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The loveliest road,
not the fastest.

We'd rather take the long way round.

The sat nav that goes around the cities and takes you past the villages, the rivers and the back roads. For the holidays as much as for the everyday drive.

No advertising Privacy respected Free, always

The app’s interface is currently in French. The screenshots show it as it is.

A route that goes around the city, in the app Entering your start and finish in the app Fine-tuning your route: villages, viewpoints, small roads

Why we exist

Remember when driving was a pleasure?

Window down, an arm resting on the door. A small road climbing, a bend, and suddenly the valley opens out. You slowed down for no reason at all, just to look. You had no idea where you would stop, and that was the whole point of the journey.

These days we take the shortest way. Dual carriageways, retail parks, city centres to cross. You arrive drained, having seen nothing. We ended up forgetting that the road, too, was part of the journey.

So we built La Route Buissonnière to bring that back.

Illustration: a red Renault 5 on a small country road, an arm out of the window, at sunset The road was always the journey.

The difference, at a glance

Two roads to the same place.

The fastest way goes through the cities. Ours goes around them, by way of the villages and the landscapes. A little longer. Infinitely lovelier.

A B
The direct route, through the city The buissonnière, past the good bits

How it works

In three steps, the loveliest road appears.

1

Your destination

Just tell us where you're going.

2

The loveliest road

We plot it for you, well clear of the cities.

3

On your way

Let it guide you, and enjoy it.

What it feels like

The drive becomes the best part again.

Away from the din

We go around the big cities and their crowded main routes.

Good things along the way

Villages, rivers, viewpoints, places to stop.

A calmer drive

Gentle, clear navigation, without the stress.

Every day, not just on holiday

Even the drive round the corner can become an outing.

Signature routes

Build your own. Or let us suggest one.

You can already plot your own Route Buissonnière. Soon we will also offer ready-made routes, drawn to link the loveliest corners of France.

Illustration of the gorges and the turquoise swimming spots
Lyon → Marseille

By the water

Gorges, turquoise lakes and villages along the water.

Illustration of the Pont d'Arc, a natural arch over the Ardèche
Ardèche

Gorges & Pont d'Arc

The clifftop road, between swimming spots and viewpoints.

Illustration of the lavender fields and a stone hut at Valensole
Provence

The lavender road

The rows of Valensole as far as the eye can see, and the stone huts.

A proper sat nav, built for pleasure.

You enter your destination, we plot the lovely road. All you have to do is keep your eyes open.

A route that goes around the city Entering your start and finish Fine-tuning your route
PlanTell us where you're going, we'll take care of the way.
Go aroundThe route keeps clear of the cities and their ring roads.
DiscoverVillages and landscapes the whole way along.

Why us, rather than another sat nav

Every sat nav takes you the quickest way. Ours takes you the loveliest.

La Route Buissonnière
Ordinary sat navs
The goal
Beauty
Speed
Cities
Gone around
Driven through
Discovery
Good things
A straight line
The mindset
Savouring
Arriving fast

We will never be the fastest. That was never the point.

What we stand for

Another idea of travel. And of technology.

No advertising

We will never clutter your road.

No selling of your data

Your drives are yours.

The app will stay free

Premium only adds comfort. Never the essentials.

This road is being built with you.

Take the little hare along for the ride.

The web version is available right now, and the Android app is coming very soon. Join the first travellers, or support the adventure today.

Install the app and take the loveliest road on your very next drive.

Join the adventure

You'll hear about it first, and you'll be on the road the day it opens.

No spam. Just a word when the road opens.

Download the app

Free. The loveliest road is waiting for you right now.

Limited edition

Founding Member

Help this adventure exist. An independent project, with no advertising. Founding Members build it with us and keep access for life.

Become a Founding Member A rare place, for those who want to be there from the very first mile.

The questions we get asked

No reason to hesitate any more.

Is it free?

Yes. The app will always stay free: search for a destination, get a lovely route around the cities, and be guided. Premium only adds comfort on top (multi-stop, offline, fine-grained preferences), never the essentials.

How is it different from Google Maps or Waze?

Other sat navs optimise for time and send you through the cities. We optimise for beauty: we go around the big cities and take the villages and the landscapes instead. A little longer, infinitely lovelier.

Does it work everywhere in France?

Yes. La Route Buissonnière is built for the whole of France, from long holiday drives to the back roads near you.

Does it work for my everyday drives?

Of course. Even the drive round the corner can become an outing. The lovely road isn’t just for the holidays.

Does it really avoid the cities?

Yes: we plot the route around the big cities, their ring roads and their congested main routes, and take you out by gentler ones.

Is my data protected?

Yes. No advertising, no selling of your data. Your journeys belong to you: that is a brand commitment, not an option.

The road is waiting.

Next time you take the wheel, take the long way round.

Join the adventure Download the app