Nice was the setting for the Tour finish in 2024. In 2020, it was not the start initially hoped for, but there was still plenty of spectacle to be had. Anyway, the region is a wonderful place to go cycling. Fallen hero Lance Armstrong absolutely loved the region. He even had a favourite climb there (Col de Madone). Steven Kruijswijk, Michal Kwiatkowski and other riders (from Monaco as their home base) also ride their laps there. We give five tips for cycling on the Cote D'Azur in the Provence region. They are five stunning climbs we have listed, for inspiration for your next adventure on this beautiful coast.
By: Sander Kolsloot
Col de Vence
This ascent, near the artist and gallery village of Vence (one of the most beautiful villages of France) is a perfect training climb. The south variation, from Cagnes, is about 10 kilometres long at an average of 7%. You can go just deep enough there, and ultimately the evenness also gives you the advantage of good training. An additional advantage is that this climb only reaches an altitude of 963m, making it easily accessible even in winter, as it is actually snow and ice-free practically all year round.
Col de Vence, Vence, France
- Distance: 9.6 km, Elevation difference: 640 m, Average slope: 6.7 %
Col de la Bonette
One of the highest mountains in Europe, the Col de la Bonette is the highest paved climb in Europe. In total, this col is 25 kilometres long, with 10 kilometres of that climb above 2000 metres altitude. The roads of this climb are not passable all year round. Depending on the weather, the climb is open from around the end of May until sometimes in November. The climb is not very often in the major tours. In 2016, the Giro (?) rode to this climb. Then Mikel Nieve got to throw his hands in the air at the top. The tour last came there in 2008. One John-Lee Augustyn (remember this one?) was the (surprising) winner then.
Cime de la Bonette, Saint Étienne De Tinée, France
- Distance: 25.6 km, Elevation difference: 1620 m, Average gradient: 6.4 %
Little bonus: at the summit, you can take an extra 'lap', giving you even more training on your fitness at this altitude. Don't even have to go to Ecuador for that.
Col de la Madone
This was Lance Armstrong's favourite training climb. The bike brand he rode on named a model after it. Yet this climb has never been in a grand tour. It may be that this climb offers too little spectacle. It is 14 kilometres long in total, but very gradual. 6.5% average, maximum 10%. Another reason could be that the climb is a bit difficult to ride by the Tour caravan. It gets quite narrow and rough at one point. You might encounter a few sheep just like that. Or Chris Froome on his daily lap in the off-season.
Col de la Madone, Menton, France
- Distance: 13.5 km, Elevation difference: 899 m, Average slope: 6.7 %
Col de Turini
Cycling on the Cote d'Azur means only one thing: Col de Turini. If you love rallying in addition to cycling, this is a name with a story. In fact, the Turini was made famous by the Monte Carlo Rally. So why is this a really nice climb in this region? You can tackle it from three different sides. Each side is slightly different. The western climb is the most awe-inspiring, with a considerable gradient (7.3% average in 15kilometres). The southern side is the friendliest but a lot longer (26 kilometres, 4.9%). The eastern climb is a bit in between in terms of length and gradient.
It is a stunning climb over some rural roads and at the top, at 1600 metres you have a few restaurants and coffee tents where you can stop for refreshments or to warm up. Beware: in winter it can be cold and slippery here! And you might just bump into Richie Porte here. There are worse places to have a collision with a pro 😉.
Col d'Eze
This climb is actually the quintessential Paris-Nice climb. Until recently, it was in the final time trial every year, but now the local mayor has other plans. Alas. Richie Porte and Chris Froome have been allowed to stand on the top step here before. It is not an impressive col in terms of numbers as it only climbs to 504m, it is at 5% and the maximum score is 9.4% on the gradient. Still, it provides spectacle every time the pros give it a 10km snarl. And for the view, you should definitely have done it once.
Added bonus: if you are based in Nice, this is the easiest climb to reach, as it also starts in the seaside town.
Bonus climb: Col de Tende
How do you get a total of 48 hairpin bends in just 7.4 kilometres? And how is it possible to add another 17 (!) with a turn. That's the Col de Tende. It really is a bucket list climb that you can attack from two sides. The best route, though, is from Nice and then via the D6204. Don't forget to turn off before the Tende Tunnel otherwise you'll miss the best part. It does take a while to get to the top as it is a long climb that only gets steeper. An additional disadvantage: the road surface also only gets worse. So not too narrow tyres and allow for a bit of off-road. But with a climb like this, you have to be prepared for that.
