0:00 Introduction
01:00 Col d’Èze
03:33 Col de la Madone
06:09 Montee de Peille
07:25 Col de Turini: Lantosque
09:40 Col de Turini: L’Escarène
12:18 Col de Turini: Sospel
14:11 Turini extension: Circuit L’Authion
14:44 Col de Braus: L’Escarène
16:23 Col de Braus: Sospel
17:19 Col de Castillon
18:39 Col de Châteauneuf
20:52 Col Saint-Roch
22:00 Madone d’Utelle
24:31 Mont Chauve
25:53 Col de Vence
27:44 Monaco and Viewpoints
29:21 Outro
Main Climb Segments
Col d’Èze: https://www.strava.com/segments/782273
Col de la Madone: https://www.strava.com/segments/622960
Montee de Peille: https://www.strava.com/segments/6957903
Col de Turini (Lantosque): https://www.strava.com/segments/20399899
Col de Turini (L’Escarène): https://www.strava.com/segments/13268736
Col de Turini (Sospel): https://www.strava.com/segments/16273563
Col de Braus (L’Escarène): https://www.strava.com/segments/24291831
Col de Braus (Sospel): https://www.strava.com/segments/3317978
Col de Castillon: https://www.strava.com/segments/30096561
Col de Châteauneuf: https://www.strava.com/segments/665086
Col Saint-Roch: https://www.strava.com/segments/36468851
Madone d’Utelle: https://www.strava.com/segments/11477419
Mont Chauve: https://www.strava.com/segments/22905380
Col de Vence: https://www.strava.com/segments/635270
Other Notable Climbs Mentioned
Chemin du Vinaigrier: https://www.strava.com/segments/746132
Mont Leuze: https://www.strava.com/segments/1268617
Fort de la Revère from Col d’Èze: https://www.strava.com/segments/1168480
Madone from Menton (Serre de la Madone): https://www.strava.com/segments/7251061
Turini extension loop (Circuit L’Authion): https://www.strava.com/segments/34600713
Castellar: https://www.strava.com/segments/2804587
Costes: https://www.strava.com/segments/8618569
Caire: https://www.strava.com/segments/7966755
Courmettes: https://www.strava.com/segments/924776
Beausoleil: https://www.strava.com/segments/6508124
Monte Carlo Golf Club: https://www.strava.com/segments/3549926
Resources
Public Water Fountations: https://www.eau-cyclisme.com/
Weather/Mountain Webcams: https://www.meteoblue.com/en/weather/week/nice_france_2990440
On the off chance that this video was of any use and you’d like to bring me great joy through a cup of coffee: https://ko-fi.com/illigardner
(it’ll also help make my gross croaky voice less grating on the ears)
Hello and welcome to my guide of cycling climbs on the coat desier from Coastal cruising to resplendant Alpine ascents it’s easy to see why the Riviera is a hot spot for top level Pros I’ve been fortunate enough to spend quite a bit of time in the area over the last few years
And no matter how many times I ride these climbs it simply never gets old it’s an immensely rewarding place to cycle regardless of whether you’re smashing out efforts or just enjoying the ride the criteria I’ve ad here to for clim inclusion is that they all fall within a reasonable riding distance of
And Monaco and that they’re generally Hills that the average person would enjoy meaning no weirdly steep half unpaved abomination of Roads well for the most part the content is a jumble of footage from 2020 through to today which I’ve spiced together to hopefully give you an idea of what to expect I’ve tried
To Summarize each clip in just a minute or two but there’s obviously quite a lot so I’ve added chapters to enable you to jump around more easily I’ve also linked all relevant segments and information in the description here we go first up is cold a as this is the
Nearest major climb that you can tackle straight out of me there are various roads that you can take from the coast which will eventually merge into the same route but this is the main segment which they used in the second stage of the 2020 torto France it’s 10K at 5% and
The first few kilometers are a bit busy and messy as you leave the urban surroundings of n behind this first straight bit is actually one of the steepest sections but you’ll probably be fueled by adrenaline from all the potenti potential traffic maneuvering but it’s not long until you’re overlooking the
City and get a few moments of rest SP on some flatter sections after about 3 km the road changes Direction which isn’t altogether noticeable as you’re riding it and with that comes quite a significant flat section although somehow it always feels like a headwind when I’ve ridden
It when it kicks up again you’re just over halfway and this is where the other routs up start to join in on the right there you have the kise for shanan which can be climb from bolu or V franch swi and also shamanda vria which is quite a
Steep one and starts down in V franch you also have the option to peel off up Mount L here which is a quiet Lane that runs alongside this main route of called the rest of this climb is much more Scenic than the first half as it’s
Running parallel to the Sea and you have sweeping views to your right the last few kets flat an awful lot but keep fushing until you reach the official Summit which is by the unmissable bike sture the whole climb is very well signed with B markers a nice benefit of its frequent use in
