Road Cycling Routes near Menton

Starting from Menton, this ride has a clear double personality. The first part hugs the coastline into Ventimiglia with open sea views and a Riviera feel before turning inland up the Roya valley, where the landscape tightens and the road begins to climb into quieter mountain terrain. Crossing back into France toward Sospel, the shift from coast to alpine setting feels complete as you begin the ascent of Col de Braus from its eastern side. Riding Braus this way carries a special reward: descending the iconic western face, where perfectly stacked hairpins drop dramatically toward the valley below. After returning toward Nice, the route finishes along the coast past Monaco, bringing the sea back into view and closing the loop with the same Riviera brightness that opened the day.

Head out of Menton towards Sopel and tackle the Col de Castillon. Continue your way into Italy and descent back to the coach and roll back into France.

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.

Leaving Menton, the road points uphill immediately toward Col de la Madone, a sustained opening effort that sets the tone for the day. There is no gentle introduction here, just a steady climb that gains height quickly before the route tips into rolling terrain across Peille and toward Col de Chateauneuf from Contes. The rhythm becomes more irregular through Falcon and into Niza, mixing short climbs with fast valley sections. From Nice the road rises again to Col d Eze, offering open Mediterranean views before joining the Grand Corniche for a sweeping coastal return. The final stretch back toward Menton feels elevated and exposed, with constant sea views that contrast sharply with the inland climbs earlier in the ride, giving the day a clear mountain to Riviera narrative.

This is a full mountain immersion day that leaves the Promenade behind almost immediately, climbing the Moyenne Corniche with wide open Mediterranean views before turning inland toward quieter, more traditional roads. From there the route dives into the classic stacked hairpins of Col de Braus, where the rock cut switchbacks give the first real sense that you are entering serious terrain. After Sospel the road commits fully to the long ascent of Col de Turini, a sustained mountain effort that shifts the mood from Riviera brightness to high alpine focus. The return through Lucéram and Blausasc keeps the character traditional and quiet, linking perched villages and old stone houses before rolling back toward Niza. It is a demanding, all day route that captures the full contrast of sea views, historic roads and deep mountain scenery in one continuous loop.