{"id":653,"date":"2016-05-20T11:37:49","date_gmt":"2016-05-20T09:37:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/wordpress\/?p=653"},"modified":"2020-06-08T12:09:53","modified_gmt":"2020-06-08T10:09:53","slug":"route-des-grandes-alpes-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/scenic-touring\/route-des-grandes-alpes-4\/","title":{"rendered":"Route des Grandes Alpes IV"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n
\n

W<\/span>e\u2019re on the final stage of the Route des Grandes Alpes<\/strong>, a scenic touring itinerary following the mythical cols and valleys of the French Alps from Lac L\u00e9man to the Mediterranean sea. In this section we travel from the Col de Cayolle to Menton.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The ascent to the Col de la Cayolle<\/strong> (2327m) takes in a lofty stone bridge spanning a near-vertical mountain stream cascading over a boulder-strewn ravine. From the Col the views extend southwards over the Val d\u2019Entraunes<\/strong> towards the Parc National du Mercantour<\/strong> and the Alpes Maritimes<\/strong>. As the Route descends through more hairpins and tunnels the influence of the Mediterranean<\/strong> becomes ever more obvious. If the tarmac is spotted with small black dots it’s an advanced warning that we might soon encounter a lone shepherd conducting his flock down from the high alpages to more sheltered winter grazing. The twice-yearly spectacle of transhumance <\/em>is as moving as ever, and a timely reminder that this is still very much a living landscape.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n…the descent into St Martin\u2013V\u00e9subie turns out to be one of the narrowest and most demanding sections we\u2019ve encountered on our journey.\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Southern Alpine ski stations…<\/h2>\n
\n
\n

After passing through St Martin d\u2019Entraunes<\/strong> and its near-neighbour Guillaumes<\/strong> we climb once again, this time up to the ski resort of Valberg<\/strong>, which greets hungry travellers with a welcoming \u2018repas \u00e0 tout-heure<\/em>\u2019 sign. Further on, as we cross the Col de la Couillole<\/strong> (1678m), we pass more modest family ski stations like Roubion<\/strong>, Buisses<\/strong> and La Colmiane<\/strong>. A dramatic swoop through the red stone Gorges de la Vion\u00e9net<\/strong> brings us to St. Sauveur-sur-Tin\u00e9e<\/strong>, whose sinuous network of dark alleyways running between rugged, ancient cottages, represent a twilight world seldom discovered by tourists. Outside the town a tricoleur<\/em> flutters proudly in the breeze above a small Ligne Maginot<\/strong> fort at the roadside.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n\"Cars\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Mediterranean influences in Saint-Martin V\u00e9subie<\/h2>\n
\n
\n

The intensity of the colours on the wooded, zigzag climb up to the Col Saint-Martin<\/strong> (1500m) is startling, and the descent down to St Martin\u2013V\u00e9subie<\/strong> turns out to be one of the narrowest and most demanding sections we\u2019ve encountered on our journey. The Italianate village<\/strong> has a reputation as a climbing and mountaineering centre, acquiring the title of la Suisse-Ni\u00e7oise<\/strong> among visitors from the C\u00f4te d\u2019Azur<\/strong>. It has also steadfastly resisted over-commercialisation, with whole back-streets still awaiting the restorer\u2019s attentions, while the unique 15th Century \u2018gargouille<\/em>\u2019, created as an irrigation channel, still flows down the centre of rue Centrale.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n\"Sospel\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

More high passes and deep gorges…<\/h2>\n
\n
\n

Below the village the Route relaxes briefly before spiralling upwards to the wooded Col de Turini<\/strong> (1604m), and another Corniche-style cruise through the Gorges du Piaon<\/strong>. Once through we plunge into Sospel<\/strong>, looking in many respects the classic Italian village. It\u2019s also a place with a split personality; across the B\u00e9v\u00e9ra river<\/strong> lies a medieval sector still accessed by an 11th Century toll bridge<\/strong>. Until the 18th Century revenues for the crossing, on the Route Royale<\/strong> between Nice<\/strong> and Turin<\/strong>, generated great wealth for the town. Eventually it created its very own sumptuous Baroque cathedral<\/strong>, dominating an elegantly-arcaded market square known as the Place St-Michel<\/strong>. So effectively is all this tucked away that most unsuspecting visitors simply pass through unaware of its existence.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n\"Italianate\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Menton: a rich reward…<\/h2>\n
\n
\n

The climb out of Sospel<\/strong> brings a first glimpse of olive groves, reminding us that we\u2019ve almost reached journey\u2019s end. As if to prove the point, the Col de Castillon <\/strong>is a relatively modest 706m above sea level. But the Route is not about to give up just yet, the run down towards Menton<\/strong> launching off in one last series of tight hairpins. Here and there are remnants of the tramway <\/strong>built to provide an excursion link with St Martin-V\u00e9subie<\/strong>, before the private car made it redundant.<\/p>\n

As we pass beneath the elevated coastal autoroute we\u2019re finally entering Menton<\/strong> and an altogether different world. If the Route has provided any kind of a test then this is the reward, and it\u2019s a rich one. Overlooking the Mediterranean<\/strong>, and just a few hundred metres from the frontier with Italy, this really is quite some town. The Italians think so, too, judging by the number of visitors driving in each day. After parking on the quayside it\u2019s time to gaze across at the famous old town.<\/p>\n

