Col de la Bonette is really open

[franco]

Some big landslides of snow you have to squeeze past, but it's definitely open for business.

There was some kind of classic rally on today, lots of exotica from south of France and Switzerland on display and a fair few Brits too, in e-types, Lancia Stratos, even a Lamborghini Monteverdi which I'd never seen in the flesh

Unfortunately, never got any photos of them as we were heading the other way, however, here's some

HUGE amount of snow still up there though, so anyone going in the next couple of weeks should be nice and cool

Gonna take a while for this to melt away.

View looking back down towards the Nice side (south)

On the way back, I noticed the Casemate just north of Bolinette was open. So, we went into the visitor centre, and asked what the deal was. Free tour, with a voluntary contribution at the end. Great value

It's been restored to it's former glory and nicely done too. Accomodation for the minions.

Sophisticated communications equimpent

The big gun, ready to catch unwary bikers...

The twin machine guns, complete with 'Camembert' magazines.

Jerry helmet

 

[ahutcheon]

I'd be guessing the wee road round the back at the top, the one that takes you up to 2800m, isn't open yet.

Nice photos, brings back good memories of struggling up there on a bicycle, hearing the German GS pilots going the other way call out "Wunderbar!" to their pillions as their view opened up of the panorama of curves they were descending towards, and watching marmots in the meadows around the old barracks.

 

[leedude03]

Nice pics franco should be up there in just over a week.

 

[johnnyrep]

Great photos,what's your camera?

 

[franco]

.

Yeah the little loop which makes it the highest paved road in Europe is still a long way from being opened yet, maybe a week or two yet?
Didn't actually see that many marmottes, normally hundreds of them, but we saw two the whole day. Must still be too cold for them

Enjoy Lee, and Johnny, the Camera is a Canon EOS550D.

Rob

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Cheers Rob

Doesn't look too warm for middle of June though

 

[franco]

Cheers Rob

Doesn't look too warm for middle of June though

Yeah it was 26C when we left home at 10am, and was definitely single figures at the top there
Started spitting rain too with these scary black clouds, so we definitely didn't want to get caught in a storm up there, so abandoned the planned loop round Col de la Cayolle and came back down La Bonette.
Sure your weather will be MUCH nicer

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Yeah it was 26C when we left home at 10am, and was definitely single figures at the top there
Started spitting rain too with these scary black clouds, so we definitely didn't want to get caught in a storm up there, so abandoned the planned loop round Col de la Cayolle and came back down La Bonette.
Sure your weather will be MUCH nicer

If we get down in early July I'll text you a few days before