Cycling in France
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France

6 cycling routes

The birthplace of the Tour de France, cycling is woven into the French national identity. The Alps and Pyrenees offer legendary climbs that have decided the fate of countless Grand Tour champions.

All Routes in France

Menton Cols Loop
moderate
Menton

Menton Cols Loop

A perfect introduction to the roads behind Menton. This 61km loop crosses two categorised climbs — Col de Vescavo and Col de Castillon — and takes you across the Italian border before returning through the medieval village of Sospel, with its famous 14th-century toll bridge.

61 km
Distance
1,150m
Elevation
Col de Turini & Col de Braus
epic
Featured
Menton

Col de Turini & Col de Braus

Four categorised climbs. 159 kilometres. 3,360 metres of elevation. From Menton via Monaco to Col de Turini at 1,604m, descending through Nice and climbing Col d'Eze before returning along the Corniche. Also rideable from Nice — one of the finest cycling days on the French Riviera.

159 km
Distance
3,360m
Elevation
4.9
3 reviews
Col de la Madone Classic
hard
Menton

Col de la Madone Classic

Lance Armstrong used this climb as his personal benchmark for Tour de France readiness. Trek named a bike after it. Tadej Pogačar holds the Strava KOM at 31:38. Col de la Madone is 13km of spectacular climbing above Menton, passing through Saint-Agnès — one of the most beautiful villages in France — with views of the Mediterranean throughout. A route through Monaco on the return makes this one of the most glamorous days in cycling.

104 km
Distance
2,100m
Elevation
French Riviera Cycling — Col de Vence & Gourdon Loop
hard
Cagnes-sur-Mer

French Riviera Cycling — Col de Vence & Gourdon Loop

A spectacular loop from the Mediterranean coast into the mountains of the French Riviera — climbing from sea level at Cagnes-sur-Mer to the perched village of Gourdon and over Col de Vence at 962 metres before descending through the medieval town of Vence back to the coast. One of the finest rides on the Riviera, combining coastal scenery with dramatic alpine terrain in a single day.

109 km
Distance
1,798m
Elevation
French Riviera Cycling — Vence & Gourdon Loop
hard
Cagnes-sur-Mer

French Riviera Cycling — Vence & Gourdon Loop

A classic and demanding loop from the Mediterranean coast into the mountains behind Nice and Antibes — combining two of the most celebrated climbs on the French Riviera in a single day. From Cagnes-sur-Mer at sea level, the route climbs first to the medieval town of Vence, then continues to the spectacular perched village of Gourdon at the highest point of the route, before sweeping back down to the coast. Gourdon is one of the most dramatic viewpoints on the entire Riviera — a village on a clifftop with a 360-degree panorama stretching from the Alps to the Mediterranean. At 82 kilometres with 1,476 metres of climbing, this is a shorter but punchy alternative to the longer Col de Vence loop, and an ideal route for riders wanting to experience the best of the Riviera hinterland without committing to a full day.

82 km
Distance
1,476m
Elevation
Milano–San Remo Cycling Route — Cipressa & Poggio
moderate
Menton

Milano–San Remo Cycling Route — Cipressa & Poggio

Ride the closing kilometres of one of cycling's oldest and most prestigious Monuments. From Menton, follow the coast into Italy and return on the same roads that decide Milano–San Remo each March — including the Cipressa (where Eddy Merckx, Fausto Coppi and Giuseppe Saronni made their marks) and the Poggio, the decisive climb where Nibali, Mohoric and Pogačar have launched their winning attacks. A 24km converted railway cycling path along the Ligurian coast adds a unique dimension to the day.

102 km
Distance
1,036m
Elevation