- Ascent
- 1101 hm
- Distance Ascent
- 15.4 km
- max. gradient
- 12 %
- ø gradient
- 7.1 %
The Col de Turini from La Bollène-Vésubie is an HC climb of 15.4 km with 1,101 m of elevation gain at an average of 7.1 %, peaking at 12 %. The road climbs out of the Vésubie valley to 1,607 m and drops on the far side towards Sospel. No Maritime Alps climb in our list is steeper on average.
The Col de Turini links the Vésubie valley with the Bévéra valley in the hinterland of the Riviera. From La Bollène-Vésubie it is 15.4 kilometres and 1,101 metres of climbing up to 1,607 metres. At 7.1 % on average no Maritime Alps climb in our list is steeper. After a gentle start the climb stays steady and demanding almost to the top.
The Col de Turini at a glance
The key figures from La Bollène-Vésubie: category HC, 15.4 km, 1,101 m of climbing, 7.1 % on average and 12 % at its steepest. The road leaves La Bollène-Vésubie and climbs to the pass at 1,607 m. On the far side it runs down towards Sospel. In our list the Turini belongs to the Maritime Alps region.
The climb from La Bollène-Vésubie
The first three kilometres are the easiest part of the climb, at around 4 to 5 %. Then the gradient jumps to close to 9 % and from there on hardly drops below 6 %. For the next twelve kilometres it averages close to 8 %. It is a long stretch without any real break.
The values swing evenly between 6 and just under 9 %, with no single hard wall. Two of the steepest kilometres come right before the end. Only the very last kilometre to the pass is almost flat. So the Turini asks for a steady effort over a long time.
How it compares to our 100 climbs
Among the five Maritime Alps climbs in our list the Turini has the steepest average. Across all 100 climbs it sits in the middle: 44 are steeper, 60 have more climbing. At 1,607 m the finishing point is fairly low, 77 climbs end higher. The Silvretta Hochalpenstraße is exactly the same length at 15.4 km, with 1,015 m of climbing at 6.6 %.
Practical tips
The Turini needs no extreme gearing, a compact chainset is enough for the 12 % peak. Use the first three kilometres to warm up, after that the climb is long and steady. At 1,607 m the top is only moderately high, a windproof layer for the descent is usually enough. Heading east you drop towards Sospel, the way back to La Bollène-Vésubie is the same road.
