Col de la Bonette

[nlm13]

Hi there,

We are heading down to the south of France in a couple of weeks, and I was thinking of taking a detour over the Col de la Bonette. Has anyone done this drive, and is it likely to be open in mid September? Any advice welcome, and if there are any other routes that are recommended between Grenoble and the Nice area I'm open to suggestions!

Cheers

[0836whimper]

Definitely worth it, unlike the Stelvio it's a great driving road. Almost certainly open in Sept.
As regards others, you could choose any road from that area down to Nice and it will be great.

(Not me) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7pTzyc9xFY

Have fun.

[AdiT]

Lots of great roads on that route.

Try Grenoble, N85 towards Borge-d-Oisans but turn left before Borge over the Col du Glandon then right on the a43/E70 then right over the Telegraphe and Galibier, left to Briancon (down the Lauterete then Col du Vars to the Bonette.

Or miss out the loop and go Borge-d-Oisans, Lauterete, Vars, Bonette

Glandon... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKKG3bpPATY

Galibier... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ux1fgfg8voM

[alchristou]

I did this road when "researching" for my book, One Careful Owner. I recently gave a Twitter follower some thoughts on it:

"Col de la Bonnette is a beautiful road but it is not so great for driving once it starts climbing/falling. However, the roads either side of it are really good fun. I think one is called Colle della Madelena (coming from Torino/Italian side). I am not sure about the French side but the road that follows the Var river towards Nice is pretty cool and there are some nice long tunnels."

I forgot to mention the numerous rocks that litter parts of the road along its upper reaches. One of the cars on his trip was put out of action, with two wheels being damaged by a rock. When I was there I had to get out and move some out of the road. Definitely worth keeping your eyes peeled.

[jep]

AdiT said:

Lots of great roads on that route.

Try Grenoble, N85 towards Borge-d-Oisans but turn left before Borge over the Col du Glandon then right on the a43/E70 then right over the Telegraphe and Galibier, left to Briancon (down the Lauterete then Col du Vars to the Bonette.

Or miss out the loop and go Borge-d-Oisans, Lauterete, Vars, Bonette

Glandon... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKKG3bpPATY

Galibier... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ux1fgfg8voM

Some fantastic roads round there, the D926 over the Col de la Croix de Fer is pretty spectacular too...

[AdiT]

Pedant mode on...

Thats the Col du Glandon. It only becomes the Croix de Fer after the cafe/junction where the second picture is taken.

[jep]

AdiT said:

Pedant mode on...

Thats the Col du Glandon. It only becomes the Croix de Fer after the cafe/junction where the second picture is taken.

The top one is of the D926 road up to the Col de la Croix de Feu, and was taken from ~100m up from the junction with the D927 that takes you up to the Col du Glandon. The bottom one is looking down at the car park next to that junction, and continuing down the D926 towards the Lac de Grand Maison.

Here's the other side of the bottom picture showing the D927 to the Col du Glandon.


I spent nearly a week this July driving up and down that road from Saint-Sorlin-d'Arves to Allemont and Bourg/Alpe d'Huez, with and without a pair of racing bikes strapped to the back...

[AdiT]

Sorry, I mistook the first picture as being from somewhere about the end of the lake in this photo, looking up to where the second picture was taken....



That was cycling there July 2012. This was driving in 2010...

[copperman05]

I have done the Col de la Bonette, its certainly a high road but Col de l'iseran has more variety and is a true pass as opposed to a loop. Some of the better passes are the smaller less frequented and therefore quieter roads to enjoy the alps, plenty in the area to choose from.

[Kronstein]

copperman05 said:

I have done the Col de la Bonette, its certainly a high road but Col de l'iseran has more variety and is a true pass as opposed to a loop. Some of the better passes are the smaller less frequented and therefore quieter roads to enjoy the alps, plenty in the area to choose from.

+1. L'Iseran is a great drive. Flows a lot more than the Bonette - some sharp drops mind!!

[s70rmp]

Kronstein said:

+1. L'Iseran is a great drive. Flows a lot more than the Bonette - some sharp drops mind!!

tis a luvly road



was there a couple of weeks ago

[don logan]

s70rmp said:

Kronstein said:

+1. L'Iseran is a great drive. Flows a lot more than the Bonette - some sharp drops mind!!

tis a luvly road



was there a couple of weeks ago

For flow I'd take Col De Vars or Lauteret!