Nice to Col de la Couillole, France – Day 20
We begin in Nice, which, while east of the Main region of Provençe, is still home to several vineyards and wineries here on the Côte d’Azur.
This region has been producing wine for some say 2,300 years! The Phoenicians arrived with their vines and they spread northward into what became France.
The region surrounding Nice has well-drained soil and that beautiful Mediterranean climate, perfect for growing wine grapes.
Bellet AOC
This is a small appellation for wines in the hills around Nice, covering around 55 hectares, along the eastern bank of the Var River.
With the proximity to Italy’s Liguria and Piemonte regions, the wines meld in a bit of Italian style.
For white wines you will find Vermentino, as well as Blanqueiron, Bourboulenc, Roussanne, Clairette, Chardonnay, Muscat Blanc, and Ugni Blanc (which they call Roussan). For red and rosé wines you will find Braquet, Cinsault, Grenache and Fuella Nera.
These vineyards are tucked in between villas in the city on the hills, mostly on steep slopes that could otherwise not be used.
Near the city center, you will find Clos Saint Vincent, which makes organic wines and farms biodynamically.
Here is a link to a video with some views https://youtu.be/iPIkzdKCZqM?si=Gg1ea5D24LY1eoqE
And Chateau de Cremat with its Castle. This immense neo-Tuscan style building overlooks the city of Nice offering panoramic views. The property has gone through several owners since the castle was built in 1906. Most recently, a family took over in 2017 and redecorated in a 1920’s style to commemorate the heritage of the building. It is furnished with pieces from the famous Parisian palace, the Ritz.
The Grapes here are grown organically at the Bellet vineyard overlooking Nice. The soil is very poor and is called “Poudingue.” You can find their wines under the Domaine de Toasc label. They use Braquet and Grenache for their rosé and Folle Noire for the red. Their white wine is made of Vermentino and Chardonnay.
Then, we head north into the Hautes-Alps for the remainder of the day.
Col de Braus
The first climb the riders will encounter is the Category 2 Col de Braus. When you go to look up details, you will find a short bit on Wikipedia and tons of articles on cycling sites.
The hairpin turns on the climb, tell the story. It’s about 10 kilometers of climbing that goes up 642 meters and has an average grade of 6.4%. Of course, that is an average. There is a section of this climb that hits 15% gradient!
Sospel
We travel through the town of Sospel.
Sospel sits at the entrance to the Mercantour Park. This medieval village is famous for its toll bridge.
The Pont-Vieux (Old Bridge) is an icon built in the 13th century. The bridge has a tower part way across, this was the toll booth! This is one of the last of this type of bridge in Europe. The town itself dates to the 5th century, when it was an important post on the salt road from Nice to Turin. It provides a crossing over the Bévéra River, which divides the town.
This town sits at the intersection of the Bévéra and Merlacon rivers, and with it’s location, it has been under the rule of Italy, the Counts of Savoy, and France.
The town is also known for colorful trompe-l’oeil facades on its buildings.
https://www.menton-riviera-merveilles.co.uk/mercantour-roya-bevera/the-bevera-valley/sospel/
Col de Turini
Our second climb of the day is the Category 1 Col de Turini which reaches 1604 meters.
The climb begins in Sospel and gains more in elevation that the Galibier! This route is used for the Monte Carlo Rally, and the switchback are gorgeous (for us, likely not for the riders).
Saint Martin-Vésubie
We come to our single sprint for this stage in the town of Saint Martin-Vésubie, called “The Switzerland of Nice.”
This was once a fortified mountain village guarding the Col de Fenestre. The town sits at 975 meters above sea level and is nestled in forests of larch, fir, pine and beech trees. It’s a favorite haven for those looking to escape the heat and crowds of the French Riviera nearby.
The cyclists will see a sprint stage here! Who knows what we will see coming off of a Category 1 climb!
Col de la Colmiane (or Col Saint-Martin)
The next Category 1 climb (the 2nd of the day) is the Col de La Colmiane, which climbs 1000 vertical meters over 16 kilometers with an average 6.2% gradient.
Then it is off to Saint Sauveur de Tinée and up to the Col de la Couillole.
Col de la Couillole
This is our final Category 1 climb at Col de la Couillole, The road from Saint Sauveur de Tinée begins with some hairpin turns and astounding views. The road is cut into the mountainside, often with rock walls on the other and several tunnels.
The Roubion Castle is here built in the 12th century this medieval castle was burnt with the village in 1691. You can still see the remains of towers and walls.
It’s here that the race will finish for the day!
For more information on all of the Stages of the “Tour de France”
Wine along the “Tour de France” – 2024
Robin Renken is a wine writer and Certified Specialist of Wine and WSET 3 Certified. She and her husband Michael travel to wine regions interviewing vineyard owners and winemakers and learning the stories behind the glass.
When not traveling they indulge in cooking and pairing wines with food at home in Las Vegas.
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