Col de la bonnette (Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée) – The Loop | Art Print

An otherworldly spectacular place found in the Mercantour National Park on the border of the departments of Alpes-Maritimes and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence.

This climb/road is a little confusing. From Jausiers, there is Col de Restefond which is 1km before reaching Col de la Bonnette. Col de la Bonnette is not the highest point you can get you either. Col de la Bonnette is a break (Col means pass) in the rock which allows you to descend down the other side towards Nice. However from the col, you can climb further to Cime de la Bonnette which is a crazy two-kilometre teardrop loop around the highest point/ mountain. On top of Cime de la Bonnette is a viewing platform, and the road is the highest road in France at 2802m (9193ft). It often declared as the higehst point in Europe, which isn’t true. Pico Valeta, Spain is.

With some of the confusion hopefully quashed, from Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée or in fact either direction you are about to experience the spectacular. This road/climb has several distinct sections. Each one is different and wants you to see more. Starting in the trees following the Tinee river you pass the Cascade Vens (Vens Waterfall) with beautiful stone-constructed walls running alongside. It is when you reach the settlement of Le Pra that you realise just how special this road/climb is. Huge, powerful mountains dominate the landscape and the commune of Bousieyas very pretty as the road closely goes around it. This valley extremely beautiful with a section of loosely flowing switchbacks leading to Camp des fourches a military barracks built in 1888 at 2291m. Above is Le Blockhaus des Fourches. From here the air thins and the temperatures drop as you contour the mountain and go above the snow line. So dramatic! with its otherworldly surfaces and snow, even in the height of summer.

Epic. An Epic Cols top 10 road/climb.

Stats: 1589m of ascent in 23.1km. 7.1% average gradient. Col de la Bonnette Elevation: 2715m (8907ft) Cime de la Bonette elevation: 2820m (9193ft)

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About the Photographer – Daniel Hughes

Epic Cols is a passion project for rider and photographer Daniel Hughes. Hughes is a Sony Photographic ambassador who works with some of the world’s largest and most renowned outdoor brands. His work can be seen in galleries, magazines, online publications and on his clients’ channels.