Races and I can’t talk about this road without giving a shout out to one of my all-time favorite spots Fort Del River so if you take this left it’s about a 200 M climb up to the Fort it’s a dead end road but it’s a really nice spot to
Ride up to and soak up the views and on a clear day you can even see Corsica it’s really hard for me to ride past here without veering off on a detour up to it but yeah just a really nice extension and the main route continues
To Roll Along all the way to lby where you can head Inland or descend down to Monon and along the way there’s lots more roads that drop down to the coast It only makes sense to include perhaps the most famous Riviera climb next on this list called ladone there are a few different ways to ride the opening cles but the most famous segment which is widely regarded as the K segment starts after the various routs converge which
Is actually at about 250 m above sea level if you’re riding from the coast the C deera deadone is probably the most Pleasant route the turnoff is a little easy to miss but you climb away from the busyness of M on really quickly another popular route is straight up the d22 and
Past the inter Marsh and then you can also approach it from the west from G the start of the proper climb where you might want to start your stopwatch isn’t very obvious as you’re actually already climbing when you hit it but it’s shortly before you pass under the A8 by
This screen gate on the left the climb from here is about 10 km at 7% and it can be split into two pretty distinctive halves it’s quite straightforward up to St Agnes along a decently wide and smooth road with just a few tight bends and you’ll start to get some good views
Of the Mediterranean as you approach St Agnes the road fats off and you have to take a hard turn left sort of back on yourself it’s a bit easy to miss this if it’s your first time riding it and from here the landscape of the road changes noticeably the second half actually has
A slightly easier average gradient but it’s quite difficult to get into a rhythm because it’s not very consistent there are a few bits where you’re dipping into the double digits but there’s also quite a long flat section although it’s hard to drill it along here because it’s pretty narrow
And the road is Bumpy along with a few dark tunnels there’s usually some rocks to dodge as well I’ve done this climb before without seeing a soul but on weekends and holidays you might encounter masses of like this but it can be super peaceful up here and you just
Feel a world away from everything which is a start contrast to where you started the climb just a few comets earlier unless of course there’s the practice event for rally cars going on the summit always takes longer to materialize than I expect but you know you’ve made it when you pass this in
Congruous sculpture on the right it’s a classic and for good reason I think it’s probably not everyone’s cup of tea but it’s quite unique and an essential if you’re in the area if you continue on over the top you’ll descend about 240 M to a sort of Ridge Road if
You go left it’s a very slight downhill for about 10K all the way to lby which is a town that overlooks Monaco there’s lots of shops and things here and it serves as a popular meeting point for cyclist and if you go right you’ll reach the perch commune of pay which is the
Summit of yet another climb all right so this will be a quick one mainly because it’s not my favorite climb ever it’s an interesting one because there’s loads of Tide bends but it doesn’t exactly have that sweeping Majestic Alpine feel to it it starts
Down in L Grave deay by a big Quarry and you hit with the hardest section straight away the climb pity is 6 and 1 12 km at around 7% there’s actually a slight downhill section just a few minutes in and then it hovers at around 8 to 9% for
A little bit this hill is frequently used in Paris me and I’m envious of their ability to use the full width of the road the frequency of switch backs increases while the gradient gradually eases off throughout the climb while it might not be an all-time favorite it’s
Still a brilliant climb and a great gateway to Hills further Inland if you’re doing a loop from the coast you’re likely to descend this road on the way out then climb it on the way back so it can also be a bit of a challenge if you have a lot of fatigue
In the legs you’ll know you’re near the top when you pass a car park and start to enter pay itself and you can pick up even more speed around these last few bends if you continue along you’re on that road which leads all the way to lby
And you get some pretty awesome views of the village and Valley as you slice through the mountain time for my favorite Trini is one of the highest climbs in the in the region at a little over, 1600 M and there are three main routes of it from sville Laren and Lantos they’re all
