Nice

Score breakdown

Scored on climate and bike infrastructure — each computed from a real datapoint, not a guess. Ridership and sport-scene dimensions are on the way. How scoring works.

The Nice cycling scene

Nice sits at the western edge of a dense pro-cycling cluster: dozens of WorldTour riders are based in Nice and neighbouring Monaco, drawn by the rare combination of warm Mediterranean winters and serious vertical terrain rising straight off the coast. Within an hour of the Promenade des Anglais you can climb the Col d'Èze (the historic Paris-Nice time-trial finish), the legendary Col de la Madone (Lance Armstrong's and Tony Rominger's form-test climb above Menton), and harder Alpine cols like Braus, Turini and Vence. The three corniches give endless coast-road options, and the hinterland is quiet, well-surfaced and steep. It's a road-first scene; gravel and MTB exist in the Mercantour but are less organised.

Start here

Café du Cycliste's shop and café on the Old Port (Quai des Docks) is the de facto meeting point for the international road scene, running open group rides most Saturdays at 9:00am. For a French-club experience riding the Niçois hinterland, IFC Nice Cyclisme is the oldest cycling club in the Alpes-Maritimes. Independent guide services such as Riviera Cycling cater to visitors who want a tailored day out on the cols.

The climbs, trails, and rides that define riding here, the ones locals ride and recommend first.

Local bike shops