Col de la Bonette
Encyclopedia
Col de la Bonette is a high mountain pass
in the French
Alps
, near the border with Italy
. It is situated within the Mercantour National Park
on the border of the departments of Alpes-Maritimes
and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
. The road over the col is the seventh highest paved road in the Alps.
, and in the 2008 Tour de France
the summit is referred to as the Cime de la Bonette-Restefond. Stage 16 of the tour approaches the summit from Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée
(south-east), and after reaching the Col de la Bonette, takes a loop round the Cime de la Bonette
reaching the summit of 2802 m, which is the highest point reached by the Tour de France
, before re-passing the Col de la Bonette. On the descent to Jausiers
, the actual Col de Restefond is then passed on the right approximately 1 km from the summit.
peak (2860m) from either side of the pass is the highest paved through route in the Alps.
A signpost at the foot of the climb makes the claim "Col de la Bonette - Restefond, 2802 m above sea level, highest road in Europe". This claim is incorrect for various reasons. The actual Col de la Bonette rises to 2715 m, but there are three Alpine road passes whose altitudes are higher: Col de l'Iseran
(2770 m), Stelvio Pass
(2757 m) and Col Agnel
(2744 m). There is also the road to Veleta (Sierra Nevada)
, Spain (near Granada
) which reaches 3392 m but it is not a through road. The road around the Cime de la Bonette
reaches an altitude of 2802 m, but this is not a "pass
", but merely a scenic loop. It is, however, the highest asphalt
ed road in France and is the highest through road in Europe.
and is 26.0 km long. Over this distance, the climb is 1652 m. (an average percentage of 6.4%). On the climb to the actual Col de la Bonette, there is one short section at over 10%, but on the loop around the Cime de la Bonette
, the gradient reaches 15%.
From the north, the climb starts at Jausiers
and is 24,1 km long. Over this distance, the climb is 1589 m. (an average percentage of 6.6%), with the steepest sections at 9%.
The pass has featured in the Tour de France
four times (1962, 1964, 1993 and 2008). In 1962
and 1964
, the race was led over the summit in both years by Federico Bahamontes
, approaching from the south in 1962 and from the north in 1964. Robert Millar
led over the summit (from the north) in 1993
. In 2008
John-Lee Augustyn
lead over the mountain, before falling on the descent to Jausiers
. He did, however, receive 5,000 Euros for the leader over the highest point of the Tour, also known as the "Souvenir Henri Desgrange
".
Mountain pass
A mountain pass is a route through a mountain range or over a ridge. If following the lowest possible route, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...
in the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
, near the border with Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. It is situated within the Mercantour National Park
Mercantour National Park
Mercantour National Park is one of the nine national parks of France. Since it was created in 1979, the Mercantour Park has proven popular, with 800,000 visitors every year enjoying the 600 km of marked footpaths and visiting its villages.-Extent:...
on the border of the departments of Alpes-Maritimes
Alpes-Maritimes
Alpes-Maritimes is a department in the extreme southeast corner of France.- History : was created by Octavian as a Roman military district in 14 BC, and became a full Roman province in the middle of the 1st century with its capital first at Cemenelum and subsequently at Embrun...
and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence is a French department in the south of France, it was formerly part of the province of Provence.- History :Nord-de-Provence was one of the 83 original departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...
. The road over the col is the seventh highest paved road in the Alps.
Col de Restefond
The passage over the Col de la Bonette is often mistakenly referred to as the Col de RestefondCol de Restefond
Col de Restefond is a high mountain pass in the French Alps, near the border with Italy. It is situated on the flanks of le Restefonde within the Mercantour National Park in the department of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence....
, and in the 2008 Tour de France
2008 Tour de France
The 2008 Tour de France was the 95th Tour de France. The event took place from 5–27 July 2008. Starting in the French city of Brest, the tour entered Italy on the 15th stage and returned to France during the 16th, heading for Paris, its regular final destination, which was reached in the 21st stage...
the summit is referred to as the Cime de la Bonette-Restefond. Stage 16 of the tour approaches the summit from Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée
Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée
Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France.It was part of the historic County of Nice until 1860....
(south-east), and after reaching the Col de la Bonette, takes a loop round the Cime de la Bonette
Cime de la Bonette
The Cime de la Bonette is a mountain in the French Alps, near the border with Italy. It is situated within the Mercantour National Park on the border of the departments of Alpes-Maritimes and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, between the Ubaye Valley and the valley of the Tinée River."Cime" is French for...
reaching the summit of 2802 m, which is the highest point reached by the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
, before re-passing the Col de la Bonette. On the descent to Jausiers
Jausiers
Jausiers is a commune in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, the actual Col de Restefond is then passed on the right approximately 1 km from the summit.
"Highest road in Europe"
The two kilometre long teardrop shaped loop around the Cime de la BonetteCime de la Bonette
The Cime de la Bonette is a mountain in the French Alps, near the border with Italy. It is situated within the Mercantour National Park on the border of the departments of Alpes-Maritimes and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, between the Ubaye Valley and the valley of the Tinée River."Cime" is French for...
peak (2860m) from either side of the pass is the highest paved through route in the Alps.
