France: Col du Vence and late for lunch

The two closest cols to Nice are the Col d'Eze, to the east, and the Col du Vence to the west. If you want a decent ride you tend to go up one or the other, and they are chalk and cheese. Col d'Eze is 'only' 500 metres, much of it through suburbia and always in sight of the coastal strip and its developments. Col du Vence on the other hand is a more demanding 950 metres and once out of the town of Vence at 400 metres you are into a dry limestone valley with sparse alpine vegetation. And the top of the Col du Vence opens the door to a hinterland of mountain grazing pastures, old villages and quiet roads. So, looking for a long ride, I left the apartment at 6.30 am heading for the Col du Vence.

Part-way up the climb I came across Michel 'Mike' Francois, a retired physics teacher getting back into form from a fractured femur after being struck by a car. We were both heading for the cliff top village of Gourdon, so rode together.

Monsieur Mike Francois on the Col du Vence

Once over the top of the col there is a spectacular traverse of some gorge country, past the village of Coursegoules, up a slight rise and then the beginning of the big downhill. I had planned to approach Gourdon via a descent into the Gorge de Loup (Wolf Gorge) followed by a big climb up to the village. Mike suggested a better route around the head of the gorge via the village of Cipriere. This added 10km to the distance but avoided the worst of the climb - so we did it. Coffee at Gourdon and exchange of contact details via paper napkins, and the next big downhill to the Vence - Grasse road about halfway up the corniche.

Mike lives just a couple of minutes away from the lovely town of St Paul de Vence so was home and hosed. I, on the other hand, had another hour and 25 km to cover back to Nice and arrived at 12.30, late for lunch and somewhat in disgrace.

Six hours, 123 km and 1,800 metres climb.