Into Thin Air: Col de la Bonette

At 2802 m / 9193 ft, the Col de la Bonette is France's highest paved Pass and one of the highest paved roads in Europe. There are two main ascents to the Summit of the Bonette. The southern ascent pictured above from Saint Etienne de Tinee is around 26 km / 16 miles with an elevation gain of 1650m / 5413ft with an average gradient of 6,5%. The northern ascent from Jausiers is arguably the more famous side, and is regularly featured in the Tour de France. (The Bonette was last featured in Stage 19 of the 2o24 Tour de France as the highest point in the race where Tadej Pogacar secured his 3rd Yellow Jersey.) The northern ascent from Jausiers is 24 km / 15 miles with an elevation gain of 1700m / 5577ft with an average gradient of 7%.

I first ascended the Col de la Bonnette in the Summer of 2025 during my crossing of the French Alps. On this day, my friends and I started in Barcelonnette and climbed both sides of the Col de la Bonette for one epic day in the French Alps! The Bonette from Saint Etienne de Tinee is to this day one of my favorite climbs in the World. There is nothing in Europe that compares with the Col de la Bonette in altitude except maybe Stelvio from Prato or Timmelsjoch from Merano.

The Bonette features just about everything a cyclist would want from an Alpine climb. It features mountain lakes, endless switchbacks, incredible views of the French Alps, and of course Alpine marmots. If you decide to ride the Bonette, it is important to always be cognizant of the altitude. On this climb, it's not the length or the gradient that bites. It's the altitude. The 2802m high Summit is what makes this climb so special. (At 2500 - 2800m, cyclists can expect a reduction in power of about 10 - 15%) So don't ride too hard at the beginning of the climb and save the watts for the last kilometers!

Once reaching the Summit of the Col de la Bonette, I recommend taking a few minutes to enjoy the view of the French Alps and the incredible surroundings. I have been lucky to ride my bike on some incredible mountains, but the Summit of the Bonette is something I have never experienced before. In addition to the beauty of the landscape, the Bonette's Summit offers cyclists perspective. It reminds us of how small we are in this wide-wide universe.

If riding South, the descent from the Summit of the Bonette lasts 100 km all the way to Nice and the Mediterranean Sea. If you are ambitious, you can climb 100 km from Nice to the Summit of the Bonette. The Nice - Cime de la Bonette climb is considered to be one of the longest climbs in the World as cyclists start from sea- level and climb 100 km to 2802 m. Wherever you're going, enjoy the ride and enjoy the descent!