Col de Cayolle to Vence

Whilst having our usual breakfast coffee and croissant, we noticed our friends the firemen-cyclists assembling in the main square. They were not looking too organised so there was no rush to get ahead of them on the road. It was another “con brio” road traversing some lovely stone bridges that lead us up to the Col de la Cayolle. At 2326 m, it was the highest we had managed so far. What a sight! Snow, lots of snow. But most importantly, beautifully cleared snow.

We continued down the other side of the pass, stopping to look at Pont Saint-Roch and to do a bit of rock climbing. Here we were passed by a gaggle of beautifully noisy classic Bugattis.

  

The Bugattis were waiting for us in the next town, where the crews were doing some running repairs to the cars and themselves. We chatted for a while and it became apparent that they were the English speaking group in the previous evening’s restaurant. They had obviously stayed on longer than us. They were doing a little touring, together with mechanics, van and trailer in tow, before the Monaco Classic Grand Prix in which they were competing the following weekend.

We then took a very squiggly side road up through Peone to Valberg. Like many ski resorts in between seasons, it looked a bit sad with little snow and not many people. We had now settled into a pattern of having our lunch somewhere with a good view and here was no exception. We were momentarily interrupted by an overweight Russian gentleman wanting his photo taken. He had apparently just cycled up the same road that we had just climbed. I don’t know how.

After a rubbish coffee in Valberg, we took the scenic road down through the Cians Gorge. Fortunately, tunnels now bypass some of the most spectacularly parts of the gorge where it was so narrow that the road had to be undercut in the unusual red shale. Every so often, coming around a bend, we were faced with a hefty Maginot era casemate.

  

We continued on to Entrevaux, another medieval walled town with an imposing citadel, sitting on a spur of the river Var. Being in a strategic position on the border with Savoy, it was also fortified by Vauban.

  

Throughout the labyrinthine alleys of the old town, there were occasional signs indicating a motorcycle museum. We eventually stumbled upon this hidden jewel. It was crammed into two floors of a miniscule house with the elderly gentleman who had put together this eclectic collection of European machines sitting unobtrusively inside the doorway. Although entry was free, it was such a delight that we felt compelled to offer a donation.

We then did an old Monte Carlo stage from Entrevaux, over the Col de Felines into St Auban and then another from there up to Col de Bleine. Here we went for a brisk walk up through the woods to the communication antennas on the ridge where we had impressive views east and west and as far south as the sea. We then descended to Vence in the hinterland of the Cote d’Azur where we camped for the night.

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