Col de Bleine and Clue d'Aiglun: Haute Estéron

Last updated: 11 October 2022, 21:35

After crossing Carros, go up to Carros-village (the medieval village of Carros), which is definitely worth a visit (the route also goes there). The first 2.5 km are quite difficult in terms of climbing. After crossing Carros-village, you stay at altitude and you cross a region around the Estéron with roads with little traffic, densely wooded, rocky and sheltering beautiful mountain villages (on this road you pass Bouyon, Gréolières, Roquesteron, Gilette). After passing through the village of Bouyon, head west and climb up to Coursegoules (you've already climbed nearly 22 kilometers long). This is followed by a descent on roads with excellent road surfaces, but towards Gréolières it is (partly via the D2, a little busier in terms of traffic) a long climb to the top of the Col de Bleine at 1444 m altitude: the climb can be divided into three stages: the long ascent to a plateau (with occasional rocky passages), A piece of plateau where it is almost flat, and the last part of the climb to the real pass. You then descend via the Col de Pinpinier (on this side which is actually not a climb) to about 500 meters above sea level, then cross the spectacular Clue d'Aiglun: a narrow road with many rocks, precipices above the Estéron and short unlit tunnels (max. height: 2.80 meters). You then pedal at altitude without real climbs along the beautiful village of Roquesteron. Towards the beautiful village of Gilette, it takes a little climbing, but then you descend to the valley of the Var River. You then cycle along the cycle path along the main road west of the Var to Carros (if flat to slightly downhill).

Attention: from kilometer 40 to kilometer 88, there is no catering on the course!

Routeyou.com overestimate the number of altimeters in this area, a realistic estimate is a total of 2200 altimeters for this ride.