A signpost at the foot of the climb makes the claim "Col de la Bonette - Restefond, 2802 m above sea level, highest road in Europe". This claim is incorrect for various reasons. The actual Col de la Bonette rises to 2715 m, but there are three Alpine road passes whose altitudes are higher: Col de l'Iseran
Col de l'Iseran
Col de l'Iseran is the highest paved mountain pass in the Alps. A part of the Graian Alps, it is situated in the department of Savoie in France near the border with Italy. It is crossed by the D902....
(2770 m), Stelvio Pass
Stelvio Pass
The Stelvio Pass , located in Italy, at 2757 m is the highest paved mountain pass in the Eastern Alps, and the second highest in the Alps, slightly below the Col de l'Iseran .-Location:...
(2757 m) and Col Agnel
Col Agnel
Col Agnel is a mountain pass in the Cottian Alps, west of Monte Viso between France and Italy which links the Queyras valley with Pontechianale in the province of Cuneo, Piedmont....
(2744 m). There is also the road to Veleta (Sierra Nevada)
Veleta (Sierra Nevada)
Veleta or Pico del Veleta is the third highest peak of the Iberian peninsula and the second highest in the Sierra Nevada. Its height is given variously as , and ....
, Spain (near Granada
Granada
Granada is a city and the capital of the province of Granada, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, at the confluence of three rivers, the Beiro, the Darro and the Genil. It sits at an elevation of 738 metres above sea...
) which reaches 3392 m but it is not a through road. The road around the Cime de la Bonette
Cime de la Bonette
The Cime de la Bonette is a mountain in the French Alps, near the border with Italy. It is situated within the Mercantour National Park on the border of the departments of Alpes-Maritimes and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, between the Ubaye Valley and the valley of the Tinée River."Cime" is French for...
reaches an altitude of 2802 m, but this is not a "pass
Mountain pass
A mountain pass is a route through a mountain range or over a ridge. If following the lowest possible route, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...
", but merely a scenic loop. It is, however, the highest asphalt
Asphalt
Asphalt or , also known as bitumen, is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits, it is a substance classed as a pitch...
ed road in France and is the highest through road in Europe.
Details of the climb
From the south, the climb starts at Saint-Etienne-de-TinéeSaint-Étienne-de-Tinée
Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France.It was part of the historic County of Nice until 1860....
and is 26.0 km long. Over this distance, the climb is 1652 m. (an average percentage of 6.4%). On the climb to the actual Col de la Bonette, there is one short section at over 10%, but on the loop around the Cime de la Bonette
Cime de la Bonette
The Cime de la Bonette is a mountain in the French Alps, near the border with Italy. It is situated within the Mercantour National Park on the border of the departments of Alpes-Maritimes and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, between the Ubaye Valley and the valley of the Tinée River."Cime" is French for...
, the gradient reaches 15%.
From the north, the climb starts at Jausiers
Jausiers
Jausiers is a commune in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
and is 24,1 km long. Over this distance, the climb is 1589 m. (an average percentage of 6.6%), with the steepest sections at 9%.
Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
four times (1962, 1964, 1993 and 2008). In 1962
1962 Tour de France
The 1962 Tour de France was the 49th Tour de France, taking place June 24 to July 15, 1962. It was composed of 22 stages over 4274 km, ridden at an average speed of 37.306 km/h. After more than 30 years, the Tour was again contested by trade teams...
and 1964
1964 Tour de France
The 1964 Tour de France was the 51st Tour de France, taking place June 22 to July 14, 1964. The total race distance was 22 stages over 4504 km, with riders averaging 35.419 km/h. Stages 3, 10 and 22 were all two part stages with one the first half being a regular stage and the second half...
, the race was led over the summit in both years by Federico Bahamontes
Federico Bahamontes
Federico Martín Bahamontes is a Spanish former professional road racing cyclist.-Biography:Bahamontes was born in Santo Domingo-Caudilla , of Cuban descent. His family was devastated during the Spanish civil war and Bahamontes' father, Julián, took the family to Madrid as refugees...
, approaching from the south in 1962 and from the north in 1964. Robert Millar
Robert Millar
Robert Millar is a former Scottish professional cyclist who won the “King of the Mountains” competition in the 1984 Tour de France and finished fourth overall – sharing the highest Tour position for a British cyclist with Bradley Wiggins, and the first time a Briton had won a major Tour...
led over the summit (from the north) in 1993
1993 Tour de France
The 1993 Tour de France was the 80th Tour de France, taking place July 3 to July 25, 1993. It consisted of 20 stages, over 3714.3 km, ridden at an average speed of 38.709 km/h....
. In 2008
2008 Tour de France
The 2008 Tour de France was the 95th Tour de France. The event took place from 5–27 July 2008. Starting in the French city of Brest, the tour entered Italy on the 15th stage and returned to France during the 16th, heading for Paris, its regular final destination, which was reached in the 21st stage...
