Road Trip in Paradise

Norway is a magnificent country, or at least that's what you hear all the time. But is its reputation a little overrated? Is it just another one of those Instagram must-see destinations that ends up being overrun by Instagrammers and isn't actually that extraordinary? Our answer, without the slightest hesitation, is NO! There's no denying it,  it's beautiful, really, really beautiful. It might even be paradise on Earth... 😍

First of all, Norway is the ultimate road trip destination. While many people choose to explore the country and its spectacular fjords by cruise ship, we believe that discovering it by road is far more rewarding, for several reasons.

To begin with, there's the scenery. Every mile brings a new spectacle before your eyes: waterfalls cascading down mountainsides, pristine sandy beaches, snow-capped peaks still even at the start of summer, crystal-clear lakes, rushing rivers, lush green forests... it's a feast for the eyes. The roads are in excellent condition, and driving is enjoyable despite the winding curves and occasional roadworks. However, you need time—and more importantly, you need to take your time. Distances are long, the roads weave their way between mountains and the sea, there are no motorways, just two-lane roads crossing towns and villages, so you rarely drive over 90 km/h. You won't cover huge distances in a single day but honestly, that would be a shame anyway. There are simply too many beautiful picnic spots to stop at (notice the little flowers decorating the picnic tables!)

And then there are the countless dreamlike places where you can simply sit, admire the scenery, and daydream for hours, or even days...

Obviously, the fact that Norway is a road trip paradise is no hidden secret, because camper vans are everywhere! And some people travel in ENORMOUS motorhomes! Along the coastal roads, you sometimes see more camper vans than regular cars. At first, it worried us a little, we imagined every overnight stop would be packed with vehicles squeezed together like sardines. Fortunately, that hasn't been the case. Since many of these huge motorhomes can't park just anywhere, and because there are so many places to stop, we've always managed to find a quiet little spot. After ten months on the road, we've also gained a bit of experience when it comes to finding the good spots. 😉

Having your own vehicle also gives you access to Norway's countless hiking trails, because Norway is also a hiker's paradise. And as everyone knows, whenever you make the effort to climb a little higher, you're usually rewarded—and rewarded we certainly were!

Here's a quick look back at our journey since arriving in the land of the Vikings. We entered Norway from Finland near Tromsø. While many travelers continue all the way to the North Cape, the northernmost point of mainland Europe, we felt it meant too many extra kilometres. We'd rather spend our time enjoying the places we visit than sitting behind the wheel. So instead, we headed south and quickly stopped on the island of Senja, where stunning fjords, sunshine, and incredible hikes were waiting for us.

From Senja, we took a ferry to the Vesterålen archipelago. The weather was a little less cooperative, but there was still enough sunshine to fully appreciate this beautiful region. The weather was especially nice on the evening of my birthday, when we enjoyed an wonderful dinner at a restaurant overlooking the fjords. The menu featured fresh and local ingredients, including something we certainly don't eat every day... whale. 😯 A winning combination and a truly memorable evening!

Unfortunately, for the next several days, this is what we got ...

So on June 21st, the summer solstice, we technically experienced the Midnight Sun... except we never actually saw it, even if we had stayed up all night! Since the forecast predicted several more days of rain, strong winds, and cold temperatures, we reluctantly decided to skip the famous Lofoten Islands. They're said to be absolutely stunning, but in good weather 😞. Instead, we "made the most" of the bad weather by driving south toward France, crossing back below the Arctic Circle in... rather Arctic conditions.

Along Norway's coastline, it's quite common to have to take ferries and/or drive on toll roads. To avoid some of those, we made a, incursion into Sweden for a few days before returning to Norway just in time to watch the Football (soccer) World Cup match between France and Norway in the small town of Røros. We had chosen Røros just like that, because it was more or less on our route and seemed large enough to have a bar with a big screen that would show the game. What we didn't know was that we'd stumbled upon a charming former mining town, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Even better, a youth football tournament was taking place that weekend, so the town was buzzing with young players, their families, and a fantastic atmosphere. We spent a wonderful evening there and discovered a beautiful region that's still somewhat off the radar for international tourists.

From Røros, we continued heading south and west, driving alongside the countless lakes and rivers that Norway has by the hundreds—yes, literally hundreds. While taking a short break beside one of these rivers and watching the powerful current rush beneath a bridge, we noticed a man wearing shorts from the French national rugby team. Naturally, we started chatting. That's how we met David, a Frenchman from Toulouse who now lives in Montpellier, a former rugby player and passionate fisherman. He comes to Norway almost every year because, yes, Norway is also a fishing paradise. After chatting for over an hour and sharing a drink together, Jérôme headed off with David for an impromptu river fishing lesson.

The student and the teacher caught several fish, three of which ended up in our frying pan: two trout and one perch. 😋

Another wonderful encounter to add to our growing list of unforgettable travel memories, and we sincerely hope to see David again once we're back in France.

We're now slowly making our way toward Oslo... and after that? We honestly don't know yet. We'll simply see which corner of paradise the wind carries us to next.

To see all the photos from our journey along the road, click here.

Jérôme & Sophie