Contemplation cycliste vallée de la tinée

Vallée de la Tinée - Nice Côte d'Azur

The life-size Mercantour

Massif du Mercantour
Département et Région : Alpes-Maritimes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Principal passes : col and cime de la Bonnette, col de la Couillole, col Saint-Martin (la Colmiane), col de la Lombarde France / Italy
Étape sur Route des Grandes Alpes® : Valberg / Saint-Martin Vésubie, variant Barcelonnette / Saint-Etienne-de-Tinée and variant Saint-Etienne-de-Tinée / Saint-Martin Vésubie
Étape sur Route des Grandes Alpes® Gravel : Barcelonnette / Saint-Dalmas-le-Salvage, Saint-Dalmas-le-Selvage / Marie and Marie / La Bollène-Vésubie

Summary

Suggestions for cycling loops
Our major passes
Events around cycling
Biking in the Vallée de la la Tinée
Summer in the Vallée de la Tinée
Other seasons
Other events
Services
Testimonials
FAQ
Access
Contacts
Other villages and resorts near the Vallée de la Tinée

Suggestions for cycling loops around Vallée de la Tinée

Our major passes

The col de la Bonette highest road in Europe offers unique high mountain scenery between Tinée and Ubaye. Hamlets, torrents, waterfalls, lakes, high altitude meadows, flora, fauna (marmots and chamois), herds of sheep and pastoralism, military heritage - a climb rich in discoveries awaits you. Col at 2715 and tour of the Cime de la Bonette at 2802 m.

The col de la Lombarde, popular with sports enthusiasts from Isola 2000. A 17km climb up the Chastillon valley to the Isola 2000 resort, followed by a final 3km ascent in an alpine atmosphere. After the pass, the tour descends into the Stura Valley, with a recommended stop at the Sanctuary of Saint Anne de Vinadio. Europe's highest sanctuary, built in the 13th century at 2035 m.

The col Saint-Martin (la Colmiane) from the Vallée de la Tinée road. The true sportsman will appreciate the climb to the hamlets and villages of the Val de Blore. This highly fertile valley has been settled for centuries: Saint-Dalmas Valdeblore has a medieval origin. Visitors can take in the magnificent facades, chapels, bell towers and fortified gates as they pass. The Col de la Colmiane pass offers a panoramic view of the Mercantour mountains, including the Gélas summit, the highest point in the Alpes Maritimes at 3150 m. Finally, the descent into the Vésubie forest leads to the village of Saint Martin, capital of the Suisse Niçoise in the heart of the Mercantour National Park.

The col de la Couillole from Saint Sauveur sur Tinée at 500 m altitude. The climb offers a clear view of the Tinée valley, before entering the Vionène valley. A narrow road, a series of tunnels, a passage to the small perched village of Roubion and, after the forest, the Col de la Couillole awaits you at 1678 m.

bonette — Photo credit Philippe Lemonnier

Cycling events in the Vallée de la Tinée

Maxi Avalanche d'Auron (July)
Enduro d'Isola (September)

@OTMNCA

Cycling in the Vallée de la Tinée

Boucles VTTAE - Itinérance VTT/VTTAE Auron/Nice en 7 étapes
The resorts of Auron Isola 2000, La Colmiane and Roubion offer the chance to discover mountain biking with their Bike Parks. A playground for enduro and downhill athletes, the many trails offer a wide variety of routes for all levels, from beginner to expert.
Road runs from la Bonette, from Lombarde, up to col St Martin via Colmiane, col de la Couillole

Gravel circuits departing from Saint Etienne de Tinée, Isola, Saint Sauveur sur Tinée and Marie

Summer in the Vallée de la Tinée

- Hike to discover mountain lakes (tour of Vens lakes, Rabuons lake and Mont Ténibre, Millefonts lakes, Terres Rouges lakes, Lausfer lakes tour...).
- Discover pastoralism in the mountains during your hikes and at the transhumance festivals (in June at Saint Etienne de Tinée, in October at Roubion).
- Take part in the many patronal festivals held throughout the summer in the villages and hamlets of the Tinée and discover the traditions of the high country.
- Marvel at the riches of the region's religious heritage, discovering the primitives of Nice and ancient paintings.
- Go back in time in the footsteps of the Alpine army: Maginot line of the Alps, Frassinea fort, Fourches camp, Bonette geoglyphs
- Dream of being an archaeologist at the Roubion La Tournerie archaeological site.
- Fill up on sensations at the multi-activity resort of La Colmiane (summer tobogganing, accrobranches, zip lines, mountain bike trails, mini-golf, swimming pool and spa).
- Discover the perched villages: Bairols, Ilonse, Marie, Roure, Roubion, Rimplas, Clans, Tournefort...

Coming back in winter

The ski resorts: Auron and Saint Etienne de Tinée linked to the Auron domain, Isola 2000, La Colmiane and Roubion-Les-Buisses welcome you for a highly diversified downhill skiing offer. Family resorts or freestyle atmosphere, in the resorts Nice Côte d'Azur everything is possible!
The Nordic hiking site at Saint-Dalmas-Le-Selvage, conducive to snowshoeing, ski touring and cross-country skiing.
The zip line at La Colmiane all year round, including in winter for maximum thrills above the ski slopes.
Bonette versant sud

Other events

Val Raid de Blore (May)
Trail des Millefonts - Valdeblore (June)
La Bonette pedestrian race (July)
Isola Chestnut Festival (November)

Services

Office de Tourisme Métropolitain :
- Auron office at 04 93 23 02 66
- St Etienne de Tinée at 04 93 02 41 96
- Saint-Dalmas-le-Selvage at 04 93 02 46 40
- Isola 2000 04 93 23 15 15
- Roubion 04 93 02 10 30
- La Colmiane 04 93 23 25 90

Aquavallée center open year-round at Isola Village at 04 93 02 16 49
Pools in season at Auron resorts, Isola 2000 and La Colmiane.