John-Lee Augustyn
John-Lee Augustyn
John-Lee Augustyn is a South African professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team .-Tour de France 2008:During Stage 16 of the 2008 Tour in his second professional year, John-Lee crested Col de la Bonette in first place before shortly and spectacularly overshooting a hairpin bend on the...
lead over the mountain, before falling on the descent to Jausiers
Jausiers
Jausiers is a commune in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
. He did, however, receive 5,000 Euros for the leader over the highest point of the Tour, also known as the "Souvenir Henri Desgrange
Henri Desgrange
Henri Desgrange was a French bicycle racer and sports journalist. He set 12 world track cycling records, including the hour record of 35.325 kilometres on 11 May 1893. He was the first organiser of the Tour de France.-Origins:Henri Desgrange was one of two brothers, twins...
".
Appearances in Tour de France
| Year | Stage | Category | Start | Finish | Leader at the summit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 2008 Tour de France The 2008 Tour de France was the 95th Tour de France. The event took place from 5–27 July 2008. Starting in the French city of Brest, the tour entered Italy on the 15th stage and returned to France during the 16th, heading for Paris, its regular final destination, which was reached in the 21st stage... |
16 | HC Hors Categorie Hors catégorie is a French term used in cycle races to designate a climb that is "beyond categorization", an incredibly tough climb. Most climbs in cycling are designated from Category 1 to Category 4 , based on both steepness and length... |
Cuneo Cuneo Cuneo is a city and comune in Piedmont, Northern Italy, the capital of the province of Cuneo, the third largest of Italy’s provinces by area... |
Jausiers Jausiers Jausiers is a commune in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*... |
John-Lee Augustyn John-Lee Augustyn John-Lee Augustyn is a South African professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team .-Tour de France 2008:During Stage 16 of the 2008 Tour in his second professional year, John-Lee crested Col de la Bonette in first place before shortly and spectacularly overshooting a hairpin bend on the... |
| 1993 1993 Tour de France The 1993 Tour de France was the 80th Tour de France, taking place July 3 to July 25, 1993. It consisted of 20 stages, over 3714.3 km, ridden at an average speed of 38.709 km/h.... |
11 | HC Hors Categorie Hors catégorie is a French term used in cycle races to designate a climb that is "beyond categorization", an incredibly tough climb. Most climbs in cycling are designated from Category 1 to Category 4 , based on both steepness and length... |
Serre-Chevalier | Isola 2000 Isola 2000 Isola 2000 is a ski resort in the southern French Alps. It is located on the territory of the commune of Isola, Alpes-Maritimes. It is one of the Stations du Mercantour, along with Auron and St. Dalmas, and is operated by the council of the Alpes-Maritimes... |
Robert Millar Robert Millar Robert Millar is a former Scottish professional cyclist who won the “King of the Mountains” competition in the 1984 Tour de France and finished fourth overall – sharing the highest Tour position for a British cyclist with Bradley Wiggins, and the first time a Briton had won a major Tour... |
| 1964 1964 Tour de France The 1964 Tour de France was the 51st Tour de France, taking place June 22 to July 14, 1964. The total race distance was 22 stages over 4504 km, with riders averaging 35.419 km/h. Stages 3, 10 and 22 were all two part stages with one the first half being a regular stage and the second half... |
9 | 1 | Briançon Briançon Briançon a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.... |
Monaco Monaco Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the... |
Federico Bahamontes Federico Bahamontes Federico Martín Bahamontes is a Spanish former professional road racing cyclist.-Biography:Bahamontes was born in Santo Domingo-Caudilla , of Cuban descent. His family was devastated during the Spanish civil war and Bahamontes' father, Julián, took the family to Madrid as refugees... |
| 1962 1962 Tour de France The 1962 Tour de France was the 49th Tour de France, taking place June 24 to July 15, 1962. It was composed of 22 stages over 4274 km, ridden at an average speed of 37.306 km/h. After more than 30 years, the Tour was again contested by trade teams... |
18 | 1 | Antibes Antibes Antibes is a resort town in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France.It lies on the Mediterranean in the Côte d'Azur, located between Cannes and Nice. The town of Juan-les-Pins is within the commune of Antibes... -Juan-les-Pins Juan-les-Pins Juan-les-PinsCountry:Region:Department: Alpes-MaritimesArrondissement: GrasseCanton: Vallauris-Antibes-OuestMunicipality: AntibesPopulation:?Coordinates:Time zone:CET, UTC+1Elevation:10 amslPostal code:06600... |
Briançon Briançon Briançon a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.... |
Federico Bahamontes Federico Bahamontes Federico Martín Bahamontes is a Spanish former professional road racing cyclist.-Biography:Bahamontes was born in Santo Domingo-Caudilla , of Cuban descent. His family was devastated during the Spanish civil war and Bahamontes' father, Julián, took the family to Madrid as refugees... |
See also
- List of highest paved roads in Europe
- List of mountain passes
External links
- Preview of Bonette Stage in 2008 Tour de France
- Profile on climbbybike.com
- Le col ou cime de la Bonette ou col de Restefond dans le Tour de France
- Le col de La Bonette-Restefonds Tour de France details
- Col de la Bonnette by bike
- Col de la Bonette cycling. Pictures and profiles.
- Bike Routes in the Maritime Alps
- Motorbiking in the Alps
- Map of the Col de la Bonette and the Col de Restefond
