Sospel sits in a deep, green valley of the Bévéra river, in the hills behind Menton, and it is one of those Provençal towns that has been quietly pretty for centuries without making a fuss about it. A fortified bridge with a toll tower, dating from the eleventh century, crosses the river, and the old centre has arcaded houses painted in faded ochre and rose. It is a market town of about three thousand people, with several good bakeries and a calm, small-town rhythm, and the sea is only about twenty kilometres away.
Just beyond the border, in Italy, Airole is a tiny village in the Roya valley, and the whole area is a patchwork of languages and histories. The region was part of the County of Nice and the Kingdom of Sardinia until 1860, and later the border zone was heavily fortified. Near Sospel, you can visit forts of the Maginot Line, built in the 1930s to guard the Alpine frontier, and some are open to visitors. Menton, on the coast, is known for its lemons and the lemon festival held each February.
The ride's great moment is the Col de Turini, at 1,607 metres, a pass of dense forest and tight hairpins that has become legendary among rally fans. The Monte Carlo Rally has used it for decades, and the night stage, with crowds around bonfires and headlights flashing through the trees, is known as the Night of the Turini. For riders, the road is thrilling, with a good surface, steep drops and tight bends, and it is rewarding at an unhurried pace. Further north, the Mercantour National Park, created in 1979, protects a wild landscape of high peaks, lakes and valleys, and it is home to ibex, chamois and a small population of wolves. The Col de la Bonette, one of the highest paved roads in Europe, reaches 2,715 metres and is only open in summer.
From Sospel, the roads fan out in all directions. The Col de Braus and the Col de Castillon are lovely climbs, with a series of tight bends and fine views, and they are much quieter than the coastal motorway. In summer, mornings are the best time, before the heat and the traffic.
Fuel is easy in Sospel, and cafes serve local specialities like pissaladière and socca. Weather can change fast, and snow closes the high passes from about November to May.