faster roads and less traffic than the Route Napoleon. I've done this was about 4 or 5 times now. Napoleon's just full of motor homes and caravans with snail trails behind them frightened of overtaking.
Takes about an hour longer than the standard auto route way but breaks the journey up, saves a few quid on tolls, lovely scenery and some beautiful little villages and ski resorts.
I'm usually averaging around 60-70mph down that route.
Luddite here again.... Some years back I did the wonderfully deserted Scottish West coast part of what is now known as the NC 500, which today seems to be suffering a measure of overload from camper vans and subsequent issues relative to a huge increases in traffic, as is the island of Sky... So it might be best to have up to date info not to go with any old info from old codgers like me....
