Col de Vence road cycling

Road Cycling: Vence-Col de Vence-Vence
Distance: 30k
A regular feature on the 'race to the sun', Paris-Nice, this excellent climb takes you up into wild haute Provence territory and is a dramatic contrast with the bustle of the nearby coastal resorts. I only had an hour to get up and down, and had already run up Brec d'Utelle in the morning so the legs were not at their best. I would have loved to have completed the obvious loop around Coursegoules and Gourdon, but that would have taken far too long with the family enjoying cold drinks in Vence. So I settled for starting at the bottom of the town, then finding my way to the start of the climb (marked for cyclists with gradient and altitude every km, just like the big Alpine cols). It starts quite steeply through the top of Vence, then eases and straightens as it moves out into an arid, baking valley. Mid-afternoon on a hot day, with temperatures well into the 30s and not a breath of wind, this was desperately hot work. At the top of the first long drag, however, a hairpin provided some merciful relief and a blast of cooling sea breeze with the Med below. I was still dripping with sweat, however, despite the gentle gradient (7% typically). As the climb weaves higher, all traces of the Cote d'Azur disappear to be replaced by wild limestone scenery and great views over to the crag of St Jeannet, the Brec d'Utelle that I'd just run up, and the higher Maritime Alps. The road surface is perfect, and the cycling just ideal for tired legs: challenging but not too challenging! A lovely climb that came to an end too soon (still, at least 10km of constant uphill from Vence). I was up in 44m and got down in 16m (a brilliant descent with the Med in front the whole way) so stayed within my allotted hour for the outing.