With its 2,715 meters, the Col de la Bonette scores a 4th place in Europe’s list of paved passes.
Not high enough for some, so an additional loop around the summit, the “Cime de la Bonette”, was cut out of the rocks.
That will take you to 2,802 meters.
Therefor, the French – or at least those in the Ubaye Vallée – claim it’s the highest pass in Europe.
But the Cime does not make the pass any higher, it’s just a scenic add-on with a beautiful view and it can be designated the highest asphalted through road of Europe, so there’s that…
The Bonette connects the Ubaye Valley in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur to the Tinée Valley in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.
Like the Iseran, Galibier, and Izoard, it is part of the Route des Grandes Alpes, connecting the French Riviera (Menton) with Lac Léman (Geneva).
It’s also part of the Brevet de 7 Cols d’Ubaye, which I obtained in my (first) Tour of 2014.
I tackled the Bonette from both ends on our first day in Jausiers, just to get it out of the way. I had more trouble with the Col de Vars the next day…
Col de Restefond
The passage over the Col de la Bonette is often referred to as the Col de la Bonette-Restefond.
That is because the Route de la Bonette runs between the Faux-Col de Restefond (2,638m) and the Col de Restefond (2,860m) – you can walk to the latter from the end of the Cime loop.
The Col de Restefond is a left track off the Jaussier end of the climb, about one kilometer from the summit.
There’s a mountain bike / gravel trail between the Restefond and the Col de Grange on the other end, although it’s entirely in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence region.
Tour de France
The pass has featured in the Tour de France only five times since 1962, lastly in stage 19 of 2024’s Tour.
Because of the rules, it has only been awarded the Souvenir Henri Desgrange once, in 2024, though.
The rule is, that the award is given to the rider that first passes the summit of the Galibier, regardless of possible higher cols in the same Tour.
While the Bonette was in the Tour of 1962 and the Galibier was not, this rule was not consitently applied until later in the sixties and the award was given to the first rider to cross the Lauaret, Juan Campillo, that year.
From Jausiers
Up to La Chalannette, the grades are “easier” – in the bottom half of that part, you’ll find some stinging section, but it never gets really steep.
Gradually, the views become more beautiful, the hairpins more attractive.
After some 17 kilometers you ride past Lac des Essaupriés and a few kilometers further, you pass the Caserne (Fortin) de Restefond, part of the Maginot defense line.
This is around the 2,550 meter mark and about two tough kilometers from the summit.
Once you arrive at the pass, you will not be able to resist the temptation and ride the extra loop, if only for the even better views.
I was forced to take the left side, because the “logical” route over the right was still blocked by snow.
That final part turned out to be quite the stinger, as the grades rose to about 15%.
The right-hand side of the loop, going counterclockwise, has easier grades…
There is no “refuge” at the summit.
From Saint-Etienne-de-Tinée
This end is similar to the climb from Jausiers, in both length and average grade.
You first get to ride through a more “forestry” part, meandering along the river la Tinée.
Just after some 10 kilometers, you will most likely have to get out of the saddle for the first time.
That is because the following stretch of about five kilometers has some rather steep sections.
And also from this end, you’ll pass a former barracks complex, the Camp des Fourches.
This is part of the same Maginot defense line, where the “Diables Blues” were housed.
Not long after that, you reach one of the best viewpoints, marked by an Obelix in honor of General Jacquemot.
The view down into the valley is absolutely stunning…
Hopefully, you then still have some energy left for the last kilometers to the summit.
The road keeps turning out of sight, the grades are not too bad, but if you’re unlucky, a (cold) headwind might completely destroy you, as it did me.
At 5km before the pass, Col de Granges Communes / Raspaillon – no marker – is the point where Alpes-Maritimes and the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence meet.
You’ll continue the remainder of the climb along that divide.
As described above, you can conclude with either side of the loop around the “Cime” and there is no ‘refuge’ for a snack or a souvenir.
Bonus: from the South, there’s a road up to the Col de la Moutière, which brings you within touching distance of the Bonette.
However, from Saint-Dalmas-le-Selvage, the road becomes increasingly more degraded, and you may not be able to get past the col’s summit.
Even if you can, you will need a mountain bike and the whole ride is not for the faint-hearted…
Background picture: Cime de la Bonnete seen from the south end.
Attribution CC BY-SA 3.0, Link
