Pays des Paillons

This route explores the inland territory known as the Pays des Paillons, a network of valleys and perched villages that sit between the Riviera coastline and the first serious mountain ridges. Leaving Menton, the ride quickly shifts away from the sea and into a more rural, traditional landscape shaped by the Paillon river and its tributaries.

The character is defined by quiet roads, stone villages like Peille and L Escarene, and a constant sense of riding between valleys rather than along the coast. The return via the high roads near La Turbie brings the Mediterranean back into view, closing a loop that feels culturally distinct from the Riviera despite being only a few kilometres inland.