The Col de la République is a pass with a political name and an unexpected role in cycling history. At about eleven hundred and forty-five metres, it carries the old main road from Saint-Étienne to Annonay across the Pilat massif, and it has been climbed by the Tour de France more than once, while the steady grade through the beechwoods has made it a training favourite for local clubs. The pass lies in the Parc naturel régional du Pilat, between the industrial valley of Saint-Étienne and the Rhône basin.
The name speaks of the republic, and the pass has the plain, civic feel that goes with it. It is not a dramatic one in the Alpine sense; it has no famous hairpins and no view of glaciers, but the road climbs steadily through a forest of beech and fir, and the top is a wide, open saddle with a small restaurant and a few buildings. It is a place for stopping, drinking and looking at the sky.
For the rider, the road is a pleasure. The gradient is gentle, the bends are long and smooth, and the surface is generally excellent, which makes for a relaxed, rhythmic climb and descent. Heavy lorries and cars share the road, though, so keep an eye on the traffic. In winter the pass can be icy or snowy, and on the east side fog from the valley sometimes climbs up to meet you. The temperature at the top is often several degrees cooler than at the bottom.
Nature here is subtle but rich: the forests have deer and roe deer, and in spring the meadows are full of wild flowers, with orchids, gentians and buttercups. The air smells of resin, damp earth and mown grass, and in autumn, the beeches turn a copper-gold that lights the slopes.
For fuel, Bourg-Argental, about seven kilometres down the east side, has stations and shops, and La Ricamarie, thirteen kilometres west toward Saint-Étienne, is the bigger centre. There is nothing at the top beyond the restaurant, so fill up in advance and pack a layer.