From Limone Piemonte, the Colle di Tenda climbs 13.8 km at a 7.3% average to a pass steeped in military history, where the old paved road gives way to a stony track in its final kilometres.
A climb split between road and military track
The first two-thirds of the route follow a paved road in steady forest hairpins, before the surface turns into an unpaved military track for the last 4 kilometres, rideable on gravel or mountain bikes up to the pass itself, at over 1870 m altitude.
A strategic bottleneck between two countries
Long disputed between the Kingdom of Sardinia and France, the Colle di Tenda still holds imposing military fortifications built to watch over this natural border, now partly in ruins but still testifying to the strategic importance of the crossing before the road tunnel was bored in the 19th century.
Getting the climb right
Gravel tires of 35 to 40mm are recommended to comfortably handle the military track in the final kilometres, while a wide-range cassette helps manage the uneven surface toward the end of the climb.
When to go
June to September — the summit track stays snow-covered or impassable for much of the year due to the altitude.
Good to know
Limone Piemonte, a lively resort in both summer and winter, offers the widest choice of accommodation in the area, while Tende, on the French side, charms visitors with alpine architecture typical of the Roya valley.
