Where to Ride from Nice – The Nissa All-Road Ride
Also known as the Café du Cycliste ‘Secret Weapon’ ride, for first-time visitors with a sense of adventure this is an all-road ride that connects two classic climbs, and showcases everything the Alpes-Maritimes have to offer.
Riding north out of Nice, leave the Paillon valley to climb the Col de Nice via the smaller, traffic-free Route de Blausasc. A quick descent and traverse across the bridge in L’Escarène delivers you to the start of the famous Col de Braus which has lots of notable sections but is always remembered for those switchbacks that come two-thirds up the climb.
The beauty of this ride comes at the Braus summit, where you take the gravel road to the right. It’s a beautiful escape into the middle of the Alpes-Maritimes that delivers you to Sainte-Agnès, France’s highest coastal village. It also happens to be the half-way point on the climb of the Col de la Madone from Menton. Feel free to push hard on the pro’s testing ground as after the summit, it’s a straight 35 minute descent back to Nice.
KEY KIT
Virginie - a gravel cycling short that provides extra space for all those off-road essentials.
2 - RENT AND RIDE
Travel light and book your bike. We offer a range of rental bikes, the R5 Cervelo road bike and the Aspero Cervelo gravel bike along with titanium road bikes from French marque Leon. Each bike is complete with pedals, tool bag and rear light while, if needed, each rental can also include Specialized shoes and helmet.
3 - THE CAFÉ
Located on the Old Port, our café is the prefect pre and post-ride meeting place. With some routes that begin almost outside, excellent coffee and a full range of our clothing collections for men and women. There are weekly rides as well if you’d like to discover riding on the Cote D’Azur with like minded companions.
When the ville of Nice decided to use #nicecyclingparadise to promote the grand depart of the 2020 Tour de France, there was definite method in the madness. If Paradise Lost has over ten thousand lines of verse, this cycling paradise found has almost as many routes, roads, stretches, views, climbs, cols, lacets, stops and starting points. Enough at least to satisfy even the most discerning cyclist.
Cap d'Antibes
A classic Cote d’Azur roll-out that hugs the sea heading west and arrives at one of the region’s most well-known towns. Ideal out of season when the heat is lowered and the town itself is quiet.
Esterel & Adrets
The Esterel national park stretches between Saint Raphaël and Théoule-sur-Mer. Stay close to the coast and, early in the year, watch out for the mimosa flowers on the descent back towards Cannes.
Éze & Madone
One of the classic rides of the region, which takes in two legendary climbs and hits you with a 10% slope right at the start. Ride out from our Café in Nice, take on the challenge and return to claim your badges.
Mortola
Ride a portion of the famous F1 Grand Prix course in Monte Carlo, and then climb out towards Menton, the last town in France, and over the border. It may be short but it includes two countries and into one principality.
Vence
It includes a col from our Montaignes a la Carte series as well as unforgettable views and a route away from the madding crowds. Climb the side of the Var valley and over to the pretty artists’ town of Vence itself.
DURANUS & SAINT BLAISE
Head up the valley to where three rivers meet, climb higher still and take the time to look around.
GILETTE & BONSON
The back country of Nice opens up behind the coast and this ride provides easy access.
bonette
Join the climb directly from the village and get ready for a day of zero flat riding by climbing and descending both sides of the mountain,.
MONT CHAUVE
Mont Chauve, known as Nice’s ‘bald mountain’, proves that nature constructed one of the best viewpoints the city has to offer.
claim your badge
To celebrate the local climbs and the roads we ride, we’ve created a badge for each of our local cols, collected together in our Montagne à la Carte series. The hard part of collecting your badge is climbing the col.
Braus and Turini includes three cols and two badges, unsurprisingly Col de Braus and Col de Turini.