For us it was touch and go, but we made it before the winter snows closed the high Cols. Even in summer, however, the Route des Grandes Alpes is an adventure, revealing a near-endless succession of extaordinary places just waiting to be discovered \u2013 and rediscovered. \"MountainPassions<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n\"Menton\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"From the Col de Cayolle we pass southern ski stations and encounter the most challenging road on the route. Sospel, distinctly Italianate in style is the last stop before Menton.","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":6692,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[86,88,89,94,106,111,112],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nRoute des Grandes Alpes IV - Scenic Touring France - MountainPassions<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The classic touring itinerary Route des Grandes Alpes. Part 4 - Col de Cayolle to Sospel, the last stop before we glimpse the Mediterranean at Menton.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/scenic-touring\/route-des-grandes-alpes-4\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Route des Grandes Alpes IV - Scenic Touring France - MountainPassions\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The classic touring itinerary Route des Grandes Alpes. Part 4 - Col de Cayolle to Sospel, the last stop before we glimpse the Mediterranean at Menton.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/scenic-touring\/route-des-grandes-alpes-4\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"MountainPassions\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Mountain-Passions-422318654644495\/?ref=hl\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2016-05-20T09:37:49+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2020-06-08T10:09:53+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/touring_port_menton_9654a.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"530\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"330\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Roger Moss\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@MtnPassions\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@MtnPassions\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Roger Moss\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/scenic-touring\/route-des-grandes-alpes-4\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/scenic-touring\/route-des-grandes-alpes-4\/\",\"name\":\"Route des Grandes Alpes IV - Scenic Touring France - MountainPassions\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2016-05-20T09:37:49+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2020-06-08T10:09:53+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/#\/schema\/person\/20f3716804c54a28181425337941735b\"},\"description\":\"The classic touring itinerary Route des Grandes Alpes. Part 4 - Col de Cayolle to Sospel, the last stop before we glimpse the Mediterranean at Menton.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/scenic-touring\/route-des-grandes-alpes-4\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/scenic-touring\/route-des-grandes-alpes-4\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/scenic-touring\/route-des-grandes-alpes-4\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Scenic Touring\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/category\/scenic-touring\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Route des Grandes Alpes IV\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/\",\"name\":\"MountainPassions\",\"description\":\"Skiing & Enjoying the Mountains of France\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/#\/schema\/person\/20f3716804c54a28181425337941735b\",\"name\":\"Roger Moss\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cab245ddcf559454dd212b4a987360e6?s=96&d=blank&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cab245ddcf559454dd212b4a987360e6?s=96&d=blank&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Roger Moss\"},\"description\":\"Owner and Editor of MountainPassions, Roger is a journalist and photographer with more than 30 years\u2019 professional experience producing illustrated ski and travel editorial features for magazines and location photography for travel guides, both in the UK and overseas. He regularly writes resort reviews for other ski websites and tour operators as well as ski and mountain features for newspapers and magazines worldwide.\",\"sameAs\":[\"http:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/author\/rogermoss\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Route des Grandes Alpes IV - Scenic Touring France - MountainPassions","description":"The classic touring itinerary Route des Grandes Alpes. Part 4 - Col de Cayolle to Sospel, the last stop before we glimpse the Mediterranean at Menton.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/scenic-touring\/route-des-grandes-alpes-4\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"Route des Grandes Alpes IV - Scenic Touring France - MountainPassions","og_description":"The classic touring itinerary Route des Grandes Alpes. Part 4 - Col de Cayolle to Sospel, the last stop before we glimpse the Mediterranean at Menton.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/scenic-touring\/route-des-grandes-alpes-4\/","og_site_name":"MountainPassions","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Mountain-Passions-422318654644495\/?ref=hl","article_published_time":"2016-05-20T09:37:49+00:00","article_modified_time":"2020-06-08T10:09:53+00:00","og_image":[{"width":530,"height":330,"url":"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/touring_port_menton_9654a.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Roger Moss","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@MtnPassions","twitter_site":"@MtnPassions","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Roger Moss","Estimated reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/scenic-touring\/route-des-grandes-alpes-4\/","url":"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/scenic-touring\/route-des-grandes-alpes-4\/","name":"Route des Grandes Alpes IV - Scenic Touring France - MountainPassions","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/#website"},"datePublished":"2016-05-20T09:37:49+00:00","dateModified":"2020-06-08T10:09:53+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/#\/schema\/person\/20f3716804c54a28181425337941735b"},"description":"The classic touring itinerary Route des Grandes Alpes. Part 4 - Col de Cayolle to Sospel, the last stop before we glimpse the Mediterranean at Menton.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/scenic-touring\/route-des-grandes-alpes-4\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/scenic-touring\/route-des-grandes-alpes-4\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/scenic-touring\/route-des-grandes-alpes-4\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Scenic Touring","item":"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/category\/scenic-touring\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Route des Grandes Alpes IV"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/","name":"MountainPassions","description":"Skiing & Enjoying the Mountains of France","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/#\/schema\/person\/20f3716804c54a28181425337941735b","name":"Roger Moss","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cab245ddcf559454dd212b4a987360e6?s=96&d=blank&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cab245ddcf559454dd212b4a987360e6?s=96&d=blank&r=g","caption":"Roger Moss"},"description":"Owner and Editor of MountainPassions, Roger is a journalist and photographer with more than 30 years\u2019 professional experience producing illustrated ski and travel editorial features for magazines and location photography for travel guides, both in the UK and overseas. He regularly writes resort reviews for other ski websites and tour operators as well as ski and mountain features for newspapers and magazines worldwide.","sameAs":["http:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com"],"url":"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/author\/rogermoss\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/653"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=653"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/653\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10706,"href":"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/653\/revisions\/10706"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6692"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=653"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=653"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=653"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}