10 days on the south-west route

The itinerary starts and finishes in the south-west in Las Vegas. For travellers unfamiliar with the Vice City, it's best to add an extra day or two to get the full experience. First stage: the drive from Las Vegas to Zion National Park in Utah takes around 2? hours.

The change of scenery starts on the road with a stopover at Valley of Fire Park. This incredible place is filled with red rock formations. Incidentally, it was the very first state park in Nevada. In just a few hours, you can drive along the epic White Domes Road and then get to the Fire Wave, a hypnotic multicoloured wave. Finally, to round off the day, take a trip to the small town of Springdale.

For the second day, no grass'mat'! We're up at the crack of dawn to catch the shuttle and enjoy a day of discovery in the heart of Zion National Park. From March to early autumn, no private vehicles are allowed on the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, so the shuttle takes over at the visitor centre.

Zion is known for its red mountains, winding canyons and epic hikes. The most popular hikes in Zion are Angels Landing and The Narrows; two intense hikes that should only be attempted if the weather is good.

So we set off on the Angels Landing hike early in the morning, which is 8km long and has an ascent of over 450 metres. It's NOT an easy hike, but it's one of the most iconic in the South West. The experience is epic. It will take around 4 hours to complete this route.

There is still time for a shorter walk in the afternoon, such as the Lower Emerald Pool Trail, which is very easy, or an activity such as cycling in the park.

On the third day, we leave Zion on the Mount Carmel Road (the section of Route 9 and Highway 89). You'll be carried away by the magnificent scenery along the way. The drive from Zion to Bryce Canyon National Park only takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes, which means there's plenty of time for photo stops. There's no need to rush!

Once you've arrived at Bryce Canyon, you can enjoy the beautiful hiking trails and scenic drive with viewpoints such as Inspiration Point, Natural Bridge and Rainbow Point. We recommend driving to Rainbow Point first and then back to the park entrance. Bryce is at a high altitude, so you'll need to wear warm layers.

For the fourth day, we're staying in Bryce Canyon and embarking on one of the park's best-known hikes: the Navajo Loop Trail, which leads to the famous hoodoos. The trail starts at Sunset Point and ends at Sunrise Point. The hike takes around 2 hours to complete.

After this beautiful walk, head for either Capitol Reef National Park or Goblin Valley Park. For the record, the latter is less well-known (and therefore less visited by tourists). A good hour is all it takes to walk through Goblin Valley Park, with its many hoodoos.

Canyonlands National Park tends to be overlooked and forgotten by visitors, to the detriment of the Arches near Moab. A good full day trip to Canyonlands is worthwhile.

Canyonlands has two main areas: Island in the Sky and The Needles (suitable for experienced hikers). In the morning, head for Mesa Arch, a favourite with photographers, then on to the panoramic views from Grand View Point and the Green River Overlook. This is also an opportunity to hike up to Upheaval Dome.

Near Moab, Arches National Park is truly the star of this part of Utah. And for good reason: the park has more than 2,000 natural stone arches, as well as pinnacles, cliffs and boulders, all in a brilliant orange-red hue.

We start the day by driving along this picturesque road to immortalise the different panoramas. Then it's on to the arches, via Park Avenue, Balanced Rock and Double Arch.

We end the day in style with the park's most emblematic hike, the Delicate Arch. This is the park's most famous arch, a true visual symbol of Utah. The hike is a little difficult, especially the climb. It takes 1 to 1? hours to reach the arch before sunset.

For the seventh day, we leave Utah for Arizona with its grand landscapes straight out of western movies. Along the way, Monument Valley is the must-see stop in the southwest. Located on the border between Utah and Arizona, Tsé Biiʼ Ndzisgaii (Monument Valley) is a Navajo tribal park renowned for its imposing sandstone buttes. They are recognisable from old western films, as it was a favourite filming location for directors such as John Ford.

It takes around 2? hours to drive to Monument Valley from Moab. To visit the park, you'll need to book a guided tour with a Navajo guide. Once the tour is over, it's a 2-hour drive to Page for dinner.

Page is a small town close to Lake Powell and Glen Canyon National Park, but it's also within easy reach of Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon. Day eight kicks off with a visit to Horseshoes Bend, the most Instagrammable place in the South West.

A short hike leads to the viewpoint where the Colorado River makes a massive bend through a deep canyon. Antelope Canyon is also well worth a visit, despite the many tourists! Accompanied by a Navajo guide, you can discover the beams of light. In the evening (or afternoon), consider a sunset cruise on Lake Powell or perhaps hire a kayak or paddleboard.

D-Day. Epic day. Day nine is devoted to exploring the Grand Canyon. We start at Desert View, the entrance to the Grand Canyon, and make our way along Highway 64, stopping at all the viewpoints on the way to Grand Canyon Village and the South Rim Visitor Centre.

After visiting the visitor centre and the nearby Mather Point, you can take one of the park's free shuttles which run throughout the high season at the Grand Canyon. These shuttles are an excellent, stress-free way to access the trails, viewpoints (Maricopa Point, Mohave Point, The Abyss, Pima Point...) and other points of interest, some of which are only accessible by bus.

The best viewpoint for a sunset is at Hopi Point.

The tenth and final day is dedicated to the city of vice: Las Vegas. The journey from Flagstaff to Las Vegas takes just under 4 hours. You can enjoy the casinos in the evening and the great atmosphere, then catch a flight the next morning.