CyclistBig Ride: Nice, the Tours second cityNice is a cycling city. Nestled on the southern coast of France, it has the pleasant climate and relaxed atmosphere of a Riviera beach resort, but turn away from the azure waters of the Mediterranean and your gaze is drawn upwards to the foothills of the French Alps. Is it any wonder that so many pro cyclists decide to call Nice home, or that the city is such a magnet for riders looking to escape the winter cold?Its mid-March when Cyclist visits, and while the weather back home is constant rain and a temperature struggling to get into double figures, in Nice the morning sun is warm and I find myself in bibshorts and a short-sleeve jersey for the first time in a long while. Related Posts Classic climb: Col de la Madone, the climb loved by pros and ignored by the Tour Gravel Big Ride: Via del Sale, the Salt Road Big Ride: Summits and switchbacks on the Col de Turini The bike path on the Promenade des Anglais the road along the seafront so named because it was paid for by English expats in the 1800s is a constant flow of cyclists. An unidentifiable rider in Team TotalEnergies pro kit flits past, followed shortly after by EF Education-EasyPosts Neilson Powless.Looking out over Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, the casinos of Monte Carlo lie just over the furthest hill.Samantha Saskia DugonJust in case anyone was still not convinced that this is a city dedicated to cycling, a large billboard has been erected that is counting down the days until the Tour de France arrives. In 2024, for the first time ever, the Tour wont finish in Paris. Instead so as not to clash with the Olympics the Grande Boucles final day has had to find to find a new home, and the place the organisers have chosen is Nice.Cafe cultureIn summer Nices seafront is awash with visitors, but in the off-season its a peaceful place to relax.Samantha Saskia DugonOur ride today starts from Caf du Cycliste, located by the harbour in Nice. While best known now for its line of cycling apparel, the brand began life as a cafe in Nice and is still based here. More importantly, its still a cafe, so we can sip a coffee before picking up our rental bikes (also available at Caf du Cycliste) and heading out into the sunshine.Youre greeted by greenery as soon as you head out of the city.Samantha Saskia DugonMy guide is Lucie Denis, who knows the roads around Nice intimately and tells me she does hundreds of kilometres here on her fixie. I suspect Im going to have my work cut out today. We hug the coastline and start with a warm-up on Mont Boron, a small climb that runs through a peaceful park frequented by locals walking their dogs.Were barely a stones throw from the city centre and already it feels like were in the countryside. The sun is warming us nicely, and I am another step closer to understanding why Nice is so popular with winterers. In 2021 UNESCO granted World Heritage status to Nice, recognising it as the Winter Resort Town of the Riviera. Its only fitting, in the 1800s the nobility would flock here to escape grim winter weather, and so Nice was a winter destination long before it became a summer hotspot.We wiggle our way down through the trees and find a viewpoint at Fort du Mont Alban, a 16th century fortress. From here we can look down onto Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, a finger of land that juts out into the Mediterranean, also known as the second most expensive residential location in the world after Monaco. I imagine what I would be doing if I had that kind of money, and conclude that I would still probably be riding my bike into the foothills of the Alps. This thought makes me happy.Samantha Saskia DugonWe join a main cycling path that ushers us northwards out of the city. As we ride, the number of buildings diminishes while the number of olive trees increases, and after 25km we reach the small town of Levens where Lucie informs me there is a notable boulangerie. Alas, it is closed (its a Wednesday you have been warned) so we find the nearest tabac and glug down some grenadine.In search of sanctuaryOnce were beyond Levens the landscape changes. Where before it was green and gently rolling, now it is rocky and dramatic as the road carves through ravines, clinging to the vertiginous walls of the Vsubie gorge. The further we dive into the maze of cliffs, the narrower the road gets, to the point where I am fearful of what might happen should we meet a lorry coming the other way round one of the many blind corners. Thankfully traffic is minimal.The road through the Vsubie gorge is mesmerising, albeit with a subtle tilt upwards.Samantha Saskia DugonI squeeze as close to the rock face as I dare, worried that I might clip my handlebars if I let my concentration drift. At least were not going the other way, where a misguided wobble at the edge of the road might risk tipping over the low wall and dropping into the ravine on the other side.As if to emphasise the point, when we pass the town of Duranus we reach Le Saut des Franais, which literally means the jump of the French. Today its a panoramic viewpoint but back in the 1800s, Lucie explains, this is where militias called Barbets pushed their enemies 300m to their deaths. I glance over the edge and take in the steep drop with the sound of water gurgling in the river far below. It doesnt take much to imagine the horrors.Samantha Saskia DugonAnother 5km further on we arrive at Saint-Jean la Rivire, a pretty town surrounded by lush, forested hills, and where the ascent to the Madone dUtelle begins. This is our main target for the day a true Alpine climb, 15km in length with almost 900m of elevation, a 6% average gradient and switchbacks galore. And all within easy reach of a major city.Tunnels at the base of the Vsubie gorge will drip water on you, which is more pleasant in summer than it is in spring.Samantha Saskia DugonThe first part is on smooth tarmac and meanders upwards at a relatively benign 5-6%, passing olive groves and the occasional hotel perched on the hillside. We tap out a regular rhythm until we reach Utelle, a tiny town where every home has a spectacular view and lines of parked cars mark the start point for hiking trails that head into the surrounding hills. Just beyond the town, a left turn and a signpost indicates 6km to go to the summit.At this point the