Col de la Moutière
	Height	Climbing height
	2444m Michelin 2454m	1573m (Isola); 1933m (St. Sauveur-s-Tinée)
	Difficulty	Beauty
	4-5 (5)	3 (5)
How to get there	The climb starts in Isola (871m) or down at St. Sauveur-s-Tinée (510m) and is long and very hard. Steepness comes first at St. Dalmas-le-Selvage (1509m). You turn left at a junction soon after St. Etienne-de-Tinée (1144m). Continue through the little village of St. Dalmas-le-Selvage (there is water here). Just after the village a road winding its way up with a sign saying the road is closed (probably this is always suggested) is the one to take. There is a long series of hairpins in the somewhat wooden landscape, but there are some fine views as well. The road is often at around 14% until one eventually reaches a plateau, which is also the place the few cars go to when going up here. Thereafter you pass some cows and get totally out of the forest and start tackling the last steep part to the pass where snow may linger. The road is only surfaced a few hundred meters on the other side and with large boulders to zig-zag between. The rough road goes up to the Col de la Bonette road cyclable with a racer (R1). Or one could turn down toward Bayasse (R1-2) on the Col de la Cayolle road and is only partly cyclable with a racer (this road is often also overrun by rockfalls/landslides).
Other comments	Some think this road is more beautiful than the Col de la Bonette road, but I do not agree. It is however much harder even though the pass is lower. You will see the Cime de la Bonette on the last part to the pass up to the right. If you decide to try and get down to Bayasse (you will have to walk some with a racer), there is a very good walkers hostel to stay at for the night in Bayasse. See also the descriptions of Faux Col de Restefond and the other nearby passes. [04-2444]