homeCol de/du Vasson
Col de/du Vasson Height Climbing height - length
1705m
Signs 1672m, 1662m (on the main road)
1168m - 33.4 km (Pont de Gueydan)
1168m - 34.8 km (Pont de Gueydan via Péone)
913m - 14 km (Guillaumes)
913m - 15.2 km (Guillaumes via Péone)
276m - 6.5 km (Beuil)
1138m - 20.1 km (Sinne turn-off)
1380m - 28.2 km (Le Pont du Cians)
Difficulty Beauty
2-3 (5) West; 1-3 (5) East 3 (5)
How to get there

I believe this is just the old (or rather correct location for the real) Col de Valberg/Col du Vasson (1662m) by the viewpoint one kilometre west of Valberg. Col du Quartier (Col de Valberg) (1673m) is the modern pass on the main road through the centre of Valberg.

It is the same description as for that pass, but from Valberg you should follow the little road (route du Garibeuil) climbing south and the pass is located just some metres up the grassy saddle above the hotel/restaurant here. You could also follow the bad road that soon turns to gravel and that later leads to several gravel road passes, but it is usually a bit too bad for a road bike. The pass is at the first bend after easy gravel for 190m.

The western climb from Guillaumes (792m) is the most interesting one and there are actually two climbs from Guillaumes, as one could climb “straight” up to Col de Valberg or go via the nice little village of Péone (1172m) to the pass. I did the later in 2004 & 2015, but the direct road should be very nice too. Valberg is a ski resort and more known as such, rather than as a mountain pass (a bit like Sestriere in Italy). From Valberg you could try and find a little road that goes north to Col de l’Espaul (1748m) – just off that road is now the highest asphalted pass in the area located: Col des Huerris (1765m).

The climb from Beuil (1442m) is not much of a climb and merely a nice little ride on a varied road. However, if you start from Le Pont du Cians (338m) you will have a nice and long climb through the Gorges du Cians. You could conceivable start the climb just before the nice section up the Cians road (580m) if you come over the Col de la Sinne/Sine/Sinna (1438m) from the Tinée valley (which is a nice road).

Other comments

If coming from the south one would have a choice of going up either of Gorges de Daluis or Gorges du Cians – two very interesting gorge roads with plenty of tunnels! There are some other passes accessible by a road bike in this area as well: Col de Sainte-Anne (1550m) shortly after Beuil on the main road to Valberg and Collet du Guérin (1638m) which is on a side road (Bergians) going south near Col de Sainte-Anne (turn right at the first choice and the pass is where the aspahlt ends). From Beuil one could go up the impressive (on the east side) Col de la Couillole/Col de Cogliola (1677m). The photo is taken from La Colle (1787m) at the end of the gravel road that continues from Col de l’Espaul toward this pass. (The are also some other gravel road passes reached from Valberg that could be tried, but I cannot recommend them with a road bike.)


[FR-06-1705]
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