The map

25 Valberg / Saint-Martin Vésubie

59 km

3 h 47 min

Difficult

A superb stage on the Route des Grandes Alpes®, with grandiose landscapes, views to the Mercantour’s summits, vast red cliffs, villages either nestling down in the valleys or perched on cliffs. Among them, Roubion, a medieval eagle’s eyrie with narrow lanes, is well worth a detour, as is Saint-Martin-Vésubie, a wonderfully colourful village located either at the start or end of this sporty outing, requiring almost 1600m in shift in altitude. There are two passes to conquer: the Col de la Couillole (1678m), between Valberg and the Tinée Valley; and the Col Saint Martin (1503m), which, with the little mountain resort of La Colmiane beside it, links Tinée and Vésubie Valleys.

23 Alternative stage Barcelonnette / Saint-Etienne-de-Tinée

56 km

3 h 43 min

Very difficult

A lovely Route des Grandes Alpes® stage crossing the Mercantour National Park, sticking very close to the Italian border and linking Ubaye and Tinée Valleys via one of Europe’s highest roads. At the Col de la Bonette pass, you can take a short 2km tour, via a small road, to the Cime (or summit) de La Bonnette, enjoying the grandiose lunar landscapes around it. Do dismount to walk along the little track to the viewing table, offering unbeatable views of the great Italian frontier mountain, Monte Viso. On the stretch through the northern part of the Tinée Valley, discover its highest pretty villages.

24 Alternative stage Saint-Etienne-de-Tinée / Saint-Martin Vésubie

59 km

3 h 45 min

This section of the Route des Grandes Alpes®, linking the Tinée and Vésubie Valleys, runs alongside the mountain resorts of Auron and Isola 2000 and crosses that of La Colmiane (around the Col Saint Martin pass). It allows you to discover extremely beautiful villages such as Saint-Sauveur-sur Tinée, La Bolline, Saint-Dalmas and Valdeblore, plus the lovely, slightly larger perched settlement of Saint-Martin-Vésubie. Also consider the beautiful high-altitude villages of Roure and Roubion close to Saint-Sauveur-sur-Tinée, although not directly along this section. The Col Saint Martin pass (1503m) marks the point where you switch from Tinée to Vésubie Valley.

15 Barcelonnette / Saint-Dalmas-le-Salvage

53 km

6 h 00 min

Very difficult

A splendid stage linking the Ubaye Valley to the Tinée Valley, with as joint potential additional highlight the Col de la Bonette, (a pass at 2,715m in altitude) along with the Cime de la Bonette (a summit at 2,802m)… You leave Barcelonnette and ride towards an exit from the Ubaye Valley by riding south and up towards the Col de la Cayolle, heading for the Bachelard Valley and Gorges. At the level of the Bayasse hotel-refuge, branch off the road towards the Col de la Cayolle to climb into the mountains to the east. A little before the Col de la Moutière (a pass at 2,454m in altitude), there’s the opportunity of a memorable additional return journey to and from the Col and Cime de la Bonette, via the “false pass”, then the real pass, of the Col de Restefond. This detour is very much worth the while. Afterwards, continue along the stage, descending on tarmac to Saint-Dalmas-le-Selvage.

16 Saint-Dalmas-le-Selvage / Marie

45 km

2 h 15 min

Medium

Soon after starting out on this stage, at Saint-Dalmas-le-Selvage, the cycle route joins the alternative Bonette route of Route des Grandes Alpes®. It follows this alternative way up to Saint-Étienne de Tinée, followed by Isola, a pretty village located at 870m in altitude, at the confluence of the Tinée River and the Torrent de la Guercha, a mountain stream. Next, you set out on the 17km climb up to Isola 2000, a ski resort whose name indicates clearly its high altitude. For a fine way to end this stage, extend your ride further by tackling the climb to the Col de la Lombarde (a pass at 2,350m in altitude), looking down on Isola 2000 from the French frontier with Italy’s Piedmont Region.

17 Marie / La Bollène-Vésubie

43 km

3 h 30 min

Difficult

In the heart of a wooded mountain landscape, you leave the village of Marie, whose castle overlooks the Tinée valley. To reach Saint-Martin-Vésubie, you'll take a route that passes over the Col de Clamia, Saint Dalmas, the oldest of Valdeblore's three villages, and then Venanson, built on a rocky spur, a veritable eagle's nest that, at 1164m, dominates the Vésubie Valley. At Saint-Martin-Vésubie, you return to the classic Route des Grandes Alpes® route. Heading south, it passes through Roquebillière, the spa town of the Alpes-Maritimes, before reaching La Bollène-Vésubie, a magnificent village perched in a chestnut grove, on the left bank of the Vésubie.

Testimonials

Thank you so much for pampering us with your magnificent suggestions for walks and discoveries of the Côte d'Azur's visually stunning sites... a real pleasure, we love it! Eva Kom

Magnificent, multi-faceted region to be admired and discovered imperatively.
Thank you for whetting our curiosity! Melie Rose

Skiing with a sea view, what resort outside the @departement06 can say as much? schumannclara06

FAQ

Which Tinée pass is the highest road in Europe?
The Cime de la Bonette pass at 2802m
What is the highest point in the Haute Tinée?
Mont Ténibre at 3031m
What National Park runs through the Tinée territory?
The Mercantour
Where does the Tinée river have its source?
Near the summit of the Col de la Bonette
When was the Isola 2000 resort born?
1971