Col de Turini & Col de Braus
About this Route
← French Riviera Cycling GuideFour categorised climbs. 159 kilometres. 3,430 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.
This is the biggest day I have ever had on the bike in the south of France, and I would not change a thing about it. The route heads west from Menton along the coast toward Monaco, and the first climb begins almost before you expect it -- the road rises behind the principality with views opening up over the whole Cote d'Azur. By the time you reach 600 metres you are already working, and the descent to L'Escarene that follows is fast and technical.
Col de Braus from L'Escarene is the first major test -- 10 km at 6.3% average, with those famous stacked hairpins in the upper section. When I rode this the road was empty and quiet, just the sound of the bike and the switchbacks folding back on themselves above and below. The descent drops you into Sospel, where I stopped at the restored 14th-century bridge for water and a moment to collect myself.
Col de Turini begins almost immediately on the far side of Sospel. The first half is deceptive -- 3 to 4% through pine forest, nothing that feels too demanding. But after the chapel of Notre-Dame de la Menour and the village of Moulinet, the gradient steps up to 7-9% and stays there for the rest of the climb. No respite, no recovery sections. When I reached the summit at 1,604 metres I was empty, but the crêpe stand at the top made everything better.
The 50 km descent to Nice is one of the finest I have ridden anywhere -- hairpins through forest, sweeping open panoramas, through Luceram and back past L'Escarene. The Mediterranean appears below and grows larger until you are on the coast road in Nice itself.
Col d'Eze from Nice completes the day -- 9.46 km at 5.8%, a Paris-Nice staple with views over Villefranche and Monaco. The descent via the Corniche roads above the Mediterranean, through Roquebrune-Cap-Martin and back into Menton, is the perfect way to end what was an extraordinary day on the bike.
Kilometre by Kilometre
Head west from Menton along the coast toward Monaco. The first climb starts before the principality, rising to 500m with panoramic views over the Côte d'Azur and the Mediterranean far below.
Descend to L'Escarène, then tackle Col de Braus: 10km at 6.3% average with the famous stacked hairpins in the upper section.
A sweeping descent to Sospel (350m). Stop at the 14th-century bridge before Col de Turini begins almost immediately on the far side of the valley.
24km at 5% average to the highest point on the route. The first half rolls at 3-4% through pine forest — the second half climbs relentlessly at 7-9% with no respite. Pass the chapel of Notre-Dame de la Menour, then commit to the upper mountain.
One of the finest descents in the south of France. 50km of hairpins through pine forest, open panoramas, through Lucéram and L'Escarène before the Mediterranean appears below you.
9.46km at 5.8% average above the Nice coastline, with views over Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Monaco and Villefranche. A fixture in Paris-Nice.
Descend via the famous Corniche roads above the Mediterranean, through Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, before arriving back in Menton along the waterfront.
Gallery
On the Road
Route map & elevation profile
Key Climbs
Highlights
- •The rally legend: Col de Turini is Monte Carlo Rally folklore—the "Night of the Long Knives," where drivers raced in the dark under a corridor of spectator flares. You climb the hairpins the rally descends, on a road Top Gear once called the world's best.
- •The stacked hairpins: Col de Braus from L'Escarène is the definitive Riviera postcard—eight switchbacks stacked on stone walls like a staircase. Look back from the top for the view every cycling photographer chases.
- •René Vietto: At the Braus summit sits a monument to René Vietto, the region's beloved climber. In the 1934 Tour, while leading, he turned back to give his bike to his crashed team captain—one of the greatest acts of sportsmanship in cycling history.
- •Into the gorge: The Turini climb threads the Gorges du Piaon, a rock canyon with the perched chapel of Notre-Dame de la Menour hanging above the road, before the forest closes in toward the 1,604 m summit.
- •The complete Riviera day: Turini, Braus, and Col d'Èze—the classic Paris-Nice time-trial climb—in a single loop. This is the complete Riviera day.
Must know
- ⚠This is a full day: 159 km with 3,430 m of climbing across three cols. Pace it as an endurance ride, not a series of individual climbs.
- ⚠Turini is the long climb of the day, and its second half sits consistently between 7% and 9%. Moulinet, roughly halfway up, has a shop to refuel if you need it.
- ⚠Col de Braus faces south with almost no shade. On a hot day the hairpins bake—carry water and ride it early.
- ⚠The descents are long and technical, with stacked hairpins on both Braus and the drop off Turini. Confident bike-handling and sharp brakes are mandatory.
- ⚠At 1,604 m the Turini summit is far colder than the coast, and the long descent north toward the Vésubie valley sits in shade—pack a windbreaker, even on warm days.
- ⚠The Turini ascent narrows through the Gorges du Piaon and past the Menour chapel with a short tunnel—watch for oncoming cars in the tight sections.
Café & Water
- km 37Pan d'aqui, L'Escarène
Bakery at the foot of Col de Braus, open from 05:30 daily. Coffee, sandwiches, and pastries with a valley view—the go-to stop for cyclists in the Nice backcountry.
- km 59Le Bar de Rome, Sospel
The refuel hub before the Turini climb. Coffee and food on the square below the cathedral, opens 07:30, cheap and cyclist-friendly. Stock up here before Turini.
Frequently asked questions
- How hard is the loop?
- It's a big day: 159 km with 3,430 m of climbing. Turini alone is a climb to 1,604 m. Treat this as an endurance day, not a quick outing.
- Where do the climbs start?
- The loop takes Braus from L'Escarène (~10 km) first, then Col de Turini via Sospel and Moulinet, and finally Col d'Èze near the coast. Sospel and L'Escarène are the main refuel points.
- Why is Col de Turini famous?
- It's the legendary stage of the Monte Carlo Rally—the "Night of the Long Knives"—and widely considered one of the world's great driving roads. The Tour de France has crossed it three times.
- What are the Col de Braus hairpins?
- From L'Escarène, Braus stacks eight switchbacks on stone walls up the hillside—the most photographed cycling image on the Côte d'Azur.
- When is the best time to ride it?
- Spring and autumn. Braus bakes in midsummer, while the 1,604 m Turini summit stays cold—pack a layer for the shaded descents.
- Where can I refuel?
- Sospel and L'Escarène are the main stops, with Moulinet roughly halfway up the Turini climb. Still, carry enough for the long ascent to the summit.
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Route Details
- Country
- France
- Region
- French Riviera
Elite level. Extreme elevation, altitude and distance. Serious preparation required.