19
PDI
12.5 mi
DISTANCE
3,604 ft
GAINED
5.5 %
AVG. GRADE
FULL CLIMB STATS
INTRO
Mont Agel from Cap Martin is a true sea-to-summit climb: 20.1 km (12.5 mi) from the Mediterranean shore at Cap Martin to about 1,109 m (3,637 ft) just below the top of Mont Agel, gaining 1,098 m (3,604 ft) at a 5.5% average. It ranks #1112 on our list of the world's hardest climbs.
It is really two climbs stacked together. The first 11 km (6.8 mi) rise gently, at 3-5.5%, from Cap Martin up past the hilltop village of Roquebrune and along the Grande Corniche to La Turbie, with the bay of Menton and Monaco opening up below you. From La Turbie, at about 475 m (1,558 ft), the road turns up Mont Agel and the second climb begins: 9 km (5.6 mi) averaging 7%, with three straight kilometers at 7.8-8.4% early on and another steep pair near the top.
Mont Agel is a big name in Riviera cycling - the Nice-Mont Agel race finished here for decades - and the summit is still a military site, so the road ends at a barrier just below the top. Our Mont Agel (Monaco) page covers the summit's history and the alternative start from Monte-Carlo; this side's draw is the long, scenic approach from the sea past two of the Riviera's oldest landmarks, Roquebrune's castle and La Turbie's Roman trophy.
PLAN YOUR ROUTE
We've partnered with Sherpa-Map.com to bring you the best route planning tool. With a PRO Membership you can use this climb as a reference when creating your route. Mont Agel from Cap Martin averages 5.5% over 20.1 km (12.5 mi) and 1,098 m (3,604 ft) of climbing, but the two halves are very different:
Cap Martin to La Turbie (km 0-11): about 4.2% on average. The first 6 km (3.7 mi), up from the cape and past Roquebrune, run 3.2-5.5%, and the Grande Corniche between km 6 and km 11 settles into a steady 3.3-3.6%.
La Turbie to Mont Agel (km 11-20.1): about 7% on average, and this is where the climb bites. Km 12 to km 15 run 7.8-8.4%, km 15-16 offers a breather at 5.0%, and after 5.8-6.9% through km 18 the last two kilometers climb at 7.8-7.9%.
The steepest 1 km (0.6 mi) averages 10.2%, the steepest 2 km (1.2 mi) 8.3%, and the steepest 5 km (3.1 mi) 7.3%.
Roadway: Paved throughout. From Cap Martin, residential streets lead up to the Grande Corniche (D2564), a two-lane road with a 70 km/h limit and no bike lane, which carries you to La Turbie. From La Turbie the D153 (Route du Mont Agel) and then a narrower road climb the mountain to a barrier below the summit, which is occupied by military installations and closed to the public. Rockfall has closed the Grande Corniche near Roquebrune in the past, so check for local road closures before you go.
Traffic: The Grande Corniche is a through road linking Menton, La Turbie and Nice, so expect a steady flow of cars and motorbikes, especially in summer; ride single file. Above La Turbie the traffic drops sharply to residents and golfers heading for the Monte-Carlo Golf Club, and the upper road is quiet.
Parking: Free parking is available at the Roquebrune-Cap-Martin train station and at the start of the coastal promenade on Avenue Winston Churchill, both a short ride from the start. Arriving by train is even simpler: Roquebrune-Cap-Martin's station is on the coastal line between Nice, Monaco and Menton.
Provisions: Fill your bottles on the coast or in Roquebrune before you start. La Turbie, at the halfway point, is the last place for a cafe stop or a refill; above it there are no shops on the climb.
Gear: A compact crankset with a 28- or 30-tooth cog is plenty - the hard work is all in the last 9 km (5.6 mi). These south-facing slopes hold the heat, so start early in summer, and check your brakes before descending the upper hairpins.
Before heading out on any cycling adventure check out our Things to Bring on a Cycling Trip and use our interactive check list to ensure you don't forget anything.
Two of the Riviera's oldest landmarks sit right on this route. Just above the start, the medieval village of Roquebrune wraps around its castle keep, built in the 10th century and often described as one of the oldest in France, and just outside the village grows the olivier millénaire, an olive tree thought to be well over a thousand years old. Down on Cap Martin, the coastal path known as the Promenade Le Corbusier loops around the headland past the Cabanon, the tiny wooden holiday cabin Le Corbusier built in 1952 and used every summer until his death in 1965; it is part of his UNESCO-listed body of work, and the architect is buried in Roquebrune's cemetery.
At the halfway point, La Turbie is crowned by the Trophée d'Auguste, a Roman monument raised around 6 BC to celebrate Augustus's victory over the Alpine tribes, at the high point of the old Via Julia Augusta. The restored ruin still stands 35 m (115 ft) tall.
For the summit's military history and the Monte-Carlo Golf Club, see our Mont Agel (Monaco) page. The hills between Menton and Monaco are packed with climbs, the Col de la Madone among them, and you can see other climbs nearby, or build a custom route from here, with our Routes in the Area tool.
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