Detour #18: Col de Turini, France
The map shows the 22 miles as the D2566, but rally fans and cycling aficionados know it by what lies at the summit: the Col de Turini.
This is one of the greatest mountain roads in Europe, and whether you’re cranking your pedals or pressing them to the metal, it’s one for the bucket list. A regular stage on the Monte Carlo Rally and a punishing climb on the Tour de France, the road begins in the pretty riverside village of Sospel and tops out at 1,607m above sea level before descending to La Bollene-Vesubie.
The road has a reputation, and along with encouraging graffiti to spur on competing drivers and riders there are also plenty of impact scars on the low stone barriers. Barely two lanes wide, it is at its best on the way up to Moulinet. In this section, the road winds through the valley in a series of third- and fourth-gear sweeps before taking a sudden steeper angle of attack through a succession of stepped hairpins, taken in second or even first gear. Beyond Moulinet the forest closes in, the road turns to gravel for a time and, unless you’re in a rally car, considerable caution is required on the way to the top.
Expect plenty of company on two and four wheels, as it’s a very popular road with everyone from tourists in caravans to MAMILs and manufacturer development drivers. Take your camera and you might even get a spy shot of next year’s new model.
Words Nik Berg Twitter | Instagram
Photography John Wycherley @johnwycherley
Roadbook
Class: Mountain Pass
Name: D2566 Col de Turini
Route: Sospel to La Bollene Vesubie
Country: France
Distance: 22 miles