Vastly different and I really wouldn’t be able to choose a favorite the ascent from Lantos is the one that’s been used most often in races such as Paris n and the to of France but is the furthest to get to if you’re approaching from the coast and so for me personally it’s the
One I’ve in the least in terms of clim profile it’s the most straight forward of the three 15 km at 7.3% for an elevation gain of just under 1100 M the gradient is fairly consistent although the opening kilometers are marginally milder and it flattens off as you pass
Through Laban V this section is a little confusing as you have to take a Securus route through the village due to a oneway system which isn’t entirely obvious especially as lots of the straw segments are modeled on the race routes which just chop through the center the rest of the climb is very
Straightforward but there are a few steeper sections towards the end which always start to bite you do get some really stunning views but they’re easy to miss when climbing since they’re all kind of behind you stage 20 of the 2024 T of France climbs T from SEL before
Descending down this road to Lantos and this is also the route that is being used for the attap the tour it’s also quite well known for being the site of the Monte Carlo rally Lantos itself has a few shops suitable for stocking up on fuel along with some public toilets and in cooler
Months you can expect it to be warmer on the climb than Down Below in the valley which gets somewhat frigid as the road is cloaked in shade from the surrounding mountains and draws in dampness from the vesub river I’ve never ridden much along the Valley Road the M25 65 which is the main
Route up here it’s not terribly busy but it’s not the kind of road I find Pleasant to ride along I’m sure for lot people it’ll be fine especially with a group it’s of course very dependent on way of starting your ride but there are other nearby Hills that would take you
Off the main road that you can incorporate into your route if you’re willing to Chuck in a whole lot more climbing the climb up ter from L Grand is the most substantial in terms of both distance and elevation gain but it also has a shallowest average gradient so
It’s 4.8% for 26 km for just over 1300 M of vertical Ascent GL itself is a great starting point it’s also the base of C the brass which will appear later in this video there’s a gra laundry on the corner which is often overflowing with cyclist highly recommend to stop there
So the first 6 or so km is a bit of a drag still a lovely road to cycle along but despite climbing nearly 300 M it feels like a bit of a false flat which is kind of augmented by the road signs that indicate the distance to the summit
It can be a bit dismaying to see 25k to go when you’re traveling at 10 mph and already breathing hard once you pass through lucam and be to the right you’ll embark on what is one of my favorite stretches of Road in the whole world
This section’s about 10 km at 7% and a little halfway through begins a truly epic succession of switchbacks you can also reach this bit of road from a lane that peels off at the top of brow obviously you’ve been climbing for quite a while at this point so the
Happens break it up really nicely and provide some relief at least from a psychological perspective regardless of whether I’m Dr in through an effort or struggling at the end of a long ride I’ve never failed to appreciate the Splendor of this section of road as it
Tends to be exposed to the sun it’s quite an enjoyable descent as well after that happens you start to head further Inland under the shelter of trees and the gradient drops off drastically the road passes through the small village of parava which has a few shots but I’m not
Sure I’d rely on them to be open the final 10K Roll Along at an average of a gentle 2.4% which is kind of nice but it also feels as though it goes on forever it’s very undulating but there’s this one wall where it kicks back up and I’m always convinced I have a
Puncture there’s not much in the way of views aside from the occasional Glimpse through the trees and it can get quite chilly I always lose track of where I am on this climb as there’s lots of little micro descents but after a bit more squiggling around the top of the climb
Kind of pops out of nowhere so the ascent from last SK while the longest is also the most variable and it’s quite easy to split it up into pretty defined sections there are also a few oportunities to deviate from the main route instead of bearing right at
Locam you can go left and climb up Cain roach which eventually Loops back around to just before parava the final side of T starts in sble this was actually the first side I ever climbed SS is another great base just watch out for the opening hours of
The bakeries as a few of them tend to shut for extended hours at lunchtime the other side of Rous can also be climbed from here there’s a train line that cuts through the mountain and connects it to Laren and not too dissimilar from the
