Motorcycle Ride Planner · Routes · France

Col de la Bonette & Cime Loop (2,802m)

France · D64

The highest paved through-road in the European Alps, reaching 2,802 meters (9,193 ft) via the teardrop loop encircling the Cime de la Bonette peak. Located in the Mercantour National Park, the route climbs through alpine meadows, past the eerie abandoned stone barracks of Camp des Fourches, and into a lunar talus scree landscape. Toll-free; no vignette required. Closed November to June. Extreme high-altitude crosswinds and steep drop-offs with minimal guardrails on the final summit loop.

Col de la Bonette & Cime Loop (2,802m) runs 31 miles between Jausiers, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France and Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée, Alpes-Maritimes, France. We count about 190 corners along it, which is consistently bendy. Demanding, and not a road to meet in the wet.

Tank-bag quick reference

• StartJausiers, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France44.4178, 6.7328
• High3,740 ft - 9,193 ft (2,802m Cime de la Bonette)elevation range
• EndSaint-Étienne-de-Tinée, Alpes-Maritimes, France44.2564, 6.9247

T-CLOCS before you go: tyres and wheels, controls and cables, lights and electrics, oil and fluids, chassis and stand.

Repair within reach

• 56 miBMW Motorrad Nice (Moto Sud 39)Nice, France

Straight-line distance from the start of the route, not driving distance.

More in France

• Route des Grandes Alpes (Geneva to Mediterranean Spine)440 mi · 2400 corners
• Col d'Aubisque & Cirque du Litor Shelf Road29 mi · 170 corners
• Col d'Izoard & Casse Déserte28 mi · 160 corners
• Gorges du Verdon & Route des Crêtes (D23 Canyon Rim)32 mi · 160 corners
• Col du Galibier & Col du Télégraphe26 mi · 155 corners
• Col de l'Iseran20 mi · 130 corners

Questions riders ask

How long does Col de la Bonette & Cime Loop (2,802m) take to ride?

About 31 miles. At an unhurried pace with stops that is roughly 1 hour of riding, longer if you are stopping for photographs.

Where does Col de la Bonette & Cime Loop (2,802m) start and end?

It runs between Jausiers, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France and Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée, Alpes-Maritimes, France. Either end works as a start; the route reads the same in both directions.

Is Col de la Bonette & Cime Loop (2,802m) a twisty road?

We count about 190 corners across 31 miles, which is consistently bendy.

Is there a GPX file for Col de la Bonette & Cime Loop (2,802m)?

Yes. The GPX is free, there is no account, and the planner will build a route that includes this road alongside others nearby.

Where these numbers come from

Distances and corner counts come from the route's own geometry, not from ratings or votes. Nothing here is crowdsourced and nobody paid to appear.