Route de Thiéry: A Quiet Balcony Road Above the Var to Col de la Madone

The Route de Thiéry averages 6.4% over 14.0 km (8.7 mi), but the climb has two very different halves.

Km 0-6: Irregular, gaining about 300 m (984 ft). The first three kilometers out of the valley run at 6.2-7.3%, then kilometers 4 and 6 drop to just 2.0% and 2.4% on the corniche section above the Var, with a 5.6% kilometer in between.

Km 6-14: The climb proper - about 595 m (1952 ft) of gain at 7.4%. Kilometers 7 and 8 both hold at 8.3-8.4%, there is a brief easing to 4.8% in kilometer 9, and then kilometers 10-12 build from 7.1% to 9.1%, the steepest full kilometer on the profile. The last two kilometers to the col run at 7.2% and 6.5%.

The steepest kilometer averages 10.5%, the steepest 5 km (3.1 mi) average 7.7%, and the steepest 100 m reach about 13.1%.

Provisions: Villars-sur-Var has a water point and is the last reliable stop on the way up. There is nothing on the climb itself, but Thiéry, 3 km (1.9 mi) past the col, has a water point and an auberge with a terrace café that is closed in winter.

Gear: The lower two-thirds are fairly well shaded, but the final stretch to the col is fully exposed, and this part of the Alpes-Maritimes gets very hot in July and August - riders have reported temperatures near 38 C (100 F) on the climb. Start early in summer and carry more water than you think you need. Grades never get extreme, so a standard compact crankset is plenty for most riders. The road is narrow on the way down, so make sure your brakes are in good shape.

Villars-sur-Var, the village at the bottom, is worth more than a pass-through. It is a medieval village stacked in levels on the hillside above the Var, with the ruins of a 15th-century Grimaldi castle and narrow vaulted lanes. It also has a wine story you would not expect this far into the mountains: the Clos Saint-Joseph estate makes Côtes de Provence wines here, and its vines are the only ones in the department with that appellation. A bottle from the cellar door makes a good souvenir of the ride.

Thiéry, 3 km (1.9 mi) past the col, sits on a rocky spine almost surrounded by deep valleys, with the Gorges du Cians to the west. Its church dates to the 11th century and has been restored to its 17th-century appearance - it is usually locked, but locals can point you to whoever holds the key. The GR510 hiking trail links Thiéry with Pierlas, which our Col de la Sinne (Pierlas) page covers in depth, and a roughly two-hour hiking trail climbs up to the village from the Train des Pignes stop at Touët-sur-Var by way of the Baisse de Thiéry.

This corner of the Alpes-Maritimes is packed with quiet climbs, from Massoins and Clans across the Var to the east to the Col de la Sinne above the Tinée. To see other climbs nearby, or build a custom route from here, try our Routes in the Area tool.