Cime de la Bonette - France
The Cime de la Bonette is a totally unique climb. It is long, high, very remote and has unpredictable weather. It is the highest "route" or through road in the Alps, but it is so much more. Together with the Colle del Nivolet, the Cime de la Bonette is in the league of most awesome roads ever.
The Cime de la Bonette is a curious appendage to the Col de la Bonette, which has a pass height of 2,715 m. The Col de l’Iseran was paved in the 1930s and assumed the title of the highest paved pass road, the locals were unwilling to be upstaged though. Between 1960 and 1961 they built the Cime loop road, climbing to just over 2,800 m, in order to claim the title of the highest paved road and to enhance its prestige. That distinction was later taken in 1982 by Austria’s Ötztaler Gletscherstrasse. However, as that road is a dead end, each can legitimately claim a different “highest” accolade. The Col de l’Iseran is the highest pass road at 2,770 m, the Cime de la Bonette is the highest through road at 2,802 m, and the Ötztaler Gletscherstrasse is the highest paved road in the Alps at 2,830 m. Something for everyone.
Reducing the Cime de la Bonette to a contest of “highest” would not do it justice. This is a road that ventures deep into the mountains and far from civilisation. At altitude, the character of the landscape changes and above 2,000 m it becomes increasingly rocky and desolate. The Caserne de Restefond stands as a human outpost long since reclaimed by the elements. It is also a reminder that this road was built by the military, and it shows, as it connects to virtually nowhere. While the Ubaye valley is busy, the Tinee valley is a sleepy backwater and it is hard to see that without the military, there would have been a need to build such a high altitude pass especially as the weather conditions here can be unforgiving.
Cime de la Bonette – 2,803 m
Northern ascent from Jausiers
From Jausiers, the road is 23.3 km long and climbs 1,587 m—very comparable to the Stelvio from Bormio, though around 2 km longer but the relentless climb to over 2,800 m makes this a very hard ascent despite the relatively modest gradients. Coming from Jausiers, there are no further villages or mountain communities after Lans, and certainly no services apart from a couple of cafés (check before setting off whether they are open). There are 27 switchbacks, which sounds impressive, but they are spread out over a very long climb. The route never hits a sudden “wall” that must be overcome by a tightly packed series of hairpins. Instead, the road gradually penetrates the Mercantour National Park, ever farther from civilisation. What makes this road truly special though is that it rises above most of the surrounding peaks, allowing you to look down on the mountains rather than up at them. It is a wonderful feeling—to be on top of the world.
There are three distinct sections to this ride:
Jausiers - 2000m altitude
From Jausiers, the first half of the ride—11 km in length with 740 m of elevation gain—takes you to around 2,000 m, roughly the tree line. Initially, the route follows a broad and varied valley. Right out of Jausiers, a series of switchbacks gets you going. The village of Lans appears after about 5 km, and beyond this point the valley becomes quieter, narrowing after 7.5 km at a second set of switchbacks that negotiate a cliff face.
The road continues through greenery and trees, though never through dense forest, and climbs at a steady gradient of between 5% and 8%. There are occasional sets of switchbacks, but the valley remains relatively open throughout. This is a truly delightful section of the ride. It is worth remembering that this is a long effort, and careful pacing is essential—especially given the altitude—if you want to arrive in good shape.
2000m altitude - Caserne Restefonde
This middle section, covering around 8.4 km with 600 m of elevation gain (bringing us to 19.4 km and 1,340 m of climbing at the Caserne de Restefond), opens out into what feels like a vast alpine basin, where the full magic of the climb begins to unfold. For the first 3 km, green meadows dotted with the occasional tree line the road as it continues to push deep into the Mercantour National Park.
As the ascent continues, the route becomes twistier and the lush meadows give way to brown alpine grasses. In the final 3 km, stone and rock dominate the landscape as the road winds its way toward the Caserne de Restefond. The road is completely exposed here, rising to the level of the surrounding mountains and offering breathtaking views in every direction. The Caserne de Restefond itself is an eerie and unexpected landmark, a stark reminder that people once lived and worked up here among the rocks.
Caserne Restefonde - Cime de la Bonette
After the Caserne de Restefond, there are no further hairpins. The road sweeps gently to the right and, for the final 4 km, runs beneath the Sommet de Restefond toward the Bonette through what feels like a giant quarry. Gradients ease here, offering a brief chance to recover. To the right, across the valley, rises the Caire Brun at 2,823 m, while straight ahead lies the Bonette itself.
The Col de la Bonette is the next waypoint, but despite being the seventh-highest paved alpine road at 2,715 m, it has been reduced to little more than a junction, lacking the famous plaques so characteristic of French high mountain passes. Perhaps the locals were embarrassed that it fell 55 m short of the Col de l’Iseran.
From here, the road continues on to the Cime: a fiendishly steep final 700 m that leads to the summit at 2,803 m, rewarded with a colossal view over the Mercantour National Park. In total, the climb covers 23.7 km and gains 1,580 m of elevation—an unforgettable ascent.
Cime de la Bonnette from Jausiers
Length: 23.3km
Altitude gain: 1587m
Max altitude: 2803 m
Average gradient: 6.8%
Max gradient: 11.7%
Route Tip: If you want to go further than a single ascent from Jausiers, you can descent to Saint Etienne de Tinee and come back up the southern side. This is a total of 98km and 3200m elevation gain. If that is too much, descend to Bousieyas for refreshments before climbing back up on the upper slopes. Truly magical.
