Look up at La Turbie and you see a ruin standing over Monaco like a broken tooth. It is the Trophée des Alpes, a huge monument built by the Roman emperor Augustus in 6 BC to celebrate the conquest of the Alpine tribes, and it stands at the highest point of the Via Julia Augusta, the Roman road that connected Italy with Gaul. Once crowned with a statue of the emperor and inscribed with the names of the defeated peoples, the monument was partly dismantled and later used as a fortress and quarry, and what you see today was largely reconstructed in the twentieth century with funds from an American donor.
The village itself sits at roughly four hundred and eighty metres, on the Grande Corniche, with the Mediterranean spread out far below and Monaco's tower blocks looking like toys at the bottom of a cliff. The little old town has narrow lanes, a baroque church and a feeling of being tucked away from the glitz. The view from the terrace beside the trophy is one of the best on the coast, taking in the whole bay of Monaco and the sweep of the shoreline to Italy.
The Grande Corniche is the highest and oldest of the three roads that run along the coast, and it follows much of the line of the Roman route. The riding is a pleasure: broad, sweeping bends, fine views and a smooth surface, with less traffic than the lower roads, though the bus tours still crowd the car parks at midday. The wind can be fierce on the exposed sections, and there is sometimes fog or cloud when the coast below is in sunshine.
Monaco is just a few minutes down the hill, so a detour to see the harbour and the Grand Prix circuit is easy. The tiny principality is very strict on traffic and parking, so be aware of the rules, and do not expect to ride as quickly as the Grand Prix drivers do.
For practical needs, Beausoleil, a town of about thirteen thousand people, lies just below and has fuel, supermarkets and cafes. In the village, a small selection of restaurants and bars serve good coffee and decent lunches. Take a layer, since the breeze at the monument can be cool.