road narrows and the quality of surface deteriorates. Some recent landslides mean we must pick our line carefully in places and an impending series of hairpins tells us the gradient is about to ramp up. There are no houses anymore, just woodland and endless views to the snow-dusted mountains of the Alps in the distance. It is completely quiet.A Patou lazes in the sunshine while we continue to gain altitude.Samantha Saskia DugonEventually we arrive at the summit plateau at 1,174m, upon which sits the sanctuary of Madone dUtelle. Even better, theres a cafe, but today it is without electricity owing to storm damage and so we have to make do with crisps. Still, as we munch, we are treated to a 360 panorama of the Var and Tine valleys.A little further on from the sanctuary is a small monument, looking for all the world like a bandstand that has been removed from a British park and plonked on the top of a French mountain. It offers some of the finest views that anyone could hope for, and is guarded by four large Patou, or Pyrenean Mountain Dogs. They are bred to protect sheep from predators, but for all their fabled ferociousness these ones are easily won over with a tickle beneath the chin.Climbs and vinesSamantha Saskia DugonThe descent back to Utelle is a fast-flowing joy, with nothing but blue sky and white-tipped mountains ahead of us. We slip through Saint-Jean la Rivire and plunge back into the Vsubie gorge, only this time via a lower road that tracks alongside the river that winds through the base of the gorge. Short tunnels drip with water that seeps through the stones above us and make us shiver when the drops find their way down the backs of our necks.Samantha Saskia DugonThe sun has dipped and its starting to get chilly. I stay locked to Lucies back wheel as she pushes hard towards Nice we still have 30km to go and one more climb. After a long, fast descent on a fairly major road, we duck left onto Route de Colomars towards the village of Bellet, where sweeping views of the valley below do little to ease the spikes of up to 20% that are unforgiving on tired legs.The climb goes on for 8km and Im beginning to wonder whether Lucie is punishing me for some unspecified crime as Im sure she could have picked an easier route back to the city. But it turns out she has a treat for me. When we finally arrive at Bellet, we swing right down a quiet country road that leads to a vineyard called Domaine de la Source.Visit during March and the viewing point at the summit of the Madone dUtelle is gloriously quiet.Samantha Saskia DugonNow on its third family generation, Domaine de la Source is one of the smallest organic vineyards in France, where they grow the folle noire, a rare French grape variety. Its a relief to get off the bike, made all the better by being able to soak up the last of the sun with a glass of wine in hand. We try a ros, red and white and all taste like nectar to this tired cyclist. After scoffing the remains of the olive tapenade, we somewhat reluctantly remount our bikes to tackle the final 10km back to Nice along a quiet back road. Thankfully its all downhill.Back in the city, we ride along the Promenade des Anglais. In the evening light I look at the people strolling on the seafront or having picnics on the beach. Some are even swimming in the sea. I have to remind myself that its only March. If this is what a winter in Nice looks like, then I think I might have to become a winterer too.Eat and be merryA visit to Nice is as much about the food as it is the ridingThe port of Nice is home to super-yachts, sailing boats and traditional fishing boats known as pointus.Samantha Saskia DugonWith this years Tour de France finishing in Nice, it is important to know the culinary delights offered by this city and what to get for your picnic on the beach. A personal favourite is socca, a chickpea pancake, which is a delicious calorific snack and perfect if youre feeling peckish post-ride. Its made from chickpea flour, yeast and water.Pan bagnat is another local speciality that in the local dialect means wet bread. It is essentially all the ingredients of the Nioise salad (tuna, egg, raw vegetables, olive oil) in a sandwich and each family has their own way of doing it.There is also pissaladire, an onion tart topped with black olives and anchovies and baked on pizza-style dough. The name comes from pissalat, a Provenal condiment of pured anchovies, cloves, thyme and bay leaves that used to be spread on the dough before baking. Nowadays, people usually just put the anchovies on top (or take them off, as I did).The pice de la resistance is the tourte aux blettes, which is made with Swiss chard. The green vegetable has a natural sweetness to it and makes for a light and delicious tart that can be eaten as a dessert. It might sound odd to have a vegetable in a pudding, but dont knock it before youve tried it.How we did itRiding through Nice gives you a tour of the citys predominately Art Deco architecture.Samantha Saskia DugonTravelCyclist flew from Bristol to Nice. There are also direct flights from London airports and Edinburgh. You could also get the Eurostar to Paris and the TGV to Nice, which takes about nine hours. The city is a 30-minute tram ride away from the airport or a 1.5 hour walk along the coastline.AccommodationWe stayed at Hotel Aston La Scala (hotel-aston.com), a four-star bike-friendly hotel located in the centre of Nice, minutes from the beach and the old town.ThanksThanks to Caf du Cycliste (cafeducycliste.com) for its help with arranging our trip, for the bike rental and to Lucie Denis for riding with us and showing us her favourite places around the city. Many thanks to Caterina from the Nice tourism board (nice-tourism.com) for being an excellent guide, and also to Carine from Domaine de la Source. The vineyard offers wine tastings without bookings, Monday to Saturday all year round, so you can turn up on your bike whenever (domainedelasource.eu). We can also recommend Type 55 (instagram.com/type.55.nice) near the seafront in Nice for charcoal pizza as a post-ride indulgence. Related Posts Classic climb: Col de la Madone, the climb loved by pros and ignored by the Tour Gravel Big Ride: Via del Sale, the Salt Road Big Ride: Summits and switchbacks on the Col de Turini The post Big Ride: Nice, the Tours second city appeared first on Cyclist.