Last scent this one is 24 km at 5% and it basically gets increasingly more difficult throughout the 1210 M of climbing the first 8 km are quite gentle with a few dips and you’ll be forgiven for questioning whether you’ve actually started the climb but it soon settles
Into a more consistent Rhythm and you can see the climb zigzagging of the Mountain ahead of you this rear camera footage was from February so it’s relatively Barren this was an unusually warm period so I seiz the opportunity to get up the mountain but there can be a
Fair amount of snowfall in winter in the summer the hillside is overflowing with vegetation shortly after you pass the NRA Dam d lol the gradient levels out and you get a few relatively flat kilometers as you approach the commune of mol after this things gradually get tougher but also more consistent with
Theot last 10 comments averaging about 6 and 1/2% continuing with the theme of the other two asent the last few coms is really drag on with no distinguishing features to break things up this video was from the last time I did an effort up the whole climb and I started to
Really struggle in the last 20 minutes or so but it’s another really special climb and one of my all-time favorites it’s also suitable for just rolling up and enjoying as the greins never get too severe at the top there are a few hotels with restaurants get some of that blue rupie
And there’s also a bonus Loop you can ride this road climbs up to the camp to arent ski resort and you can continue onto this Viewpoint which marks the start of this oneway circuit it’s about 10 km and passes some Fort and tank runes the road surface is a bit bumpy
And there are some fairly steep kickers on the return leg and the air might start to feel a little thin as you’re off above 2,000 M but it’s definitely worth doing if the weather’s nice as you get some epic panoramic views next up is the aforementioned colder brous which can be climbed from
Either L ESR or Sauble the more famous side is the L escan Ascent which is the one being ridden in this year’s Tour of France and it’s just under 10k at 6 and 1 12% the road starts to gently ramp up after you peel off right and the first
Few kilomet are pretty featureless bar a small village and a few hairpin Bend then at around 3K there’s a slight dip in the road and you can pick up some speed the Cascade the red Brouse is to the right here and you get some good views both behind and above you from
Here you turn further Inland and just after six CL you hit the famous section of switchbacks they’re really tightly packed and it’s actually pretty hard to stay on the correct side of the road but they’re great fun and you get a real sense of just how high you’ve climbed
Shortly after the highins there’s a short steep section which always catches me slightly by surprise but once you’ve conquered this it’s a fairly steady two kmet to the summit as you wind further Inland this road on the right here is the one that joins the hair pins as you climb to from
Locam this side of brow is south facing so if it’s a sunny day you can expect it to get pretty toasty on this climb but the descent into Sall is much more sheltered and the temperatures can drop pretty quickly if you carry on over the top there’s a restaurant at the summit
Which I’ve Heard lots of good things about although I’m not sure I’ve ever seen it open and alongside a monument to Renee vietto there’s a little bike station with a pump and some tools that has recently been added BR from s is less popular but a
Fantastic climb in its own right I 5.7% for 11 km it’s not usually dissimilar from the esan ascent but has a very different feel the first three km are uncomplicated as the road sneaks upwards then you hit a section of L sets if you’re as bad at cornering as me you
Might involve a bit of freewheeling and breaking around these Corners a road joins in on the left which cuts through to the top of C de cion which I’ll touch on briefly next there’s a slightly flatter section before it kicks back up to the steepest section of the climb
Which briefly dips in and out of the double digits for a few minutes minutes there are some military Forts and ruins scattered around and you might see the famous brass goats or Patu sitting in the road after a few tight bends there’s just one more dig to the summit and we’re
Back so the road I mentioned that peels off halfway up brous joins the top of C Deion after about six rolling km from there you can either go left and Ascend into Sall or you can go right through the tunnel and head back to the coast if
You’re staying in monton close to the Italian border this is the most direct route to get to the mountains further Inland like Trini there’s a few different options here the most straightforward route is just heading up the D2 566 and that’s about 11 km at 5%
The beginning is a little busy but it gets nice and quiet pretty quickly there’s also a slightly longer but in my opinion more enjoyable route you can take which climbs from monton to the perch Village of of castella then drops back down to the main road it obviously
Adds a bit of extra elevation as well but it cuts out the busiest section and it’s quite a nice climb about 5 1 half% for 5K and after it joins the main road there’s about 400 m of climbing left to the summit before passing through the commune of Cason you pass the caramel
Viaduct which is the remnant of a tram line which used to link monton to saible then a few kilometers before the top the road splits into two and Y bear to the right the road that branches off left extends straight into Sauble through a tunnel but you’re not allowed
To cycle along it but it’s not far to the top and from there you can either cut through to Brass or descend down the remaining climbs aren’t necessarily Staples in my regular riding spots but they’re pretty special and well worth a trip okay this one isn’t that special but it’s a decent little
Climb and makes frequent appearances in Pro races and it’s also a good Connector Road starting from con C the shat no is about 6 and2 is at 6 and 12% con has plenty of shops and public toilets and the bandry Lev has some very nice past trees and a coffee machine The
Climb starts by a roundabout just after you cross the river and pass a theater and actually shares a few similarities with the pay climb firstly being that the steeper section comes at the beginning it’s still never too difficult maybe briefly 8 to 10% but it’s easy to overdo it here
Then after about a kilometer and a half you hit a sequence of switchbacks they’re quite tight and a bit difficult to carry momentum through and you definitely have to watch out for cars swinging around on the wrong side of the road this road here leads to benun which
Climbs up to Cole St roach and I’ll talk about that one next there are a few easier sections as you approach the village of shatan v and once you reach it you’ll know that the bulk of the climb is behind you this last cler is quite straight and
There’s a little flat section before the final drag up to the summit where there are medieval ruins the other side of the climb is very gentle and drops down to Tourette laavan where you can access some rolling roads and it’s also a good way of getting to Mont which is coming up
Soon I briefly mentioned Co s roach or sand rock in the Trini section of this video as it can be climbed from locam but the souly ascent can also be reached from con or from benun which you can join from a road that branches off halfway up chatan it’s a 5k climb of
About 300 M elevation gain to Karas and then the road pitches up and down for a few km before settling back at 7 and 1/2% for 5 1/2 km up to call De savel and then over to call S Rock I really love this section of road it’s usually
Super quiet and peaceful and you can see the road powering above you which while a bit daunting is really satisfying as the amount you’ve ascended is almost tangible descending down right will take you to loose Ram if you go left you’ll be descending called Deport which takes
You to the foot of the Lantos side of tyy then if you go straight the road actually keeps climbing for another few miles until you join the top of the Switchback section from the last Ascent of tyy so loads of options there and they’re all pretty great
Now we’re going to hop across West to the valley road that leads to lentos where there is an out and back climb up to Ladon Hotel you can also get to this climb From a Balcony road that goes through lean the turn off to this climb
Is over a narrow bridge and then you swing around right and there are public toilets just up the road if you continue straight for 50 m or so utel is a very gentle and steady climb but quite long about 5 1 half% for 15 km the start is very unassuming not a particularly
Exciting road but it’s not long before you start getting awesome views of the valley and mountains in the distance the village of vile is just over halfway through and then that road opens up and passes by some shops you might also see a few dogs here
Which gave me a heart attack the last time I descended this climb I think a friendly movie this road leads to L and joins up with the other Valley that eventually takes you to ISA and Beyond from here the road Narrows and takes on a more rugged feel but it’s
Actually a really nice shift and the variation makes the climb fly by I’ve only actually ridden this clim twice as it’s a bit out the way the first time was a baking hot summer’s day about 35° and there was a bit of traffic about but on this day in February it was pretty
Much deserted which is not surprising given that the climb doesn’t actually lead any there are some really brilliant views as you dip in and out of the trees but the real treat lies at the summit when you swing around the final Bend and pass the chapel the road plateaus and you get panoramic
Views as with most areas around here it’s steeped in history from the 18th century and Beyond you can catch glimpses of the chapel from all over the hills of the area another such Landmark is the aerial topm VL I’ve only ridden VL once as it’s a bit of a Backcountry
Track but if you’re in search of that on top of the world’s feeling it’s another great out and back climb to conquer there’s a few different ways to approach it but be prepared for the last five or six km which average around at 9% another dead end climb culminating in
Spectacular 360° views is Mont shov or Bal Mountain this one is easy to access as it lies just a few miles north of M the short version of this climb is 5K about 8% but the top section adds a further 120 M of climbing as we’ll see
The first kilometer is nothing to shout about but you can see the Lone Peak of sh looming above you then after about 2 km you start zigzagging back and forth It’s unlikely you’ll see many vehicles at least you better hope not cuz it’s quite narrow uh you’re more likely to
See mountain bikers and hikers than other Road cyclists the gradient is fairly consistent then at 5 km you pass this parking area and have to go through a gate the road gets pretty bumpy and grvy from here and it’s a bit steeper with quite tight bends but it’s not far until
You abruptly reach the top which is marked by Telecom M and the fort you can see nce sprawling below you and it’s pretty cool that you can do a relatively short climb and get away from the city so quickly especially as it’s such a quiet bit of road it’s also a
Great climb to do in Winter as it’s south facing so the slopes are generally bathed in sunlight cold ofon is another Winter Classic as it’s very open exposed which is a lovely treat in cool months but probably unforgiving in hot or windy conditions B itself can be quite busy a
Lot of famous artists are associated with it so you’ll probably pass features like the matis chapel on Route there’s also a fountain at the base of the clim which you can use to fill up your bottles apparently vont is actually famous for its spring water so it’s
Probably good stuff the stars of The Climb has some traffic calming obstacles to contend with but it all drops away quickly to give way to Barren slopes with certainly very little in the way of tree cover it’s another fairly long and steady climb at 6 and 1 12% for 10 km
There aren’t many super defining features but the colomet are well signed and as you change directions a few times you start to get some great views over the Mediterranean the 70.3 iron manise comes up here and it also seems to be popular with Pros for intervals presumably because the consistent gradients and
Open surroundings make it a very straightforward climb conversely there’s a cluster of outrageously steep climbs to be found near the bottom of the rout de grass I’m not sure to actually recommend these because they’re a bit excessive but if you’re looking to spice it up then root Des cost root decay and
Shan Des coret pose a risible Triple C challenge if you continue straight over the top of once you’ll hit the plateau to St Barnaby and from there you can descend towards caros and the river bar or continue further Inland where there are many more open roads and steady
Climbs just a briefly touch on riding around Monaco even if you don’t intend to go into it you’ll probably find yourself along this Coastal Road at some point the stretch between nie and Monaco isn’t too crazy but I basically tried to head uphill as soon as as possible there
Are lots of climbs that peel off this road and head up towards as the Moen corish is the main road which can be a bit busy especially just above cap die but if you continue on up to this top road you can get to C as or
Lby from the coast to lby it’s about a 400 met Ascent in my opinion the nicest way up is this road from St Lauren the root Delby is also a good one but I’d recommend taking the shortcut which is narrow and steep but beats the buiness busy main
Road then you’ve got a few options above Bose this one is being used in this year’s torto France final stage time tral once up by lby there are a few view points the T the Sha is very popular but my favorite is up by the Monte Carlo
Golf Club if you climb all the way up it’s about 3 km at 8% and provides some fantastic views of Monaco as tempting as these hairs look unfortunately you can’t ride up them this whole top area is occupied by the N air base and there sign saying you might
Be at risk of getting shot and as much as I love climbing I must say I’ve never felt tempted in the slightest but you can still enjoy this great stretch of road which also seems to be a favor of pros and we are done I must say that
This proved to be a much larger undertaking than initially anticipated but I’m glad to have a comprehensive collection of my favorite Hills on the Cod Des year and hopefully it hasn’t been too outrageously tedious to sit through if there are any climbs you think I’ve missed out or that you would
Recommend please let me know because I’m always looking to explore more thanks